I guess I lied...SA life in a nutshell

I have learned a lot about myself over the past year and a half. One of my lessons: I am not the best blogger. My apologies to all those of you out there who took the time to follow my posts and then stood by as I apparently dropped off the face of the earth! In August, I stated that I would get better at blogging this year, and then I proceeded to get worse! oops!


I will not attempt to catch you up on my South African life, in detail, mainly because my life this past year has not been that incredibly exciting, but also because I am not motivated enough to sit for hours to write. I know myself too well - it's almost like a mathematical equation - one experience in my writing can equal about three to five paragraphs. If I total up the amount of "share worthy" experiences over the past six months, I would be writing a small book. I don't have the energy; therefore, a brief summary is what I will produce, and I will save the multiple paragraphs for the bigger moments that have come my way!

Life

Entering my classroom this year was far less overwhelming than last. I was already established, and I felt more relaxed. Walking the halls was nice because I could greet colleagues with hugs and "welcome backs!" instead of, "Hello, my name is Mandy!" How important and nice it is to feel that you belong somewhere. At one of our first staff meetings, I was introduced to a woman named Heather, who was a runner and needed someone to run with.  There are so many moments in life, that while we are in them we are completely oblivious to the impact they will have on us. When I first met Heather, she was another teacher in the school I work at. Now, I can see that she is a woman I admire, a friend I rely on, and a person I fully respect. Although only seven months ago, that introduction began a friendship with Heather that I am convinced will continue as I move through the rest of my life.

With our new friend Heather; Dee, Chelsea and I picked right back up where we had left off in June: dinners, game nights, excursions, friendship. The four of us have developed a bond I am very fortunate to be a part of, and as I sit here with only 3 months left of my stay in South Africa, it is these three woman who I know will be the source of many of my "I miss South Africa" statements in the years to come. I believe the choices we make in life lead us down roads we may not have ever traveled so that we can meet people we never knew we needed. Chelsea, Dee, and Heather are three of these people....I never knew I needed them, but I am so grateful I have found them (+ a couple more). Although we have not traveled to as many exotic destinations as last year and experienced as many 'new' moments, the time I spend with these three women and my other close friends (BC - I will forever love you even if you hate the Patriots) has made Johannesburg the closest to home I have ever felt outside of the 603 area code.

Safari in Pilanesburg, a trail run in KwaZulu Natal, a 10K road race through the Alexandra township, trips to the Elephant Sanctuary and holding day old lion cubs at Ukutula Lion Park have been the bigger of the experiences I have had this second time around. When I look back on it, these don't seem as exciting as the life I led last year - running off to safari every chance I got, traveling to different parts of the country, and seeing 'new' things around every corner. However, it forces me to consider the reality of my situation - life goes on normally no matter where you call home. Despite residing in South Africa, I still live a normal life, and sometimes it shocks me when the realization of that hits me! When home was in the same place for so much of my life, it is hard to be 8,000 miles away and not think of it as a vacation.

Life as a Runner

Running has been a huge part of round #2 in South Africa. Over our September break, Chelsea and Matthew (her incredible South African boyfriend), Dee and Ian (her South African (ex)boyfriend who turned out to be a real shitty man) and I traveled through KwaZuluNatal province and participated in a 21kilometer (13 mile) trail race. I am proud to say I was the 4th female to finish the race (not that there were that many runners to begin with). It was a wonderful experience.
     Last year, the girls and I, decked out in massive amounts of neon, ran in the RunJozi 10k race that took place after the sun went down in Downtown JoBurg. It was a thrilling way to experience the city; albeit a little unnerving. The swarm of 10,000 runners that night helped alleviate some of the uneasiness of being in the most dangerous part of Johannesburg - bringing truth the phrase: Safety in numbers. At the end of September this year, Nike did it again, only this time they brought RunJozi to the township of Alexandra. Apparently they enjoy testing the limits of safety - Alexandra happens to be the most crime ridden township in South Africa. Without a hint of danger, Heather, Chels, Helen, Aitor, Jason and I hit the streets in one of the most crowded, yet enjoyable, 10ks I have ever run. Usually when I run, I let my mind process "life" as I know it. However, running through the streets of Alexandra cluttered with garbage - jumping over puddles of sewerage and the occasional dead rat, I found myself recognizing how fortunate I am in "life." It was hard to ignore the guilt I felt as I (wearing my dri-fit Nike T-shirt and expensive running sneakers) passed the dilapidated tin shacks and the crowds of unbathed young children with their hands outstretched asking for high-fives and water. Maybe this is the intention behind these Nike runs - a chance to see a life I don't know and think about it as I pound the pavement.
     Two months later, at 6:00am on my 31st birthday, I began my second half marathon with Chelsea by my side. This is one of the reasons I love that girl so much - she'll wake up at 4:00 in the morning and run 13 miles with me because it would make me happy. I also give gratitude to Heather for waking up at the same unGodly hour, lacing up her sneakers, and finding motivation in my weird birthday activities to run her third-ever 10k! I'm a lucky girl!
   After signing up for the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon (see my post on this accomplishment!), I registered for and ran two full marathons. The first one was the Pic N' Pay marathon in Edenvale. Despite the intense nerves that reeked havoc on my mind and body, my soul carried me through and I finished this somewhat flat course in 4 hours and 10 minutes! The feeling of accomplishment I had when they draped a finishing medal over my neck, instantly decreased the worry I had for finishing the ultra marathon in March. Two weeks later, as I ran across the finish line of my second full marathon through the Soweto township with a time of 4 hours and 7 minutes, I knew the Ultra was attainable.

