Roommate dinner! So, my roommates and I realized that though we’d hung out plenty of times at our house, and with friends in many different places… we’d never actually gone out just the 4 of us. We went to a nearby restaurant owned by a French man. He makes crepes and Italian food. We all ordered crepes and then exchanged bites. Almost all of us were happy to say that we liked our crepe best. (mine was called le especiale – and it was amazing!)
This past week, I turned 23 years old. I’m not gonna lie, I still get childishly excited about birthdays. What is there not to love? Cake, presents, phone calls, emails, hugs, and friends. I think what I love the most, at least here in Peru, is just the opportunity for my friends to gather together and celebrate. And let me tell you. I have a lot of friends.
These are just some of them!
It’s actually something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently. I am extremely blessed. I have such good, strong friends both here and in the U.S. People who love me, no matter what. People who laugh with me, cry with me, defend me, serve me and trust me. If I could reach the level of unconditional love that I receive from some of the people I am privileged to know, I’d be a much less selfish, a much kinder, and a much humbler person.
On Tuesday though, I felt especially loved. I received so many well wishes through phone calls, emails and facebook messages. I was given not one, but TWO cakes!! One was made by Alleen (hey Alleen!), one of the missionaries here in Peru. It was one of the moistest chocolate cakes I’ve ever eaten…. and it had chocolate chips in it, which, as any missionary in Peru knows, it is a real sacrifice to give up your chocolate chips!! It was sooo good!!! My second cake was made by a former English student. She and all of the other students and teachers surprised me at 3:00 when I came down to teach class. They were all loitering around which I thought was a little odd… then they had me sit down, and brought out the cake! I was touched that this little old lady (she’s a widow with 4 grown children who live all over the world) made me a Peruvian special : 3 Leches Cake.
(catch a glimpse of my cake… and my flowers! The intern guys proudly picked out those white and purple beauties for me!)
Later that night my roommates had invited some friends over to our apartment and we had a party. We ate, talked, listened to music, played a game, and danced (a little Salsa anyone?) It was wonderful. My roommates definitely deserve a prize for making all the preparations and food and putting up with all the noise and mess.
Oh, yeah, in Peru, it’s a tradition to make the birthday person take a bite out of their cake… (“una mordita”) and then they are supposed to smash your face in the cake. So far I’d avoided this wonderful tradition, but not this time. I begged the guys not to do it… but … they being such good friends, I still ended up with cake in my face. I have to admit… I feel all the more Peruvian because of it!
This was my second and last birthday spent in Peru… and I am so thankful for the opportunity to spend my day with my second family here.
