Wanderlust

14 June

Friday was a plant day at Saxonsea Primary in Atlantis, just about an hour’s drive from Cape Town. While leaving the office at 7 am, the rain had already started to fall, and the attitude of the day was not the most positive.. the whole ride there clouds took over the sky, and the roadways were full of cars cautiously driving through the weather. Obviously rain isn’t going to stop a plant day, but when it is heavy downpour, the kids may not be up for participating. We decided to play it by ear, and when we arrived, the principle made sure we knew rain or shine, the plant day must go on. All the kids were dressed in their uniforms, and garbage bag ponchos on and ready for the day! From the moment we stepped onto the grounds, this school definitely felt different. The grounds were huge, and everywhere and anywhere there was a wall space, there were bright, colorful images and messages. It was amazing to see how the aesthetics come into play and really do make a difference when in the overall feel and attitude of a school. Anywhere really, when you take the time to make the appearance of a space more enjoyable, the people will likely follow. (Enters the beloved graphic designers!)

At Saxonsea we were planting 50 trees, (where we normally only plant 30 at schools, because we think that is the most they are able to care for, but this school seemed extremely excited and ready for the challenge!) all the holes were dug, and it was our task to set up the holes. I may have mentioned before, but this means we must make sure each hole has:

A tree

A stake

A pile of mulch

A pile of compost

A pile of fertilizer

Cardboard or newspaper

2 bottles of grey water (in this case since the kids brought some from home)

Also making sure all the spades (shovels) are laid out for everyone. The rain clouds were passing, and it seemed as if the rain had stopped. Then five minutes later it started once again. This pattern continued for some time, but by the end of the day the sun was shining and spirits were high! (but also tired, hungry and exhausted) Today I got to be a part of a team with the kids instead of floating around helping everyone, which was actually really awesome. Our team of four 6th grade boys and myself were the Green Aliens. Although they mostly spoke Afrikaans, they did speak a little English and it was just great seeing their interactions and they were definitely working hard! We get to name each tree we plant, and so they decided to write all of our names on the stake and our team name. As cheesy as it sounds, it was great to be a part of the whole day, and now my name will be remembered!

Trees to be planted and greywater the kids brought from home!

The kids helping out with the tree planting demonstration

One of our team's, the Green Aliens, trees!

We had a late start to the whole day, and planting didn’t actually start until 12:30, which is quite late, but we actually finished by 2:30 and stayed fairly close to the schedule. The school staff were amazing with their hospitality and provided us with tea, coffee, treats and even a lunch before we took off for the day. (Normally we bring our own lunch and supplies and usually that isn’t even enough for everyone) So today was a special treat, and everyone at the school was truly grateful for us being there, and it is really awesome to see a mutual relationship about the planting of the trees.

So by the end of the day, the sun was shining, and although quite exhausted from the amount of planting being done, there was a very positive feeling around the school and Greenpop-ers as well. On the way home, even with some (more) clouds and light rainfall, Lion’s Head and Table Mountain were in sight!

One thing I will definitely miss about this city is the amazing landscape I see wherever I go. Table Mountain & Devil’s Peak, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill (rain or shine) always bring a smile to my face. I feel blessed to be able to see them every single day. And if I took away anything from the planetarium visit we did a few weeks back, besides a light nap, was that Table Mountain is in the stars (literally). The name for the constellation is Mons Mensa, which literally translates to Table Mountain. So this city actually has some significance in the history of our planet, COOL! But really, these mountains are awesome; to hike, to look at, etc. I need to be in a place where mountains are easily accessible to hike, but also accessible in sight. Being around such a beautiful landscape definitely helps motivate you to get up and get out, but also brightens my day when the sun is shining down on them. Or the ‘tablecloth’ on top of Table Mountain lets me know that Van Hunks and the Devil are smoking all they can up there (according to the legend..which is totally real)

“The Earth without ‘Art’ is just ‘Eh’.”

— Unknown.

15 June

The sun began to shine again! It was a day of exploration of my favorite neighborhood (Kloof St) and Long Street where I finally visited YoursTruly, a cool hip coffee shop with awesome decor.

An exhibition on public art? I think yes.

16 June

I FINALLY found the wall, and had my first experience of writing on the wall! It was awesome. When I first discovered the wall, I noticed there was no chalk available, so I made sure I brought my own. (Choosing between white and colored chalk at the grocery store... I went for the colored option) There were a lot more entries on the wall from the last time I saw it, but previous entries and new ones were still intact (even with all the rainfall).