Life on Holiday

In a year that has tested my patience and resolve as a teacher far beyond what I expected, holidays have proven to be my saving grace! I am fully aware that the rest of the working world considers teaching to be a somewhat easy profession given the amount of time we have off; however, if any one of those people spent their work day in a classroom full of children who belong to helicopter parents, they may reconsider the passage of judgement! We
earn our time off! (most of us). In the International Teaching world, these holidays (I have abandoned my use of the term "vacation" since moving here) are incredible opportunities to explore the world!

In October, I was given an opportunity - thanks to a wonderful new friend back home - to travel back to New Hampshire to surprise Lori at her Wedding Shower. Although I must admit I was a bit discouraged to miss the travel opportunity in South Africa, I sat on that plane filled with excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to be involved in the important events leading up to Lor's wedding that I had originally thought I would miss. In December, feeling again that tiny twinge of regret for missing out on unique travel opportunities in Africa, I boarded a plane headed for America with a massive smile on my face - my other half was getting married!

January and February were long months, but alas February 28th arrived and so did Janelle! One of my oldest friends (over 19 years of friendship) joined me for my March holiday. Along with her boyfriend Mark, Chelsea, and my friends Helen and Consea and their 7 year old daughter, Janelle and I set off for a 5 day/4 night hike along the Wild Coast of South Africa. The total distance of the hike was 61 kilometers or 36 miles; however we missed the final 7 kilometers due to the fact that 4 of us were attacked by food poisoning at the final Xhosa village we slept at. The first four days were stunning and culturally fulfilling.
     Staying as guests in Xhosa villages; complete with bucket showers, faux toilets and floors made of packed cow dung, helped check an authentic cultural experience off my bucket list. Unfortunately, the last night proved to be miserable. After spending the entire last night at Chelsea's side while she desperately tried to rid her body of whatever was making it so sick, watching poor little Sofie get equally as sick around 4 in the morning, and witnessing Helen attempt to put aside her own misery to help take care of her daughter's sick tummy, I joined Consea and knocked on the door of the village "mama" and requested she arrange transportation for us out of the village. It was 5:30am and it was obvious we were not going to walk the last 7 kilometers.
     Fifteen hours later, we arrived home to Johannesburg. Our journey consisted of a 30 minute ride stuffed in the back of a villager's buckee (what they call pick up trucks), two and a half hours spent in two separate taxi busses, and twelve hours curled up in the passenger seat of my Jetta - punctuated by several pull overs to allow for me to get sick (the food poisoning had found its way to me at this point). Chelsea was a champ: no sleep the night before and seven hours of food poisoning didn't stop her from driving the entire way from Port St Johns to Johannesburg. Needless to say, despite the incredible beauty and culture of the Wild Coast, I never want to repeat that trip again!

Life Moving Forward

I admitted, at the start of this post, my disgraceful performance in the world of blogging. The fact that it is April 7th (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!) and I am just getting around to catching you all up on my life here in South Africa is proof of my failure as a blogger. However - I am ok with this - better late than never, right? :)
Perhaps one of the most significant experiences in my life this school year was the need to decide my future as a teacher at the American International School of Johannesburg. Although I will leave the details for a separate post, in the second week of December, I made the decision to not accept another contract with AISJ, thus making this my final year as an expat in South Africa. As a result of this decision, the time I have left here in Johannesburg has become quick and bittersweet. Over the next two months I hope to accumulate many more experiences I'd consider blog-worthy, and this time, I will try my best to share them with you in a timely fashion; however, let it be known - I am going to worry less about writing about these moments and more about making the most of them.


