Emily's thought of ever leaving this place hurts her heart

Emily (far left), Trista, Maria, Abby, Pauline, Alex on Signal Hill with Table Mountain in background.

I am a mere five days into my stay here in Cape Town and this place has already left a profound impression on me. At the American Consulate today one of the speakers was going on about America being the greatest place because it is home for him. “Home is where the heart is,” he repeated, but what if home is not necessarily where you come from? What if I feel more at home in a city an ocean away from my origins? In the months leading up to coming here I was struggling with an omnipresent feeling angst and apathy towards those around me. Since I have arrived in Cape Town I have certainly felt out of place at times, but have not once felt anything less than extremely interested in the people and places around me. Though I know I am currently in a honeymoon period of sorts, I do not expect the charm of Cape Town to wear off anytime soon/ever. Already, the thought of ever leaving this place hurts my heart.

The initial drive from the airport to the house felt entirely surreal to me. It was jolting to look out the windows of the bus onto large areas of land covered in shacks so close to the airport, a place that most associate with affluence. This strange but relevant example of inequality brought home for me what I believe to be one of the many contradictions of both South Africa and my own country.

 Moving into our house was a great experience and I am almost as in love with the house and neighborhood as I am Cape Town. The room that I ended up in feels like home and I am excited to continue to make it my own. I get along very well with everyone that I live with and have already had a lot of incredible discussions with them, which has made my experience of Cape Town all the more beautiful. I feel very lucky to get the chance to live and grow with these girls over the next three months.