My American Dream - California (Camp Life Pre Kids)

After an awesome stay in Florida it was off to my next State…Cali-for-ni-A…San Diego to be exact!

First thing I noticed flying into San Diego is that it is completely different to the East Coast…it’s beautiful.  Florida is pretty in certain areas but it’s incredibly flat so everything looks the same…there’s no hills or mountains or anything that breaks the monotony of the scenery.  When I flew into San Diego I got that feeling you get every time you go over Sir Lowry’s pass on a clear day and the magnificent Table Mountain appears out of the fog to greet you…and you’re so in awe of the landscape with this vast ocean at your side you almost total your car off the cliff…well…that’s San Diego! This incredibly clear, blue ocean flanked by long stretches of white sand littered with palm trees and then the rolling hills that slowly build up to the Colorado mountains (or at least I think they’re the Colorado mountains).  I knew the second I landed that I was going to love this city…unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to experience it until two weeks later…as I was off to Summer Camp!

If there has ever been a time where I have felt completely out of my depth, it was at Camp.  I had no idea what to expect and after traveling over an hour into the mountains and climbing 4000ft to what was going to be my home for the next 2 months, I could not have ever imagined what I was in for.  Camp is like a whole other sub culture, a lifestyle…and you either love it or you hate…thank goodness I have always been open enough to new adventures and as it turns out…I loved it J 

The whole culture of American Summer Camps absolutely fascinates me! American children are very mature for their age and we may think their parents send them off to camp for Summer to get a break from them but it’s quite the opposite…these kids LIVE for camp…from the age of 6 years to 16 years.  I had a hard time being at camp at the age of 27…I have no idea how the kids of 7 years did it!  They attend every year and once they graduate the go on to become councillors and camp becomes their extended family.  Needless to say being a foreigner and never being exposed to a camp environment like this before, I felt incredibly out of place.  Not only are there all these little traditions and general behaviour that you’re just expected to know…but they also sing these songs…ALL THE TIME.  It made me think of my first few years in the Catholic church when I would stand and the congregation would kneel and then I would kneel and they would sit and then out of nowhere they would answer the Bishop back in unison and then pause during the Our Father…I was so lost then at that’s exactly how I felt my first few days at camp.  Depending on which seat you sat at meals you were expected to perform special roles like getting the food from the kitchen, and then when you sat down to start eating suddenly everybody would stand up and start singing…to be honest…the first 3 days I truly believed these people were mad at that maybe I had ended up on some crazy American cult farm of singers.  The thing is…and what I realized in hindsight, is that we were in training…and obviously all this behaviour made perfect sense once you were sitting with 80 kids and trying to keep them entertained…needless to say I caught onto that whole singing thing quick J

So yes…my first week and a bit were spent training at Summer Camp…and it was intense!  America is big on their health and safety so to be a councilor to kids you had to know what was going on at camp.  That first week and a bit were spent waking up at 6am and only getting to bed at 10pm with a full day of activities in between.  We had swim tests, hiking, archery tests, challenge course, teambuilding, first aid, CPR, horse riding and more.  I can positively say I did well at everything apart from horse riding.  I always thought I was pretty good on a horse but as with most things in this country (USA)…they are backwards!  Not only do cars ride on the wrong side of the road but their horses are ridden in the opposite way too!!! In South Africa, if you pull right on the reigns the horse goes right…like riding a car…but in America…if you pull right…the horse goes left…like riding a damn rubber duck!!  Needless to say Casanova was continually walking into the fence and the more stupid I thought the horse was, the more he was probably thinking the same thing about me!

