The World Spins Madly On

So much to fill you in on!

I can't believe how fast these first three weeks have flown by. (Friday will be three weeks and will mean the transition between being with CCS and being on my own.) I definitely feel like 3 weeks is not enough time. On the other hand, I am uber excited about the next phase of my African journey.

A little update: the teacher is still eating the kids' snacks and my kids are getting hit with sticks way more than I can even pretend to feel comfortable about. I do my best to build them up when I can (even when wiping their faces). I get smiles out of them, I get and give hugs. I do this little high fiving of thumbs thing they love to do. I give them red bowls at mealtime. Whatever it takes. (I don't undermine appropriate discipline, just when excessive.)

Today one of my kids came in running to me and jumped up into my arms. He did it in front of his dad (who always greets me in the morning) and it was funny how normal it all felt. And how next week the kids will probably all wonder where I went. Anyway, this boy is named Ntando. And at some point this morning he came up to me again and started humping my leg. Like a dog. The kids thought it was hilarious. I reached down to pull him off my leg (and of course now other kids were running up to grab on) and Ntando came around behind me and continued his moves. I guess when you've got a one-room house nothing is private.

(Of course now it's a joke here at the CCS house that my only suitors here have been a 50 year old (paraglide pilot) and a 5 year old. I'm really lucky.)

We had another great weekend. Saturday we got up and went paragliding, (which I already mentioned). Then we hung out on Camp's Bay before...we went back down to Long Street to barhop. We started at a little hole-in-the-wall called Julep that I super loved. We moved on from there and found a hipster bar with live music (Zanzibar?) before ending up at Jo Burg for dancing. It was a good night.

Sunday we went on a personalized tour of Cape Point. We drove along the coast and saw some of the most beautiful beaches (and definitely one of the biggest) I've ever seen in my life. The beauty of this place is unparalleled. It helps to get out there and see it as many of our cultural activies are trips to the slave lodge or district six museum. (Subjects that are kind of heavy.) It's nice, of course, to learn the history of where we are, but I'd be lying if I didn't enjoy all the pretty parts. I've now seen an ostrich cross a road. We frequently see zebras just chillin' in fields.

I'm not sure if I mentioned in my last post that Cape Town is giving Paris a run for its money in the MAB Favorite City category. Last night we hung out in Camp's Bay which is where I'll be staying this weekend and part of next week. There are nutella crepes there. And awesome unbelievably beautiful sunsets. And a restaurant with a veggie burger that comes with brie and cranberry sauce. I'm just sayin....

As much as I miss faces and voices, I have to say that living outside of the real world is my favoritest state of mind. On Friday night when we heard about the possible government shutdown, we checked the news for like the first time since we'd been here. We had some really good house discussions about it and then woke up and went paragliding. Besides making some jokes about looking for a post card (or creating one) that said "Greetings from one third world country to another," (Friday's discussion had led to the supposition that the states would eventually become one) there was no more talk of news or current stateside events (except to learn the government hadn't shut down). But it's not even just that. I like not working and seeing new things and learning new things while still being with people. I like pretending like money doesn't matter and that it will be there when I need it. Next week and the week after that I won't even be on a schedule (except to catch flights)...Dreamy. Can't I find a way to make money living like this?

If anyone knows of such a job, please comment or email me. Until then I will savor these next 2 weeks and 3 days. I'm excited for Katie to get here. I'm sad for Ashley to leave. We're bummed to have our new little family broken apart so soon. Too soon. I'm bummed to leave my kids. I'm bummed to leave a place where I have three meals a day cooked for me and my bed made every day. But I'm excited to relive it all through my pictures. I'm excited to show YOU all my pictures. I'm excited to see what I expect to be more "African" parts of Africa. I'm excited to camp out under the African sky. And most of all, I'm excited to come back here one day. Sooner than later.