3-2-1 Strike a Pose!

Okay... Not just Phumi. All of you! GO!

I love it! Now. Here's some Red Bull. I want DRAMA! PASSION!

And CUT. Great work guys.

That's a wrap! 

The Warmest Welcome

A very excited Raquel and Keke (yes, that's a collective noun) boarded Korean Air, Hong Kong bound on December 30th. The flight was a lovely, comfortable 3 hours and went by quickly with the help of Memoirs of a Geisha (great movie!).

We were to get our first reverse culture shock as we boarded our South African Airways flight to OR Tambo International from Hong Kong. The uber politeness of service in Korea definitely spoiled us a little bit because I got the shock (and embarrassment) of my life when the SAA flight attendant was so rude to a passenger. "Excuse me! SIT DOWN! The seat belt light is on. SIT!" O_O

"Welcome home" was the under-tone of that scolding. I would have to forget about my customer-is-king mentality for a short while. Ha!

Fourteen uncomfortable hours later, we land in Johannesburg at 07:10. Oh, how tempted we were to kiss the ground as we got off the plane- but we controlled our inner African Americans.

The second "welcome home" was having to stand in a 20 minute queue for passport control before we could go and pick up our bags. By then, my excitement was dwindling (perhaps also coz I just couldn't believe I was finally back home).

Walking out (now about 07:45), sharing a 'OMW, we are here!', I look out the glass doors and spot one of my sisters. Before I could register what was going on, I just heard screaming and cheering, people jumping up and down, holding posters and flowers. FOR ME?!? (Look around. No Beyonce here). YES! For me. My heart melted, I forgot about the bags Raquel was pushing (sorry, Raquey!) and I just ran towards my Mommy who embraced me with tears and a bouquet of flowers.

In the haze of my teary eyes I look up and see all my sisters, my nephew, friends, their tears and more flowers and signs to welcome me back.

The Family entourage arrives 

Loved the hilarious posters- especially mom's! 

My sisters, Tlalane and Mpeo with the fake Makape smile

Little sis' tears came one hour before I saw her. Love you, Fifi!

There I go, leaving Raquel to push the trolley. hahaha (so sorry, Raqs!) *pic c/o Desire Ishwar via FB

Note how my nephew (Lebang) is NOT understanding why we are all crying. heeee *c/o Desire Ishwar via FB

Tshiamo and Njabulo pulled through from Pretoria :) *c/o Desire Ishwar via FB

And Des too, from 'Rustenburg'! *c/o Desire Ishwar via FB 

My romantic friend, Tlale from Pretoria *c/o Tlale Matseke via Blackberry 

Two weeks later, when I finally went to my home town *c/o Tshiamo Tlaletsi via Blackberry 

I was so taken aback by the effort everyone made to made sure I got the welcome of a queen. I felt a strong sense of 'you didn't have to!' but I never uttered those words because I knew that they all wanted to be there. That's what made my heart smile. A great wake up reminding me of the angels I have been blessed with.

Raquel, thank you for being a lovely travel buddy, and for keeping your cool while I lost it for a while. You're my little voice of reason.

A special thank you so those who came through (Stiby, Tshi, Jay, Basi, Tlale, Des, Mommy, Mpeo, Lulu, Fifi, Bankie):

I love you guys, and I thank you- from the depths of my heart- for giving me the warmest welcome ever!