How About America?

I've tried and failed to write this post since I got back from Tsitsikamma. I've tried and failed serious, I've tried and failed witty. I don't really know why it's been so difficult, I guess I'm a little bit nervous. A huge process is about to begin and that process is going to consume me. To put it simply, here it is, how it is... 

I'M GOING TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR A YEAR

And now, the details. I'm applying with an Organisation called Au Pair in America. I've started my application but it won't go live until I've had my interview back home. I thankfully fill all of the requirements, thanks to my time in South Africa. You need two hundred hours of child care experience, I have over two thousand. Here's the basics of Au Pair in America and what it's all about...

I'll be living with an american family in one of thirty available states. They will be my "host family" throughout the year. My duties will involve taking care of their children for up to 40 hours and five days a week. In return, I'll receive up to $250 a week and a total of $500 to study at a local college or university. Studying is part of the J-1 visa requirements. I'll probably take a creative writing or language course. 

Au Pair in America charge an all inclusive fee of around £399. I'm going to work my ass off in Scotland to raise that money. It can't be too difficult after raising £5400 for Project Trust. I'm thinking Buchanan Street Busking with my Djembe.

I'm simply making the most of opportunities available to me. It really is possible to see the world without owning a fortune. I don't need much spending money as I'll be earning within the first month. Au Pair in America is a popular organisation, the sister company to Camp America. I attended an APIA information session before I left for South Africa. 

As soon as I'm home I can finish my application and attend my interview. Hopefully I'll be accepted onto the program so I can begin the matching process. They say choosing the right family is more important than their location. I don't mind where I go but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have my eye on a few states. Louisiana, California, Nevada...Not to mention that the likes of Hawaii and New York are available.

I'm very curious about the USA. Like South Africa, it's a very diverse country. The politics and cultures are fascinating and will help me on my road to journalism. America is the next adventure for me. I've clearly caught the travel bug. Like my time in South Africa, the idea is to be immersed in another culture. I'll be living my year like an american citizen. I think it will be fascinating, to work with wealthy American Children after working in an African Children's Home. The mere thought of it is mind consuming.

How could I forget...

I'll be using my every free second to travel the states!

I mentioned APIA to my family before I left for South Africa. At the time they were most likely thinking it's just a phase. Unfortunately however...  they were also thinking my dreams of South Africa were just a phase! Going to the states is a lot more flexible. I'll be able to come home for holidays and I'll be getting paid.  After living on the equivalent of twelve pounds a week, i'm sure over one hundred and fifty will suffice.

The most important piece of information I can share with you is this... spending time in the USA will fund my return to South Africa...

Bakkie i'll Be Back

In my previous blog I wrote of Biltong and Birds, Travel and Transport: All of which are general things that I'll surely miss when I'm home. Here I continue, with more things that I'll shortly be greetin' about. It's quite difficult to write about these places and people, knowing that I'll soon be without them. 

Cape Town: The Mother City. It's diverse and it's fascinating, it's beautiful and it's bursting with culture. From the colourful mosques of Bo Kaap to the shining shacks of Kayelitsha and Langa, Cape Town is like the whole world in one city. Not to mention it's backdrop, the Waterfront, the Gardens and the old dutch architecture of Long Street. And then there's the wine farms, the extreme sports and the stunning coastline that reaches out to meet not one but two oceans - The Atlantic and the Indian. This city is just incredible, I want to live here.

Cape Town looking as beautiful as ever. View from Blouberg Beach.

                                      

Table Mountain: Table Mountain is a Natural Wonder of the World. It's beautiful and bizarre. I can easily pin-point my favourite Table Mountain memory. It was after midnight and Nelson Mandela had just passed away. The sky was so clear that you could almost see the milky way, even though we were just above the city. We had written a message in the memorial book to Tata Madiba when we decided to make the trip. I lay in the middle of the road, about half way up the mountain. It was peaceful and it was silent, we watched the stars. I then decided to take a roll down the road. It was incredible. I have literally rolled down Table Mountain.

On top of Table Mountain, View over Camps Bay with the Atlantic Ocean.

                                       

The Beach: The beaches are picture-esque, like post cards. White-gold sand with cool, clear, shark infested waters. Whether we want to surf, swim or simply sun bathe, there's always a beach for us. I love being in water so going to the beach is always a treat for me. One time with Yvi and Rachael, we REALLY went for a swim. We couldn't stop laughing the whole time as the currents pulled us back and forth. At one point, Rachael got herself caught in a whirlpool. It was all in good fun.

Surfing at Blouberg Beach. Well, at least TRYING to surf.

