Change is huge when you pack up your world and move it to another continent. You grasp at objects, thoughts and feelings that make you feel somewhat comfortable or at home but deep down you know you have to change everything to survive. It isn't as simple as learning to drive on the other side of the road or not being offended when the voice-activated GPS in your new car cannot understand a word you say so you still have to type in a detailed address every time you want to be directed somewhere. Planning a meal isn't as simple as it used to be as half the food you paired together, no longer exists. (Is now a good time to mention that I would give anything to taste a Woolies rotisserie chicken paired with a small wholewheat seeded roll?). Such is the same with birding...
I will always be insanely thankful to Jeanine for allowing us to stay in her home when we first arrived in New York. Somers is a delightful little town and it gave Jacques the opportunity to stay close to the office in a time when he needed the stability of not only changing his life, but tackling a tough new role at work. I was able to spend a lot of my day looking into the line of trees close to the house, not only to admire the gorgeous snow scenes which appeared regularly, but also the incredible nature and wildlife on her doorstep. Within the first few days of arriving, I was drawn to the lounge (or living room as I now have to call it) windows to gaze out at the view. A few tiny footprints in the snow appeared when squirrels and chipmunks started to show themselves. Seeing wild deer walk through the back garden and hang around for hours under the trees on a particularly snowy day, gave me a sense of excitement. Then the first birds started hopping about in the snow and on bare branches outside the kitchen. That morning when I couldn't wait to pick up my camera and start snapping birds - something I have always felt should rather be left to the professionals - I found my mission. Get working on seeing as many new birds as possible.
From my first walk around the streets of Heritage Hills where I couldn't see through steamed up lenses or move the focus wheel on my binnies, I knew that birds would be my lifeline to adjusting. I didn't have a job to hang on to for some stability so the new birds and delights of nature I was experiencing, soon became my mini-obsession. For those of you that shared my initial journey and have been happy to wade through all my Facebook photos, you cannot understand how the interaction helped me to settle me in. You will be equally pleased to know that I will be starting my new role here at IBM on the 7th of June so my Facebook posts will very quickly disappear to just a normal trickle.
Back to birding... Before I left SA, I reached out to the Audubon Society here to ask about local clubs in the area. I am a great believer in birding with others - nothing is more disheartening when you see something spectacular and have no-one to share it with. There were a few clubs around me so I reached out once I was here and got some responses. It was with great enthusiasm that I dragged Jacques out of bed one icy cold Saturday morning and to a place called Croton Point where the local bird club was doing a count of species visiting a group of bird feeders. During part of the winter, this is how they count the different species and these particular guys did it from the warm confines of a building with large windows and not outside in the snow. We were immediately made to feel welcome and spent most of the hours chatting to the team there about birding back home and our move. In between we were admiring the birds at the feeders too. This initial interaction made such a great impression that I decided not to investigate other clubs and stick with this one (Saw Mill River Audubon).
I have had the pleasure of being able to attend most of the Monday and Thursday walks with the club during May so for once, have appreciated not having to get up for work every day. Most days I feel like an absolute beginner as the appearance and calls have me starting from scratch but every time I go out I start gaining more and more confidence. It does help that I have an incredible teacher, Anne, who is sharing her insane amount of knowledge with me (thanks Anne). It does also help that there are the most gorgeous locations in and around where I live, not excluding my garden of course, that makes wanting to be out there with my binoculars, a pleasure. I am enjoying getting to know fellow club members and having a shared passion helps make connections I didn't think were possible so quickly.
I never realized that this girl with blazing hot, African blood flowing through her veins would be able to use that same blood to find a link to her new world. Changing your life is a journey and having inner peace to keep you sane
while you travel that road with a GPS that doesn't understand your
accent, is immeasurable.
