9 things I'm still not completely used to

I should note that half of these still-strange-to-me things have to do with driving, and I've only been driving here for a few weeks.

Other than that I've lived here coming on 9 months.

(Doesn't anything that lasts 9 months make you think of having a baby?)

Well I'm not having a baby, but I am surprised at what still surprises me here in good ol US of A:

1) Turning right at red robots.

I often forget that this is allowed when safe to do so. Thankfully Spokane drivers don't honk, they are the politest drivers I've ever driven amongst. So sorry about that guys, I'm working on it.

2) Still not calling robots "traffic lights" like the rest of the normal English speaking world.

3) When people say 'rufff' instead of 'roof'

It makes me giggle every single time, it honestly sounds like a cute puppy barking. In my defense my accent is the odd one out around here, so I get to laugh in your face on the inside.

4) How blue-sky, short-shorts, forever-days, melt-my-ice-cream, sexy-yummy-hot the Spokane summer has been.

I think about this everyday. I love it, can you tell?

5) Putting our automatic car in 'park'.  I forget.

At least I'm walking to the right side of the car 8/9 times as opposed to the 3/9 times of earlier months.

6) Just how much I miss my friends and family still.

It's a crazy amount of a lot.

...sniff, sulk, throws self on floor like a Disney princess and sobs for 3 minutes.

I'm okay, moving on.

7) That leaving my handbag or cell on the passenger seat (for everybody to see), isn't the dumbest thing I've ever done.

I've not heard of one smash-and-grab incident here.

8) Speaking of that... The fact that walls (never mind electrical fencing and spikes) are not a thing here.

I still can't help looking into people's yard and front windows to see what they have, just because I can! So again, Spokane guys, sorry, that creeper is me. (but seriously, hang a curtain, that Mac computer on display is making me nervous)

9) How expensive it is to get to South Africa.

It's literally on the other side of the planet. Why! 

I'll check in with you guys again in a few months, see how my progress is going. Talk about rufffs and traffic lights and such, okay? 

you know you're homesick when:

(or you know you're a South African expat when:)

+you suddenly find yourself caring about cricket and soccer (and it's not even a world cup)

+you get strangely emotional when disposing of products you bought in South Africa, especially if the 'directions' are in English and Afrikaans.
 
"when will i be able to buy Clicks Rooibos body lotion again" you yell through sobs and sniffs.

+you miss food you didn't even know you liked while in South Africa

"i'd trade a Dairy Queen Avalanche for a koeksister any day" you declare.

... did you even like Koeksisters Lanette? ...?

+you start going down strange YouTube rabbit holes.

 (YouTube is to expats what Match.com is to lonely hearts)

++ so you listen to more Afrikaans music than you ever did while in South Africa

you realize "Lisa se klavier" is the most beautiful song you've ever heard.
you realize you know all the words to "De La Rey" ... and that makes you little uncomfortable
but then you realize you also know all the words to "Nkalakatha"so you feel better.

++ YouTubing Nandos ads would also not be uncommon.

++YouTubing the 7de laan's tune when it's 6:30pm, just for fun.

+ you regret not buying a Nelson Mandela poster for your living room. 

 +you regret not buying a few things...

+Rooibos tea never tasted so good


+you cry a little when people send you pictures of 'braai vleis' (BBQ)

i personally hide in corners rocking from side to side when ever someone mentions my dad's pooitjiekos. (like a type of stew but way more awesome)

 +you feel like you've failed your country by not buying a Spingbok rugby jersey to wear everyday.

+so you wear African inspired t-shirts from Big Blue and Mr. Price under your coat.

+you might be found humming the National Anthem, well a mix between humming and singing and making up a word here and there
" Nkosi Sikelel iAfrica, maluphakanywa something something ay yo, iswa... something something... UIT DIE BLOU VAN ONS SE HEMEL...and so forth "

i do love our national anthem, really. (this is cool version... goosebumps (yup, homesick))

+you tear up when other people get to go to South Africa, this post by the Everywhereist on South African fudge had me reach for the a tissue or two. (and i don't even like fudge)

+you suddenly take up swearing in Afrikaans, because, well who would know. (dis 'n klein grappie ma)

+you truly believe that South Africa is the most beautiful place on earth.

oh, but you'd be right

+you write a post about "you know you're homesick when:"

how about you? do you have any tell tale signs of being homesick, or what would you think would make you feel this way if you were far from home? i'd love to know.

... or maybe it's just me?

disclaimer: i didn't leave South Africa because i've lost all hope in the country, but i also didn't leave South Africa against my will. just felt like i needed to add that in there. i love South Africa and i love that i've immigrated to the States, both these sentiments are true it's not one over the other for the most part... if that makes sense.

7 days left

i've spent many a hour dreaming, working, sewing, talking, and so about the wedding. and the wedding didn't dissapoint.
i've worked and stressed and cried and toiled with getting my K1 visa. and it's in the ,er, passport ready for entry.
honeymoon, what a pleasure to spend so much time, alone, with the my favourite person in the world. it was dreamlike and went by just as fast.

but here i am with one week left of living in south africa. this strange piece of time i didn't really think about.  so in between, so almost final, but not.  i've focused so on being ready to get off that 4th plane in Spokane WA, but haven't found my heart prepared for getting on that plane at O.R Tambo, Johannesburg. i'm getting there... i have to.

in the mean time, just a few recent pictures taken of my country (note: when i say 'my country' it always comes out russian accent sounding, with no reason...)

the knysna forest, i'm yet to find those fairies and those elephants

taken at the congo wildlife ranch, because when it rains on your honeymoon, you go to places like this

camps bay, western cape

driving on the N2 from Jefferys bay to Cape Town is officially my favourite drive in all the land

as long as this guy shows up at the airport next week i know i'll be just fine

america

right now i'm waiting for that all important call from the American Consulate JNB.  patiently waiting for a stranger to give me the go ahead.
the go ahead to book that one-way ticket.
a printed piece of paper with only one final destination, the symbol of my new reality. an exciting reality. a simple next step to be with my new husband, my best friend.
all it took was:

.a total of 8 months of anxious waiting
.a novel amount of forms completed, and then recompleted and then over completed and then completed again just for fun.
. 'evidence' of a real romance
.unabridged birth certificate, and R200 on the side to get in a week and not have to wait a dreaded 12weeks
.R1600 worth of medical checks and documents and inoculations
. police clearance. and a celebration of not needing a Vietnamese police clearance... dancing might have featured here.
. estimate 600usd for all together applications.
.  some sleepless nights, a bit of my sanity, a lot of faith.

all this because the attractive boy in the supermarket i met just under three years ago was not 'my own kind'