World Cup part 1 Opening ceremonies

Lyrics to Waka Waka
“Time for Africa ”

You’re a good soldier, choosing your battles
Pick yourself up, and dust yourself off
Get back in the saddle
You’re on the front line, everyone’s watching
You know it’s serious
We’re getting closer
This isn’t over
The pressure’s on; you feel it
But you got it all; believe it
When you fall get up oh, oh
And if you fall get up eh, eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
Cause this is Africa
Tsamina mina eh, eh
Waka waka eh, eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa
Listen to your god; this is our motto
Your time to shine
Don’t wait in line
Y vamos por todo
People are raising their expectations
Go on and feel it, this is your moment
No hesitation
Today’s your day, I feel it
You paved the way, believe it
If you get down, get up oh, oh
When you get down, get up eh, eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa
Tsamina mina eh, eh
Waka waka eh, eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
Anawa aa
Tsamina mina eh, eh
Waka waka eh, eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa


Did I mention Im I've been in South Africa for the start of the World Cup and all its amazingness.

I admit I started wanting Cameroon to take it all...thier first match spoke to that not being possible...

GO GHANA it has been since!!!!!

Opening ceremonies found me on the Eastern Coast in Cape Town.
Starting the day early in Mufali, Township. A Habitat Youth build. Great people and almost everyone in the township seemed to be smiling. The party had started and the home owners-to-be had the normal quotes of transformation the house would bring to their family. The family could avoid some of the sickness that was brought on from the freezing houses made of aluminum and cardboard or other materials. The damp would stay out and they would have space to move and sleep in the house.  We are so excited we will be able to invite friends over to watch the World Cup. The TV is being brought over and we can all watch together in our home.
I watched Mexico and South Africa playing on the screen, talking to my father in Spanish as I rooted for the home team, not mine but where I live now. And the first goal was ours! Of the World Cup! I can't put into words how important that kick was for Africa. HUGE!! The streets were wild. Vuvuzelas blowing, the people were together, proud, and FEELING IT. Another phone call to my friend, the French Ambassador and upon the earlier request, it was a stop by and pick up that extra ticket for her and we were off. Race to the spot to grab the tickets, to the apartment to grab warm cloths because night time is C.O.L.D. in SA and walk over since the apartments close to the stadium…Beautiful, silver and lit something like I would imagine the starship enterprise, style modernized for when we all take off to Pluto.
Energy and people painted , I matched with blue and white coat and pink/red checkered WOOL pants. There with the French ticket so the dress supported. NO face painting. Good seats but not the best I’ve sat yet….
Afterward we found a Brazilian party in a library, live music and directions to return a few days later for the mask night of keys in a Bowl…and see who you end up with sort of night. Didn’t make it to that one.
The next couple days were spent with Chris and Micah as I-town crew plus more. Face painted with an American Flag and Fan Park, bar and all over. !!!The street were ALIVE and Vuvuzela beer bong was created…no participation from me as I still am not the beer drinker.

swimming in the sea

If my memory serves me, which it rarely does, I will try to recall this embedded ultimate emotional time in the sea. ACS British Virgin Islands Trip. What a crew. Autumn, Davida and Sophie snorkeling, Dalie and I declined. We wanted so much to explore the rock formations, code for we were terrified of everything in the ocean so to explore something else we went.

Crawling through the rocks in the shallow puddles for lots of time and distance. Beautiful. Around a corner we turned and one of us, can’t remember who, fell off the side. And the other followed, I believe out of eternal support for the other one. Right out in the ocean, nowhere near shore we discovered when swimming out from the rocks up high that blocked our view.

It followed with a bit of panic. Taking turns jumping on each other’s backs while the other swam…until a small boat passed and picked us…just in time to look down at the octopus directly below us. My ultimate fear….

part 2: a whole new world

All of my dreams have been filled with underwater traversing and motion of corrals expressing the current. On the second day of two we dove deeper then I had been. 30 feet of relaxing buoyancy. Coasting the coral and bottom in the pull we danced with the fish in. Feeling a rhythm of breathing and peacefully smiling with content in the newness of what I saw. A fun group to dive with blaring rock music as we coasted after resurfacing for a few minutes until a fin was spotted. To my surprise we all put the snorkels on to jump in the water next to the shark. A whale shark got us back in the water. my back drop landed me at her eyes. And I swam with her at a fraction of her speed while she passed, little fish glowing bellow her tummy and I swam with the others to a point and then boarded. A bit of fear swimming with something of the enormity and power. I did not know that people will dive for 15 years and never see one. I would have swam harder to keep up if I had known. But my moment is memorable.

It started years ago when living in Prague my desire to Scuba Dive. A fear so strong of the dark unknown made me want to go into it. In coming to South Africa I decided that the two things I must do was taste a particular bottle of wine coming very highly recommended to me and get trained to Scuba Dive. I didn't know Sadwona Bay is ranked one of the top places in the world or how I would end where I wanted to be...deep in the water. This weekend after some previous studies and diving. I was free and wet.

And I recommend it!!!


If your in SA go to ScubaDoo diving. They are amazing! make even me tranquil breathing where air comes from a cylinder on your back

the comfort of rest

Half asleep in my mind, just enjoying the sun going down through the window as night came. I am at my most peaceful state feeling the soft breathing of the beauty sleeping on the back of my hand. Scales cold, tummy warm and I rest with a deep smile. The old man they call him, not that old yet but an appearance of being very aged. He is one of the few of the longest chameleons in the world.

I have come to be apart of a home and family. Taking me to weekends on the farm and home in the week to rest with the lizard and pythons I so enjoy reading in the sun with.

On the farm a pace of life is just to my liking with trees and fields and flowing water. I run in the fields over cabbage heads sloshing in mud and avoiding the watering that is coming down until I remember i WONT melt and I begin springing through the water as I get onto the squash rows and begin my harvesting of organic vegi's.

The farm house we stay in is next to the main house and not like the farm houses im used to. Workmanship of the family has made it exquisite...And its available for guest to rent world cup time if anyone's interested. some pics I took of it...6 bedrooms,2 floors balconies, 4 full baths :)




The room I stay in and bath I really stay in!




The workshop, security and a sweet tree.


Lovely moments of life I am enjoying.