                                

Bakkies - Bakkies are essentially pick-up trucks. They are everywhere here, every second vehicle is a white Bakkie. I'm being stereotypical here but three type of people drive Bakkies. First, you get the big Afrikaans guy. His Bakkie is always spotless. Then you get the soccer mum who doesn't actually need a car that size. Sometimes her kids are sitting in the back. Then, you get the guys on their way to work... Bakkie overload! It's almost like a game of how-many-upright-people-can-we-squeeze-into-the-trunk. I think it should be legal to ride in the back of a Bakkie EVERYWHERE. It's so much fun. Think of the saved petrol when you can shove you're entire collection of friends and family into the trunk of your Bakkie.

Riding in a bakkie on the way to the beach. Surfboards and all!

                                     

Signal Hill: My favourite place in the entire world. From Signal Hill, Cape Town is a silent city. It's a beautiful golden glow that dips into the horizon where the waves come in. Table Mountain becomes a dominating sillhouete. You can hear yourself breathe. I'll never forget the feeling of sitting here with my friends, there wasn't a word between us as we gazed over Cape Town. 

Sitting on Signal Hill with my friends. Table Mountain to the Right.

                                      

Har De Daar

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

With less than eleven weeks to go, I can't help but wonder what I'll miss when I'm gone. There are so many details that I can't imagine my life without, even though they were once so foreign. Here's part one of my i'll miss you when i'm gone list. Reversed culture shock is headed my way and I'm terrified to face it. 

Biltong: My thoughts are drifting to beers and braii's. Biltong is raw, dried-out meat with nothing but a sprinkle of seasoning. It's delicious. Kudu, Beef, Springbok, Chili, Barbecue, Garlic...whatever, it's all incredible. I'll miss the Chili Beef Biltong from the local store. Biltong is a staple food of South Africa. You have to try it if ever you are blessed with the opportunity. It goes down nicely with a beer, more biltong and then some.

Chili Biltong, Chili Chili Biltong, Oh, Chili Biltong!

Trains: If you've seen a South African film, you're familiar with South African trains. They tend to play host to murders and muggings. I'm particularly fond of "Tsotsi". It's a brilliant film if never you've seen it. I happen to like the trains but don't get me wrong, I wouldn't dare use one after dark. They are safe to travel with during the day. They are also very cheap and efficient. If you look past the torn seats, "safe abortion" signs and vandalized walls, it's a nice ride. With the doors left open and the carriages over-flowing, South Africa's Metro-rail is much more thrilling than the likes of Scotrail. 

When there's no space on the INSIDE...Why Not...

Har-dee-Dars: Har-dee-Dar is what they scream every morning. It's an infuriating wake up call. I had a serious case of love at first sight with these birds. They are so cool and it's very fascinating that they are never not angry. They tend to attack the small ones at the Children's Home. That's not so great but it's just a display of Who's Boss and Who's NOT boss. They are strong birds. I like the way they waddle.

                              Hardedaardedarr! Bad - Ass Bird with an Attitude.                    
           

Blue Chickens: More commonly known as "The Guinea Fowl". The German's call them "Blue Chickens". That's so great to the extent that I can't call them by any other name. I don't know why they call them Blue Chickens. They are very shy, short and stumpy (the birds, not the Germans). But they are beautiful! The poor wee souls are always running around like it's life or death. I noticed these birds frequently on Robben Island. They must like the peace and quiet. Either that or they are sacrificial birds feeling guilty for their wrong-doings.

                               "Look at the blue chicken!" IT'S A BLUE CHICKEN.                
              

Mini Taxis: ARRIVE ALIVE! Cheap, efficient, terrifying, fun. Every country should have a line of mini taxis. When sitting in the front seat, one must play role of "conductor." That is NOT a cool job when people are screaming at you in several different languages. I love mini taxis, they're a cultural adventure. It CAN be very embarrassing when you're trying to holla one from the side of the road. A lot of the mini taxis have prayers written on the inside walls. I don't want to know why... not now, not ever!

Mini Taxi Rank. A bustling maze of joy and joy-ness..

Travelling: From the African Bush to the Extreme Sports of the Southern Coast, South Africa has so much to offer. The landscapes, cultures, politics and history are all so consuming. There's is so much to see and not enough time to see it. Travelling has been a huge part of my time here. I have so many incredible memories from my travelling antics. I'll miss the endless possibilities. 

The Worlds Highest Bungy - My Most Thrilling Memory

Belville's Bewitched but it's my Birthday

Today I turn twenty, yeesh. 

