It is Christmas

Which is something I have to remind myself. Sweltering days in December can be a bit disorienting...but they do beat being so cold you can't remember the last time you were actually fully & entirely warm.

But as I look at the calendar, December 25th is in fact right around the corner. Next week in fact. To celebrate, I'll be heading to Zanzibar to meet up with some of the other GHC fellows from TZ, Rwanda and Malawi, as well as some of their friends. There's roughly 15 of us descending on Ameet and Jafari's house in Stone Town - where there was recently a massive power outage and the entire island is now without electricity. and water. This should be interesting.

Sans water, lights or anything else, regardless the chance to re-connect with some of the GHC fellows and make some new friends is a welcome one. The last few weeks have been a treacherous mix of personal/professional and social highs and lows so intense that it's systematically worn me down a bit. I'm looking forward to a vodka-tonic on the beach. I'm looking forward to doing some celebrating.

To friends old and new and to family near and far...Joyeux Noelle.