Since January, I've experienced more hospitality than I ever expected on this continent. To recap and try to describe just how wonderful people have been to me, I've written short description of my experiences with several of my hosts over the past 7 months.
Monkie, Yao, and Gale: It all started with my host family in Gaborone, Botswana. My mom, Monkie, was very chill and so easy to get along with. She was also so welcoming to me and my friends. Her 15-year-old son, Yao, was just the sweetest guy. Very obedient and polite and he loved using me for help on his art assignments. Gale, the housekeeper, was so sweet and I bonded with her very quickly. We cooked and cleaned in the kitchen together, and we danced in the living room to traditional and house music. She was always so kind to me and had the best laugh.
Joyce Masire and family: I stayed with this family for about 10 days when all of the students in my program did a village stay during our semester. Joyce was just the sweetest woman, and very giving to me when she didn't have much to give in the first place. She and I went to her uncle's funeral together, and it was one of my most special moments because I got to see just how different the event is in their culture compared to mine. I could tell she really cared about me and when I went back for a short visit a few months after my stay, she said to me "Oh Allie, you must leave, you must leave." But her English wasn't the best, and what she meant to say was "...you must stay." I couldn't stay much longer that day, but it was great to see them one more time.
Monkie, Yao, and Gale: It all started with my host family in Gaborone, Botswana. My mom, Monkie, was very chill and so easy to get along with. She was also so welcoming to me and my friends. Her 15-year-old son, Yao, was just the sweetest guy. Very obedient and polite and he loved using me for help on his art assignments. Gale, the housekeeper, was so sweet and I bonded with her very quickly. We cooked and cleaned in the kitchen together, and we danced in the living room to traditional and house music. She was always so kind to me and had the best laugh.
Joyce Masire and family: I stayed with this family for about 10 days when all of the students in my program did a village stay during our semester. Joyce was just the sweetest woman, and very giving to me when she didn't have much to give in the first place. She and I went to her uncle's funeral together, and it was one of my most special moments because I got to see just how different the event is in their culture compared to mine. I could tell she really cared about me and when I went back for a short visit a few months after my stay, she said to me "Oh Allie, you must leave, you must leave." But her English wasn't the best, and what she meant to say was "...you must stay." I couldn't stay much longer that day, but it was great to see them one more time.
Wilma and Basil in St. Francis Bay: When Megan came to visit me in South Africa, we stayed with a couple who were friends of our Aunt Sally. We certainly did not expect the overwhelming hospitality and generosity that we received when we met them. We arrived not knowing what to expect and they were just so kind to us. They actually put us up in a separate house just near the beach, so Megan and I had some time for just ourselves. They took us to national parks, beaches, restaurants and welcomed us into their home on several occasions to eat and spend time with their family. They were just a wonderful family and that was the time I realized I want to be as hospitable to others as they were to us.
Tricia and Bruce in Cape Town: We first met Tricia and Bruce when Megan came to SA and met me in Cape Town mid-May. Megan and I were planning on doing some traveling on the Garden Route, toward Port Elizabeth, but didn't want to haul around a suitcase full of professional clothes that she had brought for her internship in Geneva. So, we asked Tricia and Bruce if we could store Megan's suitcase (plus a bag of my clothes) for a few weeks while we drove along the Western Cape. They gladly said yes, and Megan and I dropped our things off after chatting with their family for a while. I had mentioned that I'd be back in Cape Town on my own, after Megan left, and they suggested that I stay with them. So after Megan and I had the best roadtrip ever, I went back to their place and they let me crash in their brand new upstairs addition with the best view of Table Mountain. It was a great time just to read and relax, and get to know Tricia and the kids better. I felt like a niece by the time I left!!!
Trish at Idube in Auckland Park, Joburg: Before the World Cup started, I stayed in a guesthouse in a suburb of Joburg called Auckland Park, just outside of Melville. Trish was the owner/manager of the place and she was so kind and helpful to all of the guests. She put out the best [free] breakfast every morning and always took the time to talk to me. It was definitely the homiest guesthouse I stayed in in southern Africa, and I made sure to put in a good review on the Lonely Planet website.
Trish at Idube in Auckland Park, Joburg: Before the World Cup started, I stayed in a guesthouse in a suburb of Joburg called Auckland Park, just outside of Melville. Trish was the owner/manager of the place and she was so kind and helpful to all of the guests. She put out the best [free] breakfast every morning and always took the time to talk to me. It was definitely the homiest guesthouse I stayed in in southern Africa, and I made sure to put in a good review on the Lonely Planet website.
Dave and Lou in Morninghill, Joburg: Dave and Lou and their family graciously accepted to host 12 Americans for 2 weeks in June as we supported the US team in the World Cup. Without a picture of the house or hosts, or an idea of how safe of an area Morninghill was, I, along with the other Americans, and no idea what to expect. (One guy told me he had prepared himself for a tin-roofed shack.) And after talking with our hosts, they also had no idea what to expect of us. Let me just say both sides were extremely pleased, and we could not have asked for a better set-up as we traveled to and from soccer games and also hung out at the house, watching in HDTV on their flat screens. Their ping pong table kept us entertained for hours and the front yard was perfect for kicking a ball around. The house was just gorgeous and the Morninghill community was also very beautiful...and safe. The family was so kind, helping us solve many transportation and direction issues, and waited on us hand and foot with any need we had. They were just the sweetest people and always had smiles on their faces...smiles that I, and my group mates, will definitely miss!
Ally and Rachel in Cairo: To end my time on this continent I made a trip up north to Cairo to visit my sister's dear friend and old college roommate, Ally, and to see a totally different part of Africa. Ally and her roommate, Rachel, welcomed me with open arms and were happy to take me to their favorite spots in the city and introduce me to all their friends. They were so hospitable and made sure I did all the fun touristy things. Ally and I did a really cool book-guided walk in historic Cairo, and we even took a day trip to the beautiful city of Alexandria. We also had lots of fun watching World Cup games and dozens of episodes of Heroes. My African adventures would definitely not have been the same without my trip to Cairo, and my trip to Cairo would not have been the same without Ally and Rachel.
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