African Adventures

This trip and experience has been exactly what I needed this year.  In March, I was told by my old boss that I couldn’t be a zookeeper and do this program.  Her words gnawed away at me.  My mental state and spirit had been declining at work and this was the dagger to the heart.  I was devastated that someone who had been so supportive of me doing this program was out of the blue so against it.  Fortunately, I was able to get a new job where everyone was very supportive.  My new bosses even rearranged the whole department’s schedule so that I could go on this trip. Despite all the support of my new coworker and bosses, my old boss’s words were still in the back of mind.   

Going to Namibia was a trip of my many firsts for me.  This was my first time flying overseas, first time being in Europe and Africa, and my first time really having to navigate multiple flights and airports by myself.  I had been crazy excited about this trip since I found out I was going back in January so when I woke up on my flight to Johannesburg at 3:30am and saw we were over Angola, I had my first “Africa” moment.  I couldn’t believe I was over Africa and that I would be spending the next two weeks here.  The adventure that awaited me was truly life changing.  It gave me back my fire.  I got to Africa not knowing what to do and I left determined to show my old boss wrong.  I can be zookeeper and change the world. 

Looking back on this experience, I don’t know that one particular moment stands out.  There are so many incredible things we got to experience and share together. But if I have to choose one, I think it was when we went on the game drive after having all those lectures.  I sometimes have really bad anxiety in social situations and I’m always wondering and questioning if I’m really part of the group or if people really care what I think.  I remember on the game drive singing Hakuna Matata and being weird and silly and being totally content.  There were other people who were just as weird as I am and we were fully embracing our weirdness.

Game Drive

Hakuna Matata

I came home completely rejuvenated and feeling supported.  I remember talking about my master plan and how it had completely fallen apart.  I remember the looks on everyone’s face when I told what my old boss had said to me.  I remember the support and love I felt from everyone.  I’m extremely happy I got to meet all these wonderful people and got to share this experience with them.  When I think about this trip, I think about the animals I got to see, but I mostly think about the random moments I had with people: Finding other goat obsessed people, staying up all night at the water hole in Etosha, singing Hakuna Matata on the game drive, hanging out by the fire, and that first night we all thought we were going to be eaten by a leopard. 

All nighter at the water hole: 3am lion pride