Six

As I sit here in my host family's kitchen, I now realize that I have six days left in Cape Town. I'm sitting here, thinking about where the time has gone over the last five months. What have I done? Where have I been? Who have I met? Was it worth it? What mistakes did I make? How did I succeed?

There are many answers to those questions.

People frequently ask me "would you do it again?" and "would you come back?" The answers: yes and yes. This exchange has impacted me tremendously. While perhaps I am not too keen to repeat the roller coaster of an experience that was my first month, I would undoubtably do it again. I also recommend that anyone who is at all considering to go on an exchange during high school to do it if possible. In many ways, I can't imagine spending my second semester of my senior year any other way.

Yes, it is me. I'm different. Not too many high school seniors take the risk of leaving everything they have for six months to try something different in a foreign country. Living with people who are at first complete strangers in a place where you have never been can be daunting. It didn't deter me one bit. I've seemed to always craved being different and trying new things. In many ways, I feel as if I am writing the book for an American high school senior who risks it all by going to Cape Town for six months. My journey has come to an end, but the stories and experiences are countless.

Second semester of senior year is a predictable time. These five months have been anything but predictable. Was this time spent away from my life in America worth it? Absolutely. Why? I created a new existence where no one knew who I was. I tried new things. I met new people. I went to new places. My friend's dad once said, "what you're doing here is merely a microcosm of life." He couldn't be more accurate. The ups, the downs, the successes, the struggles, and everything in between have shaped not only my exchange but also who I am as a person.


Cape Town and my host family's home feel like home to me now. Chicago feels like a world away and I'm almost a bit nervous to go home. I can't exactly articulate why I'm nervous. It's almost the same feeling I had before I came here--a combination of excitement and nervousness.I'm so accustomed to the routine and way of life with my host family that I could not imagine doing anything other than it. In one month, I'll be living a vastly different life. I will be in college, living in a dorm, in yet another country. Needless to say, August is going to be a whirlwind of a month. In fact, it already has been. I'm shocked by how quickly this week has gone by. I feel as if August is the month of contrasts and extremes.

In the words of an ex-Rhodesian I met last month, "Africa will always be in my veins." While I did not live in colonial Africa, I do feel that South Africa will always be part of my identity. So much of what I've done here hasn't only shaped who I am, but has also prepared me for my future.

All rambling aside, I do feel that even though these five months haven't always been easy, this experience was absolutely worth it. Now, I'm going to savor the last six days here in Cape Town.

Cheers,
Danny