sho, this place is stunning...

K, so not to make you even more envious that I get to be in Africa (I can't help it) , but if you haven't realized yet from my pics and my constant blogs about it's beauty, South Africa is absolultely one of the most spectacular countries in the world and its why I keep coming back. My friend Christine and I packed up and took a roadtrip to hike the Drakensburg this week. The Drakensburg is located in the Natal region of South Africa and is the second largest canyon in the world. I betcha didn't know that was here. It was unbelievably green and lush and we had quite the adventure, hiking waterfalls and down "The Crack" which was a forbidden trail. I am a nature girl, I love love love to be outside and camp and build fires and even be dirty sometimes, although I also enjoy the shower afterwards but anyways. We even got to eat guava rolls, yes GUAVA rolls which we don't have in the states and also coconut marshmallows in our s'mores. So delish! I am already planning my trip back to these parts, it's absolutely amazing! Come and visit, come with me...come to Africa!

standing in a holy place

I was so grateful for the opportunity to visit the temple this week. I don't know how much you know about Johannesburg, but with all it's beauty there is a lot of danger here. I am constantly getting warnings about where I should and shouldn't go, and to watch my back as I travel around this city. The temple grounds here are beautiful and as I walked around this week I felt at peace, safe, a shelter from the outside world. I am all to grateful for the comforting spirit that the temples of this world offer and to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I don't know what I would do without the gospel in my life. The Church is the same wherever you go. The members here in South Africa are so good and are examples. I have been fortunate to participate in numerous family prayers, witness baptisms, and to visit the Johannesburg temple often as I have been here. The temple here is stunning and is lucky enough to be one of three in Africa.

durban

I love roadtrips! So a few friends and I decided to get away for a weekend and head to Durban, South Africa. First of all, Durban is beautiul and I loved it there! We had an amazing time just talking in the car, enjoying the scenery, swimming in the Indian Ocean, jumping off the pier and just enjoying not caring about anything for a couple of days. Love you girls, thanks for coming with me!

this is why south africa will never leave my heart

There are so many reasons I have loved my time in Africa, each time I have visited or lived here. Too many really to name, but I wanted to highlight a few just in case you don't know already why I am smitten for this part of the world!

Children: The children I work with are survivors and the most precious things to my heart, they've changed my life!

Elephants: graceful, loyal, strong, basically all that I am striving to be.


Waterfalls: a vivid reminder that God exists.

Jacaranda's: Nuff Said.

Braais: American BBQ's just don't cut it anymore, we need to take lessons from South Africans regarding spices and the way we grill. I'm very serious about this.

Cape Town: The most stunning city in the world.

Diamonds: A girls best friend and most of them come from this part of the world.

Sunsets: At the end of the day, despite the hardships of Africa she is blessed with the glory of a sunset. Spectacular!

Friends: I have met the greatest of people in Africa and I am so grateful for the role each has played in my life over the years. Some I know will be lifelong friends. Love you all!

just so you know...

I have NOT abandoned my blog! I'm only having a time manegement problem as of late and I promise to sort it out soon, I'll make a plan! And I will definatly post pics so stay tuned...

Until then, enjoy this pic. Just one more reason to come to South Africa and visit me! The Jacaranda's are the most beautiful tree I have seen and are ALL OVER THE PLACE in October, love em! I can also smell Jasmine, yes JASMINE while running in the morning... It's good to be alive! Cheers til soon!

quirks

I was tagged by a friend and the goal is to write six quirky things about myself so here it goes (it was great cause I needed a new post and didn't have one yet for the week)...

1. I love the taste of vinegar. I will have it on chips, cucumbers, salads, beets etc etc...if you gave me the choice between a candy bar and a pickle, the pickle would win out easily.

2. This goes along with number one, but my friends all know that I am the pickiest person in the world when it comes to salad dressing. I will choose a restaurant by if they have homemade salad dressing or not and it's not uncommon for me to ask the waiter, "do you make your salad dressings here?" and if they say no I will not order salad at all. I can taste preservatives in bottled salad dressing and I think it's yuck.

2. I have a thing with clean lines and things being straight. This could be chairs, pillows, box's, clothes in a closet, candles on a windowseal etc.

3. I can't stop doing a puzzle or suduko or a game without finishing it and solving it, if it's too difficult it's better for me just to never start it at all.

4. I like to sleep in a freezing cold room with three blankets. The softest of the blankets must be on the bottom.

5. I am extremely sensitive to smell and smells more than anything for me bring back memories. If I am in a store and I smell a certain lotion it might bring back memories of highschool, or the smell of fresh laundry reminds me of my cousin Jess, and the smell of pancakes reminds me of my dad etc.

6. I love doing my laundry and hanging it in the sun. Even when I am in the states and there are huge dryers a the house I would prefer to hang my laundry in the sun.

Ok, that's it...I guess I am not all that quirky but I am sure there are things that I don't recognise.

