As many of you are aware, I turned 22 last Saturday. My host family decided that they wanted to put on a party, I'm not really into parties but apparently it was all organised. They invited the other 3 interns and their respective host families, plus the minister at the church and his family. Two of the host families ended up not coming so I thought I'd be in for a quiet afternoon. I hadn't banked on the fact that extended family would just happen to turn up as they tend to on Sunday afternoons. I'd also missed the cultural point that everyone invited would bring some friends. So 80 tortillas and a whole lot of boiled pork later we had about 30 people. At about 6.30pm, (that's getting late here- considering people go to bed at 8pm) someone got up to leave and my host mother said "wait til we sing happy birthday to Susannah" the conversation then followed something like this..
"This is a birthday party?" "Yeah, it's Susannah's"
"Who is that?"
"Her" and point to me
"oh the foreigner"
Then they prayed for me to have many more birthdays and to find a spouse.
On the birthday front, thanks must also go to the lovely Port Arlington SUFM-ers who sent me a bunch of cards, and everyone else who sent emails/facebook messages. Fellow intern Sarah took me swimming for the morning and out for cheesecake after lunch. Plus the lovely Dan and Sarah (permanent staff) took us both to a neighbouring town, home to the biggest ox cart in the world and even organised a cake for James (fellow intern, whose birthday it was on the friday) and I at bible study last night.
nice celebrations Susannah. Glad you had special times. I feel very grateful to your host parents and Dan and Sarah and young Sarah. Steph found a pic on Sarah's facebook which is now her wallpaper!
ReplyDeleteMum
Nice celebrations Susannah, I would like to thank your host parents, Sarah and Sarah and Dan for making your day special. What good people you are with! Hope you enjoyed it as much as htey wanted you to Gringo.
ReplyDeletelove Mum xxx
How fun! Happy Birthday (late) :)
ReplyDeleteHi Susannah,
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed reading your blog updates. It sounds like you had an interesting and fun birthday.
All the best,
Linda
Ha...gatecrashing birthdays of ppl they don't know well...'the foreigner' (I am presently laughing at this).
ReplyDeleteMust make you miss us...we're not perfect, but at least we know who you are :-)
They prayed for you to find a spouse? Bet you enjoyed that (not)...hope you took it with your usual good grace and they made it out alive.
Reminds me of a story you'll love from a couple of weeks ago (sorry I forgot to put it my most recent email)....one of my church/ridley friends (soon to be ordained) gives me a book to read on singleness...despite my homicidal urges :P my response was simply 'I promise to read it, and learn what I can from it, but there's 0 % chance you'll convert me' !
P.S. don't worry...your bday present has been, and still is, waiting here for when you get back.
Paul
Oh...and as for bed at 8.30...I have only one word...GRANDMA!
ReplyDeleteYou'll be pleased to know it's 3am melb time, and true to form, I am blogging/emailing you rather than sleeping.