Feeling loved and celebrated here after my 32nd birthday weekend... Last night good friends/coworkers took me out for a progressive birthday celebration. We started at AfriArt, an art gallery in Kamapala for some art viewing and appreciating... progressed to MishMash for drinks and appetizers... then on to Kana Kazana a delicious Indian restaurant for dinner... the ended at The Bistro for coffee. So fun AND delicious! And a much needed break for all after the Rwanda trip and an incredibly busy first week of classes. Thanks Bartels and Tokpas!
Some questions that got asked along the way:
1. Birth story: My parents were living and working in Nairobi with my two-year old sister. They had just started working for the St. Lawrence Kenya Semester Program. I was born one of the first days of their second semester with the program, in the Nairobi Hospital. My parents were with SLU KSP till Spring 1999-- when I graduated from high school. (Is that right, mom and dad? Any other exciting details I should know?)
2. Great birthday memory: Growing up they all kind of blend together... we had quite the crew of families and kids... and birthdays were often afternoon barbecues with everyone and sleepovers afterwards. And I thought of a few more after the fact: Once in middle school Rita and I had a combined rollerskating 50's party, we were obsessed with Oldies at the time. Freshman year of college Jules Grant, the wife of one of my dads former students, came to Gordon and took me out to get sandwiches from a little deli and have a picnic on a nearby beach. She gave me a passion plant which is still around (my mom is taking care of it these days). My senior year of college, my roommate Molly and the rest of the girls in the house woke me up to a delicious breakfast. (and that takes some serious dedication if you know anything about my early mornings). In grad school my sister had a surprise party for me. (The party may have been leaked a few hours prior by a "reply all" email response that somehow I was on, but I was still delighted by it. My
28th birthday I threw myself a party in Baltimore.... which I realized was a slightly scary thing to do after I'd invited everyone, but it ended up being good fun.
3. What is something I'd like to be doing or somewhere I'd like to be on a future birthday of my choice: On my
33rd birthday I'd like to be doing a sunrise balloon safari over the Mara. :) (No pressure, Than.) And anyone who wants to join... :) So yeah, see you all NEXT year!
And thanks again for birthday wishes and love from around the world. Much love back!
