Blue Eyes & Bones

It’s the beginning of fall, winter’s grand entrance here in Jeffrey’s Bay. With this season comes wind. A cold, strong wind. As my skin feels the change in seasons, my bones feel an urge. A wind going a new direction, a new season in life; I can feel it in my bones, right with that bitter winter wind.

Ian, Jonty, Tristan and I all stood there. My frame easily the smallest of our group; With Tristan and Ian both over six foot with bohemian brunette hair, Jonty just shy of their height with his cheeky blonde hair. We all stood there, 3 surfers and I – wrapped in hoodies, scarves, hats – anything to keep us warm. We stood on the sand, boots barely sinking in, we stood upon a hill with the wind hitting us as strong as it could, frigid and fierce. We stood there, staring at the waves.

A new swell has come to Jeffreys Bay, a swell that makes the surfer’s stoke. A swell that brings in waves that will be talked about along the coast, waves that will be respected. The waves came with an off-shore wind. My eyes absorbed in that alluring blue sea. We watched the surfers fight – they fought the wind, the cold, the current – they fought to stay. To stay, to play. Because you could look out upon bone-chilling water, with a biting wind and heavy, engrossing waves – and it could be ugly. But that was not today.

It was cold yes, but the refreshing, liven you up, type of cold. It was windy yes, but the reviving, new breath, type of wind. We knew each surfer was smiling out there, with each wave’s face being triumphed there was a new stoke planted. The waves were playful, inviting, enticing. The clouds, perfectly painted with accents and hues to kiss the gentle slopes that created each billow.

These blue eyes of mine, stared at a blue sea, at a blue sky today. These blue eyes of mine were entranced by a song that only the waves were playing, a song that nature fell in tune with – that my soul fell in love with. These blue eyes of mine, became the windows for these bones of mine.

These lessons I learn, I write – The refining I retain, I treasure – The challenges I conquer, I captivate. With new seasons, come changes. A change in the wind, a change in the temperature. I can feel it in my bones; a new direction, a new season – quickly approaching with fierce. And the stoke it has startled within my soul is … an urge, a fire, a desire, an arousal, it’s a feeling words cannot portray. A stoke that only a sea-bound sailor knows.

Exploration Mode... Not reporting mode

First off I believe I need to apologize, for not writing in such a long time. Blogging like facebook tends to get placed on the back burner of my life. And then I forget that I am in South Africa, alone - I easily forget when I am alone - and I remember I need to tell those dear ones at home what in the world is happening here on the other side of the world...

So, today is Wednesday, today was a long day for work - full of meetings and elongation of my 'to-do' list. But Sunday was spent in a car driving back to Jeffreys Bay from the Western Cape. I traveled to the Western Cape from Jeffreys Bay with two mates for ten days. No day by day blogging, or moment by moment capturing. But that's not because it didn't affect me, that's not because I didn't love it.

After only my third full day in Cape Town (which the first 3 days were full of touristic tourism) I came to a few realizations...

First off, the more you explore - the more captivating, enchanting, and enticing South Africa becomes.

Secondly, I have never physically-literally felt so up-side down in my life. I blame it on all of my map gazing that I have done throughout my years, I have the world's map ingrained in my head - so I could picture it [longitude and latitude and all] where I used to stand in the middle of America and where I stood on Cape Town's water front coastal shore line. I stood on a giant rock, gazing at the harbor watching the water flow to us from the South Pole, seeing the curvature of the earth flow with the mountain range. I had to check and see if the change was falling from my pockets because I felt like this soil was hanging me by my feet. It was the moment it hit me hardest, just where exactly I was.

And my third realization... I now completely understand why people argue for Cape Town - why they argue that she may be the most beautiful of all our world.

The atmosphere of Cape Town is breathe taking and addictive, the food ravishing and

the people, well okay Cape Town isn't packed full of South Africa's sweethearts, but majority of the people I've encountered have been quite lovely.

