Coming for Ya, Cape Town
- Dec 17, 2016
- 5 min read
"For once, you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return."
-Leonardo da Vinci
Two years ago, the summer of 2014, I was blessed with the opportunity to accompany my dad on his trip to Africa where he was teaching on Leadership and Marriage. We were there for just about a month, but in those 28 days, my life changed. The 30+ hours of travel home had me thinking as I looked out the window of the plane like a sappy music video. I remember saying to myself, "I'll be back. I have no idea when. But I will be..."
Fast forward a year- college applications and visits.
My mom and I toured three schools together in Southern California, the first one being
Azusa Pacific University.
*spoiler alert, I choose APU.*
but let me tell you why...
The official tour of the school consisted of a brief presentation of the history of APU, attending a chapel, a tour of the campus, and a meal. If I'm being completely honest, I don't remember a single thing the chick said to us during the powerpoint presentation, nor do I remember the tour. But the one thing that I remember clear as day is the chapel.
It was gospel chapel. The worship team leads soulful renditions of songs that you couldn't help but do a little "two-step" to. The part that I don't see as a coincidence at all now looking back, was one specific song they did.
There really wasn't much to the song, except for seven simple words. Jesus, you be lifted higher, higher, higher
The APU worship team sang it in Swahili, the language spoken in Nairobi, Kenya. The relation in dialect doesn't fully explain why this was such a pivotal moment for me in choosing APU. The only other time I had heard this song was in Kenya, the very last church my dad preached at before we went to a different country in Africa. This was one of the only times I recorded a video while we were there, on my iPhone 4 might I add.
Watch Video
The correlation was confusing to me at the time, because it wasn't until a couple months later after receiving college acceptance letters and finally being at a point where I had to choose where I would spend the next 4+ years of my life studying that I recalled this moment...my mom and I, at gospel chapel on West Campus at Azusa Pacific University.
...and that's how I became a Cougar.
As I filled out more paperwork, at first, the decision to major in Psychology was flippant. After taking a Gen Psych course, in all honestly I seriously considered changing my major because I did not enjoy it one bit. I went into the department of Psychology and talked with one of the professors about advising and my possible switch in major. His words to me were, "Jess, nobody likes general psychology, but it is required for your GE so everyone has to take it. It's how we weed out the people who are willing to go through our program and those who don't want to or can't put in the effort. If you're seriously interested, take one more class and if you hate that too, then switch." After telling me this he added, "The one cool thing about our department is we have Study Abroad options that have a direct track for Psychology students."
Okay, that's cool. Study abroad? that could be fun.
"It's in South Africa."
My heart lowkey stopped.
This school. This major. This Continent.
Not only did that professor, whom of which I can't remember the name of to save my life, convince me to stay in my major for one more semester, but he encouraged me to apply for the Study Abroad program.
So I did.
And I got accepted.
Cape Town, South Africa Spring 2017.
For the longest time it was, "that's so far away, I have so much time. I'm not going for another year/ 9 months/ 6 months/ semester... And now I'm 4 short weeks away from stepping back on a plane and going back to the place where I left a piece of my heart.
As far as logistics, I will be leaving mid-January and returning the end of April. I will be taking 15 units, 9 of which are psychology classes. I will be spending each Tuesday and Thursday volunteering at a local school or non-profit organization as part of the course requirements. This semester is academically focused, however, there will be outings and excursions planned for us to do if we choose such as bungee jumping, shark cage diving, safari, surfing, etc...
When I first applied, I went into it completely blind and alone. I didn't know or was acquainted with anyone from APU who was going. That in and of itself made me a little hesitant even just this past semester about going. I remember in the first few weeks after moving in I prayed "God give me someone. Give me a person in South Africa."
I kid you not the NEXT day, one of my best friends, Brittney Ann Siria, came to me and said "I think I'm going to apply for study abroad!" which in response I said, "lol really?" seriously thinking she was joking. Being a cadet who is sworn into the military, I didn't think it was possible for her TO study abroad, and neither did she. But after doing her research (which she is notorious for) she applied for a few different study abroad programs, her preference being South Africa, Cape Town, but not promised. We waited. We prayed. She got an email.
We were standing in the kitchen in her mod eating lasagna from the night before and she said, "So I have something to tell you. I got an email today, and I got accepted."
Now, just to preface, I'm not the most emotional person. That being said, when she told me this, I have never been so overwhelmed with emotions before. What started as what I thought was a joke almost expecting her to get rejected (sorry Britt, but it's true), has now turned into the reality of one of my absolute best friends being a part of my cohort in South Africa. The way I see it, she's not "coming with me" rather, we're in this together 1.) our lives are literally a High School Musical rendition College Edition and 2.) she's my person (which I feel as though she'd really appreciate considering she just started bingeing Grey's Anatomy). She has been there for me in my best and worst times and I for her, so basically what I'm saying is we both have WAY too much dirt on each other so we're pretty much stuck with one another for life... but I'm kind of okay with it.
I was hesitant for what next semester would look life for me and am still in anticipation, but now I have someone who is like family to me to take this leap of faith for the next 3 months... God provides.
I have quickly come to find the benefits of going to a Christian college. Yeah, we don't have Greek life, but my priority at this point in my life is not concerning what Aaron from Alpha Apple Pie Phee Phi Pho Phum is doing at the moment. But we do have the core values of what it looks like to be Christ-centered. By attending a Christian college and being in a major that can be very secular, having the foundation of being God First, I can't help but be so grateful for where I'm at.
I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be right now. I know that God has put specific people in my life at this very moment to support and encourage me at a time where it can seem confusing or scary. I couldn't be more excited to see what God has in store for me as I go back to Africa.
Cape Town, I'm coming for ya!
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