Category: Uncategorized
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Hartbeespoort Dam
I spent time at various markets this morning, but the shop tenders were very aggressive, pleading their case for getting food on their tables. They all use very similar lines about waiting just for you to come! There’s also a lot of negotiating. It does break my heart and I am now the proud owner…
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Hartbeespoort Dam Flat
I booked a flat on what I thought was a farm; in actuality, it is a gated neighborhood that starts down at Shoreline level and through a series of switchbacks takes you higher up into the mountains. I am three or four switchbacks up. Also called “Harties,” the area is just south of the Gauteng…
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Cheetah Centre
The Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre in Hartbeespoort was a pleasure to visit. The center is named for the woman who so passionately devoted her life to the rehabilitation and release of cheetahs, big cats and other animals. It is home to some who can never be released, a hospital to those who need healing,…
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Little Paris
Little Paris in Hartbeespoort is quite touristy, but also quite charming! It was built in 2015 as the set for the movie French Toast. Once the shooting ended, they decided to keep it as an attraction. I didn’t stay long, but I got some great pictures!
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Night Out
On Thursday night, we gathered at Doppio‘s in Hazelwood to celebrate Maria‘s birthday. She just set the date and time and place and asked for people to show up. It was such a fun event. We now know several people in common, which feels good, and I know her three daughters, but I also met…
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In what ways do I already know the way?
Jess Janz wrote this about reclaiming her childhood essence: “I feel like I’ve spent my whole adult life re-remembering how to trust what I knew to trust. To follow what felt free and holy and wild. Everything I’m learning I knew then. Everything I’m looking for I had. Everything I want to be I was.…
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Faerie Glen Hike
Later last Sunday, I met Susana, Ronald, Susana’s son visiting from India, and Yuri at the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve. In another month or two, we will be able to see the sun set from up top, but the park closes at 6 and that was too early for sunset today. The hike was beautiful…
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Sunday with Sue
I picked up Sue last Sunday morning and we headed to one of her favorite cafés about 15 minutes from our houses. Chocolate et Cafe is a nursery, café, and event venue in Lynnwood. As with almost everything, South Africa, it has both indoor and outdoor seating. I found it so charming and the food…
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Guards
A quick note about the guards at the entrance to my estates. I’m pretty sure they rotate in and out of 12 hour shifts. From the first day I arrived, they have been so friendly. One in particular would always sing “Helllooo” to me in a high pitched voice when I returned home. Initially, I…
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What am I holding in my hands and want to plant this month?
I am holding my thin, fragile, candy coated shell in my hands right now. It is a bright and cheery green and very pleasing in its small, sweet way. It has served as a strong protector, a worthy barrier, a guard who kept pain and sadness and disappointment at bay. The first crack appeared a…
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Stories
Another day of training down at our city campus. Another day of enlightenment, learning and connection. My favorite part is meeting people and hearing their stories. Here are a few. I first saw Cristina at an online Zoom meeting for a Task Force we are both members of. I loved her hair, dark with gray…
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Back Home
It’s always tough coming back from a getaway, but also nice to be back in your own bed and your own space. I slept in a little bit on Sunday and took it easy in the morning before going out to do some errands and grocery shop. I also did a lot of cooking and…
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Last Day of Holiday
After breakfast at the hotel the next morning, I walked the grounds in the drizzly rain and felt like I had been transported back to Reading, England circa 1990, when I attended university there on a study abroad program. I could have spent the better part of the day wandering the grounds and hiking, but…
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Oribi Gorge
Today’s agenda: Before we took off, I walked the grounds and took some final pictures. I found a swing and thought, If you come upon a swing, you must have a sit. And I did, feet sailing out over the little pond. We drove up to Oribi Gorge, stopping first at the Leopard Rock cafe…
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Mnyameni Gorge
I woke up early this morning and laid in bed listening to the birdsong. The mesh windows were open on both sides of my room allowing for gentle breezes to enter the room and my view was out the back French doors to the deck and beyond to the trees around the lagoon. When I…
