Today has been my 26th Birthday. Normally, my birthdays have included lots of loving calls on my phone, a ton of emails, a bundle of Facebook messages, a great dinner with friends, and a few nice presents. I still got my tons of emails and a number of Facebook messages, but other than that, it was nothing like my other birthdays. It was very quiet.
It's hard to be in a foreign country where your family doesn't want to call the complicated phone number and you can't leave on your Skype all the time for fear of getting charged a lot of money by the internet provider. And you don't know many people, and those you know can't make it out probably because of church or some other obligation, so setting up some fun thing (on a Sunday) isn't very feasible.
I woke up late on my birthday with my housemates already at church. So, I decided to do some calisthenics to keep my body's circulation going. And then I did my weekly laundry in the bucket task. And I showered. And I read and wrote emails from abroad. I waited to Denise to call me, and after she was done with some things she told me to join her in town. I went to get lunch with her at a little place that isn't frequented that much by expats called Camillia Cafe, or something. I had a fantastic juice/smoothie and a very good burger for super duper cheep - something like $10 total. In NYC, that would cost closer to $30, I gather. I always have a good time with Denise. She's a nice companion to have in a foreign country. And she can be laid back yet entertaining. Afterwards, we went to Nakumatt and I bought myself a pillow for my birthday and a jar of honey. And some rice cakes and shampoo. The buses are a huge mistake on Sundays - much like the NYC MTA, they are unreliable and change routes on a whim. And so I had an extra 2 hours tacked onto my bus route to town and back.
I had resolved to call The Man when I got home, as my big birthday present, but I had gotten home too late. He had waited for me for a while online, but because of the longer-than-expected errands in town, he had to get offline and do his own errands. I will be going to bed soon so I can wake up for work. It's really sad because I had planned with anticipation that I'd get to talk to him today on Skype, and that'd be my big treat for the day. But I blew it big time, and so now I can't talk to him on Skype at all on my birthday. I'm pretty upset with myself for this.
So, for tonight, I'll read my book and check emails and whatnot before I go to bed. I might make my birthday dinner peanut butter and jelly with an apple right now.
I've resolved to pretend I'm still on NYC time for my birthday, since I was born in NY. That way, when I wake up at 5am tomorrow morning to Skype with The Man, it will still technically be my birthday (at least in the US). I won't feel so bad about ruining my own birthday plans, then. Anything to make it great.
It's hard to be in a foreign country where your family doesn't want to call the complicated phone number and you can't leave on your Skype all the time for fear of getting charged a lot of money by the internet provider. And you don't know many people, and those you know can't make it out probably because of church or some other obligation, so setting up some fun thing (on a Sunday) isn't very feasible.
I woke up late on my birthday with my housemates already at church. So, I decided to do some calisthenics to keep my body's circulation going. And then I did my weekly laundry in the bucket task. And I showered. And I read and wrote emails from abroad. I waited to Denise to call me, and after she was done with some things she told me to join her in town. I went to get lunch with her at a little place that isn't frequented that much by expats called Camillia Cafe, or something. I had a fantastic juice/smoothie and a very good burger for super duper cheep - something like $10 total. In NYC, that would cost closer to $30, I gather. I always have a good time with Denise. She's a nice companion to have in a foreign country. And she can be laid back yet entertaining. Afterwards, we went to Nakumatt and I bought myself a pillow for my birthday and a jar of honey. And some rice cakes and shampoo. The buses are a huge mistake on Sundays - much like the NYC MTA, they are