It has been some time since my last post. The reason for that… there has been A LOT going on! In the hopes of producing a broad picture of my recent activities, this post will highlight some of the myriad feelings I’ve experienced over the past month and the events that occasioned those feelings.
Feeling #1 - Excitement
Two of my fellow YASCers joined Ann and I in Cape Town for Christmas and New Years. Jessie (stationed in Maseno, Kenya) and Sarah (stationed in Mthatha, South Africa) journeyed to the Mother City to celebrate the season with us. I was super excited to see these two lovely ladies and welcome them to my city for a few weeks. It was especially nice to have them here during the holiday season. Their presence helped to ward off deep homesickness.
Feeling #1 - Excitement
Two of my fellow YASCers joined Ann and I in Cape Town for Christmas and New Years. Jessie (stationed in Maseno, Kenya) and Sarah (stationed in Mthatha, South Africa) journeyed to the Mother City to celebrate the season with us. I was super excited to see these two lovely ladies and welcome them to my city for a few weeks. It was especially nice to have them here during the holiday season. Their presence helped to ward off deep homesickness.
From Left to Right: Ann, Me, and JessieDecorating the tree on Christmas Eve
Feeling #2 - Homesickness
Though my friends’ company did help curtail extreme holiday gloominess, it couldn’t stem it completely. This was my first Christmas away from home and Christmas in my family is a BIG event! For the most part, the homesickness was bearable, but… A most exasperating wave of homesickness struck during midnight mass on Christmas Eve. My friends and I went to the cathedral for this service during which images from past Christmases spent with my family paraded through my mind. I saw my sister leaning towards me with her lit tapper smiling at me as she lit my candle with the symbolic light of Christ. I heard my mom singing “Angels We Have Heard on High.” I smelt my dad’s cologne. It was rough! But Jessie, Sarah, and Ann came to my rescue with hugs that signified they knew what I was experiencing and expressed that though we weren’t with our families, we did have each other.
Feeling #3 - Gratitude
I have been permeated by waves of gratitude throughout the past month. I am extremely thankful that Jessie and Sarah came to Cape Town. Words can’t express how revitalizing their visit was! It was phenomenal to share and compare our experiences as missionaries in very different placements. I found comfort and happiness in their company. Additionally, it was fun to explore the city and surrounding areas together!
Though my friends’ company did help curtail extreme holiday gloominess, it couldn’t stem it completely. This was my first Christmas away from home and Christmas in my family is a BIG event! For the most part, the homesickness was bearable, but… A most exasperating wave of homesickness struck during midnight mass on Christmas Eve. My friends and I went to the cathedral for this service during which images from past Christmases spent with my family paraded through my mind. I saw my sister leaning towards me with her lit tapper smiling at me as she lit my candle with the symbolic light of Christ. I heard my mom singing “Angels We Have Heard on High.” I smelt my dad’s cologne. It was rough! But Jessie, Sarah, and Ann came to my rescue with hugs that signified they knew what I was experiencing and expressed that though we weren’t with our families, we did have each other.
Feeling #3 - Gratitude
I have been permeated by waves of gratitude throughout the past month. I am extremely thankful that Jessie and Sarah came to Cape Town. Words can’t express how revitalizing their visit was! It was phenomenal to share and compare our experiences as missionaries in very different placements. I found comfort and happiness in their company. Additionally, it was fun to explore the city and surrounding areas together!
From Left to Right: Me, Ann, Jessie, and SarahAt Boulder's Beach
I am also appreciative of my South African friends and coworkers who opened their arms and hearts to us. My friend Mari had us over to her place for a traditional Finnish dinner on Christmas Eve. It was an evening of warmth, laughter, and amazing food!
Partygoers from Left to Right:Sarah, Jessie, Mari, Me, Ann, Gillian, and Richenda
Traditional Finnish Fare at Mari’s Christmas EveWe spent time with other friends/coworkers when we went out for drinks the night before New Year’s Eve. The evening was not complete until we went to the beach at midnight, drank champagne, and went for a night swim in the icy Atlantic waters, constellations blazing above us!
Feeling #4 - Frustration
The week between Christmas and New Years my car, Bobbie Beyoncé, started acting up. She was having problems starting and so I thought it was the starter. I took her into the garage and got a call a few hours later telling me it was not the starter but a blown head gasket that was causing water to be in my engine. Unfortunately, this is quite serious and quite expensive to fix (upwards of $1,000). Since I don’t have the money to fix her, she has been sitting in my garage undriven for the past three weeks. Sarah, Jessie, Ann, and I had to rely on public transportation for the remainder of their stay. We did A LOT of walking! And now, I am back to taking the train to work every day. What makes this particularly unenjoyable is that we are smack dab in the middle of summer! And it is hot! Most places do not have AC. The temperatures have gotten into the 90’s at which point it’s too hot even to sleep at night. I will leave my commute on packed trains and taxis to your imagination…
Feeling #5 - Joy
The sun and heat are not the only things I have been basking in lately… I have been basking in joy as well! Whether it’s the happiness evoked by cooking Christmas dinner with my fellow YASCers, hearing one of Sarah’s jokes, Ann’s stories, or seeing Jessie’s smile; I have enjoyed the simple pleasures of the season. The past month has been filled with laughter, dancing, sharing, sightseeing, good food, good wine, good friends, and general merriment. I felt the Incarnate One’s presence living authentically in and through each of us and I take great joy in that!
Feeling #4 - Frustration
The week between Christmas and New Years my car, Bobbie Beyoncé, started acting up. She was having problems starting and so I thought it was the starter. I took her into the garage and got a call a few hours later telling me it was not the starter but a blown head gasket that was causing water to be in my engine. Unfortunately, this is quite serious and quite expensive to fix (upwards of $1,000). Since I don’t have the money to fix her, she has been sitting in my garage undriven for the past three weeks. Sarah, Jessie, Ann, and I had to rely on public transportation for the remainder of their stay. We did A LOT of walking! And now, I am back to taking the train to work every day. What makes this particularly unenjoyable is that we are smack dab in the middle of summer! And it is hot! Most places do not have AC. The temperatures have gotten into the 90’s at which point it’s too hot even to sleep at night. I will leave my commute on packed trains and taxis to your imagination…
Feeling #5 - Joy
The sun and heat are not the only things I have been basking in lately… I have been basking in joy as well! Whether it’s the happiness evoked by cooking Christmas dinner with my fellow YASCers, hearing one of Sarah’s jokes, Ann’s stories, or seeing Jessie’s smile; I have enjoyed the simple pleasures of the season. The past month has been filled with laughter, dancing, sharing, sightseeing, good food, good wine, good friends, and general merriment. I felt the Incarnate One’s presence living authentically in and through each of us and I take great joy in that!
From Left to Right: Sarah, Jessie, Me, and AnnWine tasting at Spier, South Africa’s oldest wine estate.
I hope that your Christmas and New Years were equally enjoyable! If you’d like to read more perspectives on our Cape Town holiday adventure check out Ann's blog, Sarah's blog, and/or Jessie's blog. For an especially well done chronological order of events see Ann's blog! Happy 2011 friends! If the way the year started is any reflection of the year to come, this promises to be an exciting one. Blessings to you and yours as the year unfolds!
Thank you for a wonderful post, Amanda. Easier to picture each time. And you have some wonderful, clear photos, too! Sending you love across the miles.
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