sappy good-byes

just another example of the teamwork Heather and I have practiced the past twelve months

As if organizing details for leaving my job for 6 weeks wasn't enough... add to that packing suitcases for a trip home, hosting my sister (and wishing we could've done even more fun things together), and saying good-bye to my teamie Heather. Emotional is one way to describe this past week.

Last Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of Heather and I stepping off the plane in Lusaka to begin our year in Zambia together. We met at the Philly airport a mere 4 days previous (yes, the trip took 5 days...). Our 365th day in Zambia was a day to celebrate.

We gave each other birthday/year-end gifts (as we won't be together this year for our upcoming birthdays). And... well... I got a little sentimental...

I've been working on my letter to Heather for weeks now. Finally, the other day I tweeked it for the last time and printed it on brightly colored paper (Heather loves color). Yes, it took four pages of paper.

the letter

We laughed our way through memories (happy and sad) from the past 12 months.

And since you're probably curious, I don't think Heather will mind if I share a few lines from the letter I read/gave her:

...I like watching movies with you and cooking tortillas and sipping milkshakes and eating avocado tomato sandwiches and talking about work and listening to your stories and baking together with tunes and navigating Lusaka with you and discussing numbers and strategies for work… and I like laughing together—about Tonglish funnies and silly/challenging moments and funny emails and great memories.

I like when you answer my questions with, “I should think,” and when you run to the door to give Joshua da bubda gums. 

I like it when you consult me on your wardrobe and reassure me no one will notice that the last button on my dress is missing (even though I’m still not sure I totally believe you…).

....

And maybe one of these days… we’ll wind up back on this continent, breathing in the scent of orange blossoms and burning rubbish, looking up at the stars, sitting next to each other, drinking two of the best mint chocolate milk shakes the entire world over… and reminiscing about the year we spent at Nahumba once upon a time ago.

the painting I gave Heather :)

yeah... life's been pretty sappy around here lately...