Lindsay approaching her week of "lasts."

I couldn’t even sleep this morning because somewhere in that hazy state of sleep and consciousness a thought came into my head, this is my week of lasts. Today was my last Sunday, the last time I get to see Muizenberg, the last time I would do anything here on a Sunday. It seems so silly but it really made the whole leaving thing a reality. I have felt ready to go home for a good week now I would say, but today I really understood what it means to leave. That I won’t be taking the train to the beach anymore, or waking up to see Devils Peak outside, no more last minute sunset dinners at Camps Bay and it made me realize  - maybe I’m not ready to give this up.

            

I’ve been so focused on going home for the past couple weeks because its been so close! So soon would I be able to hangout on my couch in the basement with my sister and sleep in my own bedroom with my cozy comforter and sheets! (They don’t believe in sheets here, just a cover and comforter is the usual bedding.) I’ve been so excited to get back up to UConn and see my friends that I haven’t seen in ages, meet with advisors and get next fall all figured out. I’ve been living so much in the future as if I was already home I almost forgot to savor my last few days here and I thank my last Sunday for snapping me back to reality. The reality that this is the last time I’ll be seeing Cape Town for probably a decent amount of time. And definitely the last time I’ll be enjoying the company of my 28 co-educators and amazing RAs and professors.

            

I’m determined to make this week of lasts count, not take another second of being in Cape Town, South Africa for granted. Though I have managed to cross off just about everything on my list and in that sense could leave this instant happy and satisfied, I’m going to get the most out of every day I have left. It might be a challenge because as happens with the end of the semester we have important work coming up, final papers, essays, and projects but this week I am going to be the Queen of Multitasking crossing off homework and social to-dos like nobody’s business! My plan is to work and play insanely hard this next week and then just sleep the entire plane ride home.

            

Being back home has been a reoccurring theme in my dreams, but the reality is that I am still in Cape Town and until my plane takes off Saturday night I will remain the proudest temporary Capetonian I can be. I have felt the emotional change happen in my heart, while I used to be too excited to get home, now thinking about my departure makes my heart heavy. The excitement I once had (which is still definitely there) is being masked temporarily by the heaviness of leaving this amazing place that I have been too lucky to call home these past months. I will never forget the amazing adventures or spectacular people that I shared them with. This trip is a time of my life that I will cherish always, I love Cape Town and my #cpthuskies (Cape Town Huskies for those unfamiliar with the hashtag) and always will!

Erica, Lindsay, Wylie, Savitri & Elise on Lions Head at full moon.