Yesterday was my birthday. I am now 23 years old and having
a few class periods off have gotten to thinking. Another year older, but what’s
in a year? It really depends on what you do with it and what you make of it.
From year 22 to 23 I have left college and moved home, worked 3 jobs to try and
pay for Africa and then finally moved to Africa to start my volunteer
experience. I don’t feel like the same person I was a year ago. It’s strange
sometimes how one can change so much and yet not so much. I feel that my values
are the same, just stronger. I’m a much stronger person than when I left the
United States in December. But how long do these changes last? Sometimes we
fall into old habits and the change doesn’t remain. I hope that this isn’t the
case.
I love birthdays and I love spending them surrounded by
friends and family. The happiest I felt today was when my students in 8B
started singing happy birthday to me and at the end of class some of the girls
gave me handmade cards. There isn’t much paper around here and markers are
scarce so their effort was so sweet. I was also very happy to get to talk to my
parents on Skype. They always know what to say to cheer me up. I went for a
walk shortly after talking to my parents and when I came back to my favorite
shebeen and told Lydia and her son Philippe that it was my birthday I was
immediately given a free drink and some sweets. I love Namibian kindness. When I
went to bed I was feeling angry that my housemate hadn’t said happy birthday to
me and when I woke up this morning I had a text from her saying that she wanted
to be the last to say it to me at midnight and that she loves me very much. I
was so touched by that. Then when I went to leave my bedroom I found sticky
notes everywhere that she had put up for me to remind me of my birthday. It
really doesn’t matter how many people remember your birthday it’s the quality
of the people who do. I feel so blessed this year.
I also spent this past long weekend in Opuwo with my
American friends. We went to a lodge there with an infinity pool that overlooks
the mountains. It was absolutely gorgeous and I had a fabulous time celebrating
the birthday weekend with them. We camped at the campsite with our tents. Mine
was a borrowed “china tent” bought from one of the china shops here. It ended
up falling on me on the last night we were there but it held up nicely the
whole weekend. We had a braii with some meat and corn which was delicious and I
had a cosmo by the pool. Almost gave me the illusion I was home somewhere
fancy.
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