By Kojo Richman
It was presupposed to be only a enterprise journey. Fly in, cowl the JCI Convention, create content material, fly out. However Durban had different plans for me. What was meant to be routine work became one thing much more significant — stuffed with spontaneous moments, unlikely connections, and a deeper sense of presence.
Morning Rituals and On the spot Prayers
Each morning started with a swim. It was my approach of grounding myself earlier than the day’s storm of panels, interviews, and edits. One morning, mid-swim, I caught myself considering, “I want I might play soccer on the seaside.”
Not 5 minutes later, I noticed a bunch of men establishing a recreation. I laughed, “God, you progress quick.”
I requested the coach if I might be part of. He mentioned sure. I greeted the gamers. Nobody responded. At first, I assumed they have been being chilly till I noticed they have been deaf and mute.
We performed anyway. No shouting, simply motion. It was probably the most lovely, human issues I’ve ever skilled. A reminder that presence is louder than language.
The Chaos of Creation
Halfway via modifying, our laptop computer broke. Cracked display screen. Wouldn’t cost. Panic.
We bootstrapped the remaining. Sellotape. Borrowed chargers. File transfers via any means potential. We hustled and we delivered.
That’s the rhythm of creators. Adapt. Improvise. Inform the story anyway.
Evenings on the Golden Mile
Every night, I walked the Durban promenade from South Seashore to Suncoast. The air smelled of sea salt, curry, and roasted mealies. {Couples} sat on benches consuming ice cream. Youngsters raced up and down the walkways. Sometimes, a Zulu rickshaw puller trotted by in full regalia.
Durban holds a sort of lived-in magnificence. A quiet chaos softened by an ocean breeze.
Malume Peter and the Knowledge of Strangers
One evening, I met a automobile guard named Malume Peter Gumede. After pointing me to the most effective nyama mhlongo (steamed sheep mind) I’ve ever had…spicy, tender, unforgettable — he walked me via a number of the metropolis’s rougher edges.
“You’re protected. You’re with me,” he mentioned. “My son is your age.”
I replied, “Malume, I’m in Africa. I’ve no cause to be petrified of my very own individuals.”
He smiled and left me with quiet knowledge I’m nonetheless unpacking.
Stillness on the Water
On my closing evening, I took a sundown boat cruise from Wilson’s Wharf. No loud music. No crowd. Simply me and the golden blur of the skyline melting into the water.
Durban 
Durban
Typically silence speaks the loudest.
Ultimate Reflections
I stayed in a small three-star lodge above the ocean. Each evening, the waves whispered tales. Each morning, they jogged my memory that even within the grind, there’s grace.
Durban gave me footage, sure. However greater than that, it gave me feeling. And generally, that’s the actual content material.
Concerning the writer
Kojo Richman is a Johannesburg-based visible storyteller, cultural strategist, and founding father of Sankofa Collective. As a creator constructing his 1%, he paperwork Africa’s soul via enterprise, life-style, journey, and occasions utilizing phrases, movie, and trend to highlight untold tales, genuine connections, and the sweetness within the on a regular basis.
