Landing in South Africa

I was nervous and excited about South Africa.  Thoughts such as “Will I be accepted?” “How will Black South Africans view me?”  “Will I have a sense of connection?”  As I walked around the Kennedy Airport in New York, I saw many foreigners and I wondered how they felt.  Did America welcome them with open arms or did she frown upon their arrival.  

Anyway, I showed the desk attendant my passport so I could receive my ticket.  Then I heard, “Your ticket has been cancelled.”   My heart dropped!  What should I do?  I am stuck in New York.  A word of advice:  always have your travel agent information with you along with your tentative flight schedule.  I called the travel agent and everything worked out. When I arrived in South Africa, I was exhausted from the airplane ride (total time from NC to South Africa:  24 hours).   We rode on the South African Airways (SAA).  I really enjoyed the ride because my flight attendant was very tentative to my needs.  He provided me with pillow, blanket, extra soda  and chips throughout the trip.  Hospitability was superb!  When we finally, landed and I stepped off the plane and I felt an overwhelming sense of joy and sadness.  I can not explain it. I stared at everyone because I was amazed at skin color, hair, etc.  “Are they my people?”