Bucket List Check Off

Since I was little I have said that I wanted to go cage diving with Great White Sharks. People have looked at me weird and told me I was crazy but the dream went on. This May that dream came true in Gansbaai, South Africa.

Originally months before the trip to the Cape, I had booked my day with the Sharks with a boat out of  Simmons Town. Simmons Town is a cute little town right on the coast, it's close to downtown Cape Town and minutes away from  Boulders Beach home of the African Penguin.  Right off the Shore is Seal Island a popular hunting ground for Great Whites. I was bummed to get the call that the trip was called due to rough seas and an odd disappearance of the Great White population around the Island.

Day after day it began to look like the dream to cage dive with a Great White was just not going to happen this trip to South Africa. With a lot of effort and persistence of a dear friend the trip was back on 2 hours up the shore in Gansbaai.  Our trip was now schedule the day before we needed to fly out. It was now or never (at least for this vacation). The drive up and back was beautiful and so worth the drive.

We had a amazing time out in Shark Alley. There was 8 different Great Whites that came by the Cage to say Hello. They were so close that if i was really crazy I could have stuck my hand out of the cage and touched one. I can now say I have been eye to eye with a Great White. These pictures will not even began to explain how cool this was. So much fun, A dream come true. So worth it. Would do it again in a heart beat.

The next bucket list item now will be Swim with Whale Sharks.  I hear they pass by my way in West Africa but maybe I need to start looking into a trip to Madagascar.

Cape Town Getaway

  

This April I got a chance to go to one of the places I have dreamed about visiting since I was a little girl. Cape Town, South Africa!!  Good old Cape Town did not disappoint, beautiful shorelines, fun and different variety of animals, gardens and vineyards, beautiful people and rich history.  

 This trip was my first to see a Ostrich at the beach for real, other than Disney's Swiss Family Robinson. lol  And how cool is it to see penguins at the beach!?! There was so much awesome things to do on this visit to the Cape, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point, taking a boat out on the water, cage diving with sharks, shopping downtown, so many good restaurants and having lunch on top of Table Mountain. The only thing missing was that I was about 2 months to early for whale season. 

 This was a great week of soaking in and enjoying God's Beautiful creation. There is beyond a doubt a Creator. I rejoice that I can call Him Father and He knows me by name!  I had such an amazing time and am already planning the next Cape Town getaway. 

Romans 1:19-23

 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 

Traffic Stops

There are days you wake up and already have the whole day planned. Sometimes they go as planned and other days…. well not so much.  I had one of those not so much days  this month. 

This month here in Abidjan it seems like there is more Police out and about than usual. This is actually a really good thing with all the recent kidnappings.  In the last month or two many children (20+) have been kidnapped and used in ritual killings. These poor children are found mutilated and their families are heartbroken at the evil that took their child. I’m praying that these killings stop and that those who intent to do them harm will be caught quickly.

So on this particular day I headed out with a to-do list. While moving on to #2 on the list, I approached a traffic stop where I was flagged over by an officer. This is quite normal and anyone wishing to live here needs to learn the “How to” of a traffic stop ASAP.  You can get stopped for kinds of different reasons some legit and some not so much. Some interesting not so much ones for me have been:

•  The officer knew the car and thought I was the previous owner of the car who had two cute twin girls. He wanting a blessing from their twins. Culture Lesson: Twins are special here, one is thought to be good and the other evil and they can bless or curse you.

•  The Officer would like a drink. “ It’s hot today and I’m thirsty” , this is followed by I want/ give me money for a coke, tea, coffee, water.

• The Officer would like to eat. “ I am really hungry” followed by I want/ give me money for a whatever they want to eat.

•  A friendly reminder that it’s a Holiday. “Hey it’s  name of holiday” followed by give me a gift.

• Ect

Now this stop was legit. So after greeting the officer, I handed over my driver license and papers for the car. Unfortunately for me one of my papers was a week out of date. Bummer! No amount of Sorry or I’ll get it right away was going to get me out of this one. So as I waited for my ticket.It took forever because I think this officer was hoping id get inpatient and slip him some money to make the problem go away. He asked and I said nope I'll take the ticket. So while I waited  I called a friend  who than came to where I was to help out.  

After I got my ticket my friend helped me find the police office and walked me through the steps of actually paying a ticket.  Then it got interesting when the Officer that took my payment asked me to drive him back to the place where I got the ticket.  

Ok so honestly, I feel like I take my life into my own hands every time I get into a car here in Abidjan.  On a daily basis driving here resembles a game of bumper cars or Mr. Toad’s wild ride. This ride back to the place where I got my ticket was no different. So with a Police officer riding shotgun I was cut off multiple times and almost hit. They whole time I had the police officer laughing at my commentary.  Hey at least I made a new friend. 

So while I had plans for the day I ended up checking one thing off my list, getting a ticket, learning the location of the police office, I now know how to pay a ticket, made a new friend who is a police officer, got my paperwork up to date and had a lot of laughs.  Days that don’t go as planned can be stressful but if you can just try to go with the flow you can find little unexpected joys in the mist of it.

But seriously don’t  pull me over to tell me you’re Hot…its Abidjan were all hot, everyday all day!!!

End of the Year Catch Up

I know, I know it’s been a long, long time since I updated you on Life in Africa.  Let me try to give you the Cliff Notes to catch you up.

October

I went to South Africa for a work but while I was there I got to spent a few extra days on vacation with girlfriends. We got to shop, drink coffee, catch a few movies and drink more coffee.  I also made a new friend while I was there that I think liked me more than I liked him or her.

As you know by now Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone were hit by the largest Ebola epidemic in history.  We here in Cote d”Ivoire went on high alert but Praise the Lord we still remain Ebola free.  The drama, hysteria and hate stirred up by some people in the states and the media broke my heart and made me question if I even wanted to go back home to the States for Thanksgiving. Reassured by my close family and friends that they were not drinking the kool-aid of hysteria I made the trip.

November

My trip home to the states was great. It did start off a little shaky with an Airport immigration worker who needs to revisit his geography lessons. He needs to learn the difference between a country and a continent. But after been forced to go into the line reserved for the three infected countries, which I do not live in nor have ever visited, I made it back to good old Atlanta, Georgia, USA.   I enjoyed part of my time in Georgia and the other half in Orlando with family.   

December

The month of December was jam packed with language, visits from friends, multiple Christmas events and shared meals with friends.  I opened my house up to 13 kidos and their parents.  We had fun decorating Christmas cookies. While we decorated I told them about the very first Christmas story and the Hope and Life we have through Jesus Christ.

                 

I ended the year ringing in the new year with friends and saying happy Birthday to this cute little pup who is now 1 yr old.

Ok so that should Catch you up on the rest of 2014.    I’ll try to better in 2015!