Past Weekend

This weekend was full. I woke up Friday and just missed Seattle. I can’t explain it, but there are days that I just wake up and miss people and this was one of them. When I got to work, Andrew my co-worker who I share an office with just looked at me and said you are off today…aren’t you. I just nodded and he said yeah, I can tell. Not sure if that meant you look like CRAP…or what…but yes I was having an off day. I opened my emails to get a response from my old boss in Seattle who told me the gender of her baby, which is so exciting! We then had an hour meeting/training and listened to a video that corporate had created and I recognized the voice as Michael who I worked with at orientations quite a bit over the last 2 years…didn’t help my homesickness at all. What topped it off was in the middle, they posted a picture of my friend Ebony as she works on this project/training that we are going through. Ebony was in my small group this past year and have gotten to know her and love her more and more. When her picture came up, my eyes got all teary and I was ready to cry. Lord, next time I wake up with this feeling, could you warn me that I am going to have reminders about how much I miss people, because it was kind of cruel..not that it was the Lords fault, but I do love and miss my people in Seattle and that was an intense morning. I have been trying to connect with this small group in my area and they told me that they were meeting at a beach on Friday night. I wanted to go, but couldn’t figure out a way to get off work in time and make it to the beach as I would have to take several mini buses or pay for a metered cab, which I am too cheap to pay for. I decided I wasn’t going to go but then Andrew told me right before I left that he would take me. He has been such a blessing to shuttle me around and take me home when it is pouring rain. He dropped me off at the beach where they said they were going to meet. I was not prepared for the beach as I was in long jeans and a long shirt…because I didn’t think I was going. I got to the bottom of Clifton Beach #4 and tried calling the group, but no one picked up the phone. I sat there and took some pictures as it is absolutely gorgeous. Walked the sand a bit, as this was my first time at the beach beach in Cape Town. I have driven around, walked the rocky Atlantic, but not walked on the beach. The group called back and told me that they had moved the event to a pizza place at Camps Bay. I was like okay….I will figure out how to get there. I hung up the phone, walked up the stairs and started walking. I was thinking I would catch a mini taxi, but none of them drove by, so I kept walking and taking this opportunity to soak up the African sun, take pictures of the beautiful scenery and laugh at how this went down. When I first tried to meet a group of people in Seattle, there were some minor communication issues, and here I am in Cape Town with the same thing. The walk wasn’t far at all, maybe 30 minutes but I made it to the pizza place and had to play who and where is this small group. I got up to the place and looked around and couldn’t figure out who this group might be. I called but no one picked up. The waitress asked I needed help and I told her that I was waiting on a call. The group didn’t call in 5 minutes so I walked around the restaurant trying to guess but I couldn’t. The waitress came back and I told her I was meeting people. She asked what they looked like and I said that was part of the problem. I don’t know what they look like; it is like a blind date. She goes ohh...nice, another awkward moment and eye rolling session of Jesus could you please make meeting people easier. So, I took all my extravertedness that I had left in me and walked around the tables asking, “anyone in this group named ***, ****, etc” until one of the tables said I am this name. Hahahaha. Now I can laugh about it, but at the time, I was hot, sweaty, probably really pink and unattractive, and embarrassed. Thankfully and sadly, no hot men at this event. I met this wonderful woman named Lauren that I do look forward to getting to know. She was kind enough to take me home at the end of the night and we had a really good, honest conversation. It was a sweet ending to an emotional Friday.





Saturday I went to the bank to try to get a loan. I have been wanting to get a car, but don’t have all the cash with me. It would be easier to bargain if I had cash, so I was thinking of different ways I could get the money. I didn’t think I could get a loan as prior events with South African Bank gave me little hope and also people at work were saying the same thing. I went in and decided it wouldn’t hurt to try, and within 30 minutes I had gotten approved for a loan and the money transferred into my account! I couldn’t believe it; God’s favor for sure was on this as I forgot my proof of address but got the same lady who helped me set up my bank account. I then had a wonderful breakfast at the grocery store I loved when I lived in the hotel and then took the mini taxi to meet up with Emily at the Biscuit Mill. Emily is from Seattle and was in my small group off and on last year. She is staying in Cape Town for 4 months working, before traveling around to Ukraine and Europe. It was amazing to see a familiar face and to hear the stories she has from being here the last 3 days. We had a wonderful day of catching up, seeing Cape Town, and sharing experiences and memories. We met this man on the street named Musa (Moses) who sold me this craft item that he made. I love meeting people on the streets, hearing their stories, and laughing with them. I took Emily on a mini bus experience and her grin from ear to ear tells it all. We got on this mini bus that had a British flag painted on the front and the driver was low ball driving and had the music blaring. Emily was like, I love this song, and he would turn it up more. The people next to me were laughing as they were as entertained as I was watching Emily on her first experience on something I dearly love. We walked the Waterfront, chatted, and headed to her flat before dinner at Mama Africa. Her place has a beautiful view of the city and is close to my work. Sushi buddy…I think so! We sat at Mama Africa for 3 hours, talking to people, eating, and learning musical instruments. When the band came, they grabbed Emily to go play the bongos and she loved it. I then got pulled into it…and I got no rhythm, but if I watched the guy, I could follow him…that was the key for me. We also learned how to play the kashaka which is this instrument with a string and a ball on each end. You hold the string between your first and middle finger and have one ball in your palm. You then swing the other ball round your thumb to hit the ball in your palm and then swing it the other way around your pinky and catch it. It was difficult, but the guys enjoyed watching us. I love South African people, they are amazing! It was an amazing Saturday with Emily and I look forward to seeing her over the next several months and hearing all that she gets to see and experience.