Submitted by: Jessica Berger
Our domestic worker, Oscarine or Occa, as I call her, has been working for us since I was born and she is my second mom. It was recently her 60th Birthday and this was my mission to make her dream of going on a plane come true.
The look of excitement on her face the moment she realized we were heading to the airport was priceless.
Occa’s birthday surprise started with the first flight out to Durban at 6am on a Saturday morning. My mom and I picked her up before the sun was up and Dad drove us all to the airport that morning. She had no idea where we were going. The look of excitement on her face the moment she realized we were heading to the airport was priceless. This is something I will remember for the rest of my entire life.
A day full of many firsts for Occa were things many of us take for granted.
We arrived in Durban, hopped into an Uber, and headed for our next surprise, uShaka Marine World. Her favorite animals are penguins and she had never seen one in real life. We quickly stopped at Wimpy for our breakfast to get our day going. After that we then headed for our next stop, the penguin presentation.
This was Occa’s highlight of the day, the presentation. She then decided we should have sushi for lunch and guess what? I introduced her to sushi, and she loved it! She also used chopsticks better than anyone I know. Students do learn better than teachers they say. Occa has never been to the beach or seen the sea in her life, but because it was so windy, we decided a picture on the promenade would do.
A day full of many firsts for Occa were things many of us take for granted. A day filled with so many laughs, smiles, and lots of unforgettable memories created on this special day. I am so grateful I was able to make this experience possible for her and share this day with her. I am eternally grateful for my parents and Tubby for helping me make this dream a reality for our Occa. A day I will treasure for the rest of my life… for this #ImStaying.
