I’ve always felt that celebrating a birthday in a different
country makes that birthday special for mere geographical reasons. It’s a good thing that this is my
perspective, too, as I turned 20 in Ukraine, 21 in Ghana and now 27 (eeeekkkk)
in Tanzania. As I mentioned on
Facebook and have tried to express to each family member and friend who took
the time to send me an email, card, voicemail, text message or like, a birthday
note means that much more on your
birthday when you are away from home and the effortlessly familiar. Take it from one who has been around
this block a few times. So, many,
many thanks to all those who thought of me on the 5th, including
Mike and his hilarious Skype video voicemail, Ashley and Bean and their eCards,
JaLissa and her personalized rendition of my grandpa’s famous birthday song and
the many emails, texts and Facebook messages. XOXO to each of you!
My day in Tanzania was a nice, quiet, Wednesday. As it turns out, my beloved somewhere-between-my-mom-and-older-sister Teddy went into the hospital to deliver
her newest daughter on the 4th. I was truly hoping Shamila would wait until the 5th
to put in appearance so we could be birthday twins; however, Shamila had other
plans, which is understandable since she was already two weeks past her
scheduled appearance date. So, at
6:30pm on the 4th, only five and a half hours before my birthday,
the beautiful Shamila was born. As
such, Teddy was as she should have been recovering
at home with her family instead of working at the hotel on my birthday. Selfishly, I was bummed because Teddy
is such a major part of my experience here and why I love Tanzania so much, but
that’s just the way the cookie crumbled.
However, I got to spend the day with my wonderful kids. I was overwhelmed with the abundant amount of sweet, homemade cards, pictures and a bracelet (from the precious 5th grader Happy) that I
received. The big smiles and
repeating “Happy birthday, Madam” from these amazing kids is enough to make
anyone melt. The entire hotel
staff was also extra sweet. Dean, who I have not yet had a chance to
mention, a professional chef from Canada
who lives in Florida and is in Tanzania for the month of March to assist in
improving the kitchen of the hotel, was kind enough to make me a special birthday
dinner: black bean burger with fries and CHOCOLATE MOUSSE. Let’s get a few things clear: 1)
chocolate is one of the most direct ways to my heart, and that mousse was my first taste of chocolate since 2013. 2) I don’t
eat black bean burgers in the States, but that bad boy was delicious and such a
nice break from the daily mounds and mounds of rice and ugali I have been
consuming.
So, Dean, Inno and I had a nice, delicious dinner
together. Mama Shayo even had all of the school staff come to the hotel for a
soda to celebrate my birthday. We had to
do this the day after my birthday because Wednesday was Ash Wednesday and
everyone had to go to church, but it is the thought that counts. To round out, or rather close out
the birthday celebration, Inno and I went to Glaciers on Friday and had a blast. Those Sex on the
Mountains are dangerous, people. :) But, all of my Tanzanian friends were
there and we had a great time, laughing (mostly at me trying to speak Swahili) and joking together. Singing, dancing and just enjoying ourselves under the stars against the backdrop of a Tanzanian night was the perfect way to end celebrating my birthday. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
Post college, I developed the habit of taking a moment to
reflect upon my last year as I embark upon another. When I look back at 26, it
was quite a year: I finished up my
year as a young principal; unexpectedly, yet miraculously (thanks to the
wonderful Andrew E. Hasty) found myself teaching 5th READING, who would have ever seen that coming?, at
such a positive, supportive school with the best staff and ever better kids;
helped a dear friend get settled in the Big Apple; witnessed two of my close
grade school friends get married as well attend the special, Ghanaian wedding
of two people who are literally made for each other; oh and let’s not forget, I
decided to leave New York, American teaching, my friends and family and move to
Tanzania. And here I am, in
Tanzania, where I will spend half of my 27th year. As 27 unquestionably falls in the
category of ‘late twenties’, I did have a few freak out moments on the days
surrounding my birthday, as I asked myself: Do
I really know what I am doing with my life?
And the answer is: absolutely not. But, maybe because I’m crazy or maybe because I’m actually
growing up, I have come to peace with that. I have realized that nobody really
has it ‘figured out’. So, I have
decided that instead of stressing about the unknown, what I have (or have not)
accomplished thus far in my life or how I match up to what society says I
should be doing at this age, I am going to try my absolute level best to simply
enjoy each day and fully embrace 27.
Why spend 27 stressing about ‘being this old’ when next year I more than
likely would say, Gosh, I just wish I was
27 again so that I could really enjoy it.
I’m sure I’ll have my moments of anxiety like any Type A, OCD,
Italian, Irish and Polish female, but hopefully they are fewer and less catastrophic
because I am giving my best effort to intentionally living in the here and now and leaving the rest to
the big (wo)man upstairs.
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