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01/02/2024 | 3 MINUTES READ

Wind, Gas Stations, and Sunsets: Appreciating the Little Things

Stella O.

University of Denver | Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)

During my time in Port Elizabeth, I was not prepared at all for the wind. It reached the point that I just had to pull my hair back whenever I planned on going outside. In the moment, it definitely wasn’t my favorite, but looking back now, it makes me laugh. Something I never thought I’d think of fondly is now a source of amusement from my time abroad.

A rainbow over the coast.

Just one of the many rainbows I got to see in Port Elizabeth. 

My late-night trips to the gas station were more overtly positive experiences. That said, I never dared to try any of the chicken that got served up at the Crispy Chicken inside. Instead, I kept things safe with my usual order of a bag of chips, which had a really yummy seasoning salt on them.

The women working the counter were always the same and knew my friends by the end of my time in Port Elizabeth. Every time, without fail, they would give my friends a somewhat disapproving shake of the head on account of the time, followed by a slight smile.

While the trips to Crispy Chicken at the Astron gas station were fun, my favorite little thing about my time in South Africa as a whole was the sunsets. Regardless of where I was, the sunsets were unmatched, even by the phenomenal ones at home. I could see them from the beach (which was a five-minute walk from my student accommodation), the roof of my accommodation, or at my favorite spot: Sardinia Bay.

Sunset view from a mountain overlooking the ocean and a coastal town.

My all-time favorite sunset I saw in South Africa on top of Table Mountain in Cape Town. 

Sunset view from a mountain overlooking the ocean and a coastal town.

Now that I’ve been back for just over three weeks, the things I miss keep popping up here and there. It’s made me realize how much of an impact the little moments have on you. I find sand from my beach trips, and it makes me smile to myself. I’ll look through my camera roll and laugh when I see a random 0.5 I took of a friend that I thought nothing of at the time. The photos of occasional street cows were also some of my favorites, especially seeing them on your way to campus.

It’s the sunsets, wind, gas stations, sand, pictures, and roadside cows all summed up that made my time abroad so special, and I’m so thankful for each of those little things.

Stella O.

Tags

  • City Highlight
  • Reflection