My PE Duality

Sorry for the delay in posting; I have no excuse other than sheer laze.  But I am feeling reminiscent this afternoon, so please eat at my back in the day buffet!

It has been 8 months since I have moved back to South Africa, and it wasn’t until this morning that I made a trip to Langerry.  As much as I hate to admit it, this was by design.  I say that im not a sentimental person, but I was very worried about missing all of my Langerry family, and realizing that I’m on my own!  Any who, I helped Maddie move in this morning.  She is in the flat right next to where I was.  She chose the same bed that I did!  She will wake up to “Big Man” bouncing at Sea Side Liquor just like I did!  She will walk Beach Road every day, and if she is anything like me (which she isn’t) she will stop at the liquor store to get a Redbull before class, and she will stop again after class for something a titch stronger.

I think that I was nervous to go back because I have wanted to keep my two PE experiences separate.  I have some incredible memories from this place 2 years ago.  (It was exactly 2 years ago today that I got on a plane to come here!!)  And similarly, I have had a live changing 8 months here this year.  But as I have alluded to in the last 32 blogs, the experiences have been vastly different.  I didn’t want to taint my Langerry memory with my Newton Park/New Brighton experience, and likewise, I don’t want to continue to say “Well, when I was here two years ago……”

ALL of that sentimental crap aside, the new group arrives tomorrow, and I want to be a resource for them.  Anybody who has spent 5 minutes talking to me about my study abroad experience knows that I was hungry to meet more PE locals, and make PE my home, rather than CSBSJU PE to meet other CSBSJUers. Well, just so happens that I have now met PE locals, and PE has become my home.  There is now more than Beach Road and Nandos.  And even better, I have more than two friends (last time I counted, I think I’m up to 5)!

I think now what I must do is seek out those study abroaders who, like me, wanted more than CSBSJU, and force my friendship on them (maybe I can boost my number to 7 or 8).  And where 8 months ago I wasn’t ready to go back to Langerry, this morning I realized that, yip that was pretty brilliant, but yip this is pretty brilliant in a very different, a very Danika way.  And I needed that validation. 

 

There are also four bits of exciting news to report:

1.       I finally bought a new camera after my artsy camera was redistributed; so prepare yourselves for some photography.

2.       I’m getting a new car tomorrow! Peace out little blue Tupperware matchbox.

3.       I’m looking for somebody to replace me, so if you know anybody who wants a yearlong adventure of a lifetime, send them my way

4.       I’m officially coming stateside August 2014.

PEACE AND BLESSINGS