I know, I know for sure that life is beautiful around the world

So after a freaking amazing intern/ work experience in Cape Town, I have some pretty sweet news. After working as a fill in researcher my boss offered to assist me in coming back to work for Regency for 6 more months! So after about 3 weeks back in snowy Michigan I am about to head back to South Africa. Its been a whirlwind crazy time trying to get plane tickets sorted out and its still not over as far as my visa renewal (fingers crossed for that one!) not to mention trying to see everyone before I head back!

This experience will definitely test me in lots of ways. No more interns as eager as I am to make friends and soak up everything that South Africa has to offer. I will be living solo in a more relaxed coastal area called Hout Bay, outside the bustling city center of Cape Town. I will also have all the responsibilities that come with a full time job on top of continuing to plan out/ study for/ applying to graduate programs back home. I can't wait to really dive into work though, and I hope that the experience i will gain through this opportunity will help shape my future in the international public health field.

I will be flying out of Detroit Jan 10th and will be returning on July 19th. I'm anxious to see how it will be to enter the real world half way around the world.

(The picture is me and my boss walking down to Hout Bay beach, right down the road from my new apartment... which is also connected to our new office building!)

'Cause all we really needed Was our bare feet and a pair of wings to fly

Yesterday marked exactly 2 months since I arrived here in Cape Town! It’s really bizarre that it has been that long. After what was probably best described as a rollercoaster month of September filled with sightseeing, new experiences and trying like mad to fit into a group of intern friends, October was a time for settling into a routine for daily life here. I liked both months for different reasons, and am looking forward to November, which will bring a whole new feel to my experience here. It will be a time for really understanding how much I have learned here. My mom will be visiting from the 20-27^th and in preparation I have already been tracking down all the amazing things I want her to see and do. In making these lists and plans, it has occurred to me how far I have come in understanding this city. Names of roads don’t seem so strange, public transit is not intimidating, and I can actually recommend a fair amount of places I have been myself. This is ridiculously reassuring.

Also, I have started booking tickets/ accommodations for my 2-week backpacking trip I am taking with some friends I have met here. The day my mom returns to the states I will be heading to Johannesburg, Kurger, Mozambique, and ending in Durban. It has been so crazy figuring out busses/ car hire/ planes! I will never again take for granted just hoping in the car for a road trip ever again!

Today was such a wonderful day, one of those just genuinely feeling content days that you would love to savor. After a lovely night sleep I woke up with some tea made for me by my lovely roommate and sat chatting over a chocolate cupcake J After slipping out of sleep and into a more awake state we continued to just listen to music while I looked up travel things on my compy. A Sunday here isn’t complete without a trip to pick and pay for some groceries for the week, and after some homemade spinach feta tomato pizza we both had a little cat nap as I waited for my sheets to dry in the sun coming through our big windows (long story about needing clean sheets, involving the invading of my room by some sort of African fleas, most likely picked up from the townships). We woke up just in time to sip down some coffee and head to signal hill for the sunset. While waiting for the sun, my friends and I chatted about our experience here and ended with listing off what were the best gifts we have ever given anybody. Coming back to the apartment for some homemade white chocolate/ oatmeal/ raisin cookies and fresh cream was another excellent treat. If I couldn’t handle enough greatness for the day, my roomie and I somehow put together an amazing late night Mexican dinner. Now just sitting in my room, all squeaky clean from a shower, belly full of good foods, sheets freshly deflea-ed, and mellowing out to Owl City. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to this day.

Why hello there table mountain

So as of about 9:30 local time on Monday I officially landed in Cape Town! What is even better, my luggage arrived as well. Seriously happy about that one. On leg one of my trip I met a guy who works with NGO's here in Cape Town and said if I ever wanted to come back he would sponsor a 5 year visa for me (don't freak out, it's not that I would be gone for that long but that I would have the ability to come and go for 5 years)! I thought it funny trying to make plans to go back to a place I hadn't even been yet. Also, european airline meals are far superior than u.s. meals. Apparently we need to learn a little something about presentation, and pasta! I kept pretty busy watching probably more movies in the last 24 hours than I have all summer on the plane and using my awesome circle scarf as a blanket :) When I had finagled my gigantic luggage off the conveyer belt (might I add semi effortlessly and on the first try, I was super nervous about looking ridiculous picking up a bag about as big as myself) I walked through the terminal to a nice man with a "Sarah Brewer" sign. So awesome, I have always wanted to be one of those people who gets picked up with people with a sign. Once I checked in at the main desk of my apartment I set about unpacking and getting to know my roommates. More on them later. Being like 4 or 5pm in the states, I wasn't quite ready to go to bed when they were, so I just put the ipod to Paramore Final Riot and drifted in and out, thinking about the day. This morning I woke up and could hardly believe I was actually here, but a look out the window to one of the most amazing mountain views reminded me it wasn't a dream. I have about 15 minutes before orientation, so I better finish my coffee and muffin I just bought at the cafe and head back. Can't wait to tell you all more!

Crunch Time

Ok time for the crossed fingers. I finally got my final document needed to finalize my visa in the mail today, and I have decided to take a huge risk and road trip it out to the South African consulate (in Chicago) to see if I can get my visa approved in one business day. My plan, look sad/cute/pathetic so someone takes pity on me and makes magic happen somehow between the business hours of 9am-12pm. If this plan fails, it doesn't mean I can't go, it just means I have to spend extra money to change my flight and spend less time in Africa (sad face) so lets hope this doesn't happen. Someone wish on a star for me!

Red Tape: My Nemesis

So despite my best efforts to stay calm about this trip, the process of procuring a visa is beginning to unnerve me. Unfortunately for me, I have had to wait on some documents from the places I will be working for and staying with while in South Africa. This means applying for a visa much later than I would like to be. My five calls to the consulate in the past few weeks to make sure I have everything in order did not save me from having an incomplete application with less than two weeks from departure. Breathe. My sister and I have been playing the worst case scenario game and this has managed to put things in perspective. Yes I'm doing everything I can (Including going to the most sketch walk in clinic ever while visiting my dad in Florida, trying to sound like needing a chest x ray and physical in a state I don't really live in to leave the country is no big deal) and yes, I might have to change my travel plans slightly but I WILL MAKE IT TO SOUTH AFRICA. Everybody cross your fingers!

Preparations

Its a weird feeling to spend more money than I ever have before on something as intangible as rent for the next 4 months. But each preparation like this makes my trip feel that much closer to reality. I have surprised myself with the lack of concern or worry I have felt, which is awesome! Who would want to waste time feeling anything but excitement about such a great experience. I really think that talking to my sister and sharing in her experiences abroad has really settled any anxiety I would have had. In reality, its just geography.

Also, I would like to thank everyone who has offered up contacts of friends and family that may be in Africa when I will be there. I appreciate all the help and advice! So if anyone else out there has any info that would be beneficial just shoot me a comment, I love being prepared :)

Speaking of which, the daunting task of packing up my life in less than 50 lbs. is looming in the distance. I am very much an over packer (who wouldn't want to be totally over prepared for everything?) so this is going to be the challenge of a lifetime. I'm heading to cross country camp for a week on Wednesday so in order to get into a more minimalist mindset I will only be taking a backpack. I am actually looking forward to having fewer choices. Gives me time for more important things, like running :)