Closing Remarks

So this may be about three weeks overdue, and I’m quite certain that mom, you will be the only one who reads it, but here it goes, some final thoughts on South Africa.

As with all good things (that must come to an end) so must my experience abroad. It was, of course, meaningful in more ways than I can iterate on this blog, and a significant outlier from the rest of my college experience. What I left behind were people and places I will not soon forget, although many of them may forget the silly, vegetarian, American they met along the way. In the spirit of all things remembered, I would like to share some closing bits of information and lasting experiences I picked up throughout my journey:

- from now until forever, everything will always look like it needs ironing. Mama believed that

everything needed to be ironed and even asked me what the other kids at school said about me when I came in with clothes that were wrinkled. Even upon my return visit, she insisted on ironing my shirt.

- Lawn mowing can be done in a much more efficient manner if the grass is simply lit on fire, as I saw done many times in South Africa.

- Mayonnaise does indeed stand to complement every meal, including, but not limited to: Avocado sandwiches, pizza, pasta, and vegetables. In fact, vegetarians all over South African (of which there was one, for a limited time) eat it on the regular.

- Americans always doctor their meal orders. Others do not. This was made clear when I was the 15^th person to place a doctored order one night at dinner and the waiter pitched a fit. Sorry for being American. Maybe if they didn’t put mayo on everything, this would not have happened.

- Soccer games, in South Africa will never be quiet. Vuvuzelas will always and forever disturb the peace.. and no one cares if you have a headache.

- The internet and efficient, safe public transportation are luxuries not rights. To this end, one should always make sure they speak enough of the language at hand before embarking on a public transportation venture (or adventure).

- Sometimes, alcohol is actually cheaper than water. Relish these moments. Not to get drunk, of course, but to casually, recreationally and responsibly drink cheap sangria.

Anyway these are just a few thoughts, from a very foreign land, as I embark on my next scheduled adventure, summer camp.

The pictures are by no means sequential, just a few favs from the experience.