My 22nd Birthday!

This year I spent my birthday in Australia, a completely new place with completely different friends. I was worried if it would be the same and it made me a little homesick for tech and my friends but I was in for a great surprise and one of the best birthdays in my twenty two years. The day before my birthday, September 9^th, I was busy working on a project that was due the next day. After receiving help from a group of friends Steffi and I took our usual walk around Varsity visiting apartment 125. After we round the far end we made our way back to my place where I was surprise with balloons and a room full of friends! Next they presented me with gifts; one of the apartments made me a massive cake in the shape of the USA with sprinkles representing VA (haha it was in the shape of a square). Everyone had also put together a collection of pictures so far from the semester. It was such an incredible surprise. After enjoying some cake accompanied by the first round of Happy Birthday, the first twenty minutes into my birthday was wonderful!

We were all tired and looking forward to the next day’s festivities, everyone departed apartment three and headed home. The next day was spent with an hour’s worth of class and the rest of the day lying by the pool lying out. We decided tonight would be a girl’s make up, get ready night. All the girls came over my place where we did each other’s hair and makeup (my roommate, Hang, even let us give her a makeover—the first one of her life!). After we were all pretty we headed for the bus to dinner. I had decided a couple weeks prior we would go to Montezuma’s (a Mexican restaurant) to see how Australia’s Mexican food stood up compared to the USA. There ended up being about 20-25 people at dinner from all countries, USA, Germany, England, Australia, Denmark, France, and Japan. I was told after dinner that I had another surprise. Steffi stood up and made a toast and presented me with a card. Inside the card was a gift card to get an Australian bathing suit (since I have wanted one since I have been here). It was so sweet and unexpected! The next thing I know the waitress brings out another cake (this one Andrew made) and everyone sings happy birthday. Almost every country shared with me happy birthday in their home language. The five Danish guys sang a different song to me that basically said best wishes.

It made me feel so special to know that all of these people cared about me and were here to help me celebrate a holiday that they know I love!