So it turns out I had to work on my birthday, even though I work at a school and my birthday was on a Saturday. I guess the school is taking a whole week off for Chilean Independence Day in September (BFD down here) so they're making up the days on various Saturdays. No one could tell me why they don't just add another week onto the school year.
But it was actually kind of fun to be at school on my birthday, because my students made a bigger deal about it than anyone has ever before in my life. It was so sweet! I lost count of how many happy birthday songs I got, and they surprised me with presents and cards and treats all day. A big group of mostly freshmen and sophomores surprised me at the bottom of the stairs during a passing period, with a big "Happy Birthday Maddie! I love you!" sign (they toss around "I love you" like it's their job, with no regard for conjugation/grammar--but who really cares about grammar in moments like these?), and balloons, and a tasty pastry with a birthday candle in it. Then of course I had to saludar (cheek kiss) everyone, which took like 5 min. I wish I had a picture! I DO have a picture of one of my favorite classes, who decorated their whiteboard top-to-bottom for me and hid under their desks to jump out and sing for me when I walked in. Ladies and gentlemen, class 1B:
And then in the teachers' room they had a big kuchen for me, which is a delicious German tart-like thing that's popular down here, and everyone sang for me and I gorged myself on kuchen.
Thennnn I got to come home and relax all day. My host family decorated for my birthday with balloons and streamers and a feliz cumpleaños sign! And they gave me some sweet slippers and a striped sweater that I will wear all the time when it gets cold! And that night some cousins came over and we had a nice big meal (tacos!) and cake : ) We took pictures, but on my host family's camera, so I will post those once I get my hands on them.
And then even today at school I was getting more bday treats. There's a 7th grade class that I go to once a week, with a different head teacher, and they surprised me with a birthday party today! I mean like they decorated the room, had a disco light going, mountains of snacks and treats for everybody, and multiple presents for me! I was serenaded in both Spanish and English and then they said a class prayer in thanks for me/my birthday. Too sweet. So all in all, at school I have received several decorative boxes, a little notepad thing, two sets of chocolates, two bracelets, and this little lion that says "I love you" when you squeeze his tum (from the 7th grade head teacher). Very unexpected!
I'm so lucky to have all these fantastic people around me every day! : )
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