     

I'll get better - I promise!

I have been horrible at updating my blog! I am quite ashamed, actually!

I have made a goal that I will post in the next week with a full update on life! In the meantime, I wanted to share this link with you all:

http://tw.aisj-jhb.com/esgrade4b/

This is a link to my classroom blog! One of my professional goals this year is to make my classroom blog a more interactive and reflective piece of my students' experience in 4th grade. I would LOVE for anyone and everyone to check it out and reply to posts the kids are adding. I just introduced it to them today, so there isn't much yet, but there will be very soon!

Stay tuned...I'll be back to update you on my life in South Africa - it is moving along quite nicely and with some exciting twists and turns along the way!

Pole, Pole

June 4^, 2012

It was nearing midnight and the fourteen of us stood huddled in a circle. Our breath was visible in the cold evening air and our hearts were thumping with anticipation for the trek ahead. An hour ago I was snuggled in my sleeping bag, clutching the hot water bottle for every degree of warmth it could offer and willing my anxiety to fade so I could find sleep. After five days of hiking along the Machame route, the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro was in our sights. The words of our inspiring leader, Consea, broke the tension surrounding our huddle, “Ok Team – let’s do it!”

Over the past few years I have developed, mostly thanks to my father, an interest in reading adventure stories about expeditions to the summits of Everest, K2, and Annapurna among others. These mountains all reach insane altitudes – surpassing the Death Zone. Personally, I have always enjoyed hiking, but I never dreamed of doing a multiple day mountain climb – certainly not one to the heights of these mountains. Reading these books allowed me a glimpse into the very farthest reaches of my adventurous spirit without the risk of death.  Through the pages of these books, I learned about terms such as acclimatization, High Altitude Pulmonary Adema, altitude sickness, and climb high sleep low.  Although not a “Death Zone” mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro required the use of these same terms due to its status as The Highest point in Africa – just over 19,000 feet above sea level.

Early into the year at AISJ, my new group of friends and I were presented with the opportunity to form a team that would attempt the summit of Kilimanjaro. With little hesitation, eight of us agreed and committed to the adventure. As we were ascending the mountain early in June, several of us remarked on why this decision had ever been made. Others had spoken of it as just a “long walk,” which it mostly was, but on summit night – this expedition to the summit became the hardest physical challenge I’ve faced in my 30 years.

Dee, Chelsea, Faze, Beth, Marcus, Aitor, Dharma and I departed Johannesburg on the night of June 2^nd for Tanzania. After a less than efficient experience with Precision Airways, two lost (and then found) pieces of luggage, and several hours of flying northeast across the continent, we met up with our friend Consea and headed for our hotel. Consea is an amazing, kind man who is married to one of our coworkers, Helen. He was born in Tanzania and has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro over sixty times – including a record breaking 11 and a half hour RUN up and down the mountain. Because of his efforts, organization, and guidance, we were provided this incredible opportunity.

On the morning of June 4^th, joined by Consea’s friend Walt (from Alaska), Aitor’s cousin Ander from Spain, and three of Dharma’s friends from home, the fourteen of us bundled up in our raingear and began Day #1 of our seven day trek. Although we could not see Kili, she was hidden behind thick clouds; the energy and promise of adventure encouraged us as we ascended through the rainforest towards our first camp (over 3,000 meters). After four hours of hiking, with twilight painting the sky, we finally were awarded a view of the mountain. She loomed far away in the distance, snow capped and breathtakingly beautiful. Instantly, I was filled with doubt that we’d ever cover that distance, but equally as powerful was the exhilaration of knowing I was stubborn enough to make it to the top and sure of the pride that would follow such an accomplishment.

After a muddy, and slightly cramped first night in the tent, which I shared with Chelsea, we awoke to the voice of a kind porter wishing us a good morning and offering us tea or coffee in our tent. Afraid we’d spill, we politely declined the offer but were tickled nonetheless by the uniqueness of such an awakening.  Similar to dinner the night before, our breakfast was served in a large, grey tent complete with a long table draped with a red tablecloth and surrounded by 14 camping stools. Atop the table were plastic plates, silverware, plastic mugs, and several thermoses of hot water. A selection of Kilimanjaro teas, Africafe instant coffee, Milo (a chocolate powder), and bottles of chili sauce and tomato sauce (Ketchup) adorned the folding tabletops. Despite being over 6,000 feet up a mountain, the eating tent felt very homey. By Day #7, this tent would not seem as charming, but would remain the topic of jokes and a favorite memory nonetheless.

