I think this was the first giraffe I collected. It was acquired on a trip to New Orleans, which my family often did to visit our family friends. I was probably 7 at this time and was fascinated with giraffes, having just researched them for my second grade project on reticulated giraffes. I do not remember much about the zoo, but I do fondly remember playing with my friends Priya and Keerthi, who will be my friends through life. I also distinctly remember that Priya told me that the Audubon Zoo was one of the best zoos in the world, so that still sticks in my head.
I remember that I was curious about science and the world in general, collecting rocks and minerals and knowledge about space, documented with care in my little space notebook, and of course anything I could gather about giraffes.