I come from a place where we are misunderstood.
A place where in every corner there is life and different culture enriching the land and it's people. The land where I took my first breath and loved since I understood what it means to love. Yet our beauty, our dazzling greatness is shadowed by the fear that history has given us. Our beauty is swallowed by the darkness that is painted upon us by those who don't understand.
We are not without crime, we are not without criminals. We are not without poverty or starving people in the streets or children begging for a crumb to eat. We are not without death or disease, or those of desperation... but it tears my heart open to see that this is all the world will see of us.

Come into my world, even for just one day. Let me show you the beauty underneath the darkness that the people have painted us with.
Let me show you the smiles of the people, less fortunate than us. The smiles that appreciate life for every day that they live. Let me show you their intricate works of vibrant colors and great patience and the proud smiles they wear once their works of arts are done. The happiness they show at your kindness and the sincerity in their eyes.
Let me take you away, and show you what my world is about. It's not in the city. Not with the people. It's not with the shops or cars or money.
Our beauty lies in places you can't imagine. Away from the sights, sounds and smell of the cities.
The beauty of my country lies deep in nature. The birth of a young. The call of a lion. The silhouette of cheetahs basking in the setting sun. It lies in the fields of long grass, whispering the secrets that it holds. Or the cry of the owl in the midnight moon. The high pitch laughing of the hyena or the rumbling growl of a lions hunt. It's in the leopard guarding it's kill high up in the tree or the hissing of the snake warning you off. It's in the herds of zebra or other animals gathering at a watering hole, or the terrified cry of a striking crocodile. The beauty in the rarity of seeing the rhino or the proximity of an elephant herd.
Our beauty is in the rushing waves from the deep blue oceans and the disappearing tail of the whales. It's in the lightning and the soothing sound of the rain and the soft clouds gathering on top of the mountains in the Cape.

But words don't mean a thing.
We are not without flaws, but we are rich with life.
So...come into my world for just one day. Let me show you our beauty.
The beauty of my home that is South Africa