The camp I stayed at was incredibly rustic with wooden cabins with bunk beds and NO ELECTRICITY. There are about 5 cabins situated at one site that will have a general porch area...fireplaces...toilets and showers.  Only problem is they are about 1km away from the main lodge where we have our meals etc.  There are lots of raccoons, squirrels, mice and wild turkeys scrabbling in the bushes which literally scare the sh*t out of you! And then there’s the tarantulas and rattle snakes…yes people…a kids summer camp is littered with tarantulas and rattle snakes…but don’t fear…as a councilor I’ll protect you…NOT!! I think a lot of people expected me to be used to the idea of such an environment because I was from Africa…what they didn’t realize and what many didn’t believe is that I actually lived in a house…made of bricks…on tar roads…with highways and skyscrapers…and I’ve never seen a turkey, tarantula or a damn rattlesnake in my life before!! 

So yes, after training and meeting other internationals from UK and plenty of friendly Americans…I knew that this was going to be one hell of summer…and a crazy one…and I couldn’t wait!

THINGS I LEARNT AT CAMP:

1. Camp councillors sing a lot
2. There’s something strange about running into wild turkeys during the day and then eating turkey in your burrito for supper
3. America is really hot in summer…more than SA
4. When you’re 4000ft in the mountains hiking is incredibly strenuous
5. Camp food is amazing but no matter how much exercise you do during the day…you will pick up weight…there is something in the food over there…no lies.
6. I know how to do Archery!
7. I know First Aid and CPR!
8. I don’t know how to ride a horse (only in America)…but I can groom them, clean their shoes and muck their stalls (which I would rather not…because it’s gross).
9. Never offer for the kids to do Archery because it is the longest hike to get there ;)
10. Never leave food in your cabins…there will be mice in your bag.
11. The rustling in the bush at night when you hiking back to your cabin is most probably a wild turkey…or a coyote…or a mountain lion…but probably a turkey!
12. Get used to the fact that you do NOT, in fact, have a sock tan…its just dirt!
13. Always wear closed shoes, always have water (and drink lots of it) and always wear sunscreen!

My American Dream - Georgia

Me: “So is Georgia part of the whole ‘bible belt’?”

Ben: “What do you mean belt…we’re the damn BUCKLE!”

For those of you who know the map of USA, Jacksonville is in the north of Florida…so if you’re thinking Miami…then stop! It’s got the heat and the palm trees but it’s more Southern because it’s so North as apposed to Miami South…ha ha…confused you there hey?  Point is…it’s a hop, skip and quick roadtrip to the border of Georgia…which is where I was headed next.

My cousin, her twins and myself went on a little road trip to visit a friend of hers in Georgia.  I was incredibly excited as it meant I would be seeing another State…which in America is like seeing another country!! Even the State Borders are a big deal…with massive signs welcoming you and even a whole visitor’s centre.  In a way I understand, because as I learnt through the next few months, every State is so different to the next.  In South Africa I’ve always felt a sense of pride and ‘togetherness’ about the country I live in…America you seem to feel that per state...not as a Nation (well, apart from when the country unites because of certain events…9/11, Obama campaign etc).  Things you get on the East Coast you can’t find on the West and vice versa.  As you cross a State border everything changes, from the tax to the speed limit, from the crazy laws to the different accents and even the food changes.  You would only really notice it if you went through a couple of States…which I was really fortunate enough to do.

Anyway, so we arrived at Tybee Island which is just outside Savannah.  We were staying with my cousin’s friend and her family and if there is one thing I can say about Americans, it’s that they are so hospitable! I have never felt so welcome in a stranger’s house before!

To paint you a picture, Tybee Island has a population of about 3 000 people…it’s quite a popular tourist spot and Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck even have a house there (and no, I never saw either of them…’Celebrity Count was a big, fat, ZERO!).  Anyway, all the houses are basically raised Cottages (all white) on stilts with massive wrap around porches and screen French doors…it’s beautiful…a scene out of some romantic novel or something.  Well, until you realize you’re in Georgia and the accents are so southern you can hardly understand a word!  Seriously though…they are fantastic people.  Maybe it’s just me, but I love meeting different people…and experiencing life in the small towns…sometimes that is more exciting than the ‘tourist attractions’ in the big cities.

