It has been almost a year since I took joy in a plane ride or even travelled. It has been a year since I have returned “home”. I say “home” because it truly is a subjective word. For some “home” reflects a being and others perhaps a place or a fleeting moment.
It was extremely difficult to adjust to being in one place for more than twelve months, regardless I settled eventually — that being 8 months into my stay. Clearly, we are all aware of the current pandemic and thus having the freedom of mobility has been entirely restricted. However stagnant I felt, I did achieve my PhD and since I have been on a hunt for a stable source of income. No one really indulges on the “wonders” of post-graduate life for it is extremely difficult, and even more so with majority of the world economies shut down and employment rate rescinding to record breaking rates in histories of many countries. I am not going to dwell on the #pandemic and #lockdown chronicles as I am sure our ears are tired.
Instead I would like to talk about being a South African female with brown color skin and how my travels to 28 countries (and counting) have changed my perception of my country, South Africa.
