For a long time, I felt a bit ashamed to be South African.
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I think a lot of it came from our history, and from spending so much time in Europe where everyone seemed to have such a strong sense of cultural identity. I remember feeling like we didn't really have that.
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I've been back in South Africa for almost two years now, and something has shifted.
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Maybe I just needed to spend enough time here again. To pay attention.

I've found myself reconnecting with this place in ways I wasn't expecting. The people. The food. The beaches. The mountains. The little roadside farm stalls. The way strangers strike up conversations.
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There are plenty of things that frustrate me about living here. That's still true.

But the natural beauty catches me off guard so often that I keep falling in love with this country all over again.
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I'm really grateful that I got to come home. 🤍🇿🇦🌊