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Down the Coast
After a relaxing last morning in the apartment, I took an Uber into town to drop off my keys and then walked one last time with my luggage to African Roots, my favorite Cafe. My sweet new friend, Asiya welcomed me in and made suggestions and food to order, treating me like long list family.…
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Last Full Day in Umhlanga
I woke up at 5:30 AM to watch the sunrise from my balcony. By 5:45 it became clear to me that the sun was not going to rise in the stretch of ocean in front of my place. I took a picture of the beautiful sky and went back to bed. I had a nice…
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Ballito
Ballito is north of Umhlanga on KwaZulu-Natal’s Dolphin Coast, so named for the many dolphins in its warm Indian Ocean waters. It is a tranquil seaside town with very few hotels or apartment complexes along the shoreline. If I saw 2 dozen people, I’m probably overestimating. The human made tidal pools at Thompsons Beach and…
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Umhlanga
Umhlanga is located in northern Durban on the eastern coast of South Africa. Umhlanga is a Zulu word meaning “place of reeds,” for the vegetation on the Ohlanga River. It is known for its beaches, lighthouse, pier, promenade and nature reserve. An affluent beach town, I have found it to be relatively quiet and not…
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Mode of Transit
You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike? Yes! I would utilize a combination of all of the above, plus an RV and walking to see a country.
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A Somewhat Comprehensive Study of Humanhole Covers
While walking from dinner back to my flat via the promenade, I came upon a humanhole cover that made me stop, back up and snap a picture. When I came to the next, I looked closely and snapped. Now I was anticipating them. Very few disappointed. I even walked an extra quarter mile past my…
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Not Your Average Beach Walk
I took a life changing beach walk yesterday. That is not hyperbole. I Ubered to Christmas Bay Beach in Ballito and walked 8.5K south through five or six different beaches. I couldn’t help but recognize how very symbolic of life in general this trek was, but also my life specifically. I started out just so…
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Durban Holiday
Third grade camp ended with an early release on Friday, and I went home to unpack and repack for my week of holiday! Durban lies on the eastern coast of South Africa, along the Indian Ocean. It is warm and humid and the ocean water is also quite warm. Durban has the highest concentration of…
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Quick Weekend Update
I had PYP, Primary Years Program, training in Johannesburg all day both Friday and Saturday. Almost all of our preschool through fifth grade teachers attended. This is part of our accreditation to be an IB school through all grade levels. Our high school is already accredited and we are next. The PYP program is inquiry…
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Living Abroad
Another instagram post by yan.writings.abroad dated February 19, 2026 that resonated with me. Things living abroad gives you that no one can take away: Every sentiment here is true for me. Traveling certainly gives you all of the above, too, but being immersed in a place, living within its parameters, learning its norms, using its…
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Home
I read this instagram post by yan.writings.abroad that resonated with me… What living abroad does to your sense of home: I was born and raised in the same home throughout my whole childhood. I loved my split level house, my bedroom at one end of the hall, our creepy crawl space that was perfect for…
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Connection as a Priority
I grew up in the Northeast, which comes with a rapid speed and expectations of efficiency. There is an impatience in the tri-state area that permeates everything…restaurant service, lines at the post office, slow left lane drivers. It is what I know and apparently what my body knows. I had several interesting encounters over the…
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Worry
It has been a worrisome time here. While on our sibling zoom call last Sunday, my brother, who was in the States on R&R, got the call that he had to return to Beirut immediately with the announcement of a possible strike on Iran. We had not heard from him since. This is not uncommon…
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The Cradle of Humankind
The Cradle of Humankind is about a 50 minute drive from Pretoria and 50 km outside Johannesburg. It is one of 8 World Heritage Sites in South Africa where you can find caves, lakes, rivers, grassland and rocky hills. It has a rich fossil history Cradle Moon Lake is nestled within this area and is…
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Saturday Market and Rugby
I slept in a bit this morning and then drove about 20 minutes to the Hazel Food Market in Lynnwood, a suburb of Pretoria. I passed some really cool artwork on the side of the road as I drove. The nicest man greeted me as I parked on the street and we had a sweet…
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Friday Fun!
