SAWUBONA FROM SOUTH AFRICA !!
i’ve been trying to write this post for five whole weeks! if you know me personally or you’ve seen my instagram lately, you’d know that i’m in south africa! the time spent here has been amazing so far + i know it will only continue to get better. there’s so much that’s happened already, so here goes a big recap of what this adventure has consisted of thus far!
we took off from LAX on january 15th, what feels like AGES ago. there were a few last minute problems with out flight [hello, stress + anxiety!] — we were originally flying from LA to dubai to durban, south africa but due to the recent turmoil in the middle east we decided it best not to fly over iranian airspace. with our new travel plan, our group had to take three separate flights to get to new york so that we could all fly to johannesburg together, + then finally onto durban on two separate flight. it was definitely a trip, but smooth for the most part! thanks to some wonderful melatonin, i slept for a little over half the flight to south africa, which was the biggest blessing — it helped beat jet lag, too! the food was, well, airplane food, but not terrible! there were movies and although south african airlines isn’t the nicest i’ve flown, it was not half bad. my favorite flight item though, was my foot hammock. that thing is everything i didn’t know i needed. if you travel long distances frequently, get one !! we landed in south africa midday on january 17th + made our way to the place we’d be calling home for the next two + a half months!
the first few days of settling in, organizing our things, + warming up to south africa were absolute bliss! we did nothing but watch the sunrise, journal, explore the local coffee shops, take photos, + sit out under the sun + the trees. it was safe to say that once monday hit, it was a rude awakening for us all. we forgot about the “study” portion of “study abroad” — although we still have to attend classes, the days + life as a whole is easy. it helps that all of our classes are only a few steps away from our home :)
within our free moments + on the weekends, we’ve taken every opportunity to explore our surroundings. south africa has truly surprised me with the amount of places that i wish were in america! on our first sunday meal post-church, we ate at coffeeberry, the number one place on my list still, even after 4 weeks! maya’s face above truly demonstrates how surprised we truly felt about it — SO. GOOD.
before coming, i had a small list of coffee shops + cafes to visit due to recommendations from friends who had come before me. rosehurst was at the top of the list, + for good reason. call it a secret garden, call it alice’s wonderland, call it heaven — this place is magical! their most famous drink is an iced coffee, but not your average iced cup of joe. rosehurst freezes their espresso shots into cutie little heart shaped ice cubes then provides a mini pitcher of milk + a china dish full of white sugar with pink sprinkles. never have i ever had a more magical cup of coffee.
another coffee shop located dangerously close to our home is beanbag cafe! hidden behind a quaint garden shop, beanbag is like a vacation. trees, a duck pond, wind chimes, tables spread throughout the lush greenery that keeps the place shaded. the owner [+ our bff] belinda is the sweetest woman with the kindest heart! to give you another idea of just how sweet beanbag cafe is, the wifi password is “ducklings”.
while we’re on the topic of food + drink, i’ll share about our meals at home! because i’m partnered with my university while traveling here, we receive three meals a day cooked by the most friendly staff. we’ve been through almost all the meals in the last five weeks, + they’re all different + delicious in their own way! breakfast consists of a spread of yogurt, oatmeal, toast, + a cooked meal as well! lunch and dinner equal lots of bread, potatoes, + meat. oh, + curry — which i love, but the others with me, not as much. regardless, we are so thankful for the blessing that the kitchen staff is to us. i have also grown to love tea time, every day at 10:30 + 4. not being an avid tea drinker, i’m thankful there’s coffee available too, always accompanyed by a yummy snack!
as far as nursing goes, the time has been wonderful. i can’t wait to share more about it later, but the nursing clinicals have been amazing. the above photos are from one of our sites that i so enjoyed working at — it’s basically a large scale orphanage, but with heart + love + a christ-focused center.
in terms of free time, there have been lots of moments of craziness + fun + rest + wonder!! many mornings are spent watching the clouds change color across the sky while reading devotionals, journaling, or resting. we’ve been bowling [my team was rainbow, obviously], had dance parties, movie screenings, slip n’ slides [because apparently college actually equals preschool?], bachelor nights [cannot deal with peter, smh], + so much more!
it’s hard to believe that more than half my time here has gone by! there are many more posts + updates to come, + in the meantime, check my instagram! until then, sala kahle! [stay well (: ]