There is a 1st time for everything

What a year! 2011 has been for me. Quitting my job earlier this year, to chase a dream, has certainly been worth it. Just scrolling through previous posts on this blog and paging through my Facebook pictures from the last 10 months, has left me in awe. Not at myself, but rather at God's work in my life. Looking at my past and the humble background I come from, to where I am now just goes to show that His plans are greater than we could ever plan for ourselves. God, you rock. I will remember this year for many reasons, but most of all

I will remember 2011 as the year of many "first times"

• First time living outside South Africa
• First time in non-English speaking country (minus 1 day in Mozambique on pit stop)
• Snorkeling 
• Resigning from a job (previous job in order to pursue this adventure)
• Using free wifi at a coffee shop
• watching 4 D movie
• Owning exercise mat and weights 
• Cooking with gas stove
• Tasting Mexican food 
• First Christmas stocking (and not white but at least very cold Christmas)

• Finally watched Breakfast at Tiffany's
• First Halloween

• First Thanksgiving (American)
• Visiting a Madame Tussauds 
• First time at opening ceremony for international sporting event (Athletics Championships)
• Learning to read a different script that is not romanized (Korean Characters)
• Getting Thai massage from a Thai person in Thailand
• First time watching a baseball game 
• First time being a teacher!!!!

Just making this list is getting me so excited for 2012 - looking forward to many more "firsts". Did someone say New years resolutions? I bet get cracking. Despite many failed attempts, I'm still a believer.

by the way: Length of dreadlocks 18 cm

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!

I heart mascots!!!!

What is it about these guys that just tickles me ?

Ensuring that safety is a high priority - Asian Concert 

All aboard - Penguin Pilot Pororo getting ready for lift off

If these came in my size, I would totally own a pair

This is the closest I will get to a white Christmas- thank you Mr Snowman

Mr and Mrs Samung Lions - this is what celebrity couples are made of.

Love Letter to Mzansi

A few weeks ago I started a kind of "I love uMzansi" campaign on my FaceBook profile where every once in a while I would share what I missed about SA that day.  The aim was to make my fellow South Africans sitting at home realize some of the things they take for granted daily and how much, living as an expat, you miss those things when you are away.  It's really the small things that appeal to our hearts. Here are some random things, in no fancy order, that I miss about a place I'm proud to call home:

I miss drinking tap water - I would't say the water here is poisonous but I have been discouraged to drink tap water, carting heavy litres of water from the store is not fun

English (or even Zulu) Magazines - It can be so uninspiring at my age to only look at pictures

Listening to radio on my way to and from work - I love feeling part of a conversation even when I know they can't actually hear me

I miss Koo baked beans in tomato sauce on a slice of toast - actually make that a Wimpy Breakfast

Sunrise in North Beach, Durban - watching the surfers give new meaning to the term "the early bird"

Sunset in Camps Bay, Cape Town - none can compare

Old Biscuit Mill on a Saturday morning - beautiful people, beautiful place, beautiful food, beautiful vibe

uJeqe - Zulu (homemade) steam bread - plain, buttered, toasted, with curry or beans - it doesn't matter, its that amazing

South African comedy - South Africans know how to poke at each other and still have good laugh about it. Oh yes, coloured is not a racist term in South Africa.

 And of course, I miss my soul mate

Only a few more days till I board that plane home. The excitement, I can no longer contain! 

Final Thoughts 

Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to - John Ed Pearce

1st at the scene.....

Recently I had the displeasure of witnessing a car accident happen before my very eyes. It was a cold and rainy day in Manchon Dong, coming home from Homeplus (think Pick and Pay) for grocery shopping and a few Christmas cards. I decided against braving the elements and hailed a cab home instead. Now if you have ever hopped on a bus or cab in Korea, you would know very well that you always need to have "all your affairs in order" before riding on one because, really, anything can happen. I would go as far as to rank it right up there with my fellow Mzansi minibus taxi drivers :( I digress.

Coming around a sharp bend, my driver noticeably reduced the speed, showing off his knowledge of the road. Alas the other cab ahead of us did not. Some swerves, screeches and CRASH!!! into the wall.
We pulled over immediately to try to assist.  Fortunately no one was too badly injured. The police and ambulance were probably there within 10 minutes but waiting with the victims, that felt like an hour.

I have never felt so helpless and guilty at the same time. I felt helpless because I couldn't speak enough Korean to be of any help in this situation. Words and phrases like "hello", thank you", "no onions" or "I am an English teacher" are not very useful in these situations. I watched my cab driver frantically try to call the police and ambulance whilst trying to assist the passenger and driver to see how badly injured they were. All I could say to the young hysterical female passenger , "its ok" in Korean, but I felt like that wasn't enough. I watched her trying to call her loved ones to tell them what had happened and where she was, all the while wailing.

I think that's where the guilt comes in. Having been here for 10 months, surely I should have more words in my vocabulary than I currently do. I've caught myself so often playing charades to navigate through my daily life in the east instead of just adding a few more words to my vocab.  I hope my attitude will change and I will put more effort in doing this in my next year here.

It also made me wonder - what would have happened if it were me? If I was badly hurt? Who would they have notified for me? How would they communicate to me?  Sobering thought, isn't it?

My love hate relationship with Facebook!

Since receiving my first invite to join Facebook back in January 2007 (thank you Lisa) I have never looked back. FaceBook has helped me keep in touch with friends and family without words, more so now than ever since moving to the east. Its helped me network and reconnect with people from my memorable past and helped pass many hours of loneliness and awkward silences. Its transported me to places I never knew existed. And throughout this time, I would say I have kept a safe distance from becoming an "addict", lets just hope it stays that way. 

Having said that there are just a handful of pet peeves that get to me when traveling in the Cyberworld of planet FaceBook.  Hear me out please:

Skew photos - I hate having to tilt my head to see your picture, come on guys, its just one click away

Blurry photos - Is it a bird, is it a donkey?

27 Pictures of the Eiffel tower at different angles

Last but not least, tagging me in photos where I look like I haven't slept in days! Why? Why would you do that to a friend? I'm happy YOU look great, go on post it. But please, pretty please don't tag me.  

Ah, there, I have said it! I've been holding that in for so long. I feel better already.

Final Thoughts 

"When all other forms of communication fail, try words" - unknown