So this is blog number 2 and as I write it I have not been able to post blog number one(African Internet) since being back in South Africa and I thought I would reflect on some ‘firsts’ I have had since being back in South Africa:

1)      First time I have driven on the opposite side of the road since being back . I was very good at it while here last and in fact got confused when in America a few times(not when my nephew was ever in the car…don’t you worry!) it was exciting and nerve wracking all in one- opposite seat, opposite stick shift definitely leaves me very alert while driving

2)      First time I ate good made Pap! I have now eaten it made by my Zimbabwean friend who makes it oh so fluffy and then I had it made by my Africans friend who make it softer and with egg and Bovril and butter and she called it something specific in Africans but do you think I would know what that was…leads me to the next first

3)      First time I am on the phone to get bus info and while talking in English the operator changes to Africans. I waited a bit to see if it was indeed another language  or just me not understanding the accent and in the end sounded like a fool when I questioned her with a bit of a shock “Are you speaking Africans to me?” I asked, well the conversation ended very fast…never found the bus route!

4)      First time I went to go for internet. Where I stay in Pretoria is a very nice part of SA so we should be able to get ‘somewhat’ good internet. While at Mugg and Bean a very nice coffee shop who has wi-fi I discovered my baby computer is very slow on wi-fi and was unable to upload my blog as I needed to use my friends’ computer…

5)      First time I discovered something stolen-  I am pretty darn sure I remember putting my wireless mouse in my suitcase and in fact remember exactly where I put it  and when I opened my suitcase it was not there…oh well???

6)      First time I experienced a Johannesburg storm. Last night I went to bed at 9:30 at 10pm I work to my room being light up with a fierce blue light and the ground outside sounding like it was going to split apart. I laid in bed wondering at  what point my friend and her husband would not mind me running to their room to hide under their covers! One crack of thunder actually shook me in my bed it was intense and now we have NO power!!!

7)      The First time I asked my roommate to kill my sock fuzz. Now I don’t  think this has happened before but the over obsession with bugs has certainly creeped up on me. So here is the sceane…she was killing some bugs with her shoe and with Doom and then I was very alert you know when someone is on a bug rage you just stay out of the way… so I yelled there was one on my floor to come and get it… well it was not one of my more intelligent moments when we both realize the sock fuzz was already dead!

8)      The first time I met a woman and instantly felt like we had been friends for years! Well this is African people! They are generous, kind and I realize the more that I meet the more I feel like I am more African than Canadian. This has happened a few times now ;my new friends Maise and Marilda and then of course Minnie. Minnie is the office manager at Family Impact SA where I am starting to work on Monday. We had an intro day two days ago and it was like meeting an old friend. We laughed and we planned and we shared and we got to feel the love that binds when you meet a new friend whom you know will always hold a space in your heart! Minnie is from Zimbabwe so she reminds me of the loving people I can’t wait to go work with in Zim…keep praying for my Visa please!