It was such a long week, but weirdly at the end, the students and I couldn’t remember what we had done. Every Friday morning, we brainstorm a list of highlights of the week and at the end of the day, they choose a few to write about in their family journal. As we sat in…
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Load shedding
Load shedding used to be the major crisis in South Africa, though lately the water shortage has been more critical. Load shedding is the rotating power outages managed by Eskom, the national utility company. This is done to conserve supply and prevent a total blackout. There is an app that alerts you when your area…
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Water Crisis in Joburg
I’m not sure if this makes worldwide news, but Johannesburg has been experiencing a water crisis, with areas having no water for days or even weeks at a time. At first, it was seen in the poor sections, but now even the wealthy parts, such as Sandton, are experiencing it. From what I understand, this…
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February 19-23
It was nice to get to the end of the week and then a busy weekend! Told in pictures… Row 1: a sweet doodle from a student, the sweet moon over my house, and I forwarded this communication from the my doctor’s office to my colleagues who have shared in my tired/impatience to validate we…
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Mid Week Slump
As I do too often, I went to bed quite late last night. It was a productive night, I’d gotten my nails done, gone to the gym, painted, wrote, did a load of laundry and watered plants, but then I got texting with a friend, checked in with another friend who is grieving, took a…
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Starting the Week
Some little anecdotes from the start of this week… I sent G2 and T a picture of me wearing his sweats on a walk and told them a part of Colorado is here in South Africa. G had flown out to see him for the weekend at the halfway point. They stayed at Larry’s in…
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Han Nua Temple
I had been looking forward to Sunday all week! It was Han Nua Temple’s Chinese New Year celebration. I had seen the temple on the way up to the dam a few weekends ago and was now excited to not just be going to see it, but to be experiencing the festival. I left at…
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A Day to Squish All the Things You Haven’t Done Into
My hours are long during the week and the shop hours are short, so this is a recipe for a busy Saturday or Sunday running errands and doing the things that must be done. I started the morning by sending Valentines to my gal pals! Truth be told, those are my longest, most stable, consistent,…
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Friday the 13th
We had a wicked thunderstorm move in Thursday night starting around 8 that lasted until about 3:30 am. I woke up a handful of times during the night to huge thunderclaps. It made me think of when I was little and used to count the seconds between the thunder and the lightning so I knew…
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Week of February 9
The week started with an intriguing Instagram message that categorized February birthday people. It said the following… I do have that high energy, make a million plans, get people involved kind of vibe, but afterwards, I need a lot of time alone. I don’t know if I love weirdly, but I do feel, think and…
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Weekend Feb. 6-8
Friday night I met my friend Raj for bowling and dinner at the Woodlands Mall. Malls are such a thriving part of the community here in south Africa. I hadn’t bowled in awhile so that was super fun. At 12:45 am, I joined my writing group at dinner/trivia night to celebrate Lydia’s upcoming move. Our…
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Week of February 2
The week started with worry. I had a student and her family leaving abruptly for political reasons and I wasn’t sure how she would feel coming in for the morning for the last time. I had let the teachers on either side of me know in case I had to walk out with her and…
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Last Weekend of January
It’s hard to believe the first month of the new year is already behind us! I slept in a bit on Saturday morning and then went to get my haircut from a stylist I’m really enjoying. My favorite part is laying down completely flat while she washes my hair. Well, actually my favorite part is…
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Week of January 26
Our students shared the narratives they wrote, as well as their research on an inquiry question they had. We don’t do it often, but it is special to watch the kids work together. We celebrated Avishkar’s 40th birthday at our 3rd to 5th grade bi-monthly team meeting. The knife broke in the denseness of that…
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The Weekend
The kids had off on Friday so that we could have professional development. In the afternoon, we got to choose a wellness activity. I chose pottery. We were supposed to make a votive holder, but I’ve been propagating plants like crazy, so I made a little vase. We worked up in the art room with…
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The Week
Some tidbits from last week… Answers to the ‘What is on your mind?’ question: A said he was thinking about a way to trip the GFI at home. L said she was thinking about what a better world it would be if dogs didn’t have tongues. S said she was thinking about how long it…
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Rietvlei Nature Reserve
15 minutes from my home is a breathtaking nature reserve that covers 4000 ha or nearly 10,000 acres. It has two dams, a power station, and wonderful animals. On Saturday, my friend and neighbor, Sue picked me up and we met her friend there, who goes weekly and knows the park well. Sue drove us…
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Odds and Ends
