Saturday, September 15, 2012
Adventure awaits as long as you are willing to find it
Today I realized I needed to spend some time outside as recently I've been cooped up indoors far longer then my heart can stand. I decided I was going to walk to the farmer's market with my friend Teagan. It was a beautiful day as we walked outside embracing the sunshine and all the gifts that nature had to offer. As we turned the corner our eyes met a bunch of pinatas hanging in trees at the park just outside my back door. Our ears tuned into the Latino music that was blasting around us and the people enjoying tacos, fajitas, and some delicious looking nachos. The Latino art and film festival was taking place right outside my cottage, offering the perfect opportunity to take every opportunity that life has to give. We listened to the music and all the while I was choreographing a tango dance in my head waiting for the chance to try it out. We stayed for awhile and then journeyed to the farmers market, taking in all of the bright colors that the freshly grown fruits and vegetables were giving off. I managed to buy myself a hot dog, which for some reason I have been craving for the past two weeks. Teagan and I sat down on a bench enjoying the day along with each other's company and decided to walk back a different way then we came. We popped into one of my favorite shops called the bridge, known for selling items that come from around the world and giving the profit back to the country that it came from. As I browsed through the shelves desperately desiring a bracelet with the South African flag on it I gave up and noticed the open back door in the rear of the shop. Teagan and I had never walked out of the shop that way before and this time we decided, well why not? So we walked out the back door and stumbled upon this adorable store that only a small town would have to offer. Advertising gelatos, icees, and a very random assortment of food, the owners of the store gave us the warmest welcome possible and let us try every free sample in the store (awesome right?!). I ended up purchasing a coconut, chocolate, almond gelato and it was well worth the tiny amount I paid. After walking back I was ready for another nap and happily drifted off to sleep.
Oh The Cleverness of a Child
Recently I've come down with an unexpected cold. One would think if you are eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep, a head cold wouldn't come upon you, but hey life likes to throw unexpected curves in the road sometimes. The past two days eating healthy went out the window as chocolate and hot dogs (I have no idea why) became my go to food and exercise with a runny nose and fever just sounded miserable. I prescribed bed rest with an additional dose of the Chronicles of Narnia as my medicine for the weekend.
Even though there was a birthday party occurring in my basement I was perfectly content falling asleep to my roommates reading of a wrinkle in time and the sweet dreams that came next. Something I've realized about myself is when I am sick I love to watch children's movies and love to be taken care of. I am always reminded of my much younger self when I get sick and for that very reason, I am thankful that I became ill, for that realization alone. I have come across many people who after having gotten to know me always like to remind me not to get caught up in the sadness and danger in the world and to never lose the joy I can find in everyday life, and in people all around me. I realize that my joy is many times found when spending time with children, or reading children's books or watching children's movies because children see the world much more clearly then adults do sometimes. Many children are able to look past the sad and bad things of this world, to not be caught up in the negative but to focus on the here and now, the meaning of life, where happiness is found. When people tell me not to lose my joy, I tell people I will always try to keep the childlike version of myself alive, for all those who need to be reminded of the true meaning of life. In case I am not around though, there are plenty of children around the world, spend some time with them and you may learn things that you have forgotten.
Even though there was a birthday party occurring in my basement I was perfectly content falling asleep to my roommates reading of a wrinkle in time and the sweet dreams that came next. Something I've realized about myself is when I am sick I love to watch children's movies and love to be taken care of. I am always reminded of my much younger self when I get sick and for that very reason, I am thankful that I became ill, for that realization alone. I have come across many people who after having gotten to know me always like to remind me not to get caught up in the sadness and danger in the world and to never lose the joy I can find in everyday life, and in people all around me. I realize that my joy is many times found when spending time with children, or reading children's books or watching children's movies because children see the world much more clearly then adults do sometimes. Many children are able to look past the sad and bad things of this world, to not be caught up in the negative but to focus on the here and now, the meaning of life, where happiness is found. When people tell me not to lose my joy, I tell people I will always try to keep the childlike version of myself alive, for all those who need to be reminded of the true meaning of life. In case I am not around though, there are plenty of children around the world, spend some time with them and you may learn things that you have forgotten.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Beautiful People Make for Beautiful Friendships
A very well respected friend of mine told me that sometimes we become dreamers, in a time where dreaming becomes our escape from reality, and reality is very important sometimes.
I have been stuck to deep in my dreaming. Luckily for that I have some amazing people in my life who will listen to me when times get difficult, and confusing. I have people who take me as I am, and help me live in the beautiful reality before me. The beautiful opportunities and life I have awaiting me right now and all i have to do is awaken to that fact.
I was reminded of a few quotes when I thought of how my friends have helped me in many ways, but mostly helping me to realize more of who I am and to learn from the people that surround me. So to all of my friends...this is a shout out to you guys...love you all! Thanks for everything!
"Let your dreams be bigger than your fears, your actions louder than your words and you faith stronger than your feelings."
"I'd rather live a life of 'oh wells' than a life of 'what ifs'..."
"Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. just 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery"
Hearing a simple I miss you are the only words one needs sometimes.
"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
"A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can equally confide, and whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and its sincerity."
I have been stuck to deep in my dreaming. Luckily for that I have some amazing people in my life who will listen to me when times get difficult, and confusing. I have people who take me as I am, and help me live in the beautiful reality before me. The beautiful opportunities and life I have awaiting me right now and all i have to do is awaken to that fact.
I was reminded of a few quotes when I thought of how my friends have helped me in many ways, but mostly helping me to realize more of who I am and to learn from the people that surround me. So to all of my friends...this is a shout out to you guys...love you all! Thanks for everything!
"Let your dreams be bigger than your fears, your actions louder than your words and you faith stronger than your feelings."
"I'd rather live a life of 'oh wells' than a life of 'what ifs'..."
"Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. just 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery"
Hearing a simple I miss you are the only words one needs sometimes.
"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
"A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can equally confide, and whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and its sincerity."
Monday, August 27, 2012
Lately I feel like all people have been wanting from me has been answers. Answers about who I am now, what I've learned, dislikes, likes how those have changed, and beliefs. So sorry to be selfish with this post but it's going to be all about me. You all have been forewarned.
What I've learned:
1.The world is not as it appears to be, but it never really has been has it?
2. I walk funny, causing my knees to curve in to each other as I walk and my right shoe always gets destroyed.
3. People think I have a lisp...I am not one of those people.
4. People are unique, to their background, their history, their stories, size, shape, and color, and I relish those differences. The uniqueness of each person is beautiful and I love people.
5.I love smiling and I realized how many people have pegged that as my trademark. No I am not always happy,but I smile not just when I am happy, I smile to help me get through the hard things in life as well.
6. I've learned to be assertive; To stand up for myself when necessary.
7. Loads about South African history and politics but still not enough.
8. People have quite a few classifications for other people.
9. I've learned to never let a person think they are less than me.
10. As much as I have learned I still feel like the world continues to school me.
11. I love learning. Especially through people's life stories. I love people.
12. I've learned that even if you avoid it as much as possible, because I was raised in America I was raised on consumerism and therefore selfishness. Even when I thought I was being selfless I was shown I still had very much to learn. And I learned it from the most selfless people I have ever met.
13. I've learned that the grey areas in life are ok to be enjoyed. It is ok not to have a strong opinion on something one way or the other. During my time in Cape Town I was always expected to have a strong opinion on what is right and what is wrong but I have grown to accept and love my ability to see the grey area. Being able to see both the good and bad in a scenario or topic.
