When The Universe Sends You A Message, Answer It

by Kelsey-Marie Mohammed (South Africa)

I didn't expect to find South Africa

It was just another regular day at my temp job in November 2016 when I got an email titled “Visit South Africa.” I had never thought of visiting South Africa before, but on this day, I was intrigued. I began reading the email and became intrigued by this country I knew little about. The email was from the well-known company Travel Noire and they were highlighting two trips — Johannesburg and Cape Town. After reading the descriptions of both cities, Johannesburg captured my heart with it’s artsy and fashion-forward vibes. On my lunch break, I called my friend Bianca and asked her to go with me to Johannesburg in April 2017, she agreed. From that day at work until April 2017, I was excited about my trip to South Africa and had a feeling in my gut that it would change the trajectory of my life. Finally, the day arrived and Bianca and I left NYC for Johannesburg. We flew to London, had a 12-hour layover, then flew 10 hours to Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport. This was my first time in Africa and truth be told, I didn’t know what to expect. When we stepped outside of the airport, I took a deep breath and felt calmed by how fresh the air was in comparison to the air I constantly breathed in NYC. Bianca and I met up with the other travelers on the Travel Noire and we were introduced to our tour’s photographer named Lebo. Lebo is a South African photographer who would be traveling with us during our 7 days in Johannesburg and capture us in our element. Although everyone on the trip got along just fine, Lebo and I never really spoke to each other. I would avoid his camera and him but I wasn’t exactly sure why. During our 7 days in Johannesburg, we fully emerged ourselves in South African culture, ate traditional foods, went on a safari and explored the city — all while Lebo was with us, capturing each moment. Finally, the day came when we would depart and head back to our regular lives. When I got back to NYC, I saw an email blast Lebo sent to all the travelers thanking us for a great week. I noticed he left his Instagram account link at the end of the email and my curiosity got the best of me. I checked out his Instagram and decided to follow him although we never talked during my trip. A few hours later, Lebo followed me back. I guess after this, you can say the rest is history. He eventually messaged me and expressed that we should have spoken while I was in South Africa. We began conversing on the phone and he eventually came to NYC that summer and we hung out. After only two weeks, we decided to enter a long-distance relationship. He would visit NYC to see me and I would visit Johannesburg to see him. After being in a cross-continental relationship for over a year, we decided I would move to South Africa. Without much contemplation, I didn’t renew my lease and packed all my belongings into three suitcases. In September 2018, I boarded a one-way flight from NYC to Johannesburg and started a new life in South Africa. Who would have thought that the email I received while at my temp job would lead to me living a life I would have never dreamed of in a new continent with the love of my life? I guess when the universe sends you a message, accept it.