A bundle of toys was flung on his back

 Greetings, 

Once again, I hope this warm, engaging 19th edition of my holiday form letter finds you well and deftly eludes the clutches of your overzealous spam filter. I realize this year’s edition is a bit behind schedule and I assure you the entire editorial team has been handed a severe dressing-down. With the traditional apologies out of the way, let’s get to the updates.

In April, I relocated from Cambridge, MA to North Carolina. (Thanks for the send off from the best bar in the world, Parlor Sports!) 

Getting on the board is one of this year’s proudest accomplishments.

Cal, me and one of the top 4 bartenders in the world, Nikki, taking a spin on the other side of the bar.

Dimagi sendoff gathering in Central Square.

I put all my stuff in storage and flew down to stay with my sister Lynn and brother-in-law Robbie for a little while, ‘just until I get my own place’. I have landed in their recently empty nest and they are taking great care of me. As such I am in no rush and am still freeloading, erm ‘house sitting’ for them at their place in Oak Island and the home they share with their cats, Cosmo and Venus, in Raleigh.

New Mailing Address:

CMFK

1421 Princess Anne Rd

Raleigh, NC 27607

It’s fun to be closer to family. My niece Kate is teaching dance in all venues from public elementary schools to the America Dance Festival. Baby Niece Lindy is a Junior at NC State, a regular on the dean’s list and the Wolfpack’s biggest fan.

Working remotely is the new normal long term for me. I am still working at Dimagi and we are very excited to have celebrated our 20th anniversary this year. I am still challenged and energized by working on public health programs in low resource settings all over the world.

 

If there wasn’t much work travel to report in 2020 and 2021, this year I made up for it with 3 separate trips to Cape Town (June, August and October), a trip to Senegal, and a trip to Ghana. (Extra special thanks to my dear colleagues Abdoul, Ismaïla, Adjo (and Adjo’s cousin!) who took extra special wonderful care of me when I had COVID in Senegal this October.)

Here’s me, Molly, Mary and Anita in Stellenbosch in June. 

Here’s the West Africa team in October.

Here’s some of the team enjoying a sunset harbor cruise in Cape Town.

I also was fortunate to have time off for an extended break in August and a Safari and beach trip with friends in Zanzibar. Holly, Steve, Jen, Emily & I saw the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro crater and spent a week at the best beach in the world in Paje Zanzibar. I was here last in 2013 and it was still just as beautiful. I think maybe the best tide pools in the world.

On Prisoner Island near Stone Town Zanzibar with Jen, Emily, Steve, & Holly. 

Jen, me, Steve, Emily & Holly on a vista over the Serengheti. We saw lions, elephants, hippos, zebras, warthogs, giraffes and everything else. It was staggeringly beautiful.

We covered a lot of dusty kilometers in this extended land rover with our driver and cook.

Me on the beach in Paje, Zanzibar. This is my happy place.

I visited my mom several times this year in Louisville, KY, and did a few side quests including a fun bourbon tour and some river kayaking:

Adam, Sharon, Kerry, Erin and me at the Willet at the end of a 2nd tour. We’re holding up incredibly well under the circumstances.

On the way to kayak

Same group cleaned up for brunch in downtown Louisville.

Mom & Me in July.

In fact, my most recent trip to Louisville ended earlier today. As a last minute edition as we go to press: I was able to join my mom and huge extended family for their annual Christmas Eve gathering hosted by my cousins Matt & Mary Randolph:

Aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, and friends gathered on Christmas Eve

(Sure you received other Christmas letters, but did they include this year’s Christmas? And if not, can they even really call themselves Christmas letters at all???)

(I didn’t run much this year due to a foot injury so no race pics. Sorry, sweat fetishists.)

2023 is already shaping up to be a busy one. I have my travel visas for trips to Mozambique and Ethiopia already filed and that’s just for January. I also may eventually get my own place to live. Until then, you should come visit me at my sister’s beach house in Oak Island, NC. Wishing you health and purpose in 2023.

 Peace on earth,

~Courtney

@CourtneyMFK 

Outside of Cape Town in wine country in October

 

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