Lions, Tribes, and Black Babies, oh my!

When most people heard we were moving to South Africa, we got some of the most absurd (half serious) questions and comments.

"Will you have lions in your backyard?"

"Are you going to join a tribe?"

"You should stop biting your nails - they have weird diseases there."

"Won't you be the only white people?"

"You're totally coming back with an adopted Black baby!"*

*you know who you are

To clear up any confusion that still remains: no, um no, eh, seriously?, WOW.

Living in Cape Town, we're in the middle of a "developed" (more on why the word is in quotation marks later) city. There are skyscrapers, parks, shopping malls, highways, sports stadiums and yes, even McDonalds.

The lovely view from my office window.

Considering the tallest building in my hometown is about six stories, the biggest change for us hasn't been living in Africa, but actually getting used to living in a big city. And that comes with adjustments of its own.

And as with any large city, Cape Town has crime, slums, poverty, trash, homelessness, and questionable smells. Coming from The States, it seems like cities in Africa get a lot of criticism for having crime and slums because they are in the Third World. But contrary to popular belief, those things happen because Cape Town is a metropolitan area, not because it's in Africa.

New York? Yep, dirty. D.C.? Something like 7,000 homeless people. New Orleans? More murders than any city in Africa.

But that shouldn't stop anyone from wanting to visit those places. Despite the issues, there is so much beauty in each of those cities. 

Same with Cape Town. So before you ask ridiculous questions (and don't worry, I also asked some far-fetched ones), and before you start assuming that Cape Town is uniquely dangerous (again, I had my fears), do some research for yourself. 

Or, hey, here's an idea. Come find out for yourself! You will ALWAYS have a place to stay. 

And most importantly, don't let those questions and fears keep you from visiting us! I mean it...

A New Light

As most of you know (whoever "you" is), I've lived in the same town my entire life. Don't get me wrong - I've traveled a fair bit. At the end of the day, though, the truth is I've never lived more than ten miles from the hospital where I was born. In fact, the biggest move I made (before going to college...in my hometown) was shifting my bed from one corner of my room to another. I'm still adjusting from that.

But one thing led to another, and now I find myself sitting in my apartment in Cape Town, South Africa. Needless to say, transplanting myself thousands of miles across the world is a pretty drastic first move.

Even though I spent the first 23 years of my life living in my hometown, I considered myself to have a decent perspective on the world. And by decent perspective, I mean an overall understanding of (or knowledge of) the difference in cultures, beliefs, and "ways of life" around the world. 

My perceptions weren't necessarily wrong, but I'm finding more and more that I definitely wasn't right.

My husband and I have been here in Cape Town for about two months now and I can't even begin to explain the ways my mind has stretched. I learn something new everyday. I see life in a new light every single day.

Sunset over the Atlantic from Camps Bay.

This blog is a place for me to show my observations. It's a place for me reflect on the ways my preconceived notions about the world have changed. It's a place for me to share my experiences.

I hope you enjoy it!