 So on the first day we went to downtown Savannah which is by far one of the most beautiful little towns I have ever seen.  It was established in 1733 and has an amazing amount of history…the best thing is…majority of the town has been preserved so it’s like walking into a time zone.  Obviously they play to the tourists but I don’t care, seeing a horse and carriage run along cobbled streets in one of the beautiful town squares is just something magnificent.  We spent the whole day walking the streets and seeing all the historic buildings like the Savannah Cotton Exchange, First Bryan Baptist Church and River Street (where they still have Trolleys that run on tracks).  All I can say is I have no idea how woman back in the day used to wear that damn clothing in that heat and I also wonder how many of them face planted on the uneven cobble stones! Heaven knows I almost saw my arse a few times!

So…moving on…that night a friend of our host came around and I had my first American ‘social event’.  We did hotdogs on the grill and whipped up some potent Margarita’s (don't know why but every house I went to they made Margarita's...like instead of offering you tea or coffee...they offer a Margarita...I'm not complaining though).  Needless to say I soon got onto Mikes Hard Lemonade (basically Smirnoff Ice and my ‘drink of choice’ until I met 4loko…which is a whole other story).  We spent the night chatting outside in the heat with a giant fan behind us doing nothing much but swirling the air…which I figured out later is a good thing because you have no idea of the amount of bugs that place has…or the Mosquito’s…mutants I tell you!  What I always find interesting is how social interactions are relatively the same wherever you go.  Initially when I was planning this trip I kept thinking of the possibility that I may not get on with anyone because they will be so different.  American humour alone is completely different to South African and we obviously have different views on the world etc.  However, it’s always refreshing to know that those facts are never an issue…we chatted about music and movies and friends and other common interests and it was great.

By midnight we decided to go to the beach.  There were two great things about this.  1. It is legal to drink in public in Georgia as long as it’s in something other than the bottle (HELL YEAH) 2. Not being one of THOSE South Africans…but…it was great to take a walk on the beach at midnight without worrying or being paranoid that someone was going to mug you.  Look, I know what you’re all thinking but lets be honest…none of us would do that at home as it is a dangerous thing to do…and I’m not bashing South Africa because of it…I’m just saying I haven’t done it in a very long time and it was great.  (Don’t look at me like that…I LOVE MY COUNTRY!)  I couldn’t believe the amount of other people who were out too.  I mean I’m not saying it was packed like Plett Rage…but to see some people having a midnight swim or walking their dogs…or being drunk and rowdy like us...was nice (yes…like a cup of tea).

In the morning I felt like I was in an American sitcom…a comedy of course.  You have to understand that all we did the whole time was drink…and to wake up and see this mouthwatering, traditional American Breakfast with mountains of fried eggs, crispy bacon, pancakes and waffles (which I still think is waaaaaay better utilized as a DESSERT and NOT BREAKFAST)…I thought we may have a break from it (the drinking)…but not so much.  I think the first Buds had already been cracked open which made me want to move into this house, with these people, FOREVER!!  The rest of the day was spent sitting outside in front of the giant fan (Stan), drinking more Mikes, and watching the kids playing in the splash pool.  I was also introduced to REDNECK GOLF (which I am surprised to have not seen on ESPN…considering I did watch the National Rock, Paper, Scissors Championships when I was there…tell me about it…WTF?).  Anyway, basically you have 2 golf balls on either end of a string and the goal is to throw them balls at a stand (that looks like a clothes horse on its side) and try get them to wrap around the bars…utterly RANDOM…but yet an incredible amount of fun! (Note to self: Start a Redneck Golf League in South Africa).  I won’t lie, it’s also a game I am damn good at…which makes me wonder if there is a little redneck in me! After all....I did sleep with my cousin.

(Get your mind out the gutter…we shared a bed…that’s what a meant…OBVIOUSLY!)

