My favorite time of day in Durban is about 6:00 in the evening. The sun is beginning to sink lower in the sky, approaching the horizon sending out that pretty late afternoon yellow hue that casts long shadows, and cool breezes bring much needed relief from the ocean. I especially love this time of day in the township that I lived in when I was here in 2005, Wiggins, or in Zulu, “Maxha.” At 6, we pull the kitchen chairs out of the kitchen and put them in front of the house, which sits on a hill crowded with other similar houses and families also pulling their chairs out into the relief of the evening breezes. The smell of dinner cooking wafts through the air and neighbors call greetings out to each other. On the clothelines, colorful garments blow softly in the wind, contrasting to the brilliant colors of the freshly painted houses in the township (a recent government housing renovation project). On Sunday, as I sat outside of my house in Wiggins with my family, the Nxumalo’s, a few of the young girls started singing and dancing in traditional Zulu style, laughing and smiling the whole time. Most likely they were just putting on a show for their American guest, but a much welcomed show to be sure. I didn’t run to get my camera to capture this moment; there will be many like it in the coming year. Instead I appreciated the moment, and realized that this moment, right here, was what I missed most about South Africa.
And so I have returned to South Africa, after leaving a year and a half ago. The flight was long, of course, but was without complications. I am currently staying in a student house near the university. For the first full week I was here I spent most of my time searching for a permanent accommodation that I will be sharing with two other students who are in my program. Having found a flat, I've now been visiting every second-hand furniture dealer in Durban so that I can furnish the flat. Classes start Feb. 1, so until then I will just be enjoying Durban and becoming familiar with the area again.
I spent my first weekend here with the Nxumalo’s in Wiggins, and delighted in waking up at 6 am every morning to a rooster crowing next door, getting used to taking baths instead of showers, drinking whole milk (or as they call it “full cream”) and sharing my room with several geckos. I’m also getting used to understanding the many South African accents that I encounter daily, and working on speaking slowly and articulating so that others can understand my own accent. And of course, I am again learning to take myself more lightly, as the Nxumalo’s and our neighbors often find my attempts at Zulu and my awkward American ways quite humorous. It was really so wonderful to see them and all of the neighbors again and to see how much the children had grown. As I walked from the road to my house when I first arrived, several neighbors yelled “Hello Jaime!” from their houses and children ran up to hug me. It was very nice to feel so warmly welcomed back after a year and a half away.
Other highlights from my first week back include a trip to the beach (for my fellow SIT alums- I saw the Windemere and missed you all!), a night at a dance club (picture tall awkward, dancing-inept Jaime in a club filled with South Africans who are more blessed in the skills of dancing), and the end of my year and a half as a vegetarian. I just didn’t have the heart to refuse the food that my family offered me, so I sucked it up and ate as much of the unidentified brown meat as my stomach could handle. It’s hotter and more humid here than I remember and the transportation is more confusing/ overwhelming. Funny how you only seem to remember the good stuff. But in spite of these challenges, or perhaps because of them, it is wonderful to be back.
Alright, that’s all for now. I hope all is well with you. Keep in touch!
