The mad-cap adventure and fairy tale, film story of a quixotic, middle-aged woman who won't give up on her dream and ends up in every scrape imaginable.
4.2.1 There (South Africa) and back again (Thailand), A hobbit's tale
Eighth newsletter (Second trip. First newsletter)
28 September 2007
As most of you have probably already heard, I went back to South Africa, bag and baggage, early in March 2007. Enough was enough. I just couldn't take the lies anymore. My money was quickly dwindling and I was very sick. First Tonsilitis. Antibiotics. Then flu. Antibiotics. Then flu again. Antibiotics. Then an Auto-immune sickness because of all the antibiotics (and probably the many Hepatitis vaccine shots they gave me until they figured out I had had Jaundice as a child and stopped). All of this without medical aid and on a freelance salary.
I had to fork out half of my money for a "visa run" to Laos late in January. I burst out in tears at the bus station because of all the money worries. My joints felt like knives were stabbing me every time I had to get up and I walked like a rusty, old woman from the auto-immune sickness. Once again I saw almost none of the country. We went to a big city, Savannakhet, but I saw almost none of it. When I arrived back in Thailand I heard that all the schools were closed and they had no work for me. That was the last straw.
Mercifully I had return flight tickets which were valid for a year. Typical Qatar Airways, I had to make an added payment. They just disappoint at every level. I packed up, went to Bangkok with my giant suitcase and booked into the "Sawasdee Smile". The next day I almost missed the airport bus because I couldn't carry my heavy suitcase. Just as I was headed to the airport, Harry called me after a long silence from my employers. I told him I was on my way to the airport. He was shocked. What did they think? That I would keep on waiting around forever?
Anyways, I got the job at that exclusive high school in the city. I'm going to do everything right this time. I'm going to apply for the "Non-Immigrant B" visa at the Embassy in South Africa before I return to Thailand. This time I'm going to do it so I don't have to lie at the border, or carry the guilt or financial burden I had to carry last time.
When I landed in South Africa I couldn't believe it. The airport's name was Johannesburg International Airport when I left last year. Now I got back it is called O.R. Thambo International Airport. (Thailand went through two peaceful coups in the two years that I lived there). The Thais handed out flowers to the soldiers driving their tanks through the streets. I wonder if things would have been so peaceful if it had happened in Africa? Thailand also got a brand new airport. 2006 – 2007 was a busy year for both countries. In the car on the way to Pretoria I could see there were a few new building structures next to the road. Everything felt old and new at the same time.
Sebastian was so happy to see me. He made "zoomies" around the coffee table for probably 5 minutes straight. Nobody is ever as happy to see you as your dog. Man, it made me very teary-eyed. I hugged him and hugged him. My little powder puff. We lay on the floor and he jumped on me and licked my face. I usually don't like it if a dog licks me in the face but this time it felt like big, sloppy, wet kisses from an long, lost friend.
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