I turn 25 in February. In honor of turning a quarter of a century, I give you 25 things that bring me joy in East Africa.
- Wearing the same outfits each week because nobody cares.
- Going to the market. (It’s always an adventure)
- Being recognized by the women who set up shop on my street.
- Slowly becoming friends with the people who work at the coffee shop. (I may or may not go there once a week)
- Setting up my classroom every Tuesday and Saturday
- Watching my students connect the dots with English.
- The feeling of walking on clouds after teaching.
- Learning a new language (sometimes it makes me want to scream, but it still counts)
- The ongoing list of ethnicities/nationalities people guess when they meet me.
- Drinking tea with some local friends
- Spending time with my roomie
- Going on walks in the city by myself. It makes me feel like I belong.
- Goats. Goats everywhere.
- Playing“was that a goat or screaming child”. (see above)
- Movie nights with my teammates
- Praying for our students by name every Tuesday
- Making friends with local people
- Dancing alone in my room to all sorts of music
- Re-reading the letters from friends that I put on my wall
- Hearing the bread man honk his horn as he passes by
- Ice cream truck garbage man. No further explanation will be given.
- Saying hello to the uncle who sells me phone credit
- Smiling children
- Sambusas. Enough said.
- Watching the rainbow unfold as I walk the streets. Color everywhere. I love it!