Week Eighteen: Only one more left

Molo!!

Well... I turned it in. My 26 page (single spaced) independent research project. I still can't believe I wrote that much... I just feel so relieved! Only one more final exam to go and only one week and one day before I'm on a plane headed back to America. But I'm not ready to reflect yet, so let me share what I did this week that didn't involve writing 13 thousand words:

So last Sunday I went to a concert in Observatory, a suburb not far from where I live. It was a lot of fun. Cape Town has it's own little music scene apparently. Local dj's and song writers came out and performed some of their work. Hip hop artists and r&b singers. It's amazing how much American pop influences music all over the world. The artists didn't have their own vibe per se... they didn't sound all that different from one another or from some of the music you can hear on the radio in America, and that's what was weird about it. I don't mean to imply I didn't like it because I did; it was like being at home.

On Wednesday I went to a reggae concert also in Observatory. Really nice. The lead guitarist thought he was amazing. He was alright. Some drunk guy was really feeling one of the Bob Marley covers and he danced right out of his shoes and his shirt on the stage! Everyone fell out laughing. It was hilarious. The theater where they were performing was tiny and quaint. The accoustics weren't great and there was a little feedback, but it was still fun. And I had great company.

Yesterday morning I had breakfast with my academic advisor from GW, Dan. That's right. My academic advisor from GW is here in Cape Town. He and his wife come up nearly every year I believe and spend a few months here. He's great. We talked about my project and life. I told him how inspired I've been by this place. Dan doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to be in his office like every day next semester. Running my mouth, listening, and trying to get advice about my academic and career pursuits. I'm looking for a Masters or Ph.D program now: anthropology.

Cape Town, a little metropole of "somewhere else" right at the tip of Africa. It's amazing and it has definitely challenged me and inspired me academically, spiritually, mentally, just in every way. It's made my whole world look different. I want to see the rest of it.

Friends are always asking if I'm looking forward to being back and to be honest... I'm looking forward to the familiar. I'm looking forward to my Mommy. My family and my friends. And all the Love that's waiting for me at home. Of course I'm looking forward to most things; some things I could do without. But no point in looking backward.

Thought of the week: So, Life... what's next!?

One Love

(p.s. if you've missed any weeks, I keep a blog!! http://www.ndeep.blogspot.com/)

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"For there are no new ideas. Just new ways of making them felt..." Audre Lorde