MY TWO WORLDS

This world is warm. Long stretches of mountains border the towns in the Northern Province. It’s a place where man and some of God’s most exotic creatures coexist. It’s a place where my college degree is nil. A place where the coins in my purse don’t add up. It’s a place where black and white only mesh on the hide of a zebra. It’s where cows receive more consideration than pedestrians crossing the road. It’s a place where my native tongue sounds foreign and the foreign language feels native like I should speak it easily. For now it is the place where I rest my head each night and wake each morning. It is the place that I call home—at least for the next few months.

On the other side of the world—about fifteen hours away on a plane—is another world. A world I used to know. A world where life still goes on and people that I love are growing and living without me. Birthdays and holidays are still celebrated without my presence. How could they celebrate Easter without me being there to take family photos? Retirements, new homes, promotions, and weddings—I would have attended those events had I been remotely near.

But I am not near. I am in another world, another time zone, and on another continent. I have made new friends--and yes I have found family here. I’d die for the chicks that I room with. Still I search to find a way to merge the two, a way to live in both of my worlds.

CITY MOUSE...COUNTRY MOUSE

To say that South Africa is beautiful is cliché—so I won’t say it. What I will say is that South Africa is nothing like what I expected but everything I could ever want it to be. Upon my arrival in Johannesburg early conversations with city dwellers often led to heated debates about the reasons a first time visitor would actually want to live in Limpopo a.k.a. the Bush. After embracing the commercialized Mecca that is Jo’burg or Jozie, a major city with malls (closest mall to Hoedspruit is two-hours away) and traffic lights (my town consists of two stop signs) and sushi, I could not really explain why I had chosen to live in the bush for the next year. Possibly because I need peace and solitude to finish writing the manuscript that I’m working on. More importantly it’s where Amazwi headquarters are located, the place where I am assigned to be for the next year or so.

So far I have no regrets about living in Hoedspruit. I have a brilliant view of the mountains when I walk home from work in the afternoon. Yes, I walk to and from work. And if I drive for twenty minutes down the road, I am dead center in the Blyde River Canyons where the mountain peaks. Each morning the sun rips through my window beating my face and heating my body until I have no choice but to awaken. I’ve never been up this early in my life. Each night I am forced to turn off my lights around nine o’clock to prevent being eaten alive by the assortment of bugs that congregate in my bedroom. I bath in bug repellent and sunscreen. It’s a ritual that I can’t afford to forget. Just count the thirty or so bites I had the one-time I forgot. I have a side of Malarone, the anti-malarial medicine, with dinner. For the next few weeks or so I won’t have television or internet or my mommy. Even without those things I still feel blessed. Blessed that the laugh of hyenas and the call of some other animal that I haven’t yet figured out provide a live soundtrack for my entertainment. Blessed that the rays of the sun have been gentle so far.

Where do I begin?

In approximately 35 days, I will board a plane with 2 pieces of luggage not weighing over seventy-five pounds, a carry- on and my purse. I will cross the ocean, layover on one continent and then proceed to the next where I will live for a year or two. Choosing to travel to South Africa was the easy part. The difficulty arrived when I tried to convince my family and friends to let me spread my wings and fly across the ocean. Then there were the shots, visa application, and contemplation of packing. How does one pack for a year? And, Oh God, What about my hair? My sidekick? And my i-pod speakers? While some things are final, there are other things that are well…

So, check back with me as I chronicle the days leading up to my departure and then follow me through my journey as I conquer a new continent, learn a new language, encounter new acquaintances and acquire new tastes. This is only the beginning. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.