We're so excited to celebrate with you!

In 2018, Ben left Germany to start a PhD studying reproduction in Fork-tailed Drongos (an arid bird species known for stealing from meerkats). Meanwhile, I (Sam) was working on the same reserve with meerkats, getting some field experience before committing to a Masters. Of all the possibilities, we coincidently met at a reserve bird-themed party! At this time, I had been on the reserve for six months and was curious to meet the new students. I introduced myself to Ben while wearing cardboard wings, and the sparks flew! Post-event, Ben let slip to his friend that he liked "that Sam girl". He wooed me with creative Kalahari dates, including but not limited to: meteor showers, starlit movies nights, night drives through the dunes to find nocturnal animals and lots of braais (BBQs). The tipping point was when a friend dropped out of a group holiday across South Africa near the end of my meerkat time. We spontaneously decided to invite Ben. After surviving Johannesburg traffic and being chased by an elephant or two, we both privately said, "I think I might marry that person".

With Kalahari kindling alight, we decided to pursue the romance, despite the distance. We used a wedding in Scotland (thanks to Benedict) as an opportunity to spend a couple of weeks meeting Ben's family and friends. There, we concocted a plan to have Sam be Ben's next field assistant because, well, why not? After five months of long-distance passed, we were again together in South Africa, but now 24/7! We would work 90-100 hr work weeks in 95+ degrees Fahrenheit weather, racing across dunes and repeatedly climbing a 30-foot ladder to reach drongo nests. We weren't perfect and would occasionally have a tiff. Like when we didn't communicate the meeting spot, both waited at the different dunes for half an hour or when Sam neglected to secure the ladder while Ben was on it and up a tree! Surprisingly this did not deter us but instead made our relationship stronger. (In fact, we are doing it again in October 2021).

We had planned a trip to the US in 2020 to meet everyone and get engaged, but South Africa had a hard lockdown due to the pandemic, disallowing all international travel. We were both repatriated to our respective home countries (Sam to the USA, Ben to Germany)... After five months of separation, we reunited thanks to a german exception implemented in late August. While there, we made a trip up to Ben's Omi and Opa (Grandparents on father's side). As we were about to leave on the last day, Ben sneakily invited Sam on a last-minute hike to the Bismark monument. After cunningly waiting for Sam to finish being distracted with taking tourist photos, he popped the question! SHE SAID YES!