Last Post from South Africa

I am sitting in a cozy internet cafe in the heart of Melville (a very cool, artsy, and funky neighborhood in the heart of Johannesburg) writing this last post from South Africa. Ironically 18 months ago (my first trip to South Africa and Lesotho) I was in this same cafe writing my last post for that trip! Time flies!! Part of me is really excited to go home tomorrow and spend some quality time with my friends and family and get back to my beloved southwest but the other 1/2 of me is just starting to mourn the loss of this part of my life. It's hard when you travel so often and live in different places because you always leave a bit of yourself (and your heart behind) and you don't realize it until you come back and discover that piece which was missing all along. Sometimes my beloved readers it's hard to be a nomad! That said, I don't regret any part of this experience or meeting any of the people that I have encountered in Lesotho or South Africa. They have all enriched my life immeasurably. I leave this experience knowing that I have done a small amount of good and perhaps lit a candle of hope in the dark, and often seemingly hopeless, situation that is HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa. The eternal optimist (the small part of me that keeps going even when everything else falls apart) in me believes that Lesotho and South Africa can pull out of this situation and be vibrant, amazing nations. I hope my faith in these two countries proves to be true! Sala Hantle/Totsiens!

p.s. My next blog postings will be in January and February when I go to Buenos Aires, Argentina to get certified in Spanish from the University of Buenos Aires and write my dissertation/drink lots of coffee in some of the greatest cafes in the world!