14. I've learned that so many people picture Jesus as a white blue eye'd man, why is that? I've learned why so many people turn from faith and how it is so easy to get caught up in the idea that people of strong faith have everything together. The truth is that putting anyone on a pedestal will only lead to disappointment and possibly a dislike for a certain religion.
15. I've learned I love to answer someones questions when I am very sure of the answer.
16. I love engaging in conversation about something completely foreign to me, engaging doesn't always have to mean using your voice, it can also mean actively listening.
17. I absolutely love languages and realize the importance of languages when building relationships.
18.I've learned that I am a perfectionist and as much as I would love to change that it is a part of me and I should start to embrace it, but its about time I stop becoming disappointed with my self and start loving my mistakes, flaws, and imperfections.
19. Deep fried Indian Food makes me feel sick...but I still eat it because it's so spicy it clears my sinuses.
20. I love handshakes.
21. I get extremely attached to people and places to the point of a mini depression when leaving said place or people.
22. When I came back I really hated America, I was constantly wanting to be somewhere else, anywhere else, but I've grown to love the opportunities I have been given just for living in this country. It truly is a blessing regardless of some of my strong opinions I hold against certain American characteristics.
23. Live music re-energizes my soul.
24. A friendly attitude can occasionally lead someone on, kindness can actually be cruel.
25. Drop box is one of the greatest inventions.
26. I've learned how sad it is that there is a perpetuating system of poverty, beggars have children, teaching their children to beg. What's the solution and when does it end?
27. I learned how miraculous a daily event such as the sunset or the stars coming out is.
28. I learned that commonalities can be found cross cultural and that is a beautiful realization.
29. I've learned that sometimes the hardest goodbyes don't end in tears at all, they end in a numbness that is difficult to explain.
30.I have learned that it's ok to completely let loose, no matter who is looking, if you are loving that moment, you do you!
31. Love is still the greatest lesson to be learned in life. I fall in love easily, but learning to love, is simply a different story.
32. I don't have answers, just thoughts, realizations, and wonderings.
I am sure there will be a round two of more realizations but until then this is what I've got.
What I've learned:
1.The world is not as it appears to be, but it never really has been has it?
2. I walk funny, causing my knees to curve in to each other as I walk and my right shoe always gets destroyed.
3. People think I have a lisp...I am not one of those people.
4. People are unique, to their background, their history, their stories, size, shape, and color, and I relish those differences. The uniqueness of each person is beautiful and I love people.
5.I love smiling and I realized how many people have pegged that as my trademark. No I am not always happy,but I smile not just when I am happy, I smile to help me get through the hard things in life as well.
6. I've learned to be assertive; To stand up for myself when necessary.
7. Loads about South African history and politics but still not enough.
8. People have quite a few classifications for other people.
9. I've learned to never let a person think they are less than me.
10. As much as I have learned I still feel like the world continues to school me.
11. I love learning. Especially through people's life stories. I love people.
12. I've learned that even if you avoid it as much as possible, because I was raised in America I was raised on consumerism and therefore selfishness. Even when I thought I was being selfless I was shown I still had very much to learn. And I learned it from the most selfless people I have ever met.
13. I've learned that the grey areas in life are ok to be enjoyed. It is ok not to have a strong opinion on something one way or the other. During my time in Cape Town I was always expected to have a strong opinion on what is right and what is wrong but I have grown to accept and love my ability to see the grey area. Being able to see both the good and bad in a scenario or topic.
14. I've learned that so many people picture Jesus as a white blue eye'd man, why is that? I've learned why so many people turn from faith and how it is so easy to get caught up in the idea that people of strong faith have everything together. The truth is that putting anyone on a pedestal will only lead to disappointment and possibly a dislike for a certain religion.
15. I've learned I love to answer someones questions when I am very sure of the answer.
16. I love engaging in conversation about something completely foreign to me, engaging doesn't always have to mean using your voice, it can also mean actively listening.
17. I absolutely love languages and realize the importance of languages when building relationships.
18.I've learned that I am a perfectionist and as much as I would love to change that it is a part of me and I should start to embrace it, but its about time I stop becoming disappointed with my self and start loving my mistakes, flaws, and imperfections.
19. Deep fried Indian Food makes me feel sick...but I still eat it because it's so spicy it clears my sinuses.
20. I love handshakes.
21. I get extremely attached to people and places to the point of a mini depression when leaving said place or people.
22. When I came back I really hated America, I was constantly wanting to be somewhere else, anywhere else, but I've grown to love the opportunities I have been given just for living in this country. It truly is a blessing regardless of some of my strong opinions I hold against certain American characteristics.
23. Live music re-energizes my soul.
24. A friendly attitude can occasionally lead someone on, kindness can actually be cruel.
25. Drop box is one of the greatest inventions.
26. I've learned how sad it is that there is a perpetuating system of poverty, beggars have children, teaching their children to beg. What's the solution and when does it end?
27. I learned how miraculous a daily event such as the sunset or the stars coming out is.
28. I learned that commonalities can be found cross cultural and that is a beautiful realization.
29. I've learned that sometimes the hardest goodbyes don't end in tears at all, they end in a numbness that is difficult to explain.
30.I have learned that it's ok to completely let loose, no matter who is looking, if you are loving that moment, you do you!
31. Love is still the greatest lesson to be learned in life. I fall in love easily, but learning to love, is simply a different story.
32. I don't have answers, just thoughts, realizations, and wonderings.
I am sure there will be a round two of more realizations but until then this is what I've got.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Adjustments, Transitions, and Changes
Today marks the third day I have been back at school. It has definitely been an up and down roller coaster ride of emotions. It feels like I never left this place of Hope, as everyone seems to be the same, and nothing too much about Hope has seemed to changer either. This transition has been difficult because I realize how much I have changed. I am constantly reminding myself to not look to the past so often or live in the future too much, it is time now that I start embracing the present yet again. Yes, I will still be counting down the days until summer when I can make it back to the oh so wonderful Cape Town, and possibly Thailand but until then, I will be trying to embrace everything that I have right here at this moment. I realize how many people would be so grateful to be in my position and I refuse to waste my time here. No, I still do not know which direction my life is heading, what I will be majoring in or even where I will be next semester, but as frustrating, stressful,and scary as that can be, I've realized I need to let go. I need to let go of what I am being told to do, I need to let go of what I think I should do, and wait until God points me in the direction of what I was made for. Until then I will be patiently waiting...ok..so not always so patient, but hey I'm trying :)
Whoever is reading this, I just want to say, one you are awesome, even if I have never met you, and two....Carpe Diem!
