Documenting Joburg Through Ink & Pixels: A Chat with Heather of 2Summers

Hi guys, today I have Heather – an American woman who passionately lives, loves, and documents life in Joburg on her blog 2Summers – on the blog.

I can’t quite remember when I started reading 2Summers, but I know it was during the COVID saga, when I clung to the internet like a life raft in a sea of uncertainty, that I became a devout follower of it—especially her lockdown journals.

Around the same time, I too, kept my own Covid Diary (a makeshift sanity-saving measure during those blur days). While mine was a haphazard mix of despair, illegible scribbles, and enough dried tear stains to qualify as modern art (definitely not suitable for public consumption), Heather’s blog was a beacon of comfort, even when she was airing her Covid-induced frustrations.

I looked forward to her entries and eventually diving deep into 2Summer archives, which felt like stepping into Heather’s world. Sure, it’s about Joburg and South Africa, but it’s also about Heather—her quirks, her views, her random musings. It’s like getting letters from that childhood friend who moved away and is absolutely obsessed with their new digs—and I’m all ears (or eyeballs, I guess).

There are more reasons why I have spent countless hours reading 2Summers, but I’ll leave it to the following chat to give you a taste of what makes the blog, Joburg, and Heather special. Enjoy the ride!

KK: Hi Heather, what does your writing process look like? Do you have a specific ritual or routine you follow? Lastly, what aspect of writing do you find most enjoyable?

2Summer: That’s an interesting question because my answer today is different from what it would have been just a few weeks ago. Up until recently, I didn’t have a daily writing routine: I’ve always struggled to journal or to write every day in any format. But in January, I started reading The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. 

The Artist’s Way is a recovery program for blocked artists, and one of the requirements of the program is to hand-write three pages of stream of consciousness every day, first thing every morning. I’ve been doing this for more than 40 days now, and it’s really helping unlock a lot of new creative ideas in my head. Since I know I have to complete three pages, I can’t stop when I run out of interesting things to write — I just sit there until a new idea comes to me.

I don’t have a clear routine for writing my blog. I generally publish one new post every week, but not necessarily on the same day. When I write my blog posts, I type them straight into my WordPress editor and insert photos as I go along.

2Summer: The aspect of writing that I find most enjoyable is definitely the feeling I have when I finish writing a blog post and finally hit that “publish” button.

KK: A perception of South Africa that you had before moving there, which has since been proven far from reality?

2Summer: I knew very, very little about South Africa before moving here — it’s quite astounding to think about how many of my preconceived notions were wrong. But I think my biggest misconception was that South Africa is a country made up solely of Black indigenous people and White descendants of British and Dutch colonizers. In reality South Africa (and especially Johannesburg) is dizzyingly diverse, with huge populations of immigrants from South and East Asia, North and East Africa, the Middle East, and all over Europe. There is also huge religious diversity in South Africa, with large populations of Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and hundreds of different Christian denominations.

I’m fascinated by the diversity of religious spaces in Joburg, and I love exploring them.

KK: What’s your first or most memorable culture shock experience upon relocating to Johannesburg?

2Summer: Driving in South Africa — or simply riding as a passenger in a car — was a big adjustment for me. Unlike America (where I’m from), South Africa drives on the left side of the road, and almost all cars have manual transmissions. Traffic is a lot more chaotic than what I was used to before, as the roads are crammed with minibus taxis that tend to drive erratically and hoot constantly to solicit passengers. Also, there were lots of panhandlers on the road, and I was terrified of hitting someone, especially since I wasn’t used to driving on the opposite side. It took me about a year and a half before I felt comfortable driving here.

KK: Your blog gave me much of my knowledge about Joburg and South Africa. Do you have any additional recommendations for someone interested in delving deeper into the region’s culture?

2Summer: The best South African podcast I’ve heard lately is “I Will Not Grow Old Here: A Girl From Alex” by the Radio Workshop. It’s a three-part series narrated by a young woman living in Alexandra Township, Joburg’s oldest and most densely populated township (townships are segregated areas where non-White people in South Africa were forced to live before 1994), and the challenges she faces in her everyday life. The narrator, Mary-Ann, does a fantastic job showing what life is really like for young adults in South Africa today.

One of my favorite Joburg books is Zoo City by Lauren Beukes. I think the genre is best described as magical realism, and the plot is very difficult to explain. But the story is uniquely “Joburg” and provides an interesting commentary on the angst that many Joburgers felt (and still feel) in the years since apartheid ended.

