I heart Switzerland.

Amazing. I don’t think I will truly be able to describe to you how much I loved Switzerland. At times it could be quite unsettling because it was so…perfect. Everyone using their bikes, or walking on pristinely maintained trail systems, the wonderful trains which were always on time (usually to the minute), the lack of garbage anywhere on the streets, the Alps (my absolute favorite part of Switzerland), the beautiful cities, and of course the chocolate.


Our “home” was in a little town outside of Zug (about 40 minutes away from Zurich by train) which was an incredibly charming place surrounded by beautiful rolling green hills  and a gorgeous lake. We had easy access to the train and enjoyed walking or running in the Swiss countryside in the morning (there was an amazing trail system which offered great running/walking/biking access). And there was a beach on the lake not too far away which provided great people watching and beautiful views! It was an idyllic place. I think I could have stayed there forever.  Too bad it was incredibly expensive...and I don't know German.

Upon my arrival we immediately embarked upon an ambitious couple of days of hiking (courtesy of Chuck’s planning) in the Alps. Michelle and I were unaware of how long and far we were going but the views made up for the long uphills and ambitious downhills. I don’t know if the pictures do it justice but the Alps are one of the most amazing places I’ve probably ever been in my life. Every view is breathtaking. I could probably have spent my entire time hiking in these majestic mountains.

After our hike (feeling a bit sore and tired and wet since it had rained our last night), we made our way to Zurich to meet my friend Jennifer who was joining us for a few days and spent the next week sightseeing. We headed to Lucerne where we took a walking tour and enjoyed this beautiful little city on the water which was only about an hour from Zug. The next day we all took the train down south to Locarno which is on Lake Maggiore near Lake Como (no George Clooney sightings although the rumor was he was in the vicinity during our stay). This area is steeped in the Italian influence of Switzerland since it sits right on the border of Italy (it is only about 40 km from Milan). We loved a little village called Ascona and took a morning walk there to see the market. Jennifer and I also took a boat tour to a little village called Bellinzona (didn't love this village but the views fron the boat were great) and we also stopped on a little island with a beautiful botanical garden.

After spending a couple of days in Locarno we headed back to our home base and then took a day trip to the city of Bern where I had high hopes of seeing the parliament in action. Unfortunately that didn’t work out but we enjoyed the city anyway. Bern sits on the river where people can swim and relax and the city offers amazing architecture and city life. After visiting Bern, Jennifer and I then headed back to the Alps for another hiking day and were rewarded with probably the clearest skies of the week as we hiked to a little village called Gimmerwald (complete with a walk under a waterfall).

We ended the week by spending the day in Zurich shopping (mostly window shopping) and heading back to Lucerne for an outdoor evening concert on the lake (hoping to catch a glimpse of De La Sol) and then Jennifer headed back home.

Michelle, Chuck and I decided to head to France for a couple of days (I’m telling you the train systems offer easy access to most any nearby country – it’s awesome). We ended up in the cutest of cute towns, Strasbourg, France. We loved this place! Cheap wine and good beer plus a bustling outdoor market filled with great people and beautiful things? What more could you ask for (oh, and there was the really cheap hostel we stumbled upon which justified our little mini-vacation).  We were in heaven! We stayed for the weekend and reluctantly left stopping at a quaint little town also in France called Colmar on the way back to Zug.

Out last couple of days we took a bike ride around the lake near Zug (stunning!) and I picked out my dream house so that I know where to live when I make enough money to move to Switzerland. Then we enjoyed spending Switerland’s Independence Day (August 1) on the lake watching fireworks and having a picnic (almost like our 4th of July). A perfect end to a truly perfect vacation.

And, yes, I reminisced about Peace Corps life. It was so great to be with Michelle and Chuck and I’m already wondering when we will have our next “family” vacation. But first the rest of my life…

Sorry for the abundance of pictures but I just couldn't get enough.  Hope you enjoy!

One step at a time.

So before I tell you about what’s happening for the rest of my life, I’ll tell you about the next few weeks.  One step at a time, one step at a time.  Being unemployed for the last couple of months has been quite the journey.  I find myself oscillating between loving having all the time in the world to take yoga classes, go on long runs or try new workout classes, drink chai tea (I'm obsessed), read books, hang out with friends, watch lots of mindless TV/movies and….going crazy having the time to do all of these things.  

