South Africa is out of this world. No, really. It’s just trendy to say that about something that really hits you hard. Africa hits you in every sense of the word.

I don't want to bore you with descriptions of nature and my sighs about how beautiful it is here, because you, my dear reader, will understand it yourself as soon as you arrive. I will be tactless at times, please forgive me in advance, for by nature I am extremely emotional and bipolar: either happy and cheerful, or in complete apathy. South Africa is also bipolar, but more on that later. I want to make this blog as useful as possible for those who are just planning to come here. You will learn all the realities of this country and this magical city - Cape Town.

Briefly about me: my name is Kristina, I am 22 years old, I am from a small village of Novoorst in the Orenburg region, but I studied in Chelyabinsk. Last year I received a linguist diploma at South Ural State University, and over the last 3 years I spent 8 months in America and 8 months in Italy. Work, exchange studies, travel, you name it, and now it's time to challenge myself, to see the world beyond the beaten paths like America and Europe... Just kidding, I just went to my favorite IEC and asked them to send me somewhere, I wanted new sensations, adventures, and another dose of adrenaline. And here I am, two months later.

I am starting this blog 1.5 weeks into my stay in Cape Town, because only now did the inspiration and time come to reflect on things and draw some first conclusions. But even such a short time here has been so intense that one could write about it endlessly.

Cape Town makes you fall in love at first sight. Johannesburg, for instance, didn't make me fall in love, because we (I was flying with a girl named Irina, also from Chelyabinsk, we live together here now and are becoming friends) first flew there and had a crazy 1.5-hour layover (I beg you, don't repeat this, it's almost impossible to make it). Plus, before that, there was a 14 (!!!) hour layover in Abu Dhabi, and we weren't just tired, we looked like zombies. Irina's luggage arrived in Cape Town two days after us. Things like this happen often here. Welcome to South Africa.

Next, you must follow this, my dear reader, when you find yourself at the airport in Johannesburg: DO NOT GIVE YOUR BOARDING PASS TO ANYONE, EVEN IF THE PERSON IS IN UNIFORM AND RESEMBLES AN AIRPORT EMPLOYEE. The head of our IEC, Ksenia, is an amazing woman; she prepares you for the trip better than I've ever been prepared for anything in my life. That's why I knew about such people who take your boarding pass, walk you to the gate, and don't give it back until you pay. This is Africa, baby; to them, you are a light-skinned tourist with your mouth open from African beauty and a full wallet of money (even if that's not the case, I flew here myself, I know). Locals will try to make money off you in any, believe me, ANY available and unavailable way. They couldn't squeeze money out of me, I am a tough Russian person ;D especially since you don't need any help at this airport if you just look at what is written on the signs.

At the airport in Cape Town, everything wasn't as "fun," and a man with our names on a sign delivered us safely to the hostel. And at that moment, when we were driving from the airport to the city late at night, I fell in love with Cape Town. Sia – Chandelier was playing full blast on the radio, and we saw the lights of night-time Cape Town for the first time... Such moments are etched in your heart forever. Even now, listening to this song, I get goosebumps and see night-time Cape Town before my eyes... I’m gonna liiiiive like tomorrow doesn’t exiiiiiiiiist... Yes, that is exactly how Cape Towners live - one beautiful sunny day at a time.