Day #2 was filled with sunshine, gorgeous vistas and views of the mountain’s peak, and some fairly steep ascents. The phrase used by all climbers on the mountain but heeded by only sum – present company included – was “Pole, Pole” (pronounced polay, polay). As we increased in altitude and our oxygen decreased, moving slowly was quite essential in order to help avoid altitude sickness. Despite the long hikes each day, most of us were not opposed to shuffling up the mountain, even if it meant reaching the maximum predicted climbing time. After almost five hours, our second day of hiking ended at a rocky camp with an absolutely stunning view of the enticing and foreboding summit. Although still unbelievably far away, Kili’s top was bigger and therefore closer to achieving.

Day #3, aside from what loomed ahead of us on summit night, was the longest of our days hiking. Trudging for nearly two hours through what felt like a minefield of volcanic boulders and feeling the lack of oxygen slightly more left me somewhat disheartened. This was the first day I broke out my iPod, which I knew would be vital in helping me get past the lack of conversation that accompanies thinner air. In one of my more exhausted moments, the song The Climb by Miley Cyrus played in my ears. The smile that spread across my face instantly shattered exhuastion’s progress and fueled me with energy. Back home, while training for our marathons, Lori and I would blast this song from the car window as we trailed whoever was running the distance that day. Lori’s encouragement sang to me through the words as they put a slight spring in my step on that mountain. This moment served as another reminder to me that people at home were excited for this opportunity just as I was and proud of me for the feat I was seeking to accomplish. Although I grew exhausted a few more times over the next five and a half hours, I was reassured that this experience was one I would never forget!

Day #4 we were assured would be “Fun!” Consea referred to the Boronco Wall as an exciting experience and not too difficult. Standing outside the dining tent, eyes staring up to the completely vertical wall that ascended over 200 meters, we weren’t convinced. However, climb it we must, so after a breakfast of porridge, eggs, and cold toast (the daily routine) we began our ascent. The trekking poles were put away for this climb due to the necessity of one’s hands to clamber up the wall. On several occasions, my fear of heights was tested as I had less than a body’s width between the rock and the edge. Despite the increase in technicality and the steepness, the climb was not impossible, and like Consea had said, it was kind of fun! Standing at the top, after about an hour and a half, we were awarded with a shockingly close view of the peak. Shrouded in clouds, she exposed her self frequently and tempted us with thrill. It was hard to look away.

**It should be noted that along this journey, we all carried our own daypacks filled with about 3 liters of water (I carried about 4.5 most days – I like water), layers of clothing, cameras and a few snacks. Our bags filled with everything we needed on the mountain, the tents, tables, chairs, water, food, sleeping mats, etc. were carried (mostly atop their heads and necks) by several porters. These men were nothing less than incredible. The strength and resolve it took to hike these trails loaded down by at least 40 pounds of gear is something I am sure I will never know in my life. Simply amazing! **

This day’s hike was one of the shorter hikes, only lasting just over 3 hours – a welcomed change. As we reached our camp we were met with yet again a very rocky and sandy campsite. Chelsea and I picked our tent for the night (hoping this one might has a zipper that functioned properly or walls that were somewhat water resistant) and completed our typical “baby wipe shower.” This trip certainly brought Chelsea and I closer, in more ways than one, as modesty was thrown out the window in the close confines of our lime green, two-person tent!

After an extended game of Shithead (a game introduced to us by our Aussie friend, Dee), a warm dinner complete with soup (another constant and eventually unwelcomed companion at meal times), and the typical routine of filling our water bottles with boiling water (and purification tablets) to help keep our sleeping bags warm, we curled up and attempted sleep – it was probably about 8pm. At this point, the wind had picked up and was gusting incredibly hard leaving many of us with the feeling that we might blow away. Despite the roar against the side of the tent, I was able to fall asleep.

Somewhere around 2am, Chelsea and I both awoke needing to use the bathroom – something that we desperately wanted to avoid doing each night. Thankfully the wind had almost stopped completely, but not before leaving the inside of our tent completely covered in a layer of sand. For a moment I felt like crying, but quickly realizing it was all part of the experience, I wiped off what I could from my face and pillow. Dressed as warm as possible and complete with headlamps, we headed to the toilet – basically a disgusting hole in the ground surrounded by narrow wooden walls and ceiling. The moon was full, and as I turned to face the mountain, I was met with the most stunning view I have ever seen in my life. I will never forget the way the mountain peak appeared that morning, as if it popped from the black sky behind it. Chelsea accurately described it as looking like the earth does in images from space. It stood so majestically over our campsite and filled me with a sense of peace. I am not quite sure why peace, but I can remember feeling in awe of its enormity and happy in its presence.

