My African Romance

Okay that title is a tad dramatic but, in case you missed it, I was recently in South Africa again for the third glorious time, sigh...gosh how I love that place. Maybe it's the warmth of the sun against my flesh or just being in another element that stirs my soul to life. I can really feel the difference in me when I am on the continent. I'm happy and open, much more so than I am here in the states. There's no baggage and the world is my playground...

This time I went on a pretty remarkable date<:) Even more remarkable when you consider the last date I've been on here in the states, lol! I never spoke of him in my blog before, as a matter of fact I barely spoke of him at all because there wasn't anything to say other than; we met on a flight from Capetown to Johannesburg during my last trip to SA, we shared an engaging conversation that left both of us wanting to know more, so we exchanged cards. He waited with me in Johannesburg for my connection flight to America and he carried on with his business. We stayed in touch via email and I never even planned to see him when I went back. But something said "call him" once I touched down in SA and I did! Usually I would fight such an urge and rationalize it away. "What's the point in starting something with a man that lives on another continent"? "Here you go pursuing another unavailable man, this time geographically" LOL! Okay so my thought process is pretty vivid.

So I called him...he was delighted to hear from me and invited me to dinner. He drove an hour to come and collect me for dinner. I dressed up, so did he. He was the perfect gentleman and I felt like a princess the entire night. He pulled out all the stops and we shared the most amazing conversation that I've had in a while.

I sent a little note with a photo to my girls and the responses were priceless. One was shocked that I went on a date with "some random man in Africa" and had the nerve to take a photo with him in which we appeared together as some happy glowing, in love couple. Surely this is no love story in the making (the enormous body of water between us makes that clear) but I did enjoy myself and I still smile quietly whenever I recall the firm yet tender placement of his hand against the small of my back, the way he kissed my cheek like he's known me for years, (sidebar: I can't believe I even allowed him to touch me or kiss me on the cheek!) how perfect and breezy that African night was, the quaint little garden where we dined...his desire to have a traditional African family, the fact that I'm still thinking about him...

It was a good night while it lasted.

Dreams of My President

I've been having the same recurring dream about President Obama. In my dream he is speaking as President (not President-elect) at a church service at which I'm in attendance. While he speaks (or attempts to) people are falling all over themselves to get near him, touch him, breathe him; while I sit darn near in his lap completely unfazed by his presence. I've attempted to psychoanalyze myself and I've got nothing.

I, like so many other Americans are totally enamored with this man and would love and fully embrace an opportunity to speak to him, not just be near him, yet in my dream I can't be bothered by him at all, lol! The only thing that I can remotely come up with as a subconscious source of this dream is the fact that I completely loathe the idea of deifying a human being and I think that some of the adoration for President Obama has crossed over to this realm...me no like that. But I likes me some him and not at all in some physical attraction sort of way, although he's easy on the eyes. I think he's smart, thoughtful, engaging, worthy and all those fuzzy adjectives. Maybe I sub consciously lust for President Obama? Lawd help me, but after 3 nights of the same dream I need answers, stat!

We Popped Champagne, For Barack's Campaign!!

So tonight we popped bottles and celebrated OBAMA!!! Wow! So it feels so good to be enjoying this from the land of our heritage!! Like okay, this will be MYstory, I "celebrated this unique moment in Africa"! I would have been on that mall, (shout out to my sweet pea for calling me to let me hear the action live, you are the best babe) but to be here in AFRICA oh my...that pinotage was flowing and I am glowing. I just got loose and celebrated and smiled and laughed and enjoyed the moment. Could it have been better? If only my favorite people in the world were here with me. I am so lucky and so blessed and I'm on a high. The party don't stop!! I'm on my party and BS until I get on the plane to head back to the states....then I gotta put my serious face back on, LOL.

I have a date this week too....Why I gotta come all the way to South Africa to get one of those?, but the mens be loving all this chocolate here in the motherland..all color mens by the way and I aint mad about it. <:)

GOBAMA!!

Homesick

I'm just gonna say this...

Travelers who put their homesickness behind them, who explore a place thoroughly, may find upon returning home that they experience a new kind of homesickness, a benign kind, that which comes only to those who travel with a curious blend of aplomb and naivete, that special thing that only small children seem to possess and navigate through so well. They experience homesickness for a place once visited, even if only briefly -- the sense that only at the top of Table Mountain, in the villages of Togo, laying on the beaches of Ghana, exploring the markets of Marrakesh or in the coffee shops of Amsterdam (LOL), did some deep and very real part of their soul feel completely and exhilaratingly at home.

And if by chance they're so fortune to travel to these places again, even for a short time, come to find that this is the place they've been longing to be. They take care to cherish and savor every moment, for rarely in life do we experience this kind exhilaration more than once.