Whoever is reading this, I just want to say, one you are awesome, even if I have never met you, and two....Carpe Diem!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
We all just want to be loved right? We all want to meet people who don't make us so blatantly aware of our flaws but who encourage our good qualities enough that those flaws we hold vanish. It is not to say that one's flaws should be ignored, but sometimes we hold onto our own flaws more than others, all it takes is a bit of encouragement for a person to realize their own worth and for those flaws to be molded into features that one desires.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Send Me On My Way
Looking to the future can be problematic in one way. It can cause panic to rise. Yesterday I had a bit of a meltdown that I am not too proud of but a few key realizations were made during my hours of stress and panic. One, I realized that no one's future is set in stone, as much as someone can have a plan and may want it to be, there isn't really a sure thing in this life. For me presently that is a great thing. After, I realized that there are still so many opportunities that are opening up for me, and no matter what direction I may choose in this life I always have the power to change that direction, with God's hands gently guiding me along. I can do a gap semester in Thailand, or search for an internship for a summer in Cape Town. I just need to, as the saying goes 'Keep calm and carry on' taking things step by step and following the signs that life has already laid out for me about the paths I should be choosing.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Tonight nostalgia plagues my mind. I truly admire those who really can always live honestly in the present, not looking to their past or to their future. For me looking to the past brings me wisdom and looking towards the future brings me hope. Although tonight, my nostalgia has brought me to dwell on things that cannot be changed, things that cannot be brought back. Tonight Geof, I am missing you. I cannot believe it has been three months since you left this world, and journeyed into another. I cannot exactly put my finger on why I am feeling down tonight, but it may be because I was meant to think of you. You always knew what to say whenever I was upset, and it's funny because I think you still do. I can picture you slapping on that huge smile, grabbing my hand and telling me it's going to be alright. Then you would grab my hand and tell me a joke, or give me compliments. Even though I've heard them a million times from you they still make me feel better. May 24, God must have decided he wanted his very own smile maker, that was you. I miss you every day, thanks for the laughs tonight Geof.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Worry= Love
Worrying is brought on for different reasons. Some worry about their careers, and their future success. Others worry about people. Most seem to worry about a combination of both people and what the future holds. I think worrying is brought on by stress which is brought on by care, stemming from love. Perhaps the love for a person, or a love for money, a love for one's passion, or a love for being on time. Many people say you shouldn't worry too much because it's not good for your health and you'll get wrinkles ;)Although sometimes worrying is necessary, and as annoying as it may be to occasionally be on the receiving end of that worry, it's someone's way of saying they love you.
This week I did quite a bit of worrying and I also received a bit of worry from others. Can you feel the love? I mean it really is all around.
This week I did quite a bit of worrying and I also received a bit of worry from others. Can you feel the love? I mean it really is all around.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Fate
As a child I never would have thought I would end up where I was at that precise moment. I could never have imagined I would have to make this journey to California, to leave behind my best friend, and the other half of me, my sister. That sunny day was where fate or God or both, had brought the two of us. To the Orange County airport, hugging to try to ease the sadness, hugging to give hope, and then like a flash I was alone again.
I once read about a story of a man who had tried to get rid of a pair of slippers that seemed to be bad luck. Every time he would try to rid himself of the slippers something bad would happen to someone else, and they always ended up back in his possession. I think sometimes we have to hold onto our slippers because those slippers resemble fate. As much as we try to change where we will end up it will happen anyways, and in the end we will be just where we are meant to be. We might as well embrace the unknown. That gives way to the thrill of the adventure of life. Some moments may be harder then others, some more sad, but those moments after the difficulties have subsided, and after the sadness has seeped back into our hearts to stream out at a later time, there are moments of recognition, of pure joy, and of peace. I never thought I would be journeying to Disneyland alone or that chance would bring me to encounter my best friend from high school halfway across the country in California, and yet it did. These things happen for a reason. Every moment, every feeling, every encounter, action, interaction, experience, every second I believe is happening for a reason.
I was given the solitude I have been needing since my arrival back to Cape Town. it was found walking the city streets of Costa Mesa, waiting in 45 minute lines alone in Disneyland, and people watching for hours on the beach. I learned about myself with every moment of solitude I was given, and I also learned about people. I learned that the number one goal for most people is to achieve happiness, in any way shape or form that they know how.
I used to think people watching was best at airports; seeing people from all over the world go from one place to the next. And then I came to the realization that people in airports are usually stressed rushing from one place to the next not having the time to enjoy life as it's given to them. I now think one of the best places for people watching is Disneyland. People have come from all over the world to ride the rides, see the sights, and get lost in the fairytale. While waiting in line I overheard a group of Australians wondering why Americans still have one cent coins. I encountered a couple from Germany talking about how their vacation has been amazing. I also encountered a few people from mexico taking part in the Finding Nemo Submarine adventure. I smiled a lot in DisneyLand and I was surprised at how natural that smile came to me, how i recognized the feeling of pure joy, because I was seeing it in others. I even laughed to myself a few times when watching people who were behaving downright outrageously. Why are people so afraid of spending time alone? I've come up with many explanations for it, but all of them have felt like excuses. All I know is I was meant to come to California, and aside from a few tears, I truly enjoyed the time I had to celebrate the meaning of life.
I once read about a story of a man who had tried to get rid of a pair of slippers that seemed to be bad luck. Every time he would try to rid himself of the slippers something bad would happen to someone else, and they always ended up back in his possession. I think sometimes we have to hold onto our slippers because those slippers resemble fate. As much as we try to change where we will end up it will happen anyways, and in the end we will be just where we are meant to be. We might as well embrace the unknown. That gives way to the thrill of the adventure of life. Some moments may be harder then others, some more sad, but those moments after the difficulties have subsided, and after the sadness has seeped back into our hearts to stream out at a later time, there are moments of recognition, of pure joy, and of peace. I never thought I would be journeying to Disneyland alone or that chance would bring me to encounter my best friend from high school halfway across the country in California, and yet it did. These things happen for a reason. Every moment, every feeling, every encounter, action, interaction, experience, every second I believe is happening for a reason.
I was given the solitude I have been needing since my arrival back to Cape Town. it was found walking the city streets of Costa Mesa, waiting in 45 minute lines alone in Disneyland, and people watching for hours on the beach. I learned about myself with every moment of solitude I was given, and I also learned about people. I learned that the number one goal for most people is to achieve happiness, in any way shape or form that they know how.
I used to think people watching was best at airports; seeing people from all over the world go from one place to the next. And then I came to the realization that people in airports are usually stressed rushing from one place to the next not having the time to enjoy life as it's given to them. I now think one of the best places for people watching is Disneyland. People have come from all over the world to ride the rides, see the sights, and get lost in the fairytale. While waiting in line I overheard a group of Australians wondering why Americans still have one cent coins. I encountered a couple from Germany talking about how their vacation has been amazing. I also encountered a few people from mexico taking part in the Finding Nemo Submarine adventure. I smiled a lot in DisneyLand and I was surprised at how natural that smile came to me, how i recognized the feeling of pure joy, because I was seeing it in others. I even laughed to myself a few times when watching people who were behaving downright outrageously. Why are people so afraid of spending time alone? I've come up with many explanations for it, but all of them have felt like excuses. All I know is I was meant to come to California, and aside from a few tears, I truly enjoyed the time I had to celebrate the meaning of life.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
As I sat and watched children splashing in the warm lake water I thought to myself this is what life is all about. Looking up at the streaks of orange and blue in the sky as well as the few early stars who began to shine their light I thought to myself this is what life is all about. As the lumineers played the song Flowers in Your Hair from my laptop and I breathed in happiness i thought to myself this is what life is all about. The little things. I relish the little things.