The purpose of Day#5 was not to gain much in altitude, but rather to keep our legs moving, acclimatize slightly more, and then rest in preparation for our summit attempt. We reached the camp slightly before lunchtime, which gave us time to set up our tents, freshen up and relax a little before we ate. Following our meal, we were encouraged to take a few hours to nap before dinner. Thankfully, Chelsea and I both were able to sleep for about 3 hours before the announcement for supper. Having eaten lunch not long before, many of us were not entirely hungry; however, we knew we’d need the energy for what lay ahead of us, so we ate what we could. Before retiring to our tents for a short 4 hours, we were briefed on what to expect for our summit attempt. Filled with anticipation and nerves, we all took in the information and then headed to our tents to hopefully find sleep.

At 11:00pm, after a restless sleep, we were awoken and reminded to get ready and be at the dining tent by 11:30pm. With identical sighs, Chelsea and I sat up in our sleeping bags and prepared for the night’s hike, which would begin at midnight. On my feet I wore a pair of liners and a thick pair of wool socks, as well as toe warmers. Next came my legs, which I dressed in winter running tights, yoga pants, my fuzzy sweatpants, and a pair of Gortex rain pants. On top, I wore an Under Armor thermal top, a winter thermal wicking top, a fleece hoodie, my down puff, and lastly my Gortex rain jacket. Topping it all off with two layers of gloves and a wool hat, hardly able to bend at the joints, I climbed out of the tent, laced up my boots, grabbed my backpack and poles, flipped on my headlamp, and headed to join the charged group gathering at the dining tent. It was now or never.

I knew the summit attempt would be miserable. I knew it would take all my resolve to continue to put one foot in front of the other. I knew that it would not be easy and it wasn’t a sure thing. However, I also knew that I didn’t come that far to not give it everything I had. I knew that the misery would only be temporary and that the pride would truly last forever. I knew that people at home believed in me so I had to believe in me just as much. So, fueled by all of this, pole pole, I put one foot in front of the other and joined the single file line of headlamps as it began the 1,200 meter ascent to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

It took five and a half hours to reach Stella Point, the first of the two summits. The official peak was still about an hour away. Our group of 14 broke into three different groups shortly after we began our ascent, due to the effects altitude had on us all. One group of six took the lead, followed by Dee, Aitor, Consea, and me. Chelsea, Faze, Beth, and Marcus finished off the group. The guides all split up accompanying each of the three groups. My group was graced with the encouragement and strength of Consea, who despite his own experiences with altitude sickness remained astonishingly positive. Our other guide was a man named Jackson. A little more than halfway up, surely fueled by exhaustion, I stopped and removed my backpack. It’s weight was pinching something in my left shoulder and causing my left arm to go numb. The tears poured out my eyes as I gave in to the offer for Jackson to carry my bag the rest of the way. I hated needing the help, but I assured myself it was worth it. The five of us continued trudging along at what can only be described as a true snail’s pace. Aitor and Consea were slightly nauseous, Dee was quickly growing completely exhausted, and I was light headed and drained. I continued to tell myself, “you’re only exhausted – you’re not sick, you’re not incapable – you’re only exhausted. Keep going.” That mantra, paired with the random “Lori song” that played on my iPod (God Gave Me You, We’ve Got Tonight, Wind Beneath My Wings, A Friend to Me, Be Still, and You’re Never Alone) got me to Stella Point. Later, The Climb would push me the final steps – just when I needed it the most.

Reaching Stella Point, I felt positive we’d make it to the summit and this realization refueled me. Despite the biting wind and falling snow that met us as we crested the ridge, we took a short break and received some words of motivation from Consea. With utter exhaustion taunting us, we gathered our things and powered through. After about 20 minutes, and no sign of the summit sign, doubt began creeping back in. I leaned on my trekking poles and sighed heavily. I knew it wasn’t far at this point, but each step seemed impossible. Knowing I had no choice, I began moving again. Aitor, Dee and Consea followed not far behind. Jackson came out of nowhere, grabbed my hand, and we began trudging through the snow faster than I had at any other point over the past six hours. Suddenly, there it was, the tall green sign – the actual summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. I was there – I was summiting. The anxiety, the exhaustion, the doubt all blew away with the snow as I took the final steps. One minute later, Aitor, Dee, and Consea accompanied me and embracing in hugs, high fives, and congratulations, we joined the Kilimanjaro Club. I did more than smile in that moment – I beamed with pride.