I think I’ve mentioned how bad the roads are here in terms of potholes. The worst strip is one of the two roads I take from my house to my grocery shopping center. It’s awful! HUGE potholes, one right after another. People use the whole road to get by because you’re shifting lanes to avoid.…
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Acquaintances
Acquaintances/possible early friendships are an interesting situationship. I’m working this through as I write, so if it’s not terribly profound or put forward with organization and clarity, I apologize. The contrast of being home with all of you and back here in my adopted home has me mulling this over quite a bit. Whereas there…
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Last Leg of Holiday-24 Hours Back in New Jersey
G drove me to the Portland airport, back through those dark, windy roads with the imposing pines closing in on either side that are so beautiful in the daytime and so spooky in the dark. I was once again so tearful to leave her, as I was the other others. The Portland airport was delightful.…
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3rd Leg of Holiday-Astoria, Oregon
The third leg of my holiday break had me saying goodbye to my oldest and middle daughters and their partners after 11 days and boarding a plane for Portland. My youngest picked me up late Sunday night, and we got home and crashed. Her little home is adorable. Her two roommates were away, so we…
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2nd Leg of Holiday-San Diego
After four glorious days in New Jersey spending time with some of my closest people, it was time to go see my girls! Taking only the clothes I was wearing (I wore my girls’ clothes the whole trip!), my bags stuffed with gifts for my three daughters and their three partners, I boarded a plane…
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First Leg of Holiday-NJ
Holiday kicked off with an early release from school on Friday, December 12. I went to the gym, popped home for a shower, then went and got a massage ahead of my 16 1/2 hour flight back to New Jersey. I love the Johannesburg airport and was happy to have several hours there. Many people…
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Weekend Update
The short week at school was a nice way to ease back in. For the kids and also for the teachers! Some of my colleagues were commenting on being a little rusty with their English as they had spoken in their native tongues almost exclusively with their families over the break. That was a nice…
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First Day Back
I could barely sleep a wink last night. Maybe it was a bit of jet lag, maybe the Sunday night scaries on a Tuesday night after 3 1/2 weeks of holiday, or maybe something else. But I finally got out of bed at 4:30, had breakfast, and got ready for work. I was so excited…
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Back in South Africa!
I’m going to do my best to back up and capture the last week of school and my three week vacation back home, but for now I will just say that I flew into Johannesburg last night, landing at 6:30 PM. I left Newark Sunday night at 8:50 PM. It was a 14 1/2 hour…
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Weekend Update
Friday night was our staff party at our principal‘s house not far from school. He lives on a game reserve and has beautiful views of it from his balconies and upstairs. It was a western theme, complete with a mechanical bull. It was such a fun night, getting to talk to colleagues and enjoying the…
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Exploring New Experiences
Sometime during my first two weeks, I met a friend of one of the teachers at school. He is a life coach and leadership coach and we had some great conversations. He invited me into his Exploring New Experiences WhatsApp group, where he posts different activities each week for the group. There’s dancing, meditation, hiking,…
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Tiny, Happy Stressful Rituals
I love the title I envisioned for this piece and kept singing it to myself a la “Shiny Happy People” by R.E.M. as I was walking at lunch today. I was reflecting on a conversation I’d had on Tuesday with our Learning Leader. She was saying how fun the holiday festivities are, but also how…
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Pilanesberg National Park Day 3
We slept in a little bit, packed up, and had our last meal at the lodge. After checking out, we drove Betty back down to the park entrance for our fourth and final game drive. We parked by a lake for a bit and watched the hippos. The water surrounded by the hills was beautiful…
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Pilanesberg National Park Day 2
We woke up at 5 am and made it to the drive vehicle by 5:15! There were probably 10 of us as we set out. I do not like waking up early, but I had absolutely no problem, bounding out of bed and getting on board for this! We started seeing animals right away, and…
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Pilanesberg National Park Day 1
Because I teach at an American school, we get American holidays off. I had a bit of an unconventional Thanksgiving by traveling less than two hours northwest to Pilanesberg National Park. I find the holiday a bit fraught anyway, so aside from missing my family and the food, this was a pretty splendid idea! I…
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Nov. 21-23 Weekend Update Part 2
From Gold Reef City, we switched buses to take the Soweto tour. I was so excited to see this section of Johannesburg having just finished Born a Crime, Trevor Noah’s memoir. He spent much of his childhood in Soweto and I was looking forward to seeing the townships firsthand, though it has been decade since…
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Nov. 21-23 Weekend Update, Part 1
It was a long week with not feeling well, so I capped Friday off with some spa care rather than happy hour. I chose a manicure and pedicure at a salon near me, though it was not quite the relaxing afternoon/evening I had hoped for! The nail technician used a nail file for everything she…
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Sick!
