30 th Birthday (November 17, 2006) Edmonton, Canada. Dear Friends,

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Shon Hubbard
5 years ago
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Dear Friends, This weekend I celebrated my 30 th birthday. It was wonderful to spend an exciting evening in a company of my dear friends here in Edmonton.

It seems that I will be saying for at least some time that I am twenty -ten.

This weekend I enjoyed thinking about many moments we spent together.

and every year there were more and more friends in my heart.

1 Dear Friends, This weekend I celebrated my 30 th birthday. It was wonderful to spend an exciting evening in a company of my dear friends here in Edmonton. The only thing I could not get used to was that number 30 all around the apartment refered to my age. It seems that I will be saying for at least some time that I am twenty -ten. For me birthdays are always a time to reflect, to enjoy memories of the year behind, and to dream about the years to come. This weekend I enjoyed thinking about many moments we spent together. I felt happy again knowing that so many of our friendships have survived the challenges of a time and distance Every year some new dear people were around for my birthdays and every year there were more and more friends in my heart. I wish our planet is a bit smaller so all of you could drop by for a piece of cake and good laughs at least once a year Many of you probably wonder how I feel now that I turned 30. Honestly, I do not think I would go back not even half of a year because I do not believe in this moment that I would survive another round of 6-7 months of traveling and adventures Looking back warms my heart, looking forward excites me Overall, that number 30 does not seem bad to me The only problems are that every year it becomes more dangerous to light up all the candles on my birthday cake and a bit harder to blow them all at once. 1

I celebrated my 30 th birthday in a great company of my friends in Edmonton.

Laura s and my apartment the following day.

heels before my 30 th birthday. These 2 days I got a bit over trained from walking in them.

It was wonderful to see again my dear friends here in Edmonton after a month of wandering along the

2 I celebrated my 30 th birthday in a great company of my friends in Edmonton. A celebration started with going out for Latin dancing on Friday night and continued with a party at Laura s and my apartment the following day. Just before the deadline, I managed to finish my 15-year long project of learning how to walk in high heels before my 30 th birthday. These 2 days I got a bit over trained from walking in them. Finally I felt like a basketball player (too bad I did not realize sooner that all it takes was to put the high-heels on! ). But I have to admit that it felt so good to be on the ground again at the end of the party. It was wonderful to see again my dear friends here in Edmonton after a month of wandering along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of Canada. I truly enjoyed a great company, positive energy in the air, joy and laughter, excellent food from different parts of the world, play with balloons (what an example of active living of Master s and PhD s! ), fantastic Latin music, and, of course, dancing. 2

3 Here are a few smiles from that evening Thank you all for bringing so much joy to this party and to the lives of people around you! 3

Snezana and Bane brought to the party Mr. Right When You Need Him (picture on the left). What a man!

guide was worth studying Another year of wonderful memories stays behind me.

Without all of you, the years behind would not look so great and the years ahead would not seem so exciting

4 Snezana and Bane brought to the party Mr. Right When You Need Him (picture on the left). What a man! It was amazing how patiently he listens and how he knows to say exactly the right thing in the right time User guide was worth studying Another year of wonderful memories stays behind me. Thank you all for being there for me all these years and helping me to continue believing in my dreams. Without all of you, the years behind would not look so great and the years ahead would not seem so exciting and promising. Considering the last 30 years, it seems that we could hope for at least a few more parties and adventures together in the upcoming years! Be ready! 4

A Few Birthday Memories from Previous Years Everything I

to share with you a few birthday memories from previous

Do not get surprised if you see yourself on some of the

Novi Sad (Yugoslavia) High school days (1993) Third year

5 A Few Birthday Memories from Previous Years Everything I feel these days would not exist without what happened in the past. So I decided to take this opportunity of my 30 th birthday to share with you a few birthday memories from previous years. Do not get surprised if you see yourself on some of the pictures in a bit younger edition. Novi Sad (Yugoslavia) High school days (1993) Third year of undergrad (1997) Forth year of undergrad the year of laughter (1998) Rijeka (Croatia) (1999). (Right) Sea, beaches, basketball and excellent company I could not ask for more that year 5

And then I came to Canada Edmonton (Canada) November 2000 The

5 months upon my arrival with my new friends.

ones I could communicate with at the time just because I did

Nasser and Enrique, my group of international friends had

6 And then I came to Canada Edmonton (Canada) November 2000 The first birthday celebration in Canada was 2.5 months upon my arrival with my new friends. Many of you will recognize papacito Enrique (Spain) and Nasser (Iran). There were also Anita (Croatia) and Urosh (Serbia) the only ones I could communicate with at the time just because I did not neet to talk English November 2001 A year later, besides Nasser and Enrique, my group of international friends had grown to include Louise (Canada), Carrie (Canada), Yoko (Japan), Oleg (Ukraine), Viktor (Mexico), Mariana (Argentina), Alberta (Philippines), i Matt (Canada) 6

November 2002 Year after year was bringing new dear people to my life Besides those

others joined our community: Tim (Canada), Vladimir (Russia) and my colleagues Tina

In those years, Nasser always liked to dance in a circle while listening to a

Enrique played a guitar and patiently taught us to sing songs in Spanish (such as

That year I was preparing my birthday cake according to my mom s recipe.