I'm on night shift. What a unique birthday, welcoming the day with bug eyes, exhaustion and a 4pm wake up. This blog is going to be very sarcastic because I'm in a very sarcastic mood. It's called denial. You will know why? soon enough. I'm actually glad I'm on night shift, it's a nice way to grow old.

I had dinner in Belville today, that was a first. Belville is that town that you can't avoid but don't deliberately linger in. It's a dusty, bustling town bursting with market shops and "safe abortion" signs. The strange thing is... I really enjoy this town. It's unique-dodgy-ness rather attracts me. While squeezing my way through the streets, a little white flyer was handed to me. 

"Get healed completely with our Powerful Herbs from Africa. The impossible...is possible" 

It then goes on to tell me how I could be completely cured of Diabetes, bad debts, my bewitched curse and mad people. I could also purchase a potion for good luck, a magic wallet and a larger penis. That was a joke. How fantastic is that? I'll put down my R50 Consultation Fee right away. That was also a joke. Anyway, I had a lovely day. It was a nice change of scenery.

Moving on, my budgie died. I know what your thinking. Didn't my child-hood-dog-come-best-friend-lover just die Yes. Well, so did my only two gold fish and my Canary. Maybe I will put down that consultation fee...

I really need to cry but I can't because I'm on night shift. I'll hold it in and then explode into tears of sorrow tomorrow. Bert dying was the cherry on top of my already crumbling cake of emotions. It's hit me even harder now that my Goldfish, Dog and rash decision of a Canary are all gone. Home will be lonely without them.

Speaking of home, that's where I'm going in August. I went to the Somerset West Immigration office today - in person. I knew I could only let go of my South African hopes and dreams if someone crushed them for me - in person. That's exactly what happened as the immigration officer skimmed over the lines of requirements, leaving highlighted not gonna happen's behind. I have a Plan B... I'll share it with you soon. 

Ah, sweet nightshift. I'm not in my usual house tonight. I'm with the slightly younger teenagers that like to play who's boss. Anyway, one of them just walked into another's bedroom - seemingly innocent until she slapped a sleeping girl across the face. Harsh! The eagle has gone back to bed, her prey is weeping under the duvet. I've writen a memo. All will be swiftly forgotten. 

There's not much else to say. 

To chase away your tokoloshe, please call (+27) 0786675543.

Steak, Beer... Steak, Beer...

22.05.14

Yeesh, lot's to update. Let's start from the moment my mum arrived. 

Katie and I were waiting at Cape Town International, sipping on a tasteless Hot Chocolate and wondering how I'll react at the sight of my mum. It had been more than eight months since i'd seen her. By the time she (took her time) walked through the gates I was doing my nervous-I-need-the-toilet-but-don't-really dance. I gave her a big hug and huffed at her outfit that was far too similar to mine. That was that. On the taxi back to Durbanville she told me how she recently found out I have South African ancestors. Not only that but part of the family may still be in South Africa! That's a whole other story...

Mum was booked into the De Oude Caab Guest House next door to the children's home. It's a really nice, quirky place. I took advantage of her shower and television. It had actual channels. Ahh, the Beer Garden... the first place I took my mum. Hey, Steak and Beer is a CULTURAL EXPERIENCE! She loved it. I maybe took her for steak and beer one to many times but she loved it. She did, she loved it. I'm trying to rack my brain for the adventures we went on in Durbs.

We went on lot's of walks around the area and I took her to all three supermarkets so she could see the racial diversity between them. We went to Stellenbosch one day, that was lovely. She wasn't impressed at the luminous colours of our Waka Berry Yoghurt but she ate it anyway. It was goood. Our taxi driver back from Stellenbosch was great. He definitely wanted to marry mum.

Mum looking beautiful at De Oude Caab

Waka Berry!

Chilling at De Oude Caab

LIONS! Damson came with us to Drakenstein Lion Park. It was really incredible. I think I was a Lion in my past life. The lions were just lion around and i'm not even lion. Hey lion, there's a lion. Where? There. You lion? I'm not lion! That's pretty much how the day went.

I just want to HUG IT

And I will always love you

The time eventually came for mum and I to leave for Long Street, Cape Town. Yes, that's right. I took mum to a backpackers and booked us into a shared dorm. It's all part of the experience. Long Street backpackers is great, so are their internet passwords. "I slept with bubbles" (the cat) and "I wasn't that drunk." were two of the best.

Cape Town! Here's a list of what was supposed to happen during the week...The Robben Island Tour, a trip to the top of Table Mountain, a lazy day on the beach, a train to Simon's Town, an adventure to Cape Point.