Time. It’s such a powerful word. What is the first thing your mind jumps to when you think of the word time? Did I just remind you that you are about to be late for a doctor’s appointment? Did you think of someone and consider how long it would take to reach them? You could have also thought of Times Magazine but who knows I don’t have the ability to jump into another’s mind, (although that would be pretty neat wouldn’t it?). You could of considered how much time you have until you graduate or when that one special person in your life will finally reveal their feelings to you. Time so often passes us by. At some point in our lives when we were very young time seemed frozen. It seemed like one could be fully present as time slowly or quickly passed us by. Those moments just sitting in the grass rolling around like a kid would do, do you think in that moment you were thinking about time? Probably not. It’s something that almost starts out invisible to us and as we grow old we slowly start to recognize what time looks like. Time looks like a wrinkle on ones face. Time looks like a sun diving into the ground telling the world another day has ended and another day will soon begin.
It is so often that as we grow old we reach for time, and try to catch it. Once we’ve finally got a hold of time we try to balance, and then eventually it slips away from us again. With every day that passes by I question who I am as well as what I believe in. I critically review what has made me who I am and who has shaped me to be the woman I’ve become. And in all this pondering about where I fit into the world, it keeps spinning madly on, and time slips by yet again.
For me time teaches values and I believe this is true for others as well. Time teaches me that the longer you have it the faster it will pass, so value who you have in you life as they may slip away and be given to the hands of time. Love those who don’t have love because for them they may want time to stop altogether. Cherish those who love you for who you are because those are the ones that time ends up pushing together. If you find those people, consider yourself lucky indeed. Lastly, value those who are different from you, because they teach you things you never could have learned otherwise, those people are true gems.
Time has control over many things but don’t ever let it control you. Take this moment and hold onto it with all you have. Breathe in this air with every fiber of your being. Gaze in awe at the sunrise and the sunset and the light of the stars because those are real life miracles. And remember, if you can find who you are and be that person in a world full of people who may try to change you, time was never wasted. Find out what is important to you and stick with it. Love every moment here and spread that love along the way. And if you can manage to remain true to yourself you have seized the day my friend.
It is so often that as we grow old we reach for time, and try to catch it. Once we’ve finally got a hold of time we try to balance, and then eventually it slips away from us again. With every day that passes by I question who I am as well as what I believe in. I critically review what has made me who I am and who has shaped me to be the woman I’ve become. And in all this pondering about where I fit into the world, it keeps spinning madly on, and time slips by yet again.
For me time teaches values and I believe this is true for others as well. Time teaches me that the longer you have it the faster it will pass, so value who you have in you life as they may slip away and be given to the hands of time. Love those who don’t have love because for them they may want time to stop altogether. Cherish those who love you for who you are because those are the ones that time ends up pushing together. If you find those people, consider yourself lucky indeed. Lastly, value those who are different from you, because they teach you things you never could have learned otherwise, those people are true gems.
Time has control over many things but don’t ever let it control you. Take this moment and hold onto it with all you have. Breathe in this air with every fiber of your being. Gaze in awe at the sunrise and the sunset and the light of the stars because those are real life miracles. And remember, if you can find who you are and be that person in a world full of people who may try to change you, time was never wasted. Find out what is important to you and stick with it. Love every moment here and spread that love along the way. And if you can manage to remain true to yourself you have seized the day my friend.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
It's been a long time and I've got a lot of shout outs
I have been home for a few weeks now and Cape Town could not feel more far away. It was difficult for me to be home which I had expected already. Readjusting to American culture took awhile and I felt that I needed to get away so I drove for six hours to my family's cottage on the lake. Watching the sunset go down painting the sky all sorts of colors and the water orange I realized again how truly blessed I am. Do you ever have that feeling where you know your loved but that knowledge actually sinks into your whole being. I have the best parents in the whole world who have taught me what unconditional love really means. They have taught me that love means sacrifice as they have given it all so my siblings and I could have the best lives imaginable. I recently got to talk to my mom about my decision to possibly change my major as i have never been completely fulfilled with Special Education. That was one of the moments I actually realized how much my loves me, so much so that my heart ached to want to give back the same. Having her as my mother makes me the luckiest girl in the world and whenever I am complemented I really owe it all to the woman who has taught me to be humble, and compassionate, grateful, caring, and genuine, patient, and understanding and lastly loyal. My mom lives out all of those qualities and so much more that i can only hope to someday have. I realized how much my dad loves me and he has shown my that by letting me chase all of the crazy dreams I've had, the most recent one being my journey to Cape Town for six months. I know every night my parents worried about me, and they have always been right by my side whenever I've needed it, and even when I haven't...so shout out to Nancy Johnson and Earl Townsend...for being more then a girl could ask for.
I also recognized that the journeys I have had both near and far have allowed me to walk with and become friends and family with some of the greatest people that God has graced me with, all of whom I consider family. First I would like to start with Sarah, Nicole, Katie, Maddie, and Megan. We've stuck it out through thick and thin, been at each others sides laughed and cried together, and realized even when we are miles apart at different schools or different countries we will always be friends. Being home hasn't been easy but I've had the most amazing friends who have put up with my anti America comments as well as complaining of how I don't want to be home. You guys have been so understanding and I would expect nothing less from how amazing you all are.
This one goes out to Sim along with a few others, but Sim I need to start with. Sim you are one of the most wonderful, intriguing, caring, passionate, and genuine people I have ever met. When I first met you I thought you were crazy funny...turns out I was right. I have also learned along the way how caring you are. You graciously welcomed me into your already full flat and managed to keep me fed and take me on crazy fun adventures along the way. You are more than a sister to me and you know even miles away I've got your back and I know you have mine. And along with you comes Farai. Once again with all the people I've mentioned I feel greatly loved by each and every one, and this is one of my ways of showing love in return. Farai along with Sim, you have taken great care of me in every way possible. It's in your nature to look out for the people you care about and I have never noticed it in a person more then I've noticed it in you. You have treated me with so much respect and kept me safe in many instances where things could have gone poorly. Oceans apart, I think about you all the time, I am unbelievably happy to have met you and to get to remain so close to you now. You know my heart better then so many people in my life. I've got your back boo boo haha I mean that in all seriousness. Along with you guys comes Mandi,Talu,Nat,Nqo and Sima who made my last 2 and a half weeks in Cape Town the best I could have asked for. You guys know I love you and the Skins reunion is going to happen..it is necessary. And for all of you..know I carry your hearts with me everywhere I go...in a non creepy way haha.
And lastly to all of my faithful and amazing friends from Hope. You know who I am talking about :) I was so nervous you all would have thought I've changed so much when I was gone that I thought coming back was going to be a challenge..but you guys have shown me that you've got my back no matter what. I love that we can goof off and be serious at the same time and I am honored to be living with such amazing people this coming semester. You guys have already made coming back to Hope feel a little more like home. I love you guys :)
There are many more who I have failed to mention and I apologize for that, there are many more posts to come though :) For now I love you all...
"i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go"
I love you all with all I have. Thank you for making me a better person by being yourselves.
Monday, May 7, 2012
My Trip Back to Ocean View
I recently went back to visit my homestay family, the Corker's in Ocean View with my friend Lauren. Words cannot express how deeply grateful I am to have them in my lives, opening their home and their hearts to complete strangers. It was a bit different going back on our own because there weren't a hundred other Americans with us, and we had to find our own way to get there which is actually very simple. Lauren and I woke up early and caught a train to Fischoek, and then we were going to take a taxi (minibus) directly to Ocean View. Immediatley after hopping off the train though Nonny, who we had actually met at Ocean View because he was one of Elrenzo's friends (Elrenzo was my host brother) was walking around looking spiffy from work. Although he didn't now we were coming back to Ocean View he didn't see surprised at all that we were heading back to Veronica and Cedric's. He waited for us to follow him, but because the ticket booth was closed this morning we had to find a place to pay for our ticket. Eventually though we made it to Ocean View where Cedric (Our host dad) came to pick us up from the taxi stop.
