now, then habibi: March 2008

Double, triple YEEEEEHA!!!!!!!!!! Man it was good to have my feet on UAE soil again, and the best part of it was seeing Gideon off course .... I missed him way more than I expected ;)

A quick warning - this is a LONG post ... go grab that glass of wine and get comfy :)

So, back to the SA holiday. We had a blast, it was super special seeing everybody. It was busy though, we spent the first week in Pretoria, then went to Plettenbergbay to visit my in-laws, then to Cape Town or more specifically the gorgeous little town of Grabouw, where Genevieve and Sheldon now lives and then back to Pretoria for some last minute shopping.

Some random thoughts that I've been mulling over in my head:

South Africa still is in my mind, the most awesome country. It's friendly and green and has a sense of humour so distinct. Mostly the people are just trying to make a living and provide for their families as best they can. Why is it then that the Government seem incapable of listening to its people and make the changes that are so necessary? And more than ten years on, can we please stop blaming Apartheid? There comes a point, where you have to take responsibility for your actions, it's a law actually, Newton's, if I'm not mistaken, for every action, there's an equal an opposite reaction ... this isn't rocket science? Oh, wait, maybe it is...

And then a weird thing happened at a braai one day, completely, out of the blue came the attack ... the one about why on earth would I even dare think about coming back. The reason I was so surprised is because the source of the question was so unexpected. I explained that I want to come home, for me, for Kaydin, for Gideon, for my family and friends. So that my boy can know his country and the Afrikaans culture that he was born into. So that he may know about normal weekends and that there's either cricket or rugby on a saturday and that to go camping in the veld is really the normal way of doing it, with grass and trees and birds and wildlife around you. To be woken by the sound of the bosloerie in the tree and the hippos in the water ... that is his birthright, to know his country and his culture and that we have 11 different languages and that they are all beautiful in their own way. I want him to know that not every family drives a Land Cruiser or a Prado and that you should respect people for who they are, not what they look like or what car they drive. So that he can grow up in a country with so much diversity, it will take you a lifetime to understand it, but you can and should make an effort every single day. So that he can make an informed decision about living in SA one day or moving elsewhere, because how can you make an intelligent decision about something so momentous, if you don't have all the facts? And that, is my prerogative, as his parent to make the seemingly stupid decision to move back. Good thing it's mine to make and not yours.

A very pleasant evening was spent with one of my dearest friends, whom I'm also fortunate to call my sister. What made it even more special was all the gifted souls present that night. It was a privilege and an honour to be there and like I told you that evening dearest Dilly, thank you so much for inviting them while I was there, it was a blast, a hoot and so very precious to me, to be able to share thoughts, to be given life lessons and messages that were meant to come to me then. Thank you.

And to answer someone else's question, what was it like to be back, second time round?

The people still drive very slowly!

The taxi's seemed to have acquired some road sense!

The politicians still just fart around

Carte Blanche is still one of THE best programs on TV, ever.

The people seemed friendlier, everybody was smiling and helpful and not so negative

Woolworths RULES, wish we could get a Woolies Food here!

The view from the top of Sir Lowries Pass is probably one of the best I've ever had the good fortune to see. I could do that every day :) Thanks G&S for making the effort to stop at the look-out point, it was awesome!! ((HUGS))

And last but not least, think I've mentioned this already? It's good to be home, where all my things are, LOL!

So, all in all a somewhat bitter-sweet trip. I've realised that while we're here, my heart will always be torn, between wanting to be back home in SA and wanting to be here, in Abu Dhabi, my adoptive home.

And off course, here are a selection of pics:

Salomé and Ben entertaining Kaydin

all the cousins on my side of the family (from left to right): Salomé, Gina, Ben Luca, Nicoletta & Kaydin:

My sister Linda has the most amazing garden, and look who came to see what all the commotion was about:

with his other cousin Quinn and Oupa (his grandfather):

playing drums with Annet & Ouma Hettie:

Bea's cat found the stroller a most comfortable place to take a nap, LOL!

Unpacking Ouma Nobie's tupperware cupboard in Plett:

first driving lessons:

That view that I mentioned:

Kaydin & Angus playing:

meeting Bev and Fiona, in person! we had such a wonderful time together! Thanks for making the effort girls! (hugs)

and back in Gauteng, visiting with my sister Dalene and her family, this would be her children playing with Kaydin, their dad eventually said to them: "now remember, he's not a barbie doll, put-him-DOWN!" LOL!!