18th Birthday/Mi Cumple

"Feliz Cumpleaños!" - that was the first thing I was greeted with when I arrived at school Monday morning. As soon as I was walking toward the group of classmates near my classroom all the girls got big grins then surrounded me in a circle and started to sing "Feliz Cumpleaños" and then after "Happy Birthday!" Then all the hugs and kisses after from everyone. All day I had people coming up to me, from different grades, some I've barely talked to but still they gave me a "Feliz Cumpleaños" and a kiss. At lunch my classmates broke into song again for me - they're so cute, I love them!

The night before my birthday my host-mom had told me that my friends had planned a surprise party for me the next day after school. I was a little disappointed that I knew about it but she didn't want me to feel sad on my birthday, but it's good because I would had made sure I had plans anyways! So all throughout the day I saw my friends whispering to each other, and then two of my friends asked me if I wanted to go to the mall with them after school to look at iPod accessories... one guy was almost laughing when he asked me, it was a little obvious but I went for it with enthusiasm pretending to know nothing. So after wondering around the mall for a while I got a "Vamos(let's go)"... so I asked where... and all I got was another "Vamos!" Starting to walk towards the exit and to the street closest to my house all of a sudden my 4 best girlfriends walk-by carrying a birthday balloon - cover blown. I finally admitted to the guys that I knew all about the party and they were kinda irked that I didn't say anything and had to make them make-up a stupid plan to distract me. So we hung out for a while, got some ice cream then walked back to my house to give some more time.

I know your jealous of my hat

Back at home I was greeted with a surprise from my Chilean chicas, host-mom, and Titi (lady who comes every other day to clean/family friend). We had completos (hot dogs) and then some torta (birthday cake). I was then sang 3 different versions of happy birthday (Religious, Spanish, English) and then had 3 wishes - I always that it was only 1! After making up my mind of what my 3 wishes were I blew-out my candles and then SPLAT - I had my face pushed into my cake! This is a Chilean tradition, but the birthday person's face in the cake. Needles to say I had some frosting up my nose and a face-print in my cake!

The gang: Simon, Marimar, Cony, Daniel, Barbara, Nicole


This is what friends are for!

It's weird having a birthday in another country, another thing that kinda makes it not really feel real that your technically another year older. Also I feel like I've matured so much, even before arriving in Chile, and now being here for 3 months I've matured and changed more than I think I can really realize.

I've also been expecting a lovely package from Canada for quite a while now... I really hope those stories of people actually stealing parcels isn't true!