 

The weather was less than desirable and cut our time (and photo opportunities) at the summit. Consea recalled the weather being as bad only one other time in all of his summits. Although slightly disappointing that there would be no stunning photographs captured at the top, even the weather couldn’t take away the thrill of this moment. Exulting in our achievement but feeling the urge to descend as quickly as possible, we left the summit and began the two hour journey back to base camp. Right away, we were met with the third team as they came trudging through the snow. I was overcome with joy knowing that they had all made it to the top! This meant that 100% of our team summited Mt. Kilimanjaro on the morning of June 9^th.

What took us five an a half days to ascend took us only one and a half to get down, a reality that was wonderful being that it left us with only one more night in tents and put us much closer to the first shower in seven days! Our loads were lighter on the way down due to the deposit of all our worries and fears of failure at 19,314 feet. On that seventh day, as we reached the Machame gate and cracked open a celebratory beer, our smiles were all you could see. At a post climb lunch at the company’s main office, we were given certificates for our accomplishments and a memory I will not soon forget: all the guides and porters who supported us during the week joined us in the yard. We bought them all a beer and they shared with us a traditional Kilimanjaro song and dance. I don’t have words to describe how prefect an ending it was to the whole experience. My cup runneth over.

Upon returning to the lodge, several of us – coated in grime and grease – ran and jumped in the pool. It was a nice treat to feel the slightest bit cleaner, and as we sat in the water and enjoyed another celebratory beer, I couldn’t help but wonder how I ever got so lucky. Despite the shower being cold, the remainder of the night was perfect. We had an incredible dinner – with NO SOUP and relaxed by the fire. Not unlike life on the mountain, as soon as 9:00pm rolled around, it was time for bed, and OH MAN did that bed feel amazing!

WAIT – THERE’S MORE!

Just when I thought life could not get any more amazing, I woke up the next morning to begin the second chapter of our two-week vacation in Tanzania. After reaching the highest point on the continent of Africa and exerting every ounce of energy we had, Aitor, Ander, Dee, Faze, Chelsea, Dharma, a friend of ours Greg, and me took off for a four day safari adventure. Thanks to the organization of Consea, we had our own private driver who took us, in a pale yellow Land Cruiser complete with pop up top, to Lake Manyara, the Serengeti , and finally to the Ngorongoro Crater. Along the way we travelled through what I can only describe as “true” Africa. The cities of Moshi and Arusha were far from the suburbia of Fourways (where I call home in JoBurg), and the people were from all classes and backgrounds. We were able to see and talk to some Maasai people – their beautiful red and purple wraps were among the many gorgeous colors that splashed along the roads as we drove through Tanzania.

Although I will not go into extended detail about this part of our Tanzanian Adventure, I will say that at many points during the safari adventure, I felt the urge to pinch myself. Again I asked myself, “how did I ever get so lucky?” We stayed in three different lodges over the three nights we were away, and each one was unique. The first we stayed at felt like a palace. Compared to our damp and cold tents, this lodge made us feel like millionaires. The second place we stayed, inside the Serengeti, was not what we expected; however it turned out to be quite the incredible experience. It was a tented camp located directly in the bush of the National Park. All that separated us from the wildlife (lions included) was four canvas walls. Although not thrilled with the idea of tenting again, this was nowhere close to our two-person tent on Kili. The bucket shower, the sounds of wildlife, and the omelet station at breakfast made this stop one of my favorites in the end. Our third lodge was located in the Ngorongoro Conservation area. The accommodations were not wonderful, but the experience was unique. As we gathered our keys and headed to our rooms, a large bull elephant stood in the yard eating grass. From our bedrooms, we could step out onto the back porch and see all types of wildlife, including water buck, Cape buffalo, and elephants.     Pinch

 

Maasai village

The Great Migration in the Serengeti

After two weeks, I was ready to get back to Johannesburg and pack up for my return to New Hampshire. Tanzania was a beautiful country, with a real African feel (unlike Johannesburg, which can feel very Western to me), and it gave me some memories I will never forget. It is hard to comprehend how incredibly blessed I am to have been given all the opportunities I was in such a short period of time. The icing on the cake was that as soon as I returned to Johannesburg, only 24 hours separated me and HOME, where I will be given another six weeks to relax and remind myself that Life truly is Good. 

Year #1 Complete

June 2, 2012

It is true what they say – time flies when you’re having fun! It seemed like ages since I sat in that Cambridge hotel room and signed my name to a two-year contract, binding me to what felt like then, a terrifying life change. 16 months later I passed my keys in to the main office, drank a beer with my good friends in the school courtyard (yes – beer at school is definitely a perk to international teaching), and drove off campus leaving my first year at the American International School of Johannesburg behind me. Before I knew it, a year had passed and not once could I remember wishing it away. My inaugural year in the world of International teaching had been quite a success both professionally and socially. It was hard to keep the smile from spreading across my face as my white Jetta passed through the security gates and into “winter” holidays – not because I was happy to leave, but because I was not afraid to come back.

