yay yay yay so excited that finally the rest of the crew made it. so happy also that I get to celebrate New Years with this group of people and it doesn't hurt to experience it in some nice weather also :)):) Today was super sunny and clearly the heat was more intense than I anticipated...I burned quite a bit but hey some sun is better than none! I was fortunate enough to experience my first train ride and get to dip my feet in the Indian Ocean for the first time also.
I am so thankful that the people I am with have grown so close in such a short period of time...it is amazing how much we have bonded in merely two days together. Through them I have realized that I wasn't the only person experiencing and witnessing the initial discomfort and they helped me represent myself in a more outgoing manner. Rather than being timid, softspoken and extremely self conscious, I evolved slowly into a more comfortable sociable person. It made me realize that you can't always seek to escape when uncomfortable situations arise. Often you learn that within time and allowing yourself to push through the initial stress, you find a fufilling experience that you would have missed if you stopped at the first sign of fear. So far I've learned that beyond the tough stuff lies something even more personal and obtainable...something that truely will connect you with the environment you are in. Doing this created the reassurance that stepping outside what I thought was my threshold actually opened up a new level of engagement and opportunity with people who in actuality I didn't think I connected with. When you allow yourself to find a connection with others, more than never you will notice that you can relate to them in more ways than you anticipated. People in South Africa are different to Americans in many ways, yet they are similar in many as well.
One differentiation that continues to amuse me and more than ever astonish me is how they feel about themselves. Growing up in a culture with such emphasis on weight, appearance and health, I came to South Africa to observe their habits around this area. What I can conclude from these past two days is that they are who they are and from what I have seen their appearance is literally one of the least of their worries. I'll admit when I first got to my house, I had somewhat of a freak out when I realized I had packed the wrong adaptor and had to wait until the next day to get one....for now how was I going to do my hair if we went out! My thought process is still initially emphasizing on how I look. I took a walk outside and thought everyone was staring at me because I had no makeup on and didn't get the chance to do my hair since I didn't have a plug in......in actuality people have their own stuff to worry about and odds are I'm not being judged for how I look. Throughout the rest of this trip, I want to hold on to that realization and think about what really matters in life. For some of these people don't think about blow drying and straightening their hair in the morning and don't treat someone differently or give them less attention if they don't focus solely on their appearance.
I hope to continue to keep this insight with me throughout the rest of the trip and can't wait to grow closer to my other group members and the culture of South Africa. sending love from the south african sunshine!