KK: What enchanting cultural festival have you experienced or dreamed of attending in Joburg or South Africa?

2Summer: Joburg has lots of amazing festivals, but the best art festival (in my opinion) happens right here in Brixton, the suburb where I live. It’s called the Brixton Light Festival. I’m lucky to live in a neighborhood that is filled with art and creativity, and all the best of it is on display at the Brixton Light Festival.

KK: What is something from the US that you wish could magically become a part of Joburg?

2Summer: A functioning electrical grid and municipal water system. South Africa, and Joburg especially, has major issues with electricity and water supply, and it’s crippling our economy and society.

KK: A must-visit market in Joburg and why?

2Summer: Joburg has the biggest fresh produce market in the Southern Hemisphere, simply called “the Joburg Market”. Visiting that market is a totally overwhelming but incredible experience — I blogged about it last year.

KK: What is your favourite South African cuisine to cook for others? And what’s your go-to or current favourite street food? What is your comfort food in South African cuisine?

2Summer: Strangely, I feel like I don’t really cook specifically South African food myself. The most common type of South African cooking to do at home is braaing (barbecuing meat), and I’m not much of a meat chef — my partner (in a traditional division of gender roles) handles the braai.

But my favorite South African street food is definitely the koesister: a small, spiced, donut-like piece of dough that is deep-fried and then boiled in sugar water. My favorite South African comfort food is pap — stiff porridge made from maize meal — topped with a spicy tomato relish called chakalaka.

KK: If you were to send a loved one who lives far away a care package representing all things Johannesburg, what would be in it?

2Summer: Assuming the recipient is outside of Africa, I would definitely send some African wax print fabric or clothing because we have fantastic African fabric shops and designers making beautiful clothes from that fabric. I would send some grilled boerewors — a spiced South African sausage that doesn’t exist anywhere but here. And if this were possible, I would send the weather. Joburg undoubtedly has the best climate in the world. Except for about two months of mild winter in June and July and some scattered hot weeks in our very long summer, it’s rarely too hot or too cold here, and the high altitude means mercifully low humidity.

KK: Tell us more about the ongoing Joburg’s best shawarma mission!

2Summer: Hahaha, I actually did my “Best Shawarmas in Joburg” post in 2022, and that’s when the project ended. But the five places listed in that post are still my favorites by far. Syrian Rose is the closest shawarma place to me — about a five-minute drive away — and I eat there frequently.

KK: Something we had in common was keeping a lockdown diary (though I kept most of mine private as they were too unruly!!), and I loved reading yours. Have you had any unexpected positive experiences or personal growth due to the lockdown?

2Summer: I blogged every day for the first 100 days of lockdown, and it was definitely a transformative experience. South Africa had one of the strictest lockdowns in the world when the pandemic first started: For several weeks, we were not allowed to leave our homes at all (even to exercise or walk pets!) except for food shopping and medical care. I was living alone at the time, and that experience was WILD. Blogging every day really kept me sane and connected to the outside world via the internet, and my blog was more popular than it had ever been before or since that time. I learned a lot about myself during lockdown (as I’m sure everyone did), but the most important thing I learned was how much I actually enjoy being alone and not having to experience FOMO all the time. 

KK: Who are some local women artists or creators whom you admire?

2Summer: There are so many that this question almost makes me draw a blank. But I’m a huge fan of Popi Sibiya, a South African travel influencer who travels the world — mostly Africa — in an incredibly fearless and authentic way. And I also love Nard Star, a graffiti/street artist from Cape Town who creates the most beautiful, female-centric murals.

KK: What lies ahead for you and the 2Summers?

2Summer: I’ve been blogging for such a long time — nearly 14 years! — and it’s been a while since I’ve attached any specific projects or goals to my blog. But I never know when something new is going to inspire me. Currently I’m just writing about whatever I’m into in a given moment. And right now, since I recently bought a new 4×4 car, I’m really into road-tripping and hiking in as many beautiful places around South Africa as possible. Who knows what will come next?

Just from this snippet, I’m sure can tell Heather’s delightful, as are her writing and photography. Check out her blog to learn more about Joburg and South Africa, from the food, people and culture. It has convinced me to add Joburg to my travel bucket list – I’m coming, Heather, and we’re definitely hanging out when I do.

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