25.10.11

Me and my amazing chocolate cake.

I’m used to a birthday where I wake up and have to put on some warm clothes and get out the umbrella. I’m used to a birthday where I’m surrounded by people I know and love.

I had mixed feelings about turning 22 this year. Quite honestly, as the day approached, I kind of ignored the fact that it was my birthday and a big part of me wanted to discreetly go unseen during the day without people really knowing it was my “special day”. With a lot of encouragement from my closest buddies here in Blantyre, I ended up having a dinner at home which even included ‘bacalhau’ and ‘rabanadas’. People here genuinely enjoy being with their friends (although I’ve only known them for a month they are inevitably a great support to me), and they will make an effort to be with you. When I invited people I thought half of the list wouldn't turn up, especially being a weekday. Hell no. Everyone made it, no lame excuses. It was beautiful to realize how much I enjoyed spending my birthday day with people who I didn’t even know 40 days ago, and how grateful I am to have met a great group of people who I will be spending the next 5 months with. This year I even wore a skirt, t-shirt and flip-flops on the day- definitely the first year I celebrated with 36°. I was even surprised in the morning with the entire hospital singing Happy Birthday to me- when will that ever happen again?

Thank you all for the Birthday wishes, I wish you had been here to celebrate it with me as well.