December 27, 2005
Homecoming Queen
Alphabet Soup

Sweeties,

Just a short note (since we pay per minute for the luxury of the internet here in the third world) to let you know that I arrived in one piece (even if not in one peace! But more about my little pun later).

It's WEIRD to be home. Doesn't even feel like home. In fact, I feel like more of an alien here than I ever did in the States! (Yeah, that would take some doing, wouldn't it? Ha ha.) Honestly though, I thought I'd feel a stirring of SOMETHING when I looked out the plane's window and saw South Africa again, but nothing...

At that point I was so tired though, because I didn't sleep on the plane or for the last few nights before leaving. So I was pretty much on autopilot at that point. (Thank goodness I wasn't flying the plane!)

My being awake had little to do with discomfort though and much more with being frantic with worry. You see, shortly after boarding the plane in DC, a South African Airways crewmember offered me a hand with one of my carry-on cases (the one containing my precious laptop). Since I was really laden down, and since I saw that they were assisting many other people as well, I accepted his help. He promised to bring it up to the flight deck where I was seated.

Long story short, just when we were about to take off, he came up to me, handed me a receipt and told me that I could pick up the suitcase at baggage claim after landing in Johannesburg. I was IMMEDIATELY frantic, because Johannesburg international is notorious for its baggage handlers nabbing valuables from luggage. So the entire flight I begged all the flight attendants to try and get it back for me during our stop-over in Accra, but to no avail. Everyone just echoed the same thing: "Impossible."

So I wasn't too surprised in Johannesburg when the suitcase in question finally appeared on the carousel, torn apart by the baggage thieves, my laptop missing... (and I still haven't figured out what else they took.) But even though I had expected it, I was still devastated and broke down right there in the middle of the airport and wept like a baby. Things didn't improve much from that point onwards. I had to make a claim (I don't know for what, really, since I was told that it wouldn't really help and that SAA doesn't accept any liability since crimes like that are so common place) and so I ended up missing my connecting flight to Cape Town. Luckily a kind samaritan offered me his cell phone and I could let my sister know.

Oh, well, at least I "gave" someone a really nice Christmas present, hey? So I've already made my contribution to the New South Africa.

Speaking of Christmas presents... when I finally DID get to Cape Town about four hours behind the original schedule, two of my sisters were there to greet me with open arms. My parents still had no clue that I was coming home - I can't believe no one leaked it, because everyone around them seemed to have known for ages already - so when we finally pulled up here at my sister's home outside of Stellenbosch, they were told to come outside for a "little" (*ahem* yes, very funny, right? Those of you who have seen my expanded frame before I left the States will get the joke) surprise.

Oh, I can't even DESCRIBE the moment I saw my parents again. (Yeah, yeah, so much for wanting to be a wannabe writer!) It was really amazing... One of those true and completely mushy Hallmark movie moments. There were tears and embraces and laughter and screams and it was good.

And now I'm here. I don't know what the future holds. I'm still at my sister's in Stellenbosch, I suspect I will be here until next week some time. Like an alcoholic, I'm taking it one day at a time (what did you think I was going to say, ye gutter-minded beasts!? But yes, I see your point: being on a wine farm does make it very easy to drink like an alcoholic as well and I'm loving every moment of that drinking).

I miss you all desperately! I'm already having severe Starbucks withdrawals and am already devising plans to be smuggled back into the US soon...

Please please PLEASE stay in touch!? I have a feeling I'm going to need lots of encouraging words in the days and weeks ahead...

Love to you all,
Red

Redsaid | 06:52 AM | comment (21) | view »
December 16, 2005
Still alive
Red Whine

But will I survive?!?

Yeah, probably. Only the good die young, after all, right?

Thank you very, very, very much to everyone (more than five! Who KNEW that I had more than five readers? I certainly didn't!) who replied to the behind-the-scenes e-mail I'd written to explain why I'm more quiet than usual.

To those of you who are blissfully unaware of what I'm going on about (as usual) and who wish to be relieved of your state of bliss and ignorance, drop me a line or two (okay, one will do) and I'll send the much coveted (fine, but a girl can dream) explanatory e-mail to you too!

To those of you who for a welcome change DO know what I'm going on about this time, I'll just say that I'm doing... okayish. My moods (de)range from erratic highs to devastating lows. Oh, right. That's normal for me.

Seriously though, this is probably the most difficult thing I've EVER had to do (which yes, makes me pretty lucky, I guess), and I just want to say that your e-mails of encouragement (and even a Christmas card, from her and her love!) have been helping to get me through this. I wish your e-mails could also help me pack (those of you who can't remember how difficult it is for me to move, see this), but for now I'm content to take all the words of encouragement I can get!

So thanks.

Redsaid | 12:48 PM | comment (12) | view »