I'm going to miss so many things here. Particularly the friends I've made and the children I work with. I can't imagine what it will be like not seeing them every day and seeing them progressing and learning new things. I'll also miss the weather. Most days are sunny and beautiful and if they're not, there's a huge thunderstorm. I'll also miss going to nature reserves and seeing zebra, giraffes, and wildebeest. The wildlife and the views are spectacular. I'll miss the accents and all the different languages as well, even though I still sometimes have trouble understanding people, even when they're speaking English. I'm also going to miss the food. The fruit here is amazing and so diverse. I'll also miss milk tart, vetkoek, boerewors, springbok, and probably a few other things I've tried.
Even though this has been an amazing experience and I love this country, there are some things I won't miss. I won't really miss having to limit myself based on security. There are many things I can't do (well shouldn't do) because I am a woman alone who is unfamiliar with this country. I don't want to go downtown by myself, or go to Soweto by myself, etc. I already go hiking alone and that is not recommended. A couple people I've met while hiking have been surprised that I'm alone. That's really the only thing that I don't like about this country. Well in addition to the occasional racism. Obviously racism exists in Canada and America as well but I haven't had much contact with it before, whether it's because of the people I hang out with, the places I go, whatever. I haven't experienced anything awful here, but just some passing comments that would never be said in North America. Their view of race is just different here as well. I filled out a form yesterday that asked about my ethnicity. The choices were white, black, coloured (mixed), Indian, and other. That would never be on a form in North America. When I arrived though, I realized that they pretty much have to use the term "black" here. They aren't African Americans because they're not American. They aren't just Africans because the white people are as well. So, quite simply, they're black, like I am white. As for coloured, that is a perfectly accepted term here and specifically refers to people of mixed race. I did find it interesting though that the only other option was Indian. There are a lot of people from India here but there are also a lot of people from other places, such as China and Southeast Asia, often all referred to as "Chinamen" here, which I suppose they can't write on the form.
Overall, I've had a great time here and I'm going to miss it. Now, I just want to enjoy these last two months to the fullest, spend time with my friends and my kids, and drink tons of wonderful South African wine!
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