I was quite sick this week. It was actually building for a few weeks, but on Sunday, I really went downhill. I am never plagued by headaches or stomachaches, but recently I’d been having both. My gut was totally off and despite drinking water and eating constantly, I couldn’t keep anything down or in. I…
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Weekend Update
This felt like a very long week because the kids have been busy finalizing their arcade games and forces and motion writing pieces and also practicing a song in sign language and an antibullying presentation for the Community Celebration that they’re leading. I was ready for Happy Hour Friday evening! We went to Square Time…
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Delights
The week started with a double delight! My colleague’s eight-year-old daughter was badly hurt in a freak accident and she was home with her last week. I put together a gift basket of items to cheer her daughter up. She is doing much better! Knowing I loved the Protea flower, my colleague brought me this…
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November 9 and 10
I got up and out relatively early to do my grocery shopping and was thrilled to find two loungers and a table on promotion at Makro (Costco-like). I was wheeling them through the crowded store quite gently. Three parking lot attendees helped me load them into my tiny Toyota Starlet and I was able to…
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Johannesburg
Today I had a training session in Johannesburg at our campus there. I got up and drove down, enjoying the change of scenery and seeing both city and country. The training was on Inquiry and it was outstanding! The speaker was excellent and we moved in and out of groups and partners all morning as…
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Favorite Sayings So Far!
Here is a list of my favorite sayings here in South Africa as I pass the 6 week mark. Now, Just now, Now now: This can mean in a few minutes, within a few weeks or never. Example: I’ll be with you just now. Hectic: Fun way to describe something out of the ordinary, unusual,…
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A Little Update
Last week, the Spanish teacher threw a breakfast for the new hires. She emailed us in advance and asked us to send a picture of ourselves and a little write up. I was so touched that a fellow teacher would think to do this. It was so welcoming. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go because my Learning…
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Some Stories
A man came to lay fibre at my house last week. He was a white South African, not an Afrikaner. He had me in stitches with his stories. He used to live near Cape Town and said CTers are so chill and laid back. No rush at all. He said Pretoria is next in line…
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Conferences and Such
This week I had parent teacher conferences, some with the students included, and they were amazing! I have always loved these meetings because it’s an opportunity to better understand the environment the child is coming from and learn things that often give you the perspective you didn’t have to make better instructional or interpersonal choices…
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Apartheid
I am reading It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime, Stories from a South African Childhood. Early on in the book, he gives what I think is a simple and brief history of how it came to be. I get a lot of questions about Afrikaners, so I thought this was a good excerpt to share…
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Mongoose Monday
Walking onto campus at 6:45 this morning, who should come running down the corridor toward me but a yellow mongoose! He stopped and sat up on his hind legs and we had a kind of greeting before he dashed for the open fields of the playground to have some fun before the kids came! My…
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Weekend Update
Saturday began with tea while grocery shopping, though my favorite barista wasn’t there and this one made my dirty chai very dirty!! Back home, I watered plants and tried to set up Alexa while my landlord, Slie, and the handyman, Sergio came. Sergio took the whole oven out and replaced the part he’d been waiting…
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Friday
Some musings today… I have a five minute commute to work. Today I counted exactly how many speed bumps and roundabouts are between my house and my school. The answer? 14 and 4!! I had to laugh that that’s what makes my commute a whole five minutes! An example of a speed bump into a…
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Closets, Closets, Closets
MOFY fans will enjoy that title! So, what to say today? I thought I’d mention some interesting house observations. Mine and the few others I’ve seen the interior of. First, closets are not rooms you walk into if you’re lucky enough, or set back into the wall. Instead, they’re freestanding cabinetry. Although it takes up…
