The Complete 27 in 27

Here it is...inspired by Mandy: My 27 new things I did in the year 27!

27. Squeezed into my first fireplace

26. Fell in love with Thai food

25. Communicated with a man in both French and Arabic

24. Came to the realization that I play basketball better than any of the locals I live around.

23. Drove a stick shift in Africa!

22. Rode a camel

21. Ate maggots

20. Got kidney stones!

19. Been the victim of a walk-by fruiting.

18. Ate tapas.

17. Put my feet in the Mediterranean.

16. Visited Spain.

15. Saw the Rock of Gibralter.

14. Rode a boat across the Strait of Gibralter.

13. Squished seven people in a Mercedes Grand Taxi. (Think engine-about-to-fall-out-upholstery-not-there-anymore Mercedes.) Only three of us were Americans.

12. Ate a Chawarma at a Middle Eastern restaurant.

11. Hailed my first taxi.

10. Taught science as a subject (poor students)

9. Hired a maid

8. Moved to North Africa.

7. Held a squirrel

6. Father of a former student asked for my number.

5. Cooked my very first North African meal: harrira, cous cous, and mint tea.

4. Watched the American movie classic, Casablanca. (The second most popular movie of all time.)

3. Signed a contract with a school in North Africa to go teach there for two years.

2. Rode the elevator to the 72nd floor (my age backwards) of the Westin in downtown ATL for dessert in the rotating restaurant.

1. Touched a cow-nose stingray on purpose.