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT GEORGIA:

• Savannah was Georgia’s first city

• Savannah has 21 public squares (one of them was in the scenes where Forrest Gump sits on the bench telling his story…at the bus stop)

• Savannah has one of the first Cotton Mills where cotton and slaves were traded

• Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low was born here.

• Tybee Island has the first lighthouse on the southern Atlantic coast.

• Savannah is home to the oldest black congregation in America.

• You can drink and walk in public (yes…I like this one!)

My American Dream - Florida

Landing at JFK airport was somewhat surreal...and I couldn't wait to see New York...but I would have to wait another 4 months as my first stop was Jacksonville, Florida!! The only part of New York I actually got to experience that day was Jet Blue’s Terminal 5.  The thing about the airports in America is that all the cool stuff is hidden behind the check-in counters…unlike in South Africa where you could entertain yourself for a good couple of hours at restaurants, book stores etc.  I wish I knew this before I had booked my flight to Jacksonville to depart 13 hours after I landed!! All I had in terminal 5 was a Dunkin’ Donuts and rather uncomfortable seating.  The 8 hours of waiting to check-in felt like the longest of my life, but once I walked through those gates I felt like I had entered an alternative world…I had found the hive of JFK…and I have never felt so overwhelmed.  I couldn’t believe this one terminal, in an airport, was bigger than any shopping centre I had been to in my life.  There was so much going on…so many people…boarding through gates and exiting…a selection of the best shops and restaurants…and everyone seemed to know what they were doing except for me…it was the definition of organized chaos.

I had another 3 hour wait until boarding and the only thing I wanted was food (which would inevitably be my undoing in this country!). I had eaten plane food for 2 days and hadn’t had anything in the last 12 hours…I was starving! For the indecisive person I am…a rather detest the amount of choice America has to offer…it makes a simple task like deciding on what to eat, as painstaking as deciding on what subject you want to major in for your degree!! I eventually settled for a meatball sub…which was more like meatballs on a full loaf of bread…or 3.  I could eat off this thing for days it was so big! Anyway, I went to sit down and take everything in and had this sudden wave of excitement…and pure happiness.  Sometimes you work so hard for something that you feel you may never get to the end…and when you do…and especially when it’s something so important to you…it’s just the most incredible feeling in the world.

Jacksonville, Florida.  I arrived at 11pm on Tuesday Night and had been traveling for 2 days already…needless to say I was exhausted! I was, however, incredibly excited to see my cousin who I last saw about 7 years earlier. It’s great how there are those people in your life (life family and good friends) who just don’t change…time is never a factor…and when you see them it’s like you’ve never been apart! It was great seeing my cousin and the only thing that threw me was her American accent…but hey…she has been living there for about 10 years now.

So the one thing I completely overlooked about Florida was the heat!! I don’t know how Horatio doesn’t sweat more in CSI because it is hectic…like 100 times worse than Durban.  The temperature is at a set 29/30 degrees with the humidity never dropping less than 98%.  It feels like you walking through syrup! However, being America you know that everywhere is kitted out with air-con, which is great!

Florida is one of my favourite states because it was where I had my FIRST everything.  From the food I ate to the shops I went to…the places…everything was just incredible because it was the first time I was experiencing it.  I spent 2 weeks with my cousin and her family and they really gave me the full American experience!

They took me to St. Augustine’s which is one of the oldest towns in America…it was originally a Spanish colony and the town centre has still been maintained with beautiful buildings inspired by great Spanish architecture, and the original Trams that are now used for tours.  It was great to walk around the town and see a little bit of history.

Another fun thing I did was go to the Kennedy Space Centre.  NASA and the space program has been such a huge part of American history and culture and when you go to the place where it all happens you realize why…because it’s something truly amazing.  To see the launch pads where these MASSIVE shuttles get sent into space is hard to wrap your head around.  To learn about the detail of how it all happens...the special gravel they have to use on the road for the beast of machinery (that can take days) to get the shuttle to the actual launch site…to the shuttle itself.  I was fortunate enough to experience what life is like living in the International Space Station and was able to view the ‘workshop’ where they were making more parts to be sent to the Space Station in the next week.  That itself was an unreal experience. I have always been a firm believer that man has never actually walked on the moon…and I don’t buy into that whole ‘moon landing’ moment…but I can say that I am impressed by the technology and the size of these shuttles.  After experiencing the launch simulator…I can safely say that I doubt I would ever want to go to Space…I would most definitely wet my pants.

