sunday night thoughts

I just got back to Cape Town from a weekend away in Hermanus, which is a prime spot to see the whales as they come to mate and such for the season. This weekend came after a long week of school and activities, and the prospect of a weekend away couldn't have sounded better. My friend Laura from Columbia is here so we went to a beautiful hotel on the water in Hermanus. It had a bathtub, clean sheets, and a beautiful view - everything I was looking for in a weekend away from Cape Town. We spent yesterday relaxing, got a really nice dinner in the quaint town, and got in bed super early (something I haven't done since the first few weeks here). 

This morning we got up early to go on a whale watch. I thought it was necessary for me to go on a whale watch, being a New Englander and all. So we boarded the ship and headed out to sea. On the way to the main place where the whales congregate, we spotted a lot of penguins, birds, and a seal or two. Let me mention that the swells on the water were HUGE and it was really cold. When we finally started spotting the whales it was incredible. The animals are bigger than anything you can imagine and are so calm. There is something so beautiful about when they move through the water, and every time one of them showed their tails it was super exciting. 

I got back to the homestead this afternoon and took a long walk (three miles) with some of my housemates, during which we discussed our spring break (in September... #southernhemisphere) and climbing Kilimanjaro after our program ends. Yes, me climbing Kilimanjaro... I am loving my house and all the people that I live with. They are all pretty much from different backgrounds than myself so I feel like I am learning a lot and really growing as a person. The fact that nothing comes easily here, nothing is ever simple, and everything requires 17 steps to achieve has required me to slow down (significantly) and just appreciate things once they happen. Nothing is a rush, nothing is on a schedule, and the beauty is that nothing has to be! This also allows me to reflect a lot and appreciate things much more than I normally do. Reflecting on my college experience so far: time at Michigan, huge life changes, transferring, experiences in New York...It has all allowed me to fully become who I am right now in this moment. As corny as it sounds, it's been a really hard journey and throwing myself into this situation in Cape Town didn't make things easier but being here has forced me to adapt and change. This adaptation has only turned me into a seriously better version of myself. Being here, whether it is a result of the people I'm living with or the craziness that is Africa, I have changed significantly in all positive ways. I can only hope that this continues to happen throughout my time here, which I have no doubt it will.