Things I did not do in South Africa

• Get Medically Separated. In other words, I did not lose my job! I saw an amazing dentist who was incredibly friendly, helpful, and skilled. He was able to “re-do” my root canal without having to extract my tooth, allowing me to return to Rwanda. I am very, very lucky.
• Taste South Africa’s version of donuts. I did try the meat pies, which were delicious, but not quite the fried dough experience I was looking for. Next time.
• Go to KFC. I’m not sure why or how, but South Africa has an enormous number of KFC’s. I’m not really a huge fan in America, so I figured no use trying Africa.
• Travel. I had set high expectations for my trip. I wanted to visit PCVs in South Africa, see Cape Town, and go on safari. Unfortunately a medical evacuation is not quite a vacation, and the PCMO informed me overnight trips were not allowed.
• Mind Anonymity. In fact, I loved it. Being treated like a spectacle in Rwanda is exhausting and also dehumanizing. Walking down the street in South Africa without being stared at, grabbed at, hissed at, or yelled was truly amazing.
• Accept a Marriage Proposal. This is nothing new or unusual, except for the fact that after I refused to give my phone number, email address, or hand in marriage, the persistent stranger asked if he could look me up on Facebook. I think this would be weird even in the United States, but in South Africa it was just bizarre.
• Feel too cold. It is currently the “coldest” part of winter in South Africa, which felt like October in Ithaca. The fresh air and cool wind felt great.
• Enjoy the shopping malls. I did enjoy some of the items inside the malls that had been missing from my life for the last nine months (i.e., oreo cookies, movie theaters), but I did not like the feeling of sterile air and general indoor-ness. I take for granted how much time I spend outside in Rwanda, but it’s wonderful.
• Get Used to the Driving. In South Africa they drive on the left hand side of the road, like the British. There are also lots of roundabouts in Pretoria. Now many of you are already aware that I am pretty bad at crossing the street. Well, wrong-direction-roundabouts didn’t help much either.
• Miss a single breakfast at the Rose Guest House. The bed & breakfast where I stayed was wonderful, in great part due to the amazing staff. I’m not sure I would recommend the lodge to someone looking for an adventurous, backpacker experience, but if you want is some good rest and recovery time, the Rose Guest House certainly does the trick.