Cedric, has one of the warmest personalities I have ever encountered and from the second he greeted us with his big smile I felt right at home. We caught up on each others lives as he informed us that they were doing well, but had all just caught colds from the winter winds and rain that have been coming in. Veronica was walking down the street towards us and embraced us with an enormous hug. When we got to the house it for some reason felt like Christmas time. Partially because I wasn't sure if I was ever going to make it back to see this family again and now that I was back in the house I was beyond happy. It also felt like Christmas time because it was freezing outside so Veronica brought out a tray of biscuits (cookies) and made us hot vanilla custard. It was an amazing time to catch up just with Veronica as Cedric was outside doing some repairs on their home and Elrenzo was at work at the Pick N' Pay clothing shop. We talked about politics and the next elections. We talked about all of the issues that the ANC has brought upon South Africa and how Veronica would never vote for them again. Veronica wanted to know how our country works with elections and if we could explain to her the difference between the Democrats and the Republicans. She also asked if we could explain to her the beliefs of the Amish. We asked about the stereotypes that have been placed on Coloured people and we discussed how much racism still occurs to this day and it is just difficult to see from our perspective being international White American students. We also talked about Elrenzo and how he was doing as well as the rest of their family.
We watched a soccer match on television together as well as the show The Voice, and then we were brought to the Pastor's house in town to relax and meet two of the students that have been living with them for the past two weeks. One of the students knew my best friend Maddie from Azusa Pacific and it was at that moment that I realized the more people you meet the smaller this world gets. I mean come on, I am in a township in South Africa and I meet someone from the States who knows one of my closest friends, how crazy is that?! Afterwards we went back to the house and Lauren and Veronica helped to prepare appetizers for the family friends that were coming over for the braai we were going to be having that night. We made crackers with a liver spread, cheese, and mashed eggs and it was actually delicious! Skyler helped us make the food and boy oh boy was it fun to see her again, I have missed her playful adventurous spirit. Elrenzo came home and it was just so nice to see him again. He was kind enough to give up his room for us again as well as let us hang out with him that night and just catch up about life with his friend Nonny too. We talked music, Elrenzo whipped out a freestyle rap and then we talked about school, special education, and Lauren and Elrenzo's frustrations with their jobs.
We went back inside after eating a delicious meal with all of the family that was over and then we watch the show Monk before going to sleep. Lauren and I had to wake up very early because I had planned on going to Mzoli's (I'll explain later) the next day. Elrenzo woke up at 7 a.m to say goodbye to us, even though we didn't end up waking until 8. Veronica prayed over us for safety on the train before we went on our ways. I know I will be back again, and I know I will always have family in Ocean View.
Cedric, has one of the warmest personalities I have ever encountered and from the second he greeted us with his big smile I felt right at home. We caught up on each others lives as he informed us that they were doing well, but had all just caught colds from the winter winds and rain that have been coming in. Veronica was walking down the street towards us and embraced us with an enormous hug. When we got to the house it for some reason felt like Christmas time. Partially because I wasn't sure if I was ever going to make it back to see this family again and now that I was back in the house I was beyond happy. It also felt like Christmas time because it was freezing outside so Veronica brought out a tray of biscuits (cookies) and made us hot vanilla custard. It was an amazing time to catch up just with Veronica as Cedric was outside doing some repairs on their home and Elrenzo was at work at the Pick N' Pay clothing shop. We talked about politics and the next elections. We talked about all of the issues that the ANC has brought upon South Africa and how Veronica would never vote for them again. Veronica wanted to know how our country works with elections and if we could explain to her the difference between the Democrats and the Republicans. She also asked if we could explain to her the beliefs of the Amish. We asked about the stereotypes that have been placed on Coloured people and we discussed how much racism still occurs to this day and it is just difficult to see from our perspective being international White American students. We also talked about Elrenzo and how he was doing as well as the rest of their family.
We watched a soccer match on television together as well as the show The Voice, and then we were brought to the Pastor's house in town to relax and meet two of the students that have been living with them for the past two weeks. One of the students knew my best friend Maddie from Azusa Pacific and it was at that moment that I realized the more people you meet the smaller this world gets. I mean come on, I am in a township in South Africa and I meet someone from the States who knows one of my closest friends, how crazy is that?! Afterwards we went back to the house and Lauren and Veronica helped to prepare appetizers for the family friends that were coming over for the braai we were going to be having that night. We made crackers with a liver spread, cheese, and mashed eggs and it was actually delicious! Skyler helped us make the food and boy oh boy was it fun to see her again, I have missed her playful adventurous spirit. Elrenzo came home and it was just so nice to see him again. He was kind enough to give up his room for us again as well as let us hang out with him that night and just catch up about life with his friend Nonny too. We talked music, Elrenzo whipped out a freestyle rap and then we talked about school, special education, and Lauren and Elrenzo's frustrations with their jobs.
We went back inside after eating a delicious meal with all of the family that was over and then we watch the show Monk before going to sleep. Lauren and I had to wake up very early because I had planned on going to Mzoli's (I'll explain later) the next day. Elrenzo woke up at 7 a.m to say goodbye to us, even though we didn't end up waking until 8. Veronica prayed over us for safety on the train before we went on our ways. I know I will be back again, and I know I will always have family in Ocean View.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Hey all, sorry I have been updating my blog less frequently school is getting quite hectic and has kept me busy most of the time! This isn't exactly going to be a real post but just to briefly fill you all in, aside from being busy with school, I have been cuddling up in my room to beat the cold here. I also have been going on unplanned hikes, a trip to Mzolis (which I will explain later), a visit back to my family in Ocean View, giving piano lessons to my friend Charles, and celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a house braai and a trip to longstreet. I promise I will be updating you guys on all of these adventures as soon as i finish up the four big essays I have coming up. Until then, peace, love, and happiness!
-Mia
-Mia
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
It's a strange feeling to be where I am at right now. With the feelings of wanting to go home mixing with the desire to stay and have more adventures. I have come to the point in my journey where I do miss certain things about home, such as my kooky family, campfires and wake boarding at Higgins Lake, my amazing friends, home cooked meals, and my bedroom. And yet there are still so many things that I have to do here, and so many people I will miss leaving behind such as Lisa, and Thembie, Lindsey, and Comfort, Tina, and Johnny, Matthew, Mark, Alex and Eldi, Wesley, and many more new friends to come. I already know there will be an irreplaceable hole in my heart when I leave but that gives me hope that I will be back, sometime soon.
I probably shouldn't even think about my time being done yet because I do still have time for more adventures, and when I think about leaving it makes me want to live every single day to the fullest, when right now I do think it would be best to finally start focusing on school again. It helps that the winter winds are starting to blow through the city, sending my to my bedroom to cuddle with my pillow and a cup of Milo and get some solid work done :)
I probably shouldn't even think about my time being done yet because I do still have time for more adventures, and when I think about leaving it makes me want to live every single day to the fullest, when right now I do think it would be best to finally start focusing on school again. It helps that the winter winds are starting to blow through the city, sending my to my bedroom to cuddle with my pillow and a cup of Milo and get some solid work done :)
Day Eight. White Water Rafting and Celebration Cruise
After waking up wearing bathing suits underneath our clothing which was about to be soaked we sat for a briefing about what White Water Rafting was going to be like. It was a mixture of people from our group along with other people staying at the lodge, nervous and excited at the same time we hopped into a truck for a 45 minute drive to the gorge. Due to high waters there were only six rapids we were allowed to do, with a mixture of level three up to level six rapids.
