The Rhodes Vocabulary.

I learned a whole new set of words and phrases upon coming to Rhodes. Even though I'm from the relatively oblivious town of Welkom in the Freestate, I thought that saying the word "keen" was about as cool as a neon-coloured sweatband. Not very.

Rhodents frequently use words like "lank", "stoked", "schweet", and the ever popular "mare" (EG: "Oh my God bru, I had such a mare last night" - translation: "My dear friend, I got magnificently wasted last night, made some horrendous decisions, and I want you to know this, however, I will codify and euphemise my own head off before I blankly state this fact. Chicks dig it.")

The most toxic specimen of Rhodes lingo, however, is the word "chilled".

Its everywhere. You'll see one of your friends, knowing full well their life is on a one way train headed at warp speed for the bottom of the toilet, and upon asking them how they are, they will glibly reply, with dead eyes and a completely unconvincing tone stuck somewhere between lawnmower and bumble bee: "I'm chilled hey". My response to this is usually : "No, you bloody aren't".


All men know that a girlfriend saying "I'm fine" is a mere prelude to an inevitable, tumultuous storm of hormone-driven ranting and carrying-ons. "Chilled" is the new "fine" at Rhodes.

It bothers me so much that this little phrase is meant to cover up all the problems in some one's life, but what perturbs me even more is the fact that so many people will accept this reply. Not me. Call me prudent, but I think that its important to actually have a vested interest in your friends.

Rare as a virgin in a res that will not be named (but Atherstone House... I banter, I banter), is someone actually being "chilled" when they say that they are "chilled". I wish people would stop allowing this word to make them fool themselves and their friends. Let someone know whats on your mind before you explode. That is decidedly "un-chilled", bru.

PS: Hearing "chilled" maes me go like this:... And say "Humphhhhh".