After a long pause, Hello again. It's me. I may not be Adele but luckily, I am James.
How time flies. The difference three years can make in a person's life is undeniably huge. To think that the last time you heard from me was about three years ago is improbable. I am so excited to take you on what has been the road of more ups than downs, lessons learned the hard way and just what I have been up to all this time.
But first things first. I apologize for not writing in the last three years. Frankly, as a writer, you need the inspiration to put ink to paper or you won't be getting the same thrill you ultimately want in writing. So for me, these last few years have been about rediscovering myself. The writer in me has always been there, whispering all this time until today, when the noise was too much to bear. I want to credit the icy cold winter in Adana for allowing me to be in my most creative mode. My writing badges might be falling away slowly but at least let me rewind a bit and share with you what's been happening. And on that note, can we just take a moment of silence for all the good blogs I intended to share with you that never got to see the light of the day!
Now that we got that out of the way, shall we?
I may not have been entirely honest about my writing badges crumbling down because I have been dying to share with you the most exciting news...can a brother get the drumroll? I am publishing a book on Monday 4th May. It is my way to essentially say I am sorry for the silence but I hope we can all see why I have been missing. This will be my best work yet and I want to take this final lap of the journey with you. Tag along, as I reveal the challenges and opportunities this is presenting me.
Besides the book fever, My life abroad still goes on. Since the last time I reached out, I have been home and back thrice, which was the much-needed boost to me. Because let's be honest, living in one place for long enough can feel a little like you are an animal in a cage, especially if you are me. Somewhere in the middle of my stay in Adana, I had a period of aimlessness and decided that Adana really isn't a place for me. Everything started to be too predictable and far too comfortable. I constantly want to continue pushing my boundaries and find the places that make me uncomfortable and challenge me. Places where I can't speak the language, where just getting across town is a stressful affair, where people look at me strangely(no I am just kidding with this one), where even feeding myself is an ordeal in itself. That's just the way I am wired. It's the urge I can't seem to defeat no matter how hard I fight it.
This has absolutely nothing to do with Adana because God knows I love this city and its people. But I am sure I would feel the same even if I was in Toronto or Moscow. Anyone who has been away from their home for two years will tell you it's not easy, it's daunting if anything. Just take this with a pinch of salt, its not as bad as we make it out to be. If that process taught me anything, its that we suffer mostly in our imagination than in reality. There is nothing in this world that can trouble you as much as your own thoughts.
Allow me to decode it for you, can I? Making a trip after all these years can feel overwhelming and exciting at the same time. I expected to find everything just the way it was before leaving home. My dog was supposed to be that fluffy adorable animal I left, My friends would not have rushed off to form other deep meaningful relationships and would still be laughing at my dry jokes and blah blah blah. Although I have to admit it's a little naive and selfish to think things will not have changed even more than two years later. I was naturally excited to be going home to my family and friends. So much that 14 hours of flying to Johannesburg seemed like 14 long years. Finally, the plane landed, and I will never forget the deep sigh I took before silently saying to myself, Welcome home! The very first thing I remember doing was heading to one of my favorite restaurants at the airport to grab breakfast. Now, bacon isn't necessarily my cup of tea but excuse me, I hadn't eaten pork in years and I made sure to get some.
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| I promise the food tasted worse than it looks... Has my taste buds also changed, eww |
A year after that, I was lucky enough to visit home one more time. For a different reason. I couldn't see my family and friends as much as I'd have loved to, owing to other commitments. More on that later.
July and August found me in a whirlwind tour of Africa where I linked up with one of South Africa's richest and influential business gurus. A trip that was a pure adventure. You can also rest assured that your boy made certain to soak up every little thing along the way. I am talking, advice that I wouldn't otherwise have gotten, experiencing the life of the moneyed and maybe the biggest gain was learning first hand what it really takes to be a great person and an even better entrepreneur. I have dedicated a whole chapter in my upcoming book on this. Be sure not to miss it. Hands down one of the places that left a profound mark on me, where for the most part I fit right in, is Zimbabwe. People in Adana are hospitable but Zimbabwe's hospitality goes far beyond the meaning of the word. Different countries came with varying experiences that overall made me a better person.
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| My hardest goodbye OR Tambo Int. Airport |
Now that I am back in Adana, My fourth or fifth (I have lost count, who is counting anyway? Anyone?) year abroad is anything but what I had imagined it to be. Every day that I wake up is a reminder that I am on a mission far greater than me. That's how I choose to start my days, positive and working hard to make every day here a memorable one. I am not going to lie to you, some days are harder than others but I know if I do my best, things have a way of working out in the end. That is what I wish for you too.
Until Next week, stay positive and always dream big
