just a plain good day

What a day!

Meeting Irene was one thing. She's very engaging and highly intellectual and well-read. Just pleasant in a Canadian way that i haven't experienced in a while.

As for meeting Yianna, wow! Llike a total force 8 hurricane blowing at you full blast. Born in Greek but living in the US for the past 21 years, she is opinionated and quite hotheaded, but still very stimulating and actually quite inspiring.

For the entire day, the three of us discussed and dissected race and ethnicity and racism. Between us there was Greek, Portuguese, Canadian, American, and Chinese ancestry ... all of us living in South Africa. There was only one way our conversation was heading from the beginning!

What an incredibly random day with encounters that i did not, in the least of all, expect! At the restaurant, we spent almost an hour discussing the menu for Yianna, seeing which foods were NOT spicy for her.

It felt so great to be intellectually stimulated again. Being with two bright women who are completely immersed in the world of academia was interesting. I actually noticed how i was a lot more aggressive and opinionated myself, more than i used to be, say even two years ago. It makes me happy that i do say what i think, try to form a good argument and am becoming a better listener.

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What a crazy 3 weeks it's been. There has been lots of time spent together with Matt.

It's been great. We learn, love and enjoy each other. It's pure and simple. beautiful. Is there nothing else i need to ask for?

The support and kindness is just there. Always. He's very patient. Thank goodness for that.

I'm not so much always.

I've been blessed with really good friends, many of whom i've kept in touch with over all these years. and despite the unfortunate fact that they do not know Matt very well (and vice versa) their friendship towards me is so appreciated. It's like outside support, when my current world needs that reassurance.

How can I lead an ethical and fair lifestyle? When i talk about the disparity and inequality of the population here in SA, I am included in this whole calculation. But what can I do, as an individual, with really quite a lot of 'power' and choice, to make a bigger difference, a more positive one, to someone, perhaps to many during my time here? What is my skill? Where does my contribution lie?

To keep believing in oneself without the support of others is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks that humans acquire to advance in their own world.

Tonight will definitely stay in my memory for a long time. I've learned a lot. About myself, my growth and my ability to achieve greater things than I have even fathomed.