A TikTok video of an American mom navigating South African life has struck a chord with locals, and for good reason… she gets us. Shame.
Western Cape, South Africa (19 June 2025) – When Kourtney Jade packed up her life in Las Vegas and moved her entire family to South Africa in 2024, without ever having visited, she knew it was a leap of faith. What she didn’t know was just how deeply she would fall in love with her new home.
Fast forward to today, and Kourtney has become a viral sensation for sharing her refreshingly honest and hilarious observations about life in Mzansi. Her TikTok videos, which have racked up hundreds and thousands of views, dive into things she’s learnt since settling into South African life… and honestly, we’re obsessed.
A video titled “Five Things I’ve Learnt Since Moving to South Africa” was sent to us yesterday, and since then, we cannot stop watching all her updates.
The “Five things” video shines light on the little things locals might not even notice anymore… but that make us proudly South African.
@iamkourtneyjadeThings I wish I knew before moving to South Africa♬ original sound – Iamkourtneyjade
First up on her list is our love for the word “shame”. Kourtney’s baffled (and entertained) by how versatile it is, explaining that South Africans seem to use it for absolutely everything. And the locals in the comments agree… with a few notes for pronunciation.
“When you say it like ‘shame’ it sounds wrong. It’s ‘Shemm’,” one viewer gently corrected.
Another added: “Lol. The tone will tell you what shame we are saying.”
Next, she dives into South Africa’s McDonald’s menu, expressing surprise at items you won’t find in the U.S. Hello Boerie Burger Meal! For anyone raised on standard burgers and fries, it’s definitely a flavourful surprise.
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SA's Incredible Volunteer Therapy Dogs Are the Gentlest Heroes!The third thing? WhatsApp… Kourtney says that while Americans tend to use SMS or iMessage but South Africans live on WhatsApp, for business, school chats, neighbourhood groups, and everything in between.
Her fourth learning is about water. Specifically, tap water. Back home, she explains, the water wasn’t safe to drink. Here, she finds that it mostly is. It’s a small but powerful detail that highlights the stark differences in everyday life.
And finally: Load Shedding. Yes, she said it. Although it has been “rebranded” to Load Reduction in 2025. But instead of focusing on the frustration, she marvels at how South Africans just deal with it.
“You guys just carry on with life,” she says, clearly impressed by the resilience.
We have fallen in love with Kourtney (and her TikTok) and after deep diving through her feed, we found an earlier video, as interesting (and viral) as the “five things” where she reflects on “three major cultural differences” she’s noticed since the move.
The first is the pace of life. She describes the “hustle culture” of America, where everyone is constantly busy, versus the more relaxed and present lifestyle she’s experienced here. (Although, to be fair, many were quick to point out that this sounds a lot like Cape Town energy and suggested she take a trip to Joburg next.) Another observation was that businesses in South Africa tend to close earlier. In the States, almost everything is open 24 hours a day, and as frustrated as she was when she first moved here (by not being able to get something at 3am), she has learnt to love the respect for work/life balance.
One viewer hilariously explained: “Lol Thandeka you are funny. We close early because it’s dangerous at night.”
Yup, that comment included her new local nickname.
“You got a South African name yet? I propose the name ‘Thandeka’,” said one fan.
It stuck. And some people have been calling her that ever since. Perhaps the most moving comment came from someone who saw more than just humour in her content.
“What is important to me is I noticed that you don’t regret moving back home and you are happy. I wish all Africans can come back home.”
In another TikTok video (we were properly deep diving), Kourtney shares the moment her family decided to take the leap. After a conversation with her mom and brother, and watching a documentary on American expats living abroad, she and her husband made the decision to relocate. A year later, they arrived in South Africa… after never visiting here!
And now, after exploring new tastes, adjusting to different rhythms, learning how to pronounce “shame” properly, and gaining a new name, she’s fully leaning into the South African experience.
But Kourtney’s videos (or should we call her Thandeka) are more than just fun cultural comparisons. They’re a reminder of what makes South Africa so beautifully unique. From our quirky slang and boerie burgers to our quiet strength in the face of power cuts. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll inspire more people to look at our country with fresh eyes… and fall in love with it too.
Shame man.
by 