In this challenging, adventurous year I changed, was inspired, and found I was a lot stronger than I thought I ever could be. The emotional side of my personality dissolved (somewhat J ) as I realized I could stand tall on my own. The adventurous desires that have always skimmed the surface of my old world bubbled up and met with few boundaries. My ability to make friends easily remained on the other side of the world, as I quickly formed deep, lasting friendships with genuine and inspirational people. This newness, coupled with the comfort of knowing those same deep friendships at home never faded despite the distance, filled me with an almost invincible feeling.

Professionally, I spent the year with less stress, more smiles, and a tremendous feeling of belonging to a team. In my previous school, I always felt like I was part of a family, but in my grade level I never had the benefits of a solid team – an absence that weighed heavily on me. This year at AISJ, I was one of the four members of the most envied team on staff. Because of our collaboration, friendship, and raw honesty with each other, I excelled as a teacher and learned more than I ever anticipated. I became a go-to person for advice on classroom management and community building within the classroom – even presenting a few workshops on the topics to my colleagues. In a final meeting my director, he commented on how much I have excelled this year and his desire for me to stick around for a while. “One of my best hires ever” he commented to a friend of mine. A perfectionist like me (some things never change) delighted in words like these.

It is with complete satisfaction and overwhelming pride that I reflect on this year. The anxiety and fear that overwhelmed me that February morning in the hotel room has dissipated and left me motivated and happy. I am not sure what this all means for my future in the world of International Teaching, but I’ve learned not to let that worry me. Next time I leap, regardless of how far, I now know that net will appear again. 

Catching Up

Below is a list of all the major things that have happened since I last posted (while on my flight home for Christmas). In my attempt to be less verbose, I have only allowed myself one sentence of commenting for each item on the list!

1.     Lori is engaged! – very difficult to be away for this milestone, set my alarm for 3:30am so I could Skype with her minutes after Brandon proposed – (a must do in Brandon’s proposal plans) He’s definitely the one!

2.     Thanksgiving in Durban – first Thanksgiving away from home, big house with 11 other people, big pool and weather warm enough to use it, first time in the Indian ocean, football on the beach, missed Mum’s incredible dinner, and wasn’t with Lori when she bought her wedding dress L  

3.     Hawker’s Christmas Swap – good friends and I gathered for dinner to celebrate the holiday with a South African style Yankee Swap: limit 100Rand (just over $12) and must be bought on the side of the street from a hawker. Contributions included: 3 wooden toy snakes, 2 enormous blow up soccer balls, 12 ears of corn, a wire Christmas tree, among other “fine quality” trinkets. H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S!!

4.     Christmas songs sung in several different languages in my classroom – with the sun shining and outside temperatures reaching nearly 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

5.     Flying home for the first time in my life! I’ve never lived in a place I have had to fly from to get home. I felt special, missed, and incredibly loved upon my return!

6.     First night in my old bed – slept better than I had since I moved overseas! It really hit me, as I laid my head down and fell asleep without thinking of an escape route, just how different life in Johannesburg is than New Hampshire. I knew in that moment that living in Johannesburg would never be a permanent thing.

7.     First day in New Hampshire – booked Lori’s wedding venue J, drank a Starbucks latte, enjoyed the cold weather, felt right at home!

8.     Loved every second of my 12 days back home for Christmas. LOVED spending so much time with Lori, Scott, and my parents. Seeing all my friends filled my heart and reminded me again and again of how lucky I am.

9.     December 29^th – flew back to Johannesburg. Spilled tears as I said goodbye to Mum and Dad and the crew, BUT – took Lori and Brandon with me!

10.  Stood at the airport and waited to pick up my other half and future brother-in-law. Couldn’t stop smiling as they appeared through the glass doors – it was my chance to share my new life with them!

   11.  December 30 – January 1^st safari at Madikwe Game Reserve. Two morning game drives and two night drives produced sightings of nearly all the Big 5 – including a pride of lions as the sun rose for the first time in 2012. Happy New Year!

   12.  January 2^nd – January 7^th visited Cape Town (for the second time). Shark cage diving, watched Lori and Bdon jump from a plane, hiked Table Mountain, tasted incredible wines in Franschhoek, admired penguins, ate incredibly well, and loved every minute of it!

