Jewels of Hope and a snippet of Swaziland

Since I arrived in Johannesburg I’ve been volunteering at a non-profit organisation called “Jewels of Hope.” It’s an organisation that provides orphan kids with a tiny job. They can work with their hands and do something they enjoy; making jewellery. The good part about it is that the kids receive money for every item they make, bringing them hope for the future.
Janine works at the head office and there they also make jewellery so that when there is a big request for, lets say, a 1000 necklaces, the job will be delivered on time. I helped at the head office, making beaded bookmarks and keyrings for a company. I really enjoyed making them, it was so nice to see how these things are made and now I can also say I’ve acquired a new skill! :)

For the remaining time I’ve just been chilling with Duncan and his friends, playing pool, going out to parties, swimming, playing with their dogs, having lovely braais and trying to stretch the minutes and hours to the fullest; trying to make time feel like it’s passing slower, because with every cup of Five Roses during breakfast it means another day has passed and means less days remaining of my gapyear (or gap-6-months haha).

I had been thinking a lot about going back to Swaziland for a few days, just to see Pernille and lots of other people again before I leave the continent. So I planned my trip from the 12th until the 16th of February and I booked my busticket with the Transmagnific, which is a really reliable and safe way of travelling. They even provide you with a foodparcel! The idea of having to go with the public transport, a combi, was just not very appealing. (Combi drivers are known to cause lots of accidents and people say that road rules are not for combi drivers, they make up their own rules...)

So Wednesday the 12th I take off to Swaziland at around 10. The 7-seater was only occupied by three people (including me) plus the driver, so it was a very comfortable drive!
The road to Swaziland was very nostalgic in a way, the first time I drove here everything was still so new to me and my gapyear had just started!
The journey itself was just as nice though with the ever so amazing landscapes. When the wind rushes through my hair and when the surrounding landscape is felt with all the five senses. When the music softens the thought of “still 168 km to go” when passing the blue road signs on the way to Mbabane. When listening to Riverside by Agnes Obell and Daydreamer by Adele and getting the feeling you’re in a movie because the music and landscape complement each other so well, experiencing this magical feeling of completeness...
Damn, I’m going to miss this traveling. The kind of journey that makes me say: “I Love traveling.”

I was staying with Pernille who lives on campus, it was so special to be back at Waterford. I just walked around campus for about an hour and got so much love from the people who recognised me, I was flattered :)
I spent time with people I met when I was volunteering, it was so lovely to see them again :) On valentine’s day I went to House on Fire, a club in Malkerns. The party was really nice and there were lots of Waterford students.
Eventhough my stay in Swaziland was very short, it was totally worth it!!
Sunday morning I got on the early bus back to Joburg, and got picked up by Meg who came over for the weekend!

At this moment, it looks as if a bomb has exploded in my room. I’m busy sorting out my clothes and starting to pack for tomorrow.
I am really really excited to go back and see my family and friends again! Some of them kept telling me on whatsapp “7 more days and then I can hug you again!” which was really sweet :) Luna was already counting the days when I wasn’t even thinking about that yet haha.
But I am also very sad to leave... This place has become such a special place for me, that I almost don’t want to leave. I’ll have to face the cold again :0 (typing this in my bikini, so it seems very unreal) Sad to leave the lovely people I stayed with here in Southern Africa, and the lovely people I met. It’s a wonderful continent and I know that I will definitely return! It’s not a “goodbye” but a “See you soon!”

Tomorrow I fly at 20:30 and land at Schiphol at 14:00 on Wednesday.
Thank you for reading my blogs, I really appreciate it :)

See you soon, Africa!
See you sooner, Holland! :)

Lots of Love,

Laura