Mixing It Up: A Check-in

I cannot believe we’ve been living more than 8,000 miles away since May. The holidays are approaching quickly and we have found our expat-selves feeling a bit backward. As you guys move into Fall and cooler weather, we are slathering on SPF 10,000 and prepping for Summer. I’m not sure what is more challenging to deal with - the opposite hemisphere or the time difference! Despite our nostalgic feelings of the impending holiday season, we are continuing to tick off our Adventures List and enjoy this amazing experience.

This got me thinking…why not put together a questionnaire on our life as expats so far? I hope you enjoy it!

Aside from friends and family, name 3 items you miss the most.

Jess: DVR, Starbucks (!!!!!!), Dishwasher

Mat: ESPN, Big Green Egg (beloved smoker), BBQ

What is your favorite ZA adventure so far?

Jess: Safari at Kruger. It was absolutely amazing, surreal almost.

Mat: I have two: Kruger and the South Africa vs. New Zealand rugby game.

Name your top 5 must-do adventures before we leave.

Jess: See the penguins at Boulder Beach, cage dive with Great Whites, Victoria Falls, see the Cheetahs run at 60mph, winelands

Mat: Tiger fishing on Zambezi River, Summit Kilimanjaro, Victoria Falls, scuba in Mozambique, Cape Town area

How has your opinion of ZA changed since arriving?

Jess: Considering that I was unsure if we would make it from the airport to our hotel alive, I’d say my opinion has changed A LOT. While I am constantly aware of threats against my personal safety, I am no longer afraid. It is no secret this country has deep political issues, poverty and a lot of crime. However there is also beauty everywhere I look. South Africa is an adventure-seeker’s paradise: mountains, safaris, ancient history, beaches, winelands, great white shark diving, and also home to the most poisonous snake in the world (BLACK MAMBA!).

Mat: Work=BABYSITTING. I’m way less scared than I was in the beginning so I am able to really see the country at face value. It is an eye-opening experience.

So far, what is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned since moving to ZA?

Jess: Patience. I am a firm believer that this country is on a mission to teach the virtue of patience. I have become a noticeably more relaxed person and I know that life will go on even if things do not get done, or at least take much longer than expected. I have gotten used to being ignored in the shops because I am white. I have gotten used to turning on the water faucet to find no water coming out of it. I no longer flinch when the power is off for several days. When things go wrong, I have learned to do as the locals do: raise my glass and toast to “T.I.A.” (This Is Africa).

Mat:  Here are two sayings I said, but didn’t have a clue what they meant until I found myself in ZA.

•      “Murphy’s Law” - this is legit people.  I thought I new this, but I didn’t know the half of it.  This ranges from dirt clods shooting out of the shower in the morning all the way to having somebody yell all kinds of obesities in a variety of different languages just for trying to pump your own fuel.
•      “Hurry Up & Wait” - I thought I understood this being in the military and all.  I totally underestimated Africa! 

You always follow them up with a few choice words, a shake of the head, and a T.I.A., which never gets old!!

What is your favorite cultural difference in ZA?

Jess: As un-cultural as this may sound, I must say it is the full-service gas stations. Self-service petrol stations simply do not exist here for job creation reasons. For R5, the attendant fills your gas tank, washes your windows and will check your tire pressure and oil level. You guys, R5 is a nickel.

Mat:  This might contradict many things you have heard me/us say or have heard, but the people.  Once you actually get a chance to get to know somebody here, they are so welcoming and are wonderful people.  The first minute you might get the stink eye, 10 minutes later you might feel like the person is a long lost friend. 

This is a bit cliché, but do you think living in ZA has changed your life?

Jess: 100% yes. It’s hard to put into words how living in another country for an extended period of time can impact your life.

Mat:  OH YEAH.  If you visit ZA and it doesn’t change or touch you in some way.  You probably didn’t leave the airport!

Do you miss life without the threat of hijacks, robberies, and attacks?

Jess: Absolutely, but I will appreciate my safety when we get home. Personal safety is a luxury I will not take for granted ever again.

Mat:  This didn’t really bother me the first time I was here in ZA.  However, bring a loved one into country or have you house alarm go off at zero dark thirty and you start to look at things differently.  Most definitely!!

As of today, what will you miss the most about ZA?

Jess: The vivid pinks and oranges of the sunrises and sunsets, seeing the African ladies carry large heavy objects on their heads with babies tied to their backs, sundowners (cocktails) in the bush, the ability to hop in the car or plane and see some of the oldest and most beautiful natural wonders in the world.

Mat: The great people we have met that we now have the ability to now call great friends.

What have been the hardest things to adjust to?

Jess: Not having clean drinking water (and having to buy it) and seeing the abject poverty of so many people.

Mat:  Life without ESPN!!!!!!