The winding roads, the strong sea scent, the countless accents, the delicious delicacies, the sophisticated yet aged architecture and the intriguing insight that resonates in each culture that makes up this melting pot of a city ... Well they have changed me. Changed my world, widen my views and my perspectives. They have entranced my heart with such a sweet, sweet aroma.

I'll write more descriptive accounts of exact places I went too, exact emotions I encountered. But this was my schedule for my ten day venture to the western cape...

Day 1: Driving (driving through green, fogged mountains - through villages and towns with locals and home-made jams)

Day2,3,4: Cape Town Tourism. Waterfront, Long Street. Going to bays, going to

shops, drinking coffee, sitting in book stores. Attending the Colour Conference.

Day5,6,7,8: Somerset West, Strand, Stellenbosch. Coaching surfing lessons. Office work and helping with a school program with a local ministry. Touring a township. Tasting at a local winery.

Day8,9: Kloof Street (known for their hipster chic-ness). Cape Town University (known for their stunning campus). Hermanus (known for their whales).

Day 10: Driving the garden route back to Jeffreys Bay. (passing mountains and forests, through tourist towns, and passing the world's largest bungee jump)

So, there truly is lots to tell. Loads of insights and revelations. Pictures that need to be spread from my memory into your imagination. Unfortunately, I am in exploration mode, I have been in introspective mode these past couple weeks - and that mode leads me no where near reporting mode.

USvsSA

What I miss from back home, back in the states:

relationships (of course, being blessed with absolutely ridiculous friendships and family, of course relationships are and always will be what I miss most when not on American soil)

Starbucks (as much as I wish I didn't miss that place, I miss it more than I expected. Nothing here even compares to the greatness of an iced coffee.)

rock climbing & camping (I do miss both of these activities, so much - but I think I miss the freedom, the independency that come with them. The ability to pack up my stuff and head out for the weekend alone. You can't do that here.)

I miss superficial American stuff, and my shopoholic is starving at the moment: REI, urban outfitters, anthropologie, thrift stores and flea markets galore.

I miss American vibe. Whether you are in the south and people are gloating over good 'ol 'merica. Or at the plaza in KC and families just enjoying the culture and surroundings. Or NYC, or LA full of hustle-bustle success driven individuals. There are downfalls, like the overwhelming consumerism (which is probably why I am a shopoholic). But still there is an American feel, that resides within the society we have become. The foundation that our forefathers first built our country on, still lives in our soil. There is a bond between individuals, you can trust people, you can see the good in people - or at least their intentions and desire to be good. There is a bond that connects Americans, all Americans of different status from different places - they care about people. And you can feel it.

I miss my jeep. my record player. my hand-made wool Indie stockings. I miss over-rated holidays. I miss my boxes and boxes of books.

But I do love South Africa ...

Just like home, here relationships are the most important, what I spend my time most thinking about. I love the people I spend my time with, I'm learning, I'm growing, I feel like I'm apart of a community that fights for one another and when they accept you, it's with their whole being.

I love South Africans as a people. They have this way to thrive for life, so see what really matters and what is worth your time and energy. It's a fresh of breathe air, being away from the consumerism bubble. South Africans love their country. And its easy to see why.

the Food. mmm, wow I have eaten some great food while being here! (I don't think America lacks great food, we definitely have AMAZING food - Joplin on the other hand, essentially I feel like I have been sitting inside a 5year olds lunch box and now I'm in the experienced hands of the guru natural chef)

I will have to re-write this list of what I love about South Africa. Because this time I have only been in Jeffreys Bay (I'm not thinking of my last trip here, that part of South Africa, Lesotho, is a world entirely different from this one.)

Jbay is safe (for South Africa) it's a small surfing holiday town living off of their tourism. I like it, I love Nina's and SuperTubes and the Lagoons.

But there is much, much more of this country that I need to see, that I need to explore...

But I like being here, I like being in this moment. This works for me.