Here's what actually happened.

We went on the Robben Island Tour and it was really interesting and educational. We were shown around the island by an Ex Political Prisoner. Before hand, I had no idea that President Jacob Zuma spent 10 Years in the prison. This prison was a TOUGH prison. I couldn't help but think of Shutter Island and the idea of landing and never leaving. It was strange to see the cell where Mandela had spent so many years. I sat for a while in what's now known as "Mandela's Garden" It's a little greenery patch where Mandela hid his script of Long Walk to Freedom while he was writing it.

The view of Table Mountain dominated the horizon from the quarry where prisoners would hammer. Imagine being close enough to see but too far away to touch the progress of Cape town...as it grew outward and upward in a burst of politics and culture, business and architecture. A burst that was exploited every where in the world with the exception of that tiny prison, where the future president of South Africa was held for eighteen years...

I made the decision to introduce mum to some of my South African friends. Well, none of them are actually South African, they are Ugandan. Any way, bad idea! Mum took far too much a fancy in the musician that is Thee No.1 Badman (not literally). I'm being sketchy to save some confidentiality, bare with it. Anyway. That introduction was both good and bad. Firstly, it's bad because I occasionally went hours without seeing my mum. It's good because...

Mum got to see the real South Africa. More than once we were in and out of the townships. She got to see Badmans new video being filmed and we even visited his music studio. We were taken to proper hide-away restaurants where only the locals (and we) go. My highlight of our cultural food experience was the Ethiopian Restaurant on Long. It was more like an indoor tree house with creaky floor boards, a dodgy stair case and all the meat you could eat... with your hands! It was delicious.

The best part of the week was taking my mum to Mzoli's - the huge braii party in the township of Gugulethu. It's an incredible place, experience and atmosphere. I drank all of her beer but I think she enjoyed it. Gugulethu is wild. I had a girl tell me her entire life story while she danced circles around me. Her mum  was put in prison for growing dagga (weed) so she was left with no choice but to move to Cape Town where other family members took her in. She now lives in Gugulethu and is studying something or other at University.

I ate an awful lot of burgers from the Long Street Burger Shop. They are really good and really greasy. Those burgers are so good. Writing about them is making me hungry. The Burger Shop brings my attention to Long Street beggars. There are a lot. You can't walk five minutes down the street without being stopped ten times. I could tell that the beggars were a huge shock to my mum at first. It's strange to think i've become "used" to them. Although it may seem cruel, people encourage you NOT to give the beggars money. There are plenty of organisations in Cape Town trying to help these people. If beggars think they can live sufficiently on the streets, they will deny that help. Anyway, a lot of these people have similar stories, the majority are probably false, hoping for sympathy. When I said no to one man, he became violent and said  "you are a sick human being, how can you not care about my dying baby?" That sounds tragic and painful but this man is one of the many with a false story. He is notorious for pleading the sympathy trip before becoming aggressive.

I made sure to buy my mum a good old "Soweto'n Toilet shot".  Don't panic, it's just a chocolate banana shot of alcohol that happens to look like the contents of a toilet. It's actually really good.

We both decided to have our hair braided. BAD IDEA. It hurt bad, really bad. It was cool for a couple of weeks but i've taken it out now, along with half of my hair. The hair dresser was lovely, she liked to talk about her family and invited us to church. That was before she gave us the rip-off of the century. Imagine my face when she says "R500. Each side."  Eh, NAW! That's almost £25 per side. Yeah, that's right! Don't worry, I haggled my way down but we still got ripped off. Safe to say we DID NOT go to church that Sunday. Eugh.

Mum bought an African mask but i'll forgive her because she bought me a blue chicken.

On one of our free mornings, we decided to go to Green Market. Essentially a massive out-door African Market. I got a silver necklace in the shape of the African Continent. I also got a marriage proposal. I kindly declined. The market has potential to be brilliant but you can't walk five feet without someone telling you your babies would be beautiful...with them.

Nothing I'm writing is in order, i'm just going by what memories pop into my head.

One hot, sunny day, we conquered Table Mountain...on the cable cars. We had a cool drink at the top and walked around for a while. The view is beyond incredible up there. If Cape Town is the finest work of art then Table Mountain is it's master. Later on in the evening, I took mum to Signal Hill, my favourite spot in the world. Every time i'm up there it takes my breath away.

I Think that's the highlights over. If I remember anything else I add it here. Mum left not wanting to leave.

My first go at Ugandan food...

Mum thinks she's cool in Badmans Studio

I loved this little guy

Hiy, these guys are well famous in Uganda!

