Alex L finally arrived

While driving to the airport, the thought that I would be arriving in South Africa in a matter of hours still hadn’t set in yet. After weeks of packing and preparing for this trip at home, even waiting to board the plane didn’t seem real. I had been going through the motions of planning, stressing, and saying my goodbyes to family and friends that I must have neglected the importance of mentally preparing myself for this journey. The moment it finally hit me that I was actually embarking on this voyage was when I woke up from an unsatisfying nap on the plane, looked out the tiny window, and was stunned by the magnificent sunrise over the African terrain. This view took my breath away as a million thoughts ran through my head, mostly consisting of how excited I was to finally be on a new continent, in a new country, with new people, learning new things and immersing myself in a completely new culture.

Arriving in Johannesburg was a relief. Sitting in the window seat of a plane for fourteen hours was a challenge, but finally stepping on South African soil meant that my adventures have officially begun. The weather was warm, and everyone seemed so happy to have finally landed. Next, we arrived at our house. With zero expectations about this house, I was shocked at how perfect it was for the twelve girls that would be living in it, let alone how adorable it is. Jet lag got the best of us the first couple of nights which made it slightly difficult to stay awake during some days, but the magnificent scenery made it all worth the exhaustion.