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Cold and Wet
Apparently, it was quite hot in Pretoria last week. Over the weekend we got some much needed rain and it felt like maybe the rainy season was beginning. Last night there were thunderstorms all night and then today it rained all day, sometimes quite hard. It was the first day of inside recess for the…
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Connection
I woke early this morning and joined Yuri for a hike. The weather was supposed to be rainy, but the day dawned gorgeous! He met me at Moreleta Park, which is only a 10 minute drive from my house. It felt so good to walk through natural areas like I love to do back home.…
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A Neighbor and a Friend
I dragged myself out of bed this morning, having gone to sleep at 2 am after my travels back home. I went grocery shopping to fill my fridge after the week away and then got my hair and nails done for the first time in country. I was very happy with both services and they…
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Last Day in Cape Town
Yesterday was my last day in Cape Town. I slept in a bit, then stayed in bed a bit longer to enjoy the beautiful view out the wall of windows. I am going to miss this place, the apartment and the town. Staying right until 10 am checkout, I then headed to Lily’s a block…
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More Hopping On and Off
More facts I learned from the blue route bus tour today. Cape Town has 3 universities and 2 technical colleges. More and more businesses are moving their headquarters, or body corporate, here. The Cape gets 20 million visitors a year. A cannon is fired every day at noon in Cape Town from the Lion Battery…
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Hopping On and Off in Cape Town
If there’s one thing I love to do when I travel, it’s to take a trolley or bus tour on the first day and get the lay of the land. I did just that today, with the Red Line of the City Bus Tour, leaving from V & A Waterfront Park. People often assume the…
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Some Finer Details
The weather in Cape Town is quite unpredictable. It can go from sunny to cloudy to drizzly to stormy and back again in a matter of hours. It is also quite windy here, except in the bays protected by the mountains, like Camps and Clifton and Bantry. On Beach Road where I am, the palm…
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Cape Town
I chose “Holiday” by Madonna for my Instagram post today because I am truly enjoying being on holiday this week in Cape Town. There is so much to do. I’m technically in a different time zone, but Cape Town stays with the rest of South Africa. First and foremost, I didn’t sleep well this past…
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Holiday!
I headed out to do some errands this morning, including visiting my sweet neighbor, Sue, who is already planning where she’ll take me for tea next weekend! This evening, I landed in the “most beautiful city in the world,” Cape Town. It was a 40 minute drive to the Tanbo airport, then a two hour…
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Just a Little Sunday Walk Here in South Africa
Well, today was one of those days where you can’t even believe you’re living the life you are! I am so filled with gratitude, wonder, awe and excitement! I drove down to Johannesburg to visit Walter. It’s about an hour drive and he guided me around the city instead of through it. Walter’s place looks…
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This and That
Some random observations from this Saturday… As I set off to do some errands today, my GPS wasn’t working, but I was pleased to see I knew my way around to several places. Things are starting to look familiar! Krispy Kremes are everywhere around here! One same as home observation and one different from home…
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International Day
Today was International Day at the Johannesburg campus. Our third grade classes wore clothes that represented their countries. Most of our students have parents with two different nationalities, so it was fun for them to choose! The “buses” that bring the kids to school are white vans. Families pay for this transportation. Today, the buses…
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House Issues
It’s been quite a week here. This has been one of the busiest weeks at work, with an early morning meeting with our Head of Schools, a late afternoon meeting with our principal, a meeting to prepare for International Day tomorrow, an upper elementary meeting, a faculty social and just the usual amount of prep…
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Homes
Houses here are made of brick and/or concrete and poorly insulated. I haven’t seen vinyl siding on any structure so far. I’ve also not seen stucco finish. The homes are in gated communities with security, behind walls that have barbed wire on top. Most fences are electric, too.