When we finally reached the site we all put on our life vests, helmets, and we grabbed our paddles.
difficult than the actual rafting. A few people took some major falls and slips but everyone ended up ok although it did take us about 45 minutes to maneuver down this cliff side we finally made it!
Our river guide's name was Stuart and after being one of the first ones down the hill I located Stuart and hopped in our bright yellow rafting boat and waited for the rest of the group. After everyone piled in he made sure we knew what to do when he yelled commands at us like "Down!" meant to crouch while holding onto the rope around the boat along with our paddles. Or "right back, left forward!" so depending on what side we were on we would either paddle backwards or forwards. He then asked for to strong and aggressive people to paddle at the front which was the hardest position. Paulo being the only male volunteered, but with no one else volunteering, I realized I should probably step up and take the position up front. I was already tired during our trial run! We want the opposite way down the river for a trail run, practicing paddling as a crew, and then we all jumped out into the river, which we were told had crocodiles in it, but assured we were mostly safe. I think the Crocs avoided the rapids much more than we did :)
The first rapid was called the washing machine, which at first didn't seem intimidating at all until a giant wave came rushing towards our boat nearly flipping us but definitely filling my noise and mouth with water. It was that moment where I was reminded of why I truly dislike sailing, the uncertainty of flipping and having a giant boat fall on top of you (it's a realistic fear I think). After the first rapid we drifted towards the other side of the gorge..that is right I touched Zambia! We paddled hard to through the next few rapids, completely flipped in one of them, and worked as a team pulling each other back in and making sure we all had our paddles. Stuart would some times call out our team chant to get us psyched for the next rapid, "Do you like it?!....No! Do you like it?! No....Well? ...We love it baby!!" haha it was a great chant. There were moments where it was safe for us to just hop out of the raft while still holding onto the line and take a dip, but even that was still a thrill with your legs being pulled under the boat and upcoming waves getting ready to battle for your attention. It was definitely thrilling.
We finally reached the end, and after being completely and utterly exhausted we were told we had to basically climb a mountain up to the time. I could have collapsed right there, but when I saw one man carrying the raft by himself up this mountain in 100 degree weather, I realized I should probably suck it up and make my journey to the top. There were moments where I could have sworn I was going to faint and fall of this mountain but I didn't thankfully. At the top we had a celebration meal and drinks waiting for us but I felt so hot and tired from hiking it took me awhile to warm up to the idea of eating.
After making it back to our lodge I automatically hopped in the shower and laid down for a nap. I woke up and realized I needed cash to pay for our team t-shirt so I got to walk with Moyo and his friend to the ATM in town to get money. It was about a twenty minute walk and I had the opportunity to listen to Moyo speak Dbele with his friend. I have such a fond appreciation for languages and I am putting it on my life goals to learn as many languages as I can. Top of my list right now is Shona, Tswana, Xhosa, and Afrikaans. After getting money, Moyo walked me to another lodge where I met his cousin Ivan and one of his friends who ended up driving me back to my lodge with Moyo.
After getting cleaned up I met up with everyone from my group and we headed to the Zambezi river to partake in a beautiful sunset cruise. It was so great to engage in the conversations that I did with people on my group who I had waited until the last minute to truly bond with. We all watched the sky being painted red, birds flocking to their homes, and a hippo lounging in the water. The boat was only big enough for our group which was so nice because it gave us the chance in such an intimate setting to enjoy each others company. We were served Samosas and a few other appetizers and everyone had their choice of drinks on the trip. After arriving back from our cruise my friends Wes and Henry and I decided to go to another back packers in town that had a bar called the Broken Shoelace. There was such an eclectic group of people there, all gathered to watch a soccer game on t.v. Afterwards we walked to a casino in the largest hotel in Victoria Falls. We were just going to look which was great because in no way was I willing to partake in betting my money away.
The next day I went back to the market and traded the rest of my things that I didn't want to carry back for a few lovely tourist items. I was so sad to be leaving Moyo and Theunis who truly helped make the trip what it was but every great thing has to come to an end, in order to make room for another great adventure :) The trip was amazing and I will never forget all of the incredible and amazing sights that I saw, people that I met, or times that I laughed. Never.
When we finally reached the site we all put on our life vests, helmets, and we grabbed our paddles.
difficult than the actual rafting. A few people took some major falls and slips but everyone ended up ok although it did take us about 45 minutes to maneuver down this cliff side we finally made it!
Our river guide's name was Stuart and after being one of the first ones down the hill I located Stuart and hopped in our bright yellow rafting boat and waited for the rest of the group. After everyone piled in he made sure we knew what to do when he yelled commands at us like "Down!" meant to crouch while holding onto the rope around the boat along with our paddles. Or "right back, left forward!" so depending on what side we were on we would either paddle backwards or forwards. He then asked for to strong and aggressive people to paddle at the front which was the hardest position. Paulo being the only male volunteered, but with no one else volunteering, I realized I should probably step up and take the position up front. I was already tired during our trial run! We want the opposite way down the river for a trail run, practicing paddling as a crew, and then we all jumped out into the river, which we were told had crocodiles in it, but assured we were mostly safe. I think the Crocs avoided the rapids much more than we did :)
The first rapid was called the washing machine, which at first didn't seem intimidating at all until a giant wave came rushing towards our boat nearly flipping us but definitely filling my noise and mouth with water. It was that moment where I was reminded of why I truly dislike sailing, the uncertainty of flipping and having a giant boat fall on top of you (it's a realistic fear I think). After the first rapid we drifted towards the other side of the gorge..that is right I touched Zambia! We paddled hard to through the next few rapids, completely flipped in one of them, and worked as a team pulling each other back in and making sure we all had our paddles. Stuart would some times call out our team chant to get us psyched for the next rapid, "Do you like it?!....No! Do you like it?! No....Well? ...We love it baby!!" haha it was a great chant. There were moments where it was safe for us to just hop out of the raft while still holding onto the line and take a dip, but even that was still a thrill with your legs being pulled under the boat and upcoming waves getting ready to battle for your attention. It was definitely thrilling.
We finally reached the end, and after being completely and utterly exhausted we were told we had to basically climb a mountain up to the time. I could have collapsed right there, but when I saw one man carrying the raft by himself up this mountain in 100 degree weather, I realized I should probably suck it up and make my journey to the top. There were moments where I could have sworn I was going to faint and fall of this mountain but I didn't thankfully. At the top we had a celebration meal and drinks waiting for us but I felt so hot and tired from hiking it took me awhile to warm up to the idea of eating.
After making it back to our lodge I automatically hopped in the shower and laid down for a nap. I woke up and realized I needed cash to pay for our team t-shirt so I got to walk with Moyo and his friend to the ATM in town to get money. It was about a twenty minute walk and I had the opportunity to listen to Moyo speak Dbele with his friend. I have such a fond appreciation for languages and I am putting it on my life goals to learn as many languages as I can. Top of my list right now is Shona, Tswana, Xhosa, and Afrikaans. After getting money, Moyo walked me to another lodge where I met his cousin Ivan and one of his friends who ended up driving me back to my lodge with Moyo.
