Aloha!
I thought I would add this picture, it is my window's view. Not only a window though, I have quite a nice balcony as well. I fancy this will be a place for sun bathing when the season is right!
The weather has changed dramatically, kiss 75 degrees good bye and do not be forgotten that we are in the midst of winter. I wasn't privvy to the fact that when it rains in Cape Town, it pours.
Conversation with a South African:
me: oh, so glad I brought my umbrella
native: it won't work here, they go inside out in minutes. I swear the rain comes at you 90 degrees, wind and torrents of rain are more common than a baboon raid.
So on my continuing list of stuff: proper raincoat, surf gear, the skills to drive the car on the other side of the road in manual-- I might like to lease a car.
I need not much else.
The difference between reality and expectation has shrunk. This has quite a pleasing effect. It is much different not to be able to go alone somewhere-- my life in Santa Barbara was quite the opposite, freedom a given. It is quite harnessing to have to walk with a male escort and take taxis when in another country you might walk... At the same time, the things I feel jaded towards are a surprise, the chemistry of this country is greatly entertaining-- crime and poverty, childlike enthusiasm for life: uncanned, two worlds living a street apart, a town unionized by the power of liberalism... The dualities are striking and seem to be endless.
Christina, Peg sent me your link. You should join Sarah's blog, sarahisinghana.blogspot.com. Sounds like you're having several of the same "cultural" experiences,e.g. loving where she is but chafing at the escorts, etc. She has you beat on one account. She was at a restaurant and the waiter offered 200 cows for her hand in marriage...and that was on Day 2 I think!
ReplyDeleteThe view from your room is amazing and your photos and stories...wow.
The water well device you talked about is called a Playpump. The group started out in South Africa and connected with a non-profit in the US. They're a great group and everyone has the same reaction to the Playpump itself. Only problem is that they can only install them in places where someone already had dug a well but it's broken down (the Playpump fits on top of the well). They joined our Blue Planet Run network (everyone's into water,right?) and we're connecting them with well drillers so they can put up more Playpumps a lot faster. If you ever get an itch to see a safe drinking water project in South Africa, I can put you in touch with some. Probably not your first priority, but it's a fundamental part of life there.
Have an incredible experience and thanks for letting me read about it, Lisa Nash