South African rhythm

by Aisa Coco Pérez (Spain)

I didn't expect to find South Africa

I had this dream to visit Africa and live with wild animals. Perhaps this was because during my teenage years I would devour all of Jane Goodall´s books, Gorillas in the mist and, of course, Out of Africa from Karen Blixen. But when you get older you "decide" that those dreams are not valid anymore. You need to study and find a propper job! That is what they say to you. Luckily my love for animals and travelling did not fade away during these years and soon I found myself living in South Africa for a whole year. My thought was that I would only volunteer at a Monkey Sanctuary, but South Africa had so much more to offer me. Monkeys all around me, trying to steal some food, playing in the long green grass and warning us from any snake they spotted. Birds and cicadas singing their endless songs all day long, even when the tempetures would reach above 40º Cold nights with a sky full of stars and warm days with a burning sun above my head. The songs of the workers when they were working. The smells of the kitchen when dinner was ready. Trips to rivers with crocodiles and hippos. Driving through Kruger Park watching all this beautiful wild animals: Elephants, lions, giraffes, wild dogs, rhinos, etc. Being for a year in South Africa, gave me the chance to know this country, but it specially gave me the chance to step out of my confort zone, to meet new people all over the world. And specially I had the chance to work daily with monkeys that had suffered terrible fates. Do something to amend others mistakes and ignorance. This country follows its own rhythm, with only two seasons every year and people living among magestic animals. Both disaster and beauty are present in this country daily. Live and death. Like two sides of the same coin.