This morning I arrived at the space, and I was the only one. I got my chalk out and went to work. 30 seconds later... I was done! A short, but surprisingly worthwhile experience. Especially since I discovered this public art space a year or so ago, and was intrigued to find one as soon as I could. I’m excited that my first experience of the Before I Die Wall was in Cape Town, especially since I had no idea there was one here! This will definitely not be my last wall I sign, as I am determined to travel the world and therefore find as many walls as I can. Not only do I want to find as many as I can, I think I really want to take the initiative to start my own, hopefully in my hometown, Portland, OR. I think Portland would be a perfect addition to the global collection (so hopefully no one has made one yet). So a task for me once I arrive back home is to find a space and get the rights to turn a wall into a public art space! Woohoo!

After I signed the wall and documented my contribution, I went on to explore the city, as the sun was shining and anywhere you walk in this city, there are amazing views around you. I eventually ended up at a bookshop, just up the street from Scallabrini called The Book Lounge. Even though half the books I could find in the US, I think I have come to realize my love for bookshops. Even if I don’t necessarily read every book I buy... I love browsing through all different sections of books (mostly art, graphic design, nonfiction, vegetarian, etc) I find so many new discoveries of books, stationary and just love the cozy atmosphere of a bookshop. This one was relatively small, which is nice, but I can’t deny my love for Powells. A great bookshop offers more than just books, they offer magazines, journals, stationary, sometimes bags and/or clothing, and an awesome shop offers coffee :) I didn’t buy anything, which is good because I don’t think my suitcase could take more books, and I can probably buy every single one at home. But... maybe it’s just the nerd in me.. but bookshops can be really fun, and reading the synopsis of different books brings new ideas to my head, makes me want to read them all at once. Clearly that’s not going to happen right away, but I love just learning about new and interesting book topics and (hopefully) reading them later on.

17 June

Wanderlust: an irresistible desire to travel, to understand one’s very existence.

Book number two, Wanderlust by Elisabeth Eaves, now complete. Only took me three days. I think that’s one of the shortest amount of time it has taken me to read a book (with breaks obviously). I was never much of a reader growing up, but since being in college, I’ve tried to change that. Non-fiction, outdoorsy and adventure novels are my go-to’s. My top books so far include Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air and Into the Wild, and I’m also starting Under the Banner of Heaven. John Francis’ Planet Walker is definitely one of my favorites, as well as No Impact Man by Colin Beavan (which is also now a movie by the same name on Netflix Instant- go watch it!) All these books revolve around adventures, the outdoors, and the pursuit of finding oneself by different types of challenges; whether it be giving up talking and riding in cars for 20 years, or committing to producing no impact to the environment for one year. Enter Wanderlust. I had seen this book before, but just put it on my “To Read” list. While getting books together for this trip, I wanted books that would not only be enjoyable to read in my free time (which I have quite a lot more than I realized), I wanted books which related to my experience and would perhaps bring me to similar realizations.

I definitely feel the temptation of wanderlust. Eaves adventures, one after the other, definitely intrigues you and makes you wish you were right there with her. Her never-ending quest for adventure, to places she never had been before, makes me realize the value of travel. The thrill one gets when venturing to new places because it allows you to take on a new self; no one knows who you are or who you were, and you have complete freedom to create the self you want to be.

“I had to embrace my surroundings, because this time was only going to go by once, and I didn’t want to spend it wishing for things to be different.”

— Elisabeth Eaves

She talks at times about being in the right place at the right time, and I’ve probably said it before, but right now, Cape Town feels right. Even for just a short while, it has given me a taste I want to keep discovering, and I hope to venture to different countries, learn new perspectives, and meet new people. I love the feeling of being independent, and the freedom it gives you, but I also believe shared experiences can sometimes be more worthwhile. I came to South Africa on my own, knowing I wouldn’t know anyone. I had no idea (really) about my living situation, how Greenpop worked, etc. I just came because I wanted adventure, some graphic design experience, and to go to a place completely different from where I was accustomed. Funny enough, I feel like I have found a little home in Cape Town, and that is exactly what I needed. Not only did I find a home, I discovered my need for adventure has now turned into a definite journey I have only just begun. Getting to taste a new place and culture, I realize just how exciting it is to venture abroad; meet new people, gain new experiences, yet still developing my life as a creative.

Luckily for me, the life of a graphic designer can be done on the road; aka freelance design.

But first, I want to keep building my portfolio, and gain some real industry experience. As much as I anticipate my next adventure, I still want to establish myself in the industry (graphic design or craft beer, or both) and start paying off some of that college debt. But I have no doubt this will not be my last adventure, and I am definitely making an effort to make it back to this city one day.

“The best kind of travel - the kind I wanted to experience - involves a particular state of mind, in which one is not merely open to the occurrence of the unexpected, but to deep involvement in the unexpected, indeed, open to the possibility of having one’s life changed forever by a chance encounter.”

— Elisabeth Eaves

Meryl TurnerJune 18, 2013Comment