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Doctor’s Visit
It’s Spirit Week this week and most teachers and students forgot today was Crazy Hair Day. With my hair on just a regular day, I couldn’t help but wonder if people thought I was participating. We’re studying forces and motion for our Unit of Inquiry. Today our two classes had a tug of war to…
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A Quick Note About Lightning
Lightning here is not to be taken lightly (pun intended). It is severe and strong and I have heard more than a few personal stories of people being struck. Because our classrooms are not contained in a building, but rather are in a long row with front and back doors opening to the outside, our…
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A Quick Note About TVs
When I purchased a tv yesterday, I had to purchase a tv license. Or licence, as it is spelled here. Anyway, it’s R265, which is $15.44 for the year. You must have a licence before you can buy a tv. And you must renew it every year. When I leave and don’t need it anymore,…
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Not Quite Costco
Okay, Sunday news. I have been using the weekends (well, all two of them) to catch up on some sleep and have leisurely starts since my weekday mornings start so early (for me!). As I was putting my garage door down (still not fixed), I met the neighbor across the street and his two adorable…
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Rugby
Despite having so many pairs of sneakers back home, I brought a scant few and regret it. Teighler told me to go to the Adidas outlet and get Ultra Boost trainers. I didn’t end up finding anything there, but I ran into her out shopping with her husband and little boy. Lyle was wearing a…
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Friday’s Fun
Yesterday was a fun finale to the work week. The kids got to go to the library yesterday to exchange books and the librarian, Promise, gave me some wonderful travel tips. She recommended Zanzibar as a nice getaway, as well as a safari in Nairobi where you can see the Big 5 with the city…
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Perspective
A little perspective…last night I was talking to my friend, Tom, and I said I’m not great with night driving here because the oncoming lights shine directly at me because we’re both toward the center of the road. He pointed out that it’s the same way back home and I had to process that for…
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Thursday’s Thoughts
Yesterday was a long and busy one. The kids have an early release day, leaving at 1:30, but we stay until 4 in various meetings. Because the school day was condensed and the time after was not ours, I needed to stay later to get my work done in the classroom. That put me leaving…
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Tuesday’s Tales
Again, some random pieces of information from today… If I die in South Africa, it won’t be from any of the horrible safety report reasons I read about before coming. It will be trying to escape my house if there’s a fire because I can’t get my dang skeleton keys to work! I’m hankering something…
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Monday’s Musings
Some musings on today… I had my first African thunderstorm last night into this morning. The thunder was loud, the wind kicked up and the lightning lit the sky beautifully. It poured just before the kids came in this morning, but by 9:45, it was clear and they went to their outdoor snack area. Everyone…
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Sunday in Pretoria
A quick one tonight because I’m no longer a pensioner and have been prepping for work tomorrow! Our day starts at 7:10, so I’m trying to get to bed earlier. Today was National Botanical Garden Day in Pretoria with Walter. If you missed yesterday, Walter lives in Joburg and is a high school friend of…
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Saturday in Pretoria
My first weekend in Pretoria and time to explore a bit while doing some errands. Today I took to the highways and felt totally comfortable. I only hit my wipers instead of my blinkers twice today, instead of every single time like most days! (They’re reversed.) Traffic lights are called robots and at the red…
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Animals and More
Today’s post is mostly about animals. I have some answers thanks to my local colleagues. The other day I mentioned my bird app and also that I may or may not have a pteradactyl fly over my house on the regular. I heard that same bird call while the three of us were meeting the…
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First Day of School!