After getting cleaned up I met up with everyone from my group and we headed to the Zambezi river to partake in a beautiful sunset cruise. It was so great to engage in the conversations that I did with people on my group who I had waited until the last minute to truly bond with. We all watched the sky being painted red, birds flocking to their homes, and a hippo lounging in the water. The boat was only big enough for our group which was so nice because it gave us the chance in such an intimate setting to enjoy each others company. We were served Samosas and a few other appetizers and everyone had their choice of drinks on the trip. After arriving back from our cruise my friends Wes and Henry and I decided to go to another back packers in town that had a bar called the Broken Shoelace. There was such an eclectic group of people there, all gathered to watch a soccer game on t.v. Afterwards we walked to a casino in the largest hotel in Victoria Falls. We were just going to look which was great because in no way was I willing to partake in betting my money away.
The next day I went back to the market and traded the rest of my things that I didn't want to carry back for a few lovely tourist items. I was so sad to be leaving Moyo and Theunis who truly helped make the trip what it was but every great thing has to come to an end, in order to make room for another great adventure :) The trip was amazing and I will never forget all of the incredible and amazing sights that I saw, people that I met, or times that I laughed. Never.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Day Seven. Somewhere Over the Rainbow
It was another early morning starting at 5:30 a.m where a group of us awoke to do a game drive around Chobe National Park. It was dark and very cold out, but driving around in the park with the rising sun was priceless. We got to see warthogs all walking in a straight line...yay Pumbas! I also saw a few Timones :) A.k.a meerkats. We saw some dirty water buffalo as well as a group of giraffes feeding on a nearby bush. We saw a group of impala and a few kudos as well as some beautiful native birds. No lions although we did get extremely lucky the day before at what we were able to witness.
Breakfast this morning was amazing, Moyo outdid himself with french toast, sausages, and fresh fruit. We all boarded the trucks and stopped to get our departure stamps from Botswana. As is common, the police here tend to ask for bribes for everything, for instance, if you drive past the speed limit you can pay to not have it on your record. As we were crossing the border to Zimbabwe the police officers tried to get a bribe out of our driver Theunis, although we hadn't done anything wrong, the police officers still try to get bribes. We had a very short drive, only about 45 minutes long until we made it to Victoria Falls!
We headed to the adventure lodge we were staying at picked a room and unpacked our things. It felt amazing to have a real bed after 6 days of sleeping on the ground. I always love trips that remind me of how grateful I need to be for every little thing that I have. After unpacking we went to the bar/lobby and watched a video that explained to us all of the options of the activities we were allowed to do. I knew for sure I wanted to do white water rafting, and as a group we all decided to do a sunset booze cruise as a great cap to an amazing trip.
After paying for the activities we changed into clothes that could get wet, packed our cameras into some heavy duty water resistance storage bags, (a.k.a a grocery bag :)) and headed on the truck to go to the actual falls! As we waiting to get our tickets inside we saw monkeys running around wild, it was so great! Something else I noticed as well was that the entrance fees to get into the falls differed depending on the country you were coming from.
We entered the falls and I couldn't stop smiling, after having seen a picture of the falls on a poster on my wall for the past year I was actually seeing it in person!!! We were instantly drenched in water as it was high water season and a wet one indeed. We stopped at every lookout point and every time we were always amazed, as well as sopping wet. It was literally like someone was pouring buckets of water on us but hey, I hadn't been able to shower in a while so it was very necessary. Every corner we turned there were multiple rainbows due to the constant flow of water all around us. The falls were so loud and roaring, it was sweet music to my ears. We got to view the bridge where people usually bungee off of, and on the opposite side of the bridge is Zambia. It was amazing to be so close to another country.
Afterwards we all went to a market soaking wet, which I think may have helped more in my bartering skills. I ended up getting two purses, two bowls, two spoons, and a pair of earrings and a maraca, for the grand total of a pair of green old navy flip flops I was wearing on my feet (I decided I had already been walking barefoot the whole trip, I can go a few days more), a dirty pair of socks, a towel, a white t-shirt from goodwill, and 15 dollars. I would say that it was a great deal! Afterwards we all took a necessary shower and got ready for an amazing dinner that we were going to be taken on.
We all got dressed and headed to a restaurant called The Boma located in town. Upon entrance we were given traditional African clothing which were wrapped around us like togas. Near the entrance there was a man playing a Djembe drum and a place where people could pose to get their pictures taken. It was obviously the ultimate tourist spot because of the idea of it representing traditional African cultures. We took our seats where we were all served a sip of bantu beer that is usually made and sold withing local townships here. It was so disgusting and tasted what I would imagine urine would taste like with a very gritty taste to it as well..obviously my description makes you all want to try it right?! We were also given a small plate of appetizers and told that this was a buffet style place so whenever we were ready we could get our food. There were people doing traditional African drumming and dancing in the center of the restaurant, there was a fortune teller offering his services as well as a man who painted small pictures on our faces. I got to have a guinea fowl painted on my cheek. I skipped the appetizers line and of course went straight for the meat where I chose warthog, impala, kudo, as well as buffalo stew. Warthog was by far the tastiest with the sauce they had placed on it as well as how tender it was. I then went for an appetizer of bread, crocodile, and fruit. And of course I had to try the famous Mopani worm! That is right everyone...I ate a warm, which was cooked and covered with a bit of salsa. It was not the best tasting thing I've had but I would rather eat that then asparagus. It tasted like very burnt gritty bacon, and i got a certificate for eating it! I also got to eat crepes cooked in wine and topped with raspberry and litchi, it was delectable. Dessert was a mixture of cake and chocolate and it was all incredible. Everyone in the restaurant was then given a djembe drum and taken through a drumming session. It was great fun as we all tried and failed to play together. Afterwards we were all invited in the center of the restaurant to form a circle where the drumming continued but the drummer would point to someone in the circle to jump in the middle to show of their dance moves. It was great to see people try their best at not looking silly, as well as looking mortified at being called on. Of course I had to be one of the people who was called on so I hopped in the middle and showed of the best salsa steps I could manage in a matter of seconds. Afterwards we all came together and everyone was dancing and having an amazing time! After being full and happy, and spotting some buffalo on our way back to the lodge, I fell asleep exhausted recognizing that we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow.
Breakfast this morning was amazing, Moyo outdid himself with french toast, sausages, and fresh fruit. We all boarded the trucks and stopped to get our departure stamps from Botswana. As is common, the police here tend to ask for bribes for everything, for instance, if you drive past the speed limit you can pay to not have it on your record. As we were crossing the border to Zimbabwe the police officers tried to get a bribe out of our driver Theunis, although we hadn't done anything wrong, the police officers still try to get bribes. We had a very short drive, only about 45 minutes long until we made it to Victoria Falls!
We headed to the adventure lodge we were staying at picked a room and unpacked our things. It felt amazing to have a real bed after 6 days of sleeping on the ground. I always love trips that remind me of how grateful I need to be for every little thing that I have. After unpacking we went to the bar/lobby and watched a video that explained to us all of the options of the activities we were allowed to do. I knew for sure I wanted to do white water rafting, and as a group we all decided to do a sunset booze cruise as a great cap to an amazing trip.
