Feliz Cumpleanos a Mi!

photo: mis amigas


Happy 25th to me!

Today started out a little stressful when I learned that I really was in the Spanish group I thought I was. There were 4 of us, two whom are practically fluent. The good news is that somehow I ranked at the “Intermediate-Medio” level which means that I am already at the proficiency level you need to be to continue on from a trainee to volunteer. Anyway, I desperately asked to move to a lower level and was of course denied. BUT, there were two groups at my level and after lunch they re-arranged the people so the best 3 are in one group and the rest of us who speak about the same are in the other. Thank God because I wouldn’t have learned a thing otherwise.

During one of our breaks I was surprised by the staff with a birthday cake and mini-celebration. Everyone sang to me first in Spanish and then in English. Afterwards I had to go around to hug and kiss everyone on the cheek. As I learned though out the day, Birthdays are a pretty big deal in Peru. Anyone who finds about it will hug you, kiss you and wish you well – even if you don’t know them! It’s kid of nice though because it makes you feel special. When I got home at the end of the day, my brothers and sisters were anxiously running around outside the house waiting for me. When I got close they all ran inside and told me to come in. The whole family was in the house waiting to give me a present. I went ahead and opened it up and it was…..a white stuffed animal dog sitting on a pillow. How random but very kind at the same time. After dinner my host dad took off to go buy a cake for me. I said my thanks and insisted it wasn’t necessary but I had to plead with him not to get one. Don’t get me wrong, I like cake but I already felt like they had done enough.

Shortly afterwards I headed out to Chosica – the closest “real” town to my town. There I met up with a huge group of PCT and some of their host family members. We went to a local bar, drank some sangria and danced the night away.

Thanks to everyone who helped to make my birthday a special day. This one will go down in the history books…. I mean come on – who else can say they celebrated their 25th in Peru?