I have kissed a giraffe…obviously. This particular piece of information may not seem significant or unique to most, as a surprising number of people have managed to lock lips with zoo animals over the years. The good thing is that the significance of my giraffe kiss lies not with the giraffe itself, but with the location.

I kissed a giraffe in the summer of 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya. I wasn't visiting the country as a tourist as Kenya had actually been my home for almost seven years at that point. My family moved to Kenya in 2011, right before my ninth birthday, trading the comfortable mediocrity of suburban life for a far less stable venture to a brand new continent.

My dad left his successful job in the business world and accepted a position for a charitable organization in Kenya that rescued at-risk children. It was admirable work and even though switching continents proved challenging for my younger self, I always knew that the work my parents did was worth any hardship I struggled. I never learned the language unfortunately, but I did get to experience the beauty of Kenya's culture and, obviously, its animals.

I lived in Kenya for 10 years total, only coming back to the US after graduating from my international boarding school. My return to American life was hard and sometimes I still struggle with feeling out of place. Kenya will always have a special place in my heart and I will always be thankful for the amazing experiences I got to have there. After all, anyone can kiss a giraffe, but not everyone can do it in Kenya.