MMEB (Megan, Mary, Ed, Bronwyn) Hit Up South Africa

I am so lucky. I know I say that and think it multiple times a day... but yesterday when I was sitting at Ledile's big fancy desk at Kodumela and Maite was asking me questions about my family and home in the States... I had to say it again. Over and over. I showed her some pictures from when my parents came to visit. And then some of when Bronnie, Mary, and Ed came for a couple of weeks. And then we discussed plans for my cousin June's visit (!!!!!!!!!!) to Metz in just a couple of weeks. I can't even begin to put into words how great it's been to have people visit me here. It's been HUGE. Not only have I gotten an opportunity to show them where I've been living and what my life is like here, but they get it all just a little bit more. When I talk to my parents on the phone they always ask about the family. How is MmaDiapo? What has she brought home from the farm? Wow, Karabo, Charlie, and Lethabo have all gotten so big! Has Daniel finished the new house? Tell Maite, Mabu, Daniel, MmaDiapo and all the family hello for us. We're all family and it's really nice.
When Bron, Ed, and my cousin Mary all came to visit it was a nice break. January and February of this year were especially tough months and it was nice to see familiar faces, have people to talk to about some of my struggles.
We spent two weeks tooling around South Africa and Swaziland in a VW Polo. Yes. I met everyone at the airport the day before New Year's Eve and we managed to pack 5 people (Keri was on the same flight back from a visit to the States...she spent the first few days with us!) and all kinds of luggage from America into a VW Polo. I say impressive. Thank you to Ed for his fine navigation skills. Thank you Mary and Bron for being cheerful and flexible travelers while riding in the backseat completely surrounded by STUFF.

While in Jo'Burg we all took Mncedisi out for his birthday. He was Chris and Keri's Zulu teacher in training.
Their first morning we were all awake at 5. We showered, dressed, and went to the only place open early for breakfast... McDonald's. Yes. Then we (I mean Ed and his map skills) made our way through Jo'Burg and spent a lovely afternoon, the last in 2008, at Gold Reef City the big amusement park that helps fund the Apartheid Museum. Keri and I screamed like little girls on all the kid roller coasters and I made sure everyone knew that I was a little more than not happy about being on one of those flying swings.
For New Year's Eve, we spent the evening ringing in the New Year eating cornflakes and drinking champagne and dancing around with Afrikaners to music in Afrikaans. How African, right?
We went everywhere in a short amount of time... St. Lucia to see the hippos and crocodiles in the wild. While on a hippo tour Bron and Ed were fascinated by the hippos coming up to the side of the boat. Mary and I were fascinated by all of our fellow boat passengers. It was only fitting. We tried to go on a turtle tour one night to catch a glimpse of endangered Leatherbacks laying their eggs on the beaches of the Indian Ocean... but had to turn back when a huge electrical storm dumped tons of rain on our group. We were all in awe of Gary our guide, who totally needs his own show on Animal Planet, and the way the lightning was striking out over the ocean while we attempted to make it down the beach a little ways. Dark, dark night lit up by strikes of lightning across the sky. Incredible. We huddled under the roof of a souvenir shop, drank tea, ate muffins, and watched Gary tell us stories of his travels and touring past. One day Bron and Ed went snorkeling off the coast and Mary and I found a rooftop deck and drank Pina Coladas. Ah, vacation.
Then we spent a couple of days in Swaziland. Actually drove through the whole country from South to North. We stayed in a pretty cool backpackers (where we met a research team from Texas A&M) in the valley very close to where the King and the Royal Family live. One day we tried driving to their compound, but quickly turned around when we saw the big gate and guards with guns.
We drove through a wildlife reserve and checked out all the animals... even watched a crocodile dine on a zebra floating in a pond. We dropped Ed off for a hike through the reserve, went to scope out some traditional arts and crafts, and then picked him up so we could head to dinner at a restaurant that served traditional Swazi food. (the owner and chef bought all of the food from local women, kept everything organic, and was really, really cool).
And I dragged the girls to a traditional Swazi village where they danced (the Swazis AND Bronnie and Mary!) and we were taught the intricacies of traditional Swazi Village life.
We, of course, went to Kruger and scoped out all the animals there. We didn't catch sight of all the Big 5, but saw two male elephants battling it out.
And we went to Metz. Right smack in the heat of the summer. Troopers my visitors were... troopers I say. Every night we would go to bed covered in sweat and in the morning we would wake up covered in even more.
Everyone brought gifts for MmaDiapo so they all posed with her in her flowers in the front yard.
We even spent a day at the Lafata bead project... buying souvenirs for people at home. My favorite purchase is the one Ed made. A cone shape, covered in black cloth with some beads sewn, and black yarn spilling out the top. He eyed it and asked what it was. "It's decoration." And so he bought it.. and man, I couldn't get over such a find.
We escaped the village a day early because it was just too hot and made it to cooler climates... tried to catch sight of Blyde River Canyon, saw the potholes, haggled for souvenirs, saw a movie, ate Roman's pizza, and then spent some quality time drinking tea and eating muffins before everyone got on their flight home. It was sad to see them go, but it was also reassuring to know I would see them later on in the year! We wouldn't have to wait so long between visits this time.
To Bron, Ed, and Mary... I love that you're my family AND my friends. You rock.