Celebrating

It happens once every year: time marches on, and I get to add another year to my age, and have a day of celebration. Usually I bake a chocolate cake with my family, we go out for a nice meal, and I get something small but meaningful for a birthday gift. Since I’m a summer baby, these celebrations are always with my family. All you summer babies out there can relate – you love your families and celebrating with them, but you also secretly wish you could celebrate with your friends…just once, please!

Well, this year was that once. It was the birthday to top all birthdays! It was my first in Ethiopia, and I was first in our group. My fellow trainees and I planned to meet up after language class finished for the day, and go out for juice for a small celebration. It’s what we usually do anyway, but I was happy with that, because the juice here is so dang delicious. We all met up at one of our houses, and then a birthday cake with a candle in it appeared, and suddenly they were all singing to me! They had secretly planned a surprise party for me, and I never guessed at all!

One of the trainees had baked me a cookie-cake herself, filled with crumbled bourbon cookies (they’re called that, but they’re actually chocolate), and covered in peanut butter frosting. It was delicious! Another trainee had told his host family about my birthday, and they made me the traditional Ethiopian birthday bread, flavored with orange soda (not sure if that part’s traditional…). It was good eatin’ all around. There were gifts, too! My cake-baking trainee also made me a friendship bracelet, out of my favorite colors, and my language teacher gave me a silver bracelet. After we finished our cake, we played one of my favorite games – bowls/three-round charades. It was pretty hilarious. I was totally surprised, and completely floored. It was my first surprise party, and it made me feel much loved.

Me and my delicious cake!

(Most of) our group of trainees, after my birthday celebration. They're the best!

The traditional Ethiopian birthday bread, and the empty plate where the cookie-cake used to be. Yum!

My two bracelet-gifts!