So, I’ve decided to take a vacation.  Makes perfect sense, don’t you think?  I’ll be going to Europe with my Peace Corps “family” – Michelle and Chuck.  I’m really looking forward to not only being in Switzerland but to seeing my amazing friends again.  While we’ll be staying in a little town called Steinhausen (which is outside Zurich), we are going to try to maybe visit Italy and France as well as do some camping and hiking in the mountains (in the Alps, of course). 

While this isn’t exactly the best time to go (seeing as I don’t have a job) I figured when would I ever have this time since I hope that one day I will be employed again.  And since we have a free place to stay (Michelle and Chuck are doing a home swap so hooray for free) I am also justifying my vacation since it will be so "cheap."  I’ve also discovered something that I am in need of…a reconnection with my Peace Corps family.  I want to talk about silly Peace Corps stuff and do a bit of reminiscing about the life I left behind.  It’s been amazing how much I have relied on this extended family, not only Michelle and Chuck, but many of my Peace Corps friends during my transition home.  It’s weird how these previous strangers have become part of my family and will now always be part of my life.  

So, for now, I’ll jump on a plane and do a bit of traveling.  And then I’ll start the next chapter of my life.     

Change.

I can feel it.  I have been home for almost two months.  And I can feel that things are starting to change. Yes, they are.  Yes, indeed, they are.  Soon, I will tell you all about.  That is, if you are still reading this silly blog about my life.   

Back in the US of A.

I didn’t know if I would continue to blog after leaving South Africa. But here I am, still thinking about things I want to say. To share. So I guess until I run out of stories, I’ll keep writing. I actually don’t really know if anyone reads this but I also don’t know that it matters to me all that much.  I'll just keep posting anyway. :)

So I am back in America. Missing South Africa. Weird how that happens. I never thought I would have such a longing to be back there? To sleep in my little room with no running water. And take a taxi. Maybe eat some pap. And give my friends a hug. My first week back home was amazing. I was so happy to see everyone and it felt good to be back.  And of course the basic luxuries were really wonderful – long showers, being able to drive, ice machines, Starbucks, mindless TV whenever you want, iPhones (!)…and the “culture shock” that everyone had told me was going to be such a problem didn’t seem to be such a big deal? But then the second week came. And I started to feel funny. Sad. Lonely. Like I didn’t fit in? Is this what they were talking about?  It has also been harder since the initial “party week” ended because I don’t really have a place of my own, or a job, or my stuff, or a plan.  My parents (hi mom!) have been fantastic taking me in and all but it’s still hard when you just don’t feel…like yourself and you are confronted with a future that is unknown. But, I need to keep reminding myself that this was ultimately my choice. I set this all in motion. This amazing, life-changing opportunity. Now, I just have to keep moving forward and trust that it will all work out.

Luckily I don’t seem to be the only one going through this re-entry (???) process. Talking to other RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer is what this means) friends, we are all going through some kind of readjustment. It’s like a weird grieving process/trying to rebuild what was your life before you picked up and moved. But nothing is the same. You aren’t the same.

On a happier note, I have been able to reconnect with many of my old friends and enjoy the beauty of the Arizona desert (while also trying to stay cool – it’s already been an awful 100 degrees). I've taken lots of long runs and done some hikes (along with doing lots of sleeping in)!  :) I have decided that while Arizona is beautiful (I tried to share some of that beauty with a few hiking pictures), it may not be the place for me.  I am looking for jobs across the country (and the world) so am hoping to find my new home in the next few months. Wherever that may be and whatever I might be doing?  Stay tuned...

Halala.

One last vacation in South Africa. Halala (not quite sure of the spelling?) but this is a word that I learned during my time spent in the Eastern Cape. In Xhosa it means “celebration” and it seems you say it when you are expressing joy for something or someone. Or you are just generally happy. Well, halala…


After officially hanging up my hat as a Peace Corps Volunteer (spending a week in Pretoria having medical exams, meetings and finishing final reports), I was officially “sworn out” and am now what they call an RPCV (a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer). It was bittersweet. Too much emotion to write about now. Maybe later.

