home of the brave, land of the free

I am back in the good 'ole USofA as of 11AM yesterday. After over 36 hours of traveling and barely making it through customs on time, I touched down in LAX and was immediately greeted with the smoggy air of Los Angeles. I have already been facing the reality of how difficult re-entry can be. I even had the urge to cry in the DC airport when I began noticing differences in the culture to South Africa! I know the next few weeks will be challenging and incredibly important for me to consider all that has happened over the past semester. I have learned, grown, been broken down and strengthened too much to ignore it. It's hard to process through but so important to. This semester abroad has truly been the best, hardest, and most influential experience in my life. I now know that it is in times of discomfort that I can learn the most. It is in those moments of total vulnerability where I am radiating a sense of genuine "me" and can't imagine being anyone but myself. I am so grateful for all I have learned in these past four months.

farewell

In less than 24 hours I will be aboard a plane flying home....I'm not sure how to feel right now, it's definitely bittersweet.

monday tuesday fly home?

I have Monday and Tuesday, then we fly home on Wednesday! I can't believe I'm experiencing my "last" of things. My "last" chocolate croissant. My "last" time sitting on the pier. My "last" Sunday morning in South Africa. My "last" time using an internet cafe. It's just weird. I'm starting to panic a little about going home. I can't wait to get home-home, to Seattle, but I'm so overwhelmed thinking about going back to APU. While I have so many friends I am dying to see, I just don't know how I will react to that initial few days full of jet lag and emotions. It will surely be a whirlwind and I will be ready to be in the arms of my parents sitting on my couch! Never knew how much I would miss them!

The past few days have been quick but a blast. I feel like I have done so much in this past week, trying to soak up as much of Capetown as possible. We explored the waterfront, visited Robben Island, took a Peninsula tour and saw the penguin beach, I pierced my nose, and celebrated my twentieth birthday! All in one week? Of course we had some class too....just a little.

Yesterday was a blast getting to have a birthday in Capetown. Carisa and I woke up early to run by the beach like normal, and stop to get our routine coffee at the local bakery. We walked in and I was greeted with a chocolate croissant decorated with "Happy Birthday Hilary" in chocolate. It was sitting on a plate of flower petals and was adorable! ....such a good friend :)

Afterwards a group of us boarded the train to head to Woodstock, an up and coming art district. We went to a fun Saturday market and ate the most delicious food. It was unreal, a tent full of local vendors with tons of organic cheeses, pesto, meats, baked goods, smoothies, bread, flat-bread pizzas, falafel, crepes, etc. I was on sensory overload and excitement. All of us loved eating our way through the market and then checking out the clothing, jewelry, and art.

Last night we headed to Cape to Cuba, a local restaurant on the beach of Kalk Bay, to try out the desert and appetizers. It was a really cool place and we had a blast!

Today we left the university and are staying at the Lady Hamilton hotel in downtown Capetown for the next 3 nights. We have some presentations (which I'm procrastinating on) and a bit of class before we board our flights home. Time flies!