Making a nest

I'm not sure if an ostrich has a nest, but I'm assuming since it's a bird, it does.

I've been in Cape Town (well, the Cape Town area) since Sunday night and it's slowly setting in that I'm here. And that I'm here for three months. The people I've met through work are warm and welcoming, which makes the transition easier. Since leaving on Saturday afternoon, I keep asking myself 'what am I doing!?' and thinking about what I left behind. It, of course, did not help that it took me more than hour to find my ride after landing in Cape Town. There were more than a few moments when I thought I was going to stay in the airport for the night. That didn't happen. Now, after two and a half days of working in the office and making the guest house in which I'm staying feel homey, I feel better about my decision and more focused about what I want from my stay here.

I've been grocery shopping, which turned out being a surprisingly emotional trip; cooked a pretty delicious meal with my limited kitchen; started reading 'The Ascent of Money'; and practiced yoga. And now I'm blogging. My plans to keep me occupied while living alone are working. But it's only been three days, so this might not last.

I've been in contact with the Couchsurfing people with whom I stayed last summer and have tentative plans for getting coffee and drinks. I have plans to go to Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock (a train ride away) on Saturday with a Simmons student who did her spring semester at the University of Cape Town. I have lunch plans with two interns - Master's candidates at American University in the International Peace and Conflict Resolution program - tomorrow. And I have plans to play pub quiz (pub trivia for those not up on the South Africa lingo) next week with a coworker and some of her friends. My fear of not having or making any friends here is dissipating.

I'm not sure if I'll stay at the guest house the whole time I'm here. It seems to be rejecting me. I thought the toilet was broken, but later learned that you have to turn on a faucet every time you need to flush. After trying to use the space heater I found in a closet (there is no heat here), all the plugs stopped working; thankfully, this problem is fixed. The light bulb in the bathroom died. None of the windows close entirely. Wet towels refuse to dry. Maybe I need more time to adapt to my new space, but I don't think it likes me. But the main reason for seeking another place to live, aside from wanting roommates, is that I live next to the office (actually attached to it), which means the line between professional and personal time is blurred. I think I am going to need more space than the guest house provides.

While it's not home, I think life here will do as a makeshift replacement for three months.