Today was the first day of school for me! Meanwhile, the kids have been in school for about 5 weeks! I am the one needing to get up to speed! The school is a 5 minute drive from my house and I left around 6:50, as we have to be on campus by 7:10 and…
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First Impressions
In my quest to arrive in South Africa healthy, I wore a mask from the time I boarded my plane at Dulles until the time I disembarked in Johannesburg, with the exception of eating and drinking. It has been years since I’ve worn a mask, let alone for that long. It was convenient when I…
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The Last Night
When scheduling my flight to Johannesburg became challenging for the HR department at my new school, I offered up Washington as a possible place of departure. And it turned out to be the best place to spend my last night. Not home alone, but rather surrounded by my family. My sister and brother in law…
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Lasts
The lasts are bittersweet, melancholy, nostalgic,inducing memories, feelings, stories,involving people and places and food,tugging at my heartstrings, flooding my senses, bringing tears to my eyes. They are about connection, community, collaboration,holding me up and reducing me to tears,leaving me with a powerful ache in my heart. But it is an ache for which I am…
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Writefully Hers
Not long after my mom passed away, I felt an urge to commit myself to writing and began an almost daily ritual of doing so. I also knew I wanted to share this passion with other women, so one day over lunch at my house, I told my friend Katie about my plan to start…
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Sanctuary
My last few days are intentionalin thought, activity and location.Packing and repacking are certainly on the list,and so are final precious moments spent with special people,but also time in this house that gave me a new life, a rebirth.I wake and sip tea on the back porch in my jammies and robe,enjoying the backyard I…
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Sara
My dear friend and co mother in law came to visit from Colorado, and I was anxious to show her all my favorite places. I’m not sure that even Sara’s advanced level of fitness prepared her for the whirlwind I exposed Her to. For it was a bit of a goodbye tour for me as…
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How Do I Say Goodbye?
Having my siblings in for the weekend was so significant. After my mom (who gathered us for events big and small) passed, we knew we would have to make the effort to keep getting together and celebrating. None of us worried, but life has a way of getting busy and complicated and demanding and so…
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My Mentor
Three hours?!?!It feels like 20 minutes!Have we really been sitting here that long,Lingering lavishly over tea and treats, Swapping stories of our families, Exchanging experiences on vacation, Mentioning our memories,Laughing, smiling, hugging?A date with my mentor always makes my day!Photo: Flemington, NJ. 9.3.25 by LA
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Grandpa
Grandpa’s home!Grandpa’s home!He’s here on R&R!The kids run fast,And have a blast,Their relationship’s back on par!I’m so grateful my brother had some time back home to visit with his children and grandchildren, who miss him so much while he is living overseas. The joy emanating from the pictures in our family chat was so heartwarming.Photo:…
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End of an Era
This school year marks the end of an era for me. I retired in July and am not starting this September like I have started every September from 1991 to 2002 and from 2009 to 2024, preparing my classroom and welcoming new students. I went to bed Monday night knowing that the teachers were heading…
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Live On
Given to my mom in June 2002,by my sister’s mother-in-law,when my dad died,thrived in my mom’s house until…February 2020, when we moved my momto an assisted living home nearby,and the plant was just too big,so it came to live with me…where it continued to thrive,and live amongst other plant friends,and made my home cozy,and kept…
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Family
One thing I love about my family is that almost everyone loves to travel and we are spread out in so many places. It was so wonderful that my niece was already living in San Diego when my daughter moved out there. While I was visiting, she moved in with her boyfriend in a place…
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Happy 3rd Birthday, Spencer!
Such a big boy now,Though you still act like a pup,You live with such joy! Photos: over the years by LA
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Making Every Moment Count
Summer is always my time to see friends, take day trips, vacation and make the moments count. But no summer has been more significant than this one, knowing that there will be long periods of time between visits and Stateside experiences. And so, very intentionally, I started taking advantage of every opportunity and savoring the…
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Hiking Group
Nancy and I met in a body pump exercise class. We would say hi and bye coming and going, and eventually during class we would make faces at each other in the front mirror when things got tough. She began to goad me to lift more weight and I would send it right back at…
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JT in NJ
Saturday night’s concert was a dream come true. I have always adored James Taylor’s soulful voice and beautiful lyrics, and getting to see him in person was pure magic! His stories in between songs were so charming and his band and back up singers were incredibly strong. When he sang a duet with his son,…
The Journey Inward 