Last day at Cape Town

Here we are 3 weeks have gone and I'm getting ready to leave Cape Town.

I've been surprised by the city, it has been beautiful, with surprising people and amazing experience.

It felt weird every time I'm walking back to my hotel people would greet me even if they've never met me before.

It seems it's a quite city with no rush or stress, and in a certain way people are happy to live here or be here.

I've never heard anyone here saying I don't like the city I want to leave, and after three weeks I do understand that feeling.

I loved how the city might surprise you, I went from Windhoek to San Francisco just by visiting Cape Town, going up and down in the city, visiting table mountain or spending an afternoon in camps bay it felt naturally in a place I can call home.

Today am on my way to cape point that latest part of Africa, coming from North Africa, I would be able to say I've seen both of the side of Africa.

First stop is Hout Bay to spend some time with seals, next step the chapman peak let's see how it goes.

Facts about me

12 facts about me:
1. I love travelling, moving around the world, and getting used to new life
2. I enjoy walking for the whole day on sunny days without having a lunch break ( it’s a waste of time for me, especially if my schedule is tight)
3. My perfect week end, would be to stay in bed having a TV series marathon
4. I love Sushi, I can eat it 3 times a day without complain
5. I can get angry but the moment i say it out loud am fine ( forgive very quickly)
6. I hate picnics, or any events with food and nature ( don’t ask me why I have no idea)
7. I hate people asking questions when they already know the answer
8. The worst season for me is the winter, I get depressed and bad mood
9. Friendship is very important and doesn’t mean I need to talk to you all the time
10. I started learning different languages because it is a passion to understand people around me
11. Dancing is a second nature for me.
12. I’m African first, Algerian and Muslim.

Startup Women Weekend Maghreb!!

Have you ever imagine creating your own startup?
do you have any idea that can be a startup?
these are the questions you have to ask your self to be part of this event, and obviously you need to be a woman!!

I am in total admiration of these ladies coming from Algeria, Tunisia, & Morroco to be part of this first SWWM, to spend 54 hours in a room to develop their buisness plan, and pitch their ideas.
I feel i'm not courageous enough to put my self in this situation.
I can just imagine the pressure and stress that each one of them is feeling, luckily coaches and mentors are there around to meet everybody, to guide them and share their expereince.

After the SWWM, winning or not the competition, each one of them will feel grown up , each one of them will go back home with more knowledge, new friends and the satisfaction of giving their best in a project they beleived in.

I wish all of them a good luck for another sleepless night!!

Namibia the unknown country

Before to go to Namibia, all what I knew about it was that Frankie Frederick one of the best sprinter in the world is from Namibia.

I've discovered that Namibia has been colonized by German, Namibia has suffered from appartheid as much as South Africa, and I realized it is one of the youngest country that has got their independence , this year the 24th year has been celebrated.

I found out that in Namibia from which tribe you are from is very important, when I arrived many people were thinking that I might be a colored person ( a mixed person), and people would speak to me in Afrikaans first.

To be continued...

An afternoon under the sun!!

For a long time I've been traveling and trying to enjoy the best of each city or country, but sometimes planning to go out arrange accommodations etc.. It s just too much, when the best way to enjoy is most of the time simpler.

You just need to lay down under the sun and feel the warm feeling on your skin, you just need to put your feet in the pool and have that fresh sensation.

After a long tiring day, after some disappointment and stress, nothing can relax better that sitting under the sun and enjoying a fresh little wind.

I would agree that this moment would have been perfect if I could share it with important people in my life, but I cannot choose who is around me and who is not.

Am still enjoying even if I'm alone and I'm not saying I'm lonely!!

Happy late afternoon!!

Swakopmund... The coastal city

For a long time I've been traveling only to work without really enjoying the country or having touristic moment, after a month in Namibia, I realize it's an amazing country and I've heard a lot about the desert, the coast and ocean. I could not miss this chance to visit.

I went to Zambia last year without going to livingstone, I still regret it up to now.

Traveling from one city to another is a great bus ride, I've been lucky to seat in the from, so I could take pictures, relax and admire the beauty the country.

My daily life can be very complicated and I find my self disappointed , angry, nervous, and sad, I've decided for a weekend I forget everything and take a me time, a break time from my life.

It was just amazing, a big thanks to my student for booking everything for me especially that amazing hotel, I had some real rest there.

Unfortunately, I've forgotten to book activities, I wanted to go for desert and ocean adventures without knowing exactly what I can do.

So first when I arrived to the hotel I asked the reception for help to arrange a ride to the desert and a cruise.

I did not give any informations about what I want to do, I ended up in a living desert adventure, where the guide started looking for lizards, snakes and beetles, explaining the Eco system of the Namib, and how that weird foggy weather is important to maintain the animals in the desert, I was impressed by what I heard.

I felt more cautious, walking on the sand, looking for the trace. In the same time, he explained how destructive humans can be with their quad bike and 4*4 leaving trace on the sand, and hurting the Eco system, and for a minute I wanted to ask him to visit the Sahara, and see if he can find the same animals, if our Eco system is safe.

Second day, I went for a dolphin cruise, to be clear I did not see any dolphin but loved the seals, and the boat ride, I missed that feeling, watching the waves, pelican and seagulls, the lady working for that ocean adventure company was just lovely, after couple of minutes we became best friend telling each other about our life etc.. These kind of meeting are what I love in my life, no real attachment just two strangers looking for somebody to listen without judging or for a simple company. I would totally recommend this cruise.

And the most important I had oyster for the first time, with lemon and Tabasco and it s delicious, I loved it.

On my Saturday afternoon, I've decided to walk all way down from hotel to the city center , just to have  more ocean time, I loved being between the water and the wind, I felt that ocean water and felt happy.

I finished my trip to a visit to the gruner krantz, where I discovered local music, but also Nigerian and Kenyan , it was a great moment.

Swakopmund will always be that gift I had for myself, to remember that happiness is what I should feel everyday.

The power of a Hug!!

During these last years, I've been meeting people from all around the world, we might not speak the same language, but it doesn't matter because sometimes you meet people that share the same values, the same life appetite that make it so easy to understand each other, and the best way would be to exchange a hug. I believe it's the most emotional way to get close to someone.

That's why every good meeting or conversation will always finish with a hug.

Last time while teaching a small little girl came to my class, I was happy, being a baby lover, I wanted to play with her, I tried to lift her and she did not resist, she was quiet and lovely, holding her and teaching in the same time felt crazy but great, that little girl hug was full of emotion and innocence, I felt happy and loved.

There are moments where everything seems to be confused and lost, you may talk for hours, give your opinions, feel understood, but the moment you exchange that hug to say good bye, you really put the emotion and words together.

A hug is the best way to keep close to somebody, at least in my daily life.

Am sending all my love through a big hug to all of you.