I have been ignoring my blog of late. Life Happens. It certainly wasn’t intentional, but a confluence of personal and professional reasons made it difficult to find and dedicate time to my hobby blog. I plan on returning to the social media sphere and I have a number of stories rattling around in my head documenting my spring travels across South Africa.
Nearly three years ago was the culmination of one of the biggest decisions I have made in my life. Having never been to Johannesburg, I boarded a plane and flew 16 hours, halfway around the world, into the unknown. I was moving to a city where the only person I knew was the woman who had hired me. Mid-flight I awoke from an exhausted sleep in a panic about the decision I had made. It was the only moment in the past three years, that I doubted my decision to leave home.
Falling ill has a way of bringing out our inner child. When we find ourselves sick and away from home, the desire for the familiar can be overwhelming. Our hard earned holiday has gone askew. Getting sick while traveling in can be particularly overwhelming and it’s best to be prepared.
Two years ago I moved to South Africa. I never expected to live here, but I know I am where I am meant to be. Happy South African two year anniversary to me!
One year ago today, I started this blog. Sharing a table is a public, albeit heavily edited, letter to my friends, family, and strangers about my life in South Africa. For me, this blog has kept me sane, pushed me to visit new places because it might make a good story, provided a much needed distraction during rough patches, and ultimately is something I am immensely proud of.
Expats often feel as if they belong to two worlds and after time aren’t completely at home in either their home or adopted countries. I experience this feeling of not quite belonging in South Africa every time friends and family visit me here for an extended period of time. This place I call home suddenly feels difficult to understand and I need a few weeks to recalibrate.