13.  January 11^th – said g’bye to Lori and Brandon. HATED every minute of it.

14.  Began seriously training for Two Oceans Half Marathon. Lucky to have the support of a group of friends at school training as well – made long runs over the weekends more bearable.

15.  Chelsea met a 23-year-old South African named Matthew (he is one day younger than her!). She is very happy; therefore, so am I! It’s great to see her get what she deserves!

16.  Presented on Responsive Classroom (Community Building in the Classroom) to two groups of around 20 teachers during a professional development day at school. Felt ALIVE – it was hard to contain my passion for this subject! Began connecting with a fellow teacher (Heather – Kindergarten teacher from South Africa) and found we make an incredible team!

17.  Presented again to a group of Middle School teachers (and the principal) – very successful. I am feeling quite confident in my presenting skills as well as the subject matter!

18.  February 15^th – stood at O.R. Tambo again awaiting familiar faces to walk through the doors. Scott, Jeremy, and Busa flew in for a two week vacation. My apartment was alive…felt so great to fill it with people!

19.  February 18^th – Katie arrived!! - the first person to book a ticket upon my acceptance of this job! Off we went to Kruger National Park for two nights of safari – yielding sightings of all the Big 5! Points game in the car made seeing impala less boring and the prize of a feline sighting more enticing!  

20.  My visitors left for a short stay in Cape Town, while I continued working – thrilled each morning to wake with an apartment full of life – in the form of unmade beds and open suitcases. A welcomed sight compared to my typical silence and order. 

    21.   Valentine’s Day 10K with Faze and Chelsea – night run through the streets of Randburg. Chelsea and I stayed at about the same pace, and it felt so good to run with someone again!

22.   February 24th - had to say goodbye to Truc Lan. She was an incredibly motivated and intelligent student teacher from the College of New Jersey. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing the classroom with her for her short 8 week stay. LOVED the opportunity to be a cooperating teacher again- there is just nothing like the experience of sharing my classroom, mentoring, and learning from someone so fresh and new in the field of teaching! 

       23.   March break came before I knew it!   About 10 days after Scott and the crew left, Chris Blaudschun arrived! It was great to have another visitor and share my life with more of home. A couple days later, Chris and I were on our way to Cape Town where we met up with Ben, Dan, and Sara – more home.

 24.  Cape Town (3^rd trip down there for me) = sky diving again! Shark cage (we saw 11 different sharks!) Table Mountain (up a different, but equally beautiful route) Stellenbosch (great wine and a chance to pet a cheetah!) Cape of Good Hope (something new for me!). One surprise to the week – meeting Zara (old friend of Chris’ who lives in Cape Town) … she is a doll!!

25.  My 4^th set of visitors left – hard to say goodbye, but I felt so grateful to have had 11 visitors that spent the money and made the trek to South Africa to see my new world! People asked me if it got annoying to have so many people in my apartment – for someone like me, who has shared my entire world for my entire life, loved every minute of all 11 smiles!

26.  A couple of days post-final home visitors, a friend of a friend came through Johannesburg and crashed with me. She brought along a friend of hers and a girl she had met while bouncing around Africa. I had never met her before, but knowing she was a friend of Jeremy White’s meant she certainly could be a friend of mine. In total, Kendra and her friend David only stayed with me for about 5 nights. When they left, you’d never have known I hadn’t met them before! A new perk to living across the world – meeting some incredible people!

27.  For three nights (around this same exact time) I hosted a teacher from Cameroon visiting our school for a conference. I will be honest – it was the last thing I wanted to do, but I had volunteered back in September, so I was stuck! This woman was nice, and I am glad I had a chance to meet someone from another part of the world.

28.   March 31^st – after a 6:30am ten mile run (the last of the long training runs) I brought Kendra and David to the airport and officially closed Hotel Akerley for the school year. J As much as I loved all of my visitors, it was very nice to know that the apartment was back to being mine – all mine for awhile.

29.  Wednesday, April 4^th – Carbo Load potluck dinner at Dee’s. Several of the Two Ocean runners gathered at Dee’s for dinner. Sitting in her quaint living room, laughing and mentally preparing for the upcoming race, it felt like I was home! I have good people here – good friends. What did I do to deserve two “homes,” filled with incredible people, in this life?

    30.   Thursday, April 5^th – for the first time in my career I found myself working at a school with an Easter holiday break. After an early release, eight of us headed to Lanseria Airport and hopped a plane down to Cape Town – 5 of us  set for a 21.1k race (13miles) known as the Two Oceans Half Marathon. 
   Post-race plans - wine tasting in Franschhoek WInelands!