Things I learned in Florida:

1.      South African beaches are better BUT…their water is so warm!

2.      They fly A LOT of flags in America…and their flags are MASSIVE

3.      In such heat and humidty…guys think it’s cool to wear black socks with slops!

4.      They have drive-thru Chemists and Bottle Stores (I like!)

5.      They have white eggs…like the chocolate ones you get at Easter…weird.

6.      Their bread is ALWAYS soft…which makes me wonder what it’s really made of?

7.      They could really create more jobs if they cut out all the self service!

8.      You’re allowed to ride a motorbike without a helmet…as long as you over 18.

9.      They have free refills on all their soda

10.  They have pizza at an all you can eat Chinese Food Buffet…odd!      

My American Dream - The Arrival

A year ago I made one of the biggest decisions in my life, firstly, to give up being a part of what might have been the best Soccer World Cup in history (and on top of that in my home country) and secondly, to give up my job and everything I knew (including the R50 000 I had in the bank) all to embark on a 4 month trip to the USA and live a dream that I had had since I could first remember.

Up until then the only traveling I had done was around Southern Africa...so basically Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and Lesotho (don't judge...it's still a country!).  When I was 18 my sister bought me a ticket to London to spend 2 weeks with her over Christmas and New Years...unfortunately I apparently looked a bit dodgy or nervous so they drilled me with questions in immigration and basically denied me entry into the UK.  Harsh, hey?  Wouldn't anyone look nervous after they've just flown their FIRST INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT to a COUNTRY THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO?????? Of course I looked nervous...Heathrow is the size of my damn home town!!!

Anyway, needless to say I had to wait another 9 years until I got to travel overseas again...and this time I was going to the one place I wanted to see...AMERICA *cue dramatic sound effect...like a gong...I like the sound of a gong* I can't really explain what I was feeling on the morning of my flight...I think my brain was so confused as to what I was feeling...excited, nervous, scared...that it just decided to not feel anything at all! It was the calmest day of my life and I found it quite amusing to watch everyone else panic as if they were the ones getting on that plane.  I had a great send off and even when I was sitting in this gigantic plane taking off into the night sky...it still hadn't sunk in that the next morning I would be in New York City!

I’m not a fan of long distance flights.  I know this was only the second one I had ever been on but still…I doubt it gets any better (unless you fly first class or something). The thing is…there’s always that person that moans about everything and just generally puts everyone in a mood…and then there’s the fact that no matter how empty the plane is…you WILL get the two kids who sit behind you and kick your chair throughout the whole damn flight…and lets not forget that there is NO COMFORTABLE position to sleep in on a plane…EVER!! You spend 19 hours breathing the same circulating oxygen as everyone else and eventually feel like you’ve just come back from a Tri-varsity weekend or something of the same I’m-so-exhausted-and-feel-like-crap-and-smell-even-worse-and-need-a-serious-shower-and-oh-my-word-is-that-fur-growing-on-my-teeth feeling.  To top it off your last meal is breakfast and you could swear your sausage almost got up and walked off the plate at the sight of the scrambled egg swimming in…I actually don’t know what…but why can’t they just give you a bowl of Milo cereal or something??

Anyway…the point is…that a long distance flight means that you’re heading to a far away destination…so by the time you look out the window, and in my case, have a view of one of the most magnificent skylines in the world…the flight seems worth it…and the fact that you smell like someone else’s feet and can’t move your neck to the left and haven’t breathed fresh air for 2 days doesn’t matter…you know why? Because you just landed in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!