As fot the tag...Susie Q, Nicky, Camille, E, Matt, and Mindy...your it!

we danced anyway

Alright, so I am new in South Africa and I was looking for things to do this weekend. I met a gentelmen two weeks ago and he messaged me about a Stake dance they were having. Now for all of you who are single or who have ever been single you know what I am talking about when I say the words "Stake Dance" and you automatically feel that awkward, panicky feeling. Atleast if you are like me. I am not usually shy by nature, but there is something about these things that brings back memories of highschool and college of standing along the side of the wall, drinking punch and looking around like you are totally fine with not being asked to dance when you really wish that you would be so that you didn't have to look and feel so awkward. But then, there is also that uh oh feeling that if the wrong guy asks you how will you get out of it and in order not to be rude you will have to give him one dance atleast and then if he keeps asking you then you will have to make lame excuses like going to the bathroom or that you are tired. Does this strike any memories for anyone?

Back to my story, I said yes to go to the dance because well...I needed something to do on Saturday night rather than sit home. We went to the dance which was first a talent show so I sat with another girl that I knew and just chatted. Then, the music started. I didn't know what to expect, the guy I was with was just a friend (I think) so I didn't expect him to even dance at all. When he asked me for a dance I stood up, took his hand and then...off we went with the Afrikaans Sokkie. As our feet moved quickly and in a series of turns, I couldn't help but notice I was smiling. I didn't care about anything right then. I would even go as far to say that I really enjoyed it. It's nice to dance with someone that knows what they are doing and sometimes it's such a freeing feeling. As he spun me around til I was dizzy, I felt a sense of livelihood and it was really quite nice.

So my point to all of this is that sometimes we expect the worst and then someone comes along and changes your perspective. This has happened to me a few times in the past couple of weeks. I am grateful for these lessons and it's taught me to look for the good in everything because we just might end up with something great! And I am grateful to have learned something new about the Afrikaans culture and about South Africa. It's all going to be uphill from here!

To all my readers, if life is getting a bit awkward and difficult to deal with...Dance!

warm fuzzies...

Yesterday I was having one of those "I really need a hug" days. I said my prayers before I slept last night, asking just to feel a little significance in this great big world and this morning a card arrived from the little girl that I nannied in Connecticut. Today my day went fine and much was accomplished. Heavenly Father really does have a funny way of answering our prayers and He really does work through other people, even little people like Madeline. I am so grateful for her sweet spirit and her intuition.

howzit...

The first couple of weeks here in South Africa have been a whirlwind. I must say that moving across the world comes with it's own set of challenges and I am working my way through those. I think I finally have a handle on the cell phone/car situation. I have met some great new friends and have been spending the weekends with them. Honorable mentions are my friends Nadine (who dragged me everywhere my first weekend here-so fun!) and Angeline and Carel who were nice enough to pick me up and take me in to watch conference and for a good round of Phase Ten, love them! It's so nice to have met new friends who have literally been answers to my prayers.

Not much to report from the orphanage yet because I haven't actually been there (and that makes me sad), but soon now I will get a car and go there and be posting my adorable kids and all that we are doing. I can't wait to get there!

I have taken to driving on the other side of the road, was weird the first couple of times, but it's going to be fine. Whew!

The family I am living with is lovely. Mostly, we have been celebrating Jewish Holidays in the home where I live. Last week was Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. I have loved learning about a new way of life and experiencing their customs as celebration. I did almost mess up the Kosher kitchen by taking an avocado from the fridge that was in the meat bowl and placing it on the milk counter and taking it out with a milk fork. We had to call the Rabbi and boil the fork and everything. SAD...but I am learning and will soon get it straight. Tomarrow evening we will start a 26 hour fast (I must say that's the longest I have probably fasted ever), but maybe it will be good for my waistline? This week we celebrate Yom Kippur.

South Africa as always is sunny and the accents are delightful. I have picked up the words howzit, shame, pleasure (for your welcome), Lekker (Afrikaans for nice, sweet, delicious), lovely, and Cheers and have entered them into my vocabulary for now. Can't wait to encorperate more. Some other fun comparisons to American English...

Sneakers = Tackies
Trunk = Boot
Gas = Pe-trol
Soda or Juice = Cold Drink
I'll do it soon = I will do it just now
I'll do it later = I will do it now now

I am loving being in this place where it is sunny...the Jacaranda's are starting to bloom and as soon as they do I will post pics.

Enjoy what's left of your week and please continue to update me on your lives!


This is at the stake Talent show in Pretoria...now you ladies know why I moved to South Africa...the legs my friends, the legs!

leap of faith...

I’m sitting here in my airplane seat by the window just thinking about the step that I am taking in my life at the moment. I’m starting to realize that nothing in life is by chance and that everything is interconncected. The title to this blog is “Hollikin”. When I was a little girl my mother would take me to George and Louise Sturts house when she went away on vacation or needed some babysitting. I have so many happy memories of their home while I was in their care. George and Louise grew up in South Africa and immigrated to America over 30 years ago. However, they remained their South African roots and with their sweet accents gave me this nick name. I have never been called anything else by them and I blame them entirely for my love for South African people. We just had dinner together last week and I really could listen to them tell stores about Africa for days, they are just the most delightful people. But ok, that’s my childhood background but here is what’s happening now.

