My 28th birthday is a birthday I will not soon forget! My co-workers, host family and friends helped my celebrate in big and small ways that will be forever ingrained in my mind! I celebrated for about 11 days straight and felt so very loved!
Although my birthday is on May, 8, two of my co-workers/dear friends took me on April 30-May 2 to celebrate at Hwange National Park. We had so much fun. We relaxed, talked, ate lots of yummy food and of course went on many game drives and viewed elephants, zebras, giraffes, buffalo, wildebeest, kudu, impala, many species of birds, hippos, crocodiles, lions, a leopard, a hyena, a cheetah and more! Not only are the animals breathtaking at Hwange but I could spend hours staring across the Savannah at the acacia trees, the big blue sky that eventually turns into a glorious sunset and the multitude of stars at night. I could not have asked for a more amazing birthday gift.
The day of my birthday my coworkers at the Sandra Jones Centre and my coworkers at MCC both surprised me with small gatherings of food, friends and cake! I was also able to talk to family and friends on my birthday back in the states via Skype. It is also apparently a tradition in Zimbabwe that on someone's birthday you throw water on them. After I returned home from my late afternoon jog I heard the girls at the Centre whispering about wishing to throw water on me. Fortunately, it was cold enough that the sensible ones decided it was okay not to throw water on me:)
Then on the Saturday after my birthday, my host family had a birthday party for me! They invited many of my friends and we had a braii! It was lovely to have many of my friends gathered together. We hung out and ate a lot of good food and had an amazing cake provided by one of my friends! After the party was over my host family and I gathered around the table back at home and we ate more cake and they gave me a lovely gift. It was a wonderful day:)
Like I said, I have amazing family, friends and co-workers here in Zimbabwe. They made me feel so loved and special on my 28th birthday!
Time has just been flying bye lately. Which I realize means I am really having fun and enjoying myself. Not only am I enjoying my social life here in Zimbabwe but the other joy that I am experiencing is that I continue to love my work. Whether it is teaching pre-school, life skills, literacy or just hanging out with the children or girls I am so passionate about my work. I still learn a lot everyday and am grateful that my coworkers are always willing to teach me and entertain my crazy ideas!
Thanks to all who have made my birthday so special as well as my time here in Zimbabwe. It is hard to believe I only have about two months left. Looking forward to many more fun times yet to be had in Zimbabwe:)
A few photos from Hwange!
Happy Belated Birthday! I don't do well remembering family birthdays outside our own family members these days, so it was nice you posted your special celebration. I enjoyed the photos; memories of our time in another part of Africa with similar scenes. We didn't see as many animals as you with Nigeria being more heavily populated. The acacia trees we remember were loaded with beautiful orange-red blooms--gorgeous. Will you scrapbook your year in Zimbabwe? Have a phenomenal two months before your return home with wonderful memories and lots of photos. Dee
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