Mum, Bad man, Me

Mum looking like a fish wife

Nelson Mandelas Prison Cell

In Mandela's Garden

Ex Political Prisoner...metaphorical with the bars reflection on him I think

Our Long Street Backpackers Dorm

The view of Cape Town on the boat to Robben Island

Mum was screaming at me by this point

Me on top of the world' ey!

Mum admiring how flat "Table" Mountain is

Mum on Table Mountain

The view from signal hill - Devils Peak

Looking like i've seen a ghost

Our Ethiopian Meal

March for Marijuana 

Gugulethu

Mum actually ate this... IT HAS TEETH

Oh...and I got a tattoo!

On Signal Hill, Cape Town behind me

Unfortunately, we received bad news during our time in Cape Town. My best friend and the love of my life, Doughnut...who's been there for me since I was three years old... passed away. He was our Golden Labrador. I haven't really cried about it yet because i'm in denial. It's still processing but rest assured i'm completely heart broken. I might have been three years old but I remember the day we got Doughnut. He was brought into the living-room in a card board box, a complete surprise. I cried all night because they wouldn't let him sleep in my bed. I have memories of him eating  frozen chips, knocking me into puddles, peeing on a bus ticket, taking up the bed, hogging the couch, stealing food, being my alarm clock, running "loony runs" around the house, drinking beer, dancing to slip knot, running away, listening to my secrets and always being there for me regardless of my mood. I'll never forget how he would fart in between stretching and getting off the couch. He has been cremated and we will let him go on his favourite beach when i'm home. I must say, there's nothing stranger than seeing his entire being fit into a small brown box. Good bye baby. Scratch that, i've cried! kjlfkjslfkjsd.

So now mums gone and wishing she were here. I'm still here so i've got to make the most of it.

I'm currently at Wild Spirit, a backpackers in the mountains of Nature's Valley... somewhere between Plettenburg Bay and Tsitsikamma. I leave on Saturday night and I've been here since SaturDAY. I have no spending money but i'm having a great time. I wrote this on the coach with the intentions of keeping it up to date. I didn't do such a thing but you can read it anyway...

"I've settled into my CitytoCity coach and I'm on my way to Tsitsikamma. My journey to the coach itself was interesting. I arrived at the wrong coach station and had to call back my taxi. I didn't panic and all is well. My second journey was free of charge.

The taxi driver is a friend of mine now. He is my go-to-guy for a reliable on-time taxi journey. He did take a serious liking to my mum when she was here, that was fun. On the ride to the wrong coach station, he intrigued me with the story of how Tsitsikamma got it's name. It's somewhat of a love story between an African king and his white wife.

He insisted that I marry his son and become a citizen of South Africa. No.

CitytoCity will drop me off at Plettenburg Bay, also a friend of mine. This will be the sixth time I have stopped by Plett. From there, I'll be picked up by a shuttle on it's way to the mountains of Natures Valley, where there lies a backpackers aptly named Wild Spirit."

I keep a journal. It's difficult writing both blog and journal. Wild Spirit is great. I've met some really cool people, got lost in the forest, ran away from baboons, hiked to a waterfall, ate lot's of pasta, slept lot's, chilled lot's...

The tree house!

Mama Yellowood

Hugging the 900 year old tree for 900 years good luck..

Forestry

My best friend for the week - Bongi!

The bar at night

The view from "God's Window"

This sums up my time in Natures Valley

Shrooms in the forest!

One of the beautiful horses that grazed around the camp site

Very Magical, when you're not lost

The Magic Forest

To save you falling TO YOUR DEATH

The forest falls

The beautiful falls

Pasta and sauce...every night

live music between two musicians who had only just met!

Wild Spirit's new puppy - Topez - meaning The Clumsy One

I found this little guy under my bed

In the Magic Forest

Rooibos - A Delicious South African Tea that has cured my Cat's Allergy

It's a lazy holiday. There's a hidden agenda behind my time here. I had made the decision to stay in South Africa. Wild Spirit seemed like the perfect out-of-the-way-no-distractions place to find out if staying here is possible. Unfortunately, I've found out it's not. If I were to stay, I would live and work in a Cape Town backpackers. As it's paid work, I would need a work permit. Unfortunately, the cost of that goes into the triple £'s. Unless I find another solution, I'll have to return home in August. From there I'll work on finding my way back to South Africa. I feel like i'm tied to this land, I can't leave but I have to. I know that I'll come back and I'm holding on to that. I never thought a country could break your heart but SOUTH AFRICA YOU'RE BREAKING AND BREAKING IT GOOD.