I am finally moving to South Africa! As I sit here I am thinking oh wow…it’s actually happening! Recently I finished reading the book The Alchemyst per my Danish friend Sidse’s suggestion. This book validated everything I have felt about my own personal journey in the past few years and also what I have to look forward to. So nice to actually have everything that I feel put into words by someone else! So many people ask me questions like, “How can you just uproot your life and leave home, your family, your friends?” , “Why are you moving to South Africa at this point in your life?” , “Aren’t you scared?”

There is a quote that says, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams”

For me, that happens to be in the southern hemisphere half way across the world.

Now I do realize that it sounds a little strange for a 28 year old woman from Salt Lake City, born and raised in the LDS church and a nanny to just up and move to Zion with not an idea of where that will lead while most of my friends are married, living in Salt Lake with three kids and one on the way, but I will explain now why I feel so passionately about this. I am by nature a passionate person, I care a deeply about my dreams, life and people. In 2004 I stepped off the plane in Johannesburg . I had plans to volunteer in an orphanage for two months. Much like other people that have ambitions of working in an orphanage, I thought to myself that it was going to be a “neat” experience. I in no way expected the change in my life that only began that September. I have not been the same since.

I distinctly remember sitting on the platform of cement, trying to connect with the orphaned children that first day. It was awkward because they didn’t understand my English. They looked at me as if I were a celebrity (which as a third year University student dressed in khaki pants from walmart and sneakers, I most certainly was anything but), and they looked straight into my eyes as if asking, “what is your purpose here?”

One of the children, Mpho was his name walked towards me and held out a card in his hand. I read it and it was the lyrics to National Anthem of South Africa. I still carry this card in my wallet. I asked them to sing. They didn’t understand. So I started to sing America’s anthem shyly, but in effort to create some unity, anything to help me connect with them. Then I motioned for them to sing and as I stood there, I heard something other than the beautiful children’s voices singing the four versus of this anthem (in different languages of South Africa). To me it was clear in that moment that there was no other place in the world that wanted to be. This place, South Africa spoke to my heart and it is never to go away. Obviously because I am on a one way flight back to Johannesburg it still hasn’t.

I again returned with my friends in 2006 for four months. Same experience, more attachment. Now I was really in trouble, South Africa had ignited a fire in me that I have never experienced anywhere else in the world. That’s when I decided, k…I am going to go back to America and take care of my stuff, finish my degree and get back here as fast as I can.

I spent the past two years in Connecticut aching to go back, taking care of the stuff and traveling to some other destinations. In January of this year I again felt that burning desire to go to South Africa, and it almost felt like I was planning my journey to “home”. South Africa somehow in all of this became just like home, with different friends and a different family. Is it possible to have both? I am here to answer that question, absolutely. Somehow over these journeys I have come to the realization that South Africa will never take away the love I have for my family, for my religion, for the people that I associate with all over the world, but this country does offer me the chance to be my best self and share even more with those that I come into contact with. It’s the only way to justify who I am and why I would give up everything in my life to be there.

I have absolutely no idea what living in South Africa will bring about in my life. And yes, I am scared. It’s not a safe country, the president just resigned Sunday Evening, the economy is unstable, HIV/AIDS rates are the highest in the world , and I have unresolved differences to face. But those things are just things, and I would say in most situations, the heart overpowers the mind. It’s the only way to get from where you are now to where you want to be. My mind, of course along with all of my friends (in and out of South Africa) can’t understand why I would just walk into that situation. All I can really say is that for the first time in so long, maybe ever I am being completely true my heart. It’s the most compelling opportunity I have faced, the biggest crossroad, my chance….and I am taking it!

If you’ll note that the tagline to this blog says “The Luckiest Girl in the World” it’s because I am. How many people are given the chance to follow their exact dreams with the support and blessings of their family and friends, a close relationship with Heavenly Father, and let me not forget to mention in a place with the most beautiful sunsets I have seen and elephants? I am so incredibly lucky and grateful.

Stay tuned…I will update often!

home

I'm a born and raised Utahn, but have lived all over in New York and Connecticut and have spent my time traveling the world the past 8 years. Again, I came home to visit for a few weeks and I have to say that I loved every second. I have the most amazing friends in Salt Lake and my equally spectacular family. I so enjoyed the mountains, the LDS Temples and the company. Salt Lake is beautiful in every season (and it's one of the only places that I have seen in the world that has all four: fall, sping, winter, summer). I love that. And I love customer service in Utah, it doesn't exist back east...and I loved all the walks, talks, dinners etc, that I was able to be a part of with friends and family these past few weeks. Really, when I say I am the luckiest girl in the world, I mean it. I really, truely have the most blessed life I could ask for and it's that way because of the amazing, inspiring people that I know. Someone pinch me please! I will miss all of you greatly while I am away, but of course think of you each day and you will be the ones to push me to do what I was meant to do. The apples don't fall far from the tree!

new addition

My little brother Steven and his wife welcomed Kaitlyn Elise Harris into the world on 8.28.08. She is such a delight, a little princess and I've been having so much fun being Aunt Holly and holding her! The best part about being an aunt is that you get all the benefit without the sleepless nights! love having my cake and eating it too!