After paying for the activities we changed into clothes that could get wet, packed our cameras into some heavy duty water resistance storage bags, (a.k.a a grocery bag :)) and headed on the truck to go to the actual falls! As we waiting to get our tickets inside we saw monkeys running around wild, it was so great! Something else I noticed as well was that the entrance fees to get into the falls differed depending on the country you were coming from.
We entered the falls and I couldn't stop smiling, after having seen a picture of the falls on a poster on my wall for the past year I was actually seeing it in person!!! We were instantly drenched in water as it was high water season and a wet one indeed. We stopped at every lookout point and every time we were always amazed, as well as sopping wet. It was literally like someone was pouring buckets of water on us but hey, I hadn't been able to shower in a while so it was very necessary. Every corner we turned there were multiple rainbows due to the constant flow of water all around us. The falls were so loud and roaring, it was sweet music to my ears. We got to view the bridge where people usually bungee off of, and on the opposite side of the bridge is Zambia. It was amazing to be so close to another country.
Afterwards we all went to a market soaking wet, which I think may have helped more in my bartering skills. I ended up getting two purses, two bowls, two spoons, and a pair of earrings and a maraca, for the grand total of a pair of green old navy flip flops I was wearing on my feet (I decided I had already been walking barefoot the whole trip, I can go a few days more), a dirty pair of socks, a towel, a white t-shirt from goodwill, and 15 dollars. I would say that it was a great deal! Afterwards we all took a necessary shower and got ready for an amazing dinner that we were going to be taken on.
We all got dressed and headed to a restaurant called The Boma located in town. Upon entrance we were given traditional African clothing which were wrapped around us like togas. Near the entrance there was a man playing a Djembe drum and a place where people could pose to get their pictures taken. It was obviously the ultimate tourist spot because of the idea of it representing traditional African cultures. We took our seats where we were all served a sip of bantu beer that is usually made and sold withing local townships here. It was so disgusting and tasted what I would imagine urine would taste like with a very gritty taste to it as well..obviously my description makes you all want to try it right?! We were also given a small plate of appetizers and told that this was a buffet style place so whenever we were ready we could get our food. There were people doing traditional African drumming and dancing in the center of the restaurant, there was a fortune teller offering his services as well as a man who painted small pictures on our faces. I got to have a guinea fowl painted on my cheek. I skipped the appetizers line and of course went straight for the meat where I chose warthog, impala, kudo, as well as buffalo stew. Warthog was by far the tastiest with the sauce they had placed on it as well as how tender it was. I then went for an appetizer of bread, crocodile, and fruit. And of course I had to try the famous Mopani worm! That is right everyone...I ate a warm, which was cooked and covered with a bit of salsa. It was not the best tasting thing I've had but I would rather eat that then asparagus. It tasted like very burnt gritty bacon, and i got a certificate for eating it! I also got to eat crepes cooked in wine and topped with raspberry and litchi, it was delectable. Dessert was a mixture of cake and chocolate and it was all incredible. Everyone in the restaurant was then given a djembe drum and taken through a drumming session. It was great fun as we all tried and failed to play together. Afterwards we were all invited in the center of the restaurant to form a circle where the drumming continued but the drummer would point to someone in the circle to jump in the middle to show of their dance moves. It was great to see people try their best at not looking silly, as well as looking mortified at being called on. Of course I had to be one of the people who was called on so I hopped in the middle and showed of the best salsa steps I could manage in a matter of seconds. Afterwards we all came together and everyone was dancing and having an amazing time! After being full and happy, and spotting some buffalo on our way back to the lodge, I fell asleep exhausted recognizing that we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Day Six. T-shirts and Lions Hunting
We woke up at 5:30 a.m, when the stars and moon were still out. It was eery and beautiful to be up this early with the large trees in the background creating a picture perfect moment. After eating breakfast Theunis let me climb on top of the truck so I could get a better view of the campsite we were staying in. When I say truck I really mean bus (Theunis usually got offended if we called it a bus but it really was), so after finding a way to maneuver my steps I was standing on the roof of our bus in no time only to gasp at the glorious view in front of me. The sun was just rising painting the whole sky yellow, with birds flocking to a new destinations and the wind causing the trees to sway slightly.
After boarding the van we had a short drive to Kasane which was very close to Victoria Falls. We ate lunch at our new campsite and then a man who owned a t-shirt company came to talk to us about designing a t-shirt for our trip. It took so long for everyone to agree on a design but finally we did, although I won't be wearing a shirt that says Africa in Africa..can anyone say tourist? haha. We drove to town to exchange our Pulah for American dollars because Zimbabwe doesn't have their own currency anymore they use American Dollars.
After going to town we all boarded a boat for our sunset boat cruise/game drive. The cruise was on the Chobe River in the Chobe Naitonal Park. The river is located between Botswana and Namibia and it was amazing to see the Namibian flag waving in the river signaling that we were on the boarder of two countries.
It was a big riverboat with all of us sitting on chairs in the boat, watching a heard of elephants bathe themselves on the water, or a majestic eagle sit a top a tree. One of the luckiest things that we were able to see was a heard of unknowing antelope walking towards a pack of female lions who were hiding under a tree. The lions came out and chased after the antelope and although we did not witness a kill it was pretty close and pretty amazing. The sunset on this boat cruise was amazing with the sky painted red and birds flocking across the sun with hippos fighting in the background. It was spectacular and to top off the evening once we arrived back at camp Moyo had his famous beef stew awaiting us with mash potatoes, my mouth waters at the thought of it right now. After laying under the stars before getting eaten alive by mosquitos I headed back into my tent for an early night of sleep, only to be awakened by Moyo shaking my tent and letting me know it was raining and I should put a rain cover over my tent. Oh Moyo, always looking out for us. It was another sleepless night as I listened to hyenas laughing in the background and other strange noises coming from unknown animals.
After boarding the van we had a short drive to Kasane which was very close to Victoria Falls. We ate lunch at our new campsite and then a man who owned a t-shirt company came to talk to us about designing a t-shirt for our trip. It took so long for everyone to agree on a design but finally we did, although I won't be wearing a shirt that says Africa in Africa..can anyone say tourist? haha. We drove to town to exchange our Pulah for American dollars because Zimbabwe doesn't have their own currency anymore they use American Dollars.
After going to town we all boarded a boat for our sunset boat cruise/game drive. The cruise was on the Chobe River in the Chobe Naitonal Park. The river is located between Botswana and Namibia and it was amazing to see the Namibian flag waving in the river signaling that we were on the boarder of two countries.
It was a big riverboat with all of us sitting on chairs in the boat, watching a heard of elephants bathe themselves on the water, or a majestic eagle sit a top a tree. One of the luckiest things that we were able to see was a heard of unknowing antelope walking towards a pack of female lions who were hiding under a tree. The lions came out and chased after the antelope and although we did not witness a kill it was pretty close and pretty amazing. The sunset on this boat cruise was amazing with the sky painted red and birds flocking across the sun with hippos fighting in the background. It was spectacular and to top off the evening once we arrived back at camp Moyo had his famous beef stew awaiting us with mash potatoes, my mouth waters at the thought of it right now. After laying under the stars before getting eaten alive by mosquitos I headed back into my tent for an early night of sleep, only to be awakened by Moyo shaking my tent and letting me know it was raining and I should put a rain cover over my tent. Oh Moyo, always looking out for us. It was another sleepless night as I listened to hyenas laughing in the background and other strange noises coming from unknown animals.
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