Instead, I will write about my lovely vacation in the Eastern Cape. I went with friend and fellow volunteer, Megan. We took an overnight bus to a town called Mmtatha and sat in the pouring rain for many hours waiting for a shuttle to pick us up and take us to the starting point of our hike in Port St. Johns. I’ve never seen so much rain. This did not bode well for an upcoming five day hike leaving in less than 12 hours. But we woke up the next day to sunny skies and left with our fantastic guide, Lloyd. He would be with us as we traversed ~60 kilometers over the next few days along the Wild Coast. We stayed in local villages with families in their rondavels, sleeping on the floor, taking bucket showers, and eating amazing Xhosa food. Although I’ve been in South Africa for a couple of years, the differences between where I stay and the area where we hiked were very distinct (language, people, land, homesteads) so I was glad I had the opportunity to visit this area. It’s truly spectacular (pictures to be posted soon). Due to the rain, we had lots of water to maneuver around. At some river crossings we were met by “ferry men” with small boats while at other river crossings we simply had to get wet (sometimes up to our chests). Overall, we were successful at staying dry (except for the one incident in a tipping kayak) and we made it to our destination in Coffee Bay where we played on the beach for a couple of days and ate some lovely ice cream and amazing pizza.

I then parted ways with Megan as she left to go meet friends and I headed to the mountains. I had heard/read about a quaint little town called Hogsback and was determined to get there before leaving South Africa. It was a bit of a logistical challenge with no car but I found my way with a couple of buses and shuttles. And it was definitely worth the effort. It was almost like being in Colorado again. I was a bit unprepared for the cold though and had to layer most of the clothes I had brought to keep warm (and stand incredibly close to the fire). But I took some beautiful hikes (with the most amazing waterfalls) and met some great people while hovering around the fire at night.

And now?! I am back in Joburg packing up my stuff getting ready to fly back to America. It feels quite strange. I am incredibly sad and anxious and happy all at once. South Africa has become my home for the last two years. I love so much about this place and it is going to be hard to say goodbye. But I suppose that wherever you go there you are.



Ugh, look at those ugly feet...



A Celebration.



My beautiful village. 

I feel so lucky.   I decided I wanted the opportunity to be able to say goodbye to everyone at my site all at once so a few weeks ago I discussed the idea of having a party at my house the day before I was going to leave my community.  A small goodbye party.  Piet, my host father, was gracious enough to say yes to having a bunch of kids (who like to listen to loud music) as well as all of my Phedisang Project friends and other community members over to the house for the afternoon.  The party planning turned into a bit of a fiasco which I won’t go into but in the end it all worked out (somehow it always does…)?  My interns came and gave a speech, the girls from Camp GLOW were also there (and helped decorate and serve food), the Phedisang staff helped cook food, the kids who I hang out with from the community all showed up, and many community members came out to say goodbye.   Oh, and of course a couple of my PCV friends were there as well.  It was a day that I will never forget.  The day was filled with food, dancing, laughing and, of course, many tears... 

I have a few pictures on some of my friends and family to share. 

Lasts.

This is a week of lasts for me here in Ga-Sekororo, South Africa. The last time I will take a taxi ride to Tzaneen to go shopping. The last time I will go for a run in my village. My last bucket bath (of course it has been pointed out to me that I could continue this tradition back in America…). The last time I will sit on my porch with my host father talking about my day. The last time I will go to the Phedisang centers. The last time I will go to the post office to get my mail. The last time I will hang out with my “kids” playing UNO or hiking or listening to music. The last time I will ever eat rice and beans (I hope). And maybe the last time I will see some of my friends here...

Who knows when I will come back to South Africa. I would like to? I’ve come to love this country. But since I can't say for sure, I will simply say goodbye to my South African family that I have come to love and hope that I can stay connected with them in some small way.

As I finish what started as a far-fetched dream to join the Peace Corps several years ago, it seems strange now to be finishing and going back to my life in America. What will I do? How will life be different? Or will it be the same? And, more importantly, what are my new dreams?  I can’t say for sure that I know what my future holds.  I only know that I will forever be changed by my time here. By the people I met, by the things that I saw, by the places that I’ve been. I feel very lucky to have had this time. Some people have asked if I would do it over and the answer is yes. I don’t have any regrets.

But, I am looking forward to coming home to see all my friends and family back home. I can’t wait to share a little bit of my experience with you and see what the future holds...after I do a bit of hiking in the Wild Coast that is...see you soon!