I'm Home

"I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke that I was unhappy."-Ernest Hemingway

This weekend I have stayed in Stellenbosch and for the most part in my room like a hermit crab. The two good things about this were that I could recover from a nasty cold (still hoping that is all it is) and that I could save a little bit of money. I was going to go hiking and do some cliff jumping, and also surf. I decided against the hiking last minute and we cancelled on the surfing because it was becoming not worth it. Friday I had a great day at Lynedoch, after not feeling so well on Thursday. By Friday night I was feeling bad again and had already gotten emotional in class at Lynedoch. I came home because I couldn’t stay out with everyone any longer (they had more energy than me) and just started missing home. I knew it was because I wasn’t feeling well and needed to rest. I have gotten better already and am anticipating an amazing semester break trip in a week.

At Lynedoch Friday I needed some alone time and wrote a little bit while sitting outside in the garden: “I think about how long I’ve been here and the time I’ve spent with new friends and I’m shocked by the fact that we’re almost to the halfway point. Then, I think about the beautiful relationships that are developing and it’s no surprise that it’s March already. In the past 2 years or so home has been wherever I am at a given moment. I wasn’t quite ready to say I was home in South Africa in January when I arrived, but I am home now. It’s interesting to feel this way when yesterday I missed home very much after waking up feeling terrible. We were eating dinner at a restaurant owned by an Italian man (my other home in Italy came to mind quickly) and after missing home most of the day I was trying to just be present where I was. At this moment a familiar smelled seeped into my nose and I saw an old man smoking a pipe. I couldn’t hold back my emotions any longer and got a bit upset (Dad, don’t worry it was because he had a pipe, not because he was old, that made me think of you and home). Maybe part of the reason I’m feeling at home is because I spent another great night with friends or perhaps it’s because I’m at Lynedoch right now journaling in the grass with the “African sun” on my back. Whatever the explanation, it’s good to be HOME… finally.”

My emotions have definitely been all over the place this weekend, but I end it still feeling like I am now at home in this place and I am ever so grateful for the people around me.

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.” –Psalm 107:15-16