Yesterday was my birthday and shockingly, it was one of the best birthdays of my life. I was scared that people would forget and that my family and friends wouldn't do anything special for me and that I would be a little dissapointed, but the exact opposite happened! In the morning, I was running late, but my little sister came in and gave me a card with a little keychain that says "Diva" on it and after, when I went into the kitchen, my host mom, who doesn't speak a word of English sang Happy Birthday to me in English, and my parents gave me a card and a little gift. The card had a really nice message and they got me a really cute pair of earings that I love. In school, EVERYONE said Happy Birthday and gave me hugs, which peope in the US don't do. Even people I am not friends with said it and gave me a hug.
Later that night, I got home from my dance class that I am FORCED to take by Rotary with two of my friends and my host dad called me aside and told me he wanted to talk to me. My friends went inside and I was scared I was in trouble for something and my host dad wanted to talk to me about it because he was very serious when he was talking to me. When I got to my room, I realized that the light was off and I thought it was weird that my two friends were in my room in the dark, but before I could think about it anymore, I opened my door and they turned the lights on and popped confetti things and alllll my of best exchange student friends and my best friends from school were in my room waiting for me! They had a cake with candles and everyone made me posters and giant cards. They also got small, meaningful gifts. Not expensive, materialistic gifts. I like how they do it so much better here. All of the gifts are things I can take home with me and remember forever.
My host sister and one of my best friends, Mali, made me a GIANT poster and decorated a little box for all of my recuerdos (memories) from Ecuador. Two of my best friends, Kristian from Denmark, and Gus, from North Carolina, wrote KEL SEY on their stomachs and took pictures and got them developed and put them in a frame and even AUTOGRAPHED it for me (how nice!) haha It is hysterical!! One of my friends got me flowers and others got me chocolate (always good) and other small gifts. I like these types of gifts better because they are things I can keep forever and they are things I can look back at and remember all of the good times I had here with all of my friends here. Also, it shows how much my friends care. They didn't just spend money on an expensive shirt or something, they took the time to make things and buy little things that have meaning. It is much more personal here.
One of the traditions in Ecuador is pushing the cake in the persons face on their birthday. Two of my friends from here told me to take a bite, but I KNEW what they were going to do so I just took off my glasses and put up my hair and let them do it ;) I had to follow traditions.
Overall, it was one of the best birthdays I have ever had. I was so happy. The only sad thing is that it might be the first and last birthday I spend in Ecuador :(
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