27/5

I woke up just in time to see the gorgeous 3-inch (from my point of view) strip of deep ruby red color marking the 27^th of May. It was so strange thinking that I was flying over AFRICA. I just kept repeating to myself “Oh my G-d, you are in Africa. You are in Africa. You are in Africa. You are legitimately off the edge of your comfort zone”.  The continent is so exotic to me. A place I have dreamt of going but had not actually imagined myself actually being there. As landing drew closer and closer, I did not fear the unknown, but rather was thrilled to see what lie ahead. It was the waiting that was so hard, almost like waiting for the dozens of shots I had to get at the Duke Clinic. Before my first one I saw the nurses stabbing the needles into other students arms and freaked. It didn’t help that the nurse told me before hand that I might want to look away, and would need to take a pain reliever as soon as I left the clinic. But once I was stuck, it wasn’t bad at all. Once I had no choice but to move forward, to embrace Africa and its unfamiliarity, I was thrilled. I had officially left behind the stresses from home and any drama that had been weighing on me over the past few months. A new continent, a new start, right?

We flew over the Indian Ocean (my first time ever seeing this ocean!!!) with Table Mountain to our left. I swear I saw a shark’s shadow swimming about one hundred meters off shore. Though this was probably a figment of my imagination (hopefully…) I think this really shows the sense of magic and adventure that obviously was dominating my thoughts and feelings. Unfortunately I was brought back to reality rather quickly when my luggage was lost due to Heathrow’s entire Terminal 4 computer system shutting down. The thing most pressing at that moment was getting in touch with Thandi. My plane was already hours late, and then I had to wait in the baggage line for at least another half an hour. Finally I heard my name called on the intercom asking me to head to the information desk. I confronted a British Airways worker and asked her to escort me to the information desk so that I would be able to get back into the luggage area and report my bag lost. Finally I was able to meet with Thandi, tell her the situation, get my luggage sorted, and return to her. We drove along the coastline and I just kept repeating to myself, “Oh my G-d, you are in Africa. You are in Africa. You are in Africa. You are legitimately off the edge of your comfort zone”. We drove past townships, my first look at ‘informal housing’ as it is technically called, though ‘houses made of trash and scrap metal’ better describes them in actuality. Past white sandy beaches on our right and graffitied walls keeping in the Blacks and Coloreds on our left. Past large ocean front houses at the base of mountains across from groups of people walking in no direction, escaping boredom from unemployment. Eventually I saw the sign, Muizenberg. Gorgeous scenery (where else can you find mountains AND beaches?) passes until we reach Sunrise Beach Village. To be honest, I was basically a zombie this entire ride, too tired to much notice my surroundings let alone remember them enough to write about. As soon as we arrived at Thandi’s house I took a much needed shower and climbed into bed. When I woke up it was four in the afternoon. Thandi had run to work, but her neice and nephew had returned from school. They were both in eighth grade and were staying with Thandi for the first year. Bongilimpo (or Bongi) is a boy my height and weighing probably 110 pounds. He likes to rap and is always anxious to talk about ANYTHING, ranging from religion to the Oprah school to his home to girls to food to card games to soap operas to Zuma to the interest rates to apartheid. ANYTHING. Mbongisile is a thirteen year old girl just learning English, still too shy and unsure of herself to answer in more than 1-word sentences. Instead of responding, she will look at you coyly, lifting up one shoulder and hiding her head behind it as much as she can, and laugh. I will be told later that she loves having us here because when she is alone with Bongi and her brother they often beat her and harass her. She is the sweetest girl that obviously craves any type of attention and just wants to be near. That night we talked and watched South African soap operas including our new favorite, ‘Scandal!’ The characters speak half in Afrikaans and half in English. Other new favorite shows: an MTVesque program that plays African rap music and then has 5 year olds dance for 30 seconds, only to be judged and hopefully crowned winner. I have to say, the commercials are my favorite part. They are hilarious! I will have to check youtube for Chickin Lickin', the top competitor of KFC. There commercials make my world go round. I fell fast asleep that night around 11:30, only to sleep until 1:30 the next day… 

Look on facebook for pictures of Thandi's house.