Happy Birthday

I was pretty nervous about my birthday this year, scared that it was going to be terribly lonely. Honestly, it was probably one of the best birthdays of my life. The day started going to hub traning (all the volunteers get together for group training on Thursdays). My CBT group was waiting for me at the car and all sang me happy birthday, gave me birthday hugs and a birthday bracelet (half a lei tied together haha). Once I got to the hub site another CBT group was already there and gave me a slow, awkward group hug. That same group later sang a birthday rap they wrote for Alissa and I (Alissa has the same birthday as me). It was hilarious, and very sweet. I got two awesome handmade cards with sweet little notes. It was great to feel like these people are really my friends, not just randoms that happened to be put in the same country as me. After training a few of us went out for beers before going back to the CBT site.

Once back to site my family had an awesome party for me. They invited all my Americans to join too! We had dinner, french fries, habasha cake, American cake (it's impossible to find sweets here so that was amazing), cookies, candies and fireworks. They decorated the house with streamers and a flashing Happy Birthday sign. They also made me wear my traditional Ethiopian dress that my host mom bought me a few weeks ago. My family gave me two gifts, a bracelet and a flashlight, because they think its funny that Masha has no electricity. The night concluded with a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. I felt so great that night. I was surrounded by friends, family and it felt almost like home.

Also contributing to my fantastic birthday was all the mail!!! Thank you to everyone who sent me birthday wishes. I got fantastic packages from mom, Elisa/Bobby/Patrick/Emma and Jess as well as cards from Jess, Mom/Dad, Andrea/Jeff, the Slotas, Sally/Tom, and Aunt Jeanne/Uncle Bob. I also got a phone call from Nick and the Jersey kids. Thank you all so, so much.

Unfortunately that night the Mefloquin (turns out I'm not allergic to it) gave me awful dreams. I didn't sleep at all because of the nightmares and today I feel awful. The high of yesterday definitely outweighs the bad dreams though.