7 November 2002 Year after year was bringing new dear people to my life Besides those ones already mentioned (Enrique, Nasser, Louise, Anita, Carrie, Yoko, Victor), a few others joined our community: Tim (Canada), Vladimir (Russia) and my colleagues Tina and Reg (Canada). A circle of friends and our memories had started expanding. In those years, Nasser always liked to dance in a circle while listening to a Serbian song Mesecina (Moonlight). Enrique played a guitar and patiently taught us to sing songs in Spanish (such as Poco, poco ) even though many of us did not understand a word of it. That year I was preparing my birthday cake according to my mom s recipe. In the same time I was trying to figure out the difference between degrees Celsius and Farenheight on my oven Fortunately, the cake was done - after full 2.5 hours of baking 7

Besides lots of candles, that year I had 2

cheese chocolate cake (oh, I have always

8 November 2003 Next year Pawel (Poland) joined the group. Besides lots of candles, that year I had 2 birthday cakes with one of them being a cheese chocolate cake (oh, I have always been weak when it comes to chocolate ). Also, I enjoyed the adventure of unwrapping a birthday present hidden in 6-7 boxes. It seems that everything comes back to us because earlier that year I prepared a similar joke for Pawel s birthday. 8

November 2004 A group of my friends in Edmonton continued to expand.

Snezana (Serbia), Soraya (Iran), Giorgio (Switzerland), Greg (Russia), Golnaz (Iran), Alexei (Russia),

What an amazing mosaic of the world in one place Traditionally, Enrique played his guitar and taught us new

9 November 2004 A group of my friends in Edmonton continued to expand. Besides already mentioned old friends Louise, Nasser, Enrique, Tim, and Tina, next year the group joined Snezana (Serbia), Soraya (Iran), Giorgio (Switzerland), Greg (Russia), Golnaz (Iran), Alexei (Russia), Oxana (Russia), Piotr (Poland), Alejandra (Mexico), and Oscar (Mexico). What an amazing mosaic of the world in one place Traditionally, Enrique played his guitar and taught us new songs. Besides Poco, poco, we sang Keep on a sunny side, always on the sunny side, el Cuarto de Tula and a very uncoordinated Uuuu-la-lala part of one song. Nothing better then friends 9

November 2005 During 2005, in just 6 months, six of my closest friends moved from Edmonton: Louise, Nasser and Enrique moved to

My birthday that year was a bit different without those 6 dear people that I shared a number of memories with in the previous

Fortunately, a few other dear people were still in the city: Snezana, Greg, Tim, Piotr, Alexei, Oxana, and Tina.

10 November 2005 During 2005, in just 6 months, six of my closest friends moved from Edmonton: Louise, Nasser and Enrique moved to Montreal, Soraya moved to Ottawa and then to Vancouver, Golnaz left for Toronto and Giorgio returned to Calgary. My birthday that year was a bit different without those 6 dear people that I shared a number of memories with in the previous couple of years in Edmonton. Fortunately, a few other dear people were still in the city: Snezana, Greg, Tim, Piotr, Alexei, Oxana, and Tina. And some new people have found their way to my heart: Nazanin (Iran), Laura (Spain), Diana (Israel), Bane (Serbia), Daniel (Romania), Christina (Canada), Ali (Iran), Reyhaneh (Iran), Marcia (Brazil), Tom (Canada), and Suzanne (Canada). New dear people brought some new joy 10

November 2006 And then came this birthday. I truly enjoy the presence of my old friends here in Edmonton: Nazanin, Snezana and Bane, Laura, Greg, Christina, Ali, Tom, Diana and Daniel.

Another unforgettable birthday celebration I shared with you some of my birthday memories and Canadian part of my friends in the last couple of years.

11 November 2006 And then came this birthday. I truly enjoy the presence of my old friends here in Edmonton: Nazanin, Snezana and Bane, Laura, Greg, Christina, Ali, Tom, Diana and Daniel. New dear people continue to walk in my life like Tammy (Canada), Joni (Canada), Andrea (Romania), Reiko (Japan), Aitor (Spain) and Kioumars (Iran). Another unforgettable birthday celebration I shared with you some of my birthday memories and Canadian part of my friends in the last couple of years. The time is coloring the memories, but the pictures, letters and unforgettable moments are always there to recall the past. Thank you all (both on this and the other side of the Atlantic Ocean) for all these years of support, joy, adventures, laughter Without all of you, these 30 years in my pocket would not mean much 11

12 I hope that the years ahead will bring us lots of new dear people and give us enough time for all those dear ones in our hearts, the ones that are often thousands of kilometers away. Thirty years maybe sounds a like a big number, but it seems much more important what we carry behind that number. Even if I could, I would not like to go back because it would mean loosing many of our friendships that were built all these years. I smile looking back and thinking about our memories. I smile looking forward to the years to come knowing that many moments together and some new dear people are awaiting for us down the road. One saying says that the life is not measured by a number of breaths we take, but rather with a number of moments that take our breath away Breathe fully and allow life to leave you breathless And, of course, keep walking on a sunny side of the street Love, Sandy The journey has always been about laughing together, loving each other, seeking adventure, believing in our dreams, and making a difference but sometimes we forget. (Unknown) 12

Life in Edmonton 2004

Life in Edmonton 2004 The year started with a digital camera as you will notice from the amount of attached photos and different events or gatherings with friends that were a part of my everyday life in Edmonton but had not