Sunday was nice and relaxing. It was the birthday of someone in our program, so we all hired a bus and drove to the beach for the day. Along the way, I had one weird moment when we were driving past the Cape Flats settlement and I realized that I wasn't 100% focused on it. It was in the background and I was having a conversation about something else. Is this already becoming normal to see? What kept my attention glued to it last Wednesday when I was picked up from the airport and even last week when we drove past it several times? But don't worry. As soon as I realized I was less shocked, I started a conversation about complacency and how shocked I was that I wasn't shocked anymore, etc.
Anyway, we went to the Atlantic ocean, so it was really cold, and when we first got there it was cloudy and foggy and freezing! But then I think Camps Bay realized it was rude to be so cloudy on Smitha's birthday, so out came the sun and the air became warm and perfect and the fog cleared up and we could see the gorgeous views. The Atlantic was still freezing - almost too cold to even wade in, but not as cold as the water at Cape Point yesterday, so it was tolerable. Kind of like Lake Michigan in July. haha!
My really good friend Christina, who I went to Nicaragua with in December 2011, is doing her journalism residency in Cape Town. And I knew she had been to the beach the previous weekend, so while laying out in the sunshine I texted her that I was at the beach in Cape Town. She asked what beach? And I said "Camps Bay." And she replied with an "I'm here too!!!" A few minutes later I turned around and saw her running toward me. It was really exciting. It's not every day you get to randomly meet up with a dear friend while chilling on the beach in Cape Town, South Africa about ten thousand miles from home. Definitely made my day! It was great too to catch up and talk about things back home, about our experiences so far in terms of culture and adjustment, fun and struggles. And all the while, we were walking on the beach or sitting on some cool rocks soaking up the lovely mid-autumn Cape Town sunshine, Lion's Head Mountain behind us. Twelve Apostles mountain to the side of us. And ocean in front of us.
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| Being goofy |
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| Something about the ocean is essential and soothing to the human condition. |
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| Some of the Twelve Apostles peaks behind us. |
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| Lion's Head (I don't see it...do you?) |
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| Twelve Apostles and Camps Bay area of Cape Town |
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| Ahhhhhhhhh so pretty |
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Friends forever/everywhere - from Cusmapa, Nicaragua, to Evanston, Illinois, to Cape Town, South Africa.
LOVE YOU, CHRISTINA! <3 |
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