65th Birthday!

Dear blog,

Today is my 65th birthday. It's crazy to think that I am at the age where I can start medicare and supposedly retire.  That is, if I lived in the United States.  Ten years into my nursing career when I was 35 years old I left the US to work at a teaching hospital in Kenya. Tenwek Hospital has a nurse training program. I am part of the faculty that does the clinical and hands on teaching. It has been an amazing 30 years of working here and watching my nursing students go on to become accomplished nurses and teachers themselves.  I can't imagine leaving this place to retire just yet, so as long as they will have me, I am thrilled to keep working and doing this job. 

My home life is blessed.  My husband also works at the hospital but more on the administration side of things.  Despite being in Kenya for 30 years now, it can still be emotionally challenging some days and I yearn for the comforts of my old home and life in the US.  However, staying active in my Kenyan community has created a network of friends and family for me here. 

My neighbors and I share a community garden and are often to be found digging around in the dirt.  There are no gyms to workout in here as you would think of a typical American gym. Instead I find myself staying busy and active enough in my daily life and chores that I don't need a gym.  Handwashing laundry and hanging it to dry, walking a mile each way to the local market, and volunteering/playing with the children at my church are all ways that I use to stay in shape. I don't mind driving to an extent. If I know I need a lot from the village market I will take the car, but I won't drive in the city. There are too many crazy drivers.  

My goals for the upcoming year include learning a new hobby or skill.  I've always been fascinated with woodworking, so perhaps the local carpenter will show me some of his skills.  

As far as my favorite food, it is definitely avocados, but not necessarily for the reason you may think of when you ask what your favorite food is.  The community avocado trees drop their fruit when it is ripe. As soon as you hear that familiar thud on the ground of the fallen avocado, it is followed by the shrieks of laughter and running feet of the children who race to be the first one to get the treat. I sometimes hear the thuds in the middle of the night and have to get my avocados then because otherwise the children take them all! But it is such a delight to see them.

My current favorite song is "You've Got a Friend in Me" by Randy Newman.  I find that as I age, friendships are becoming more important than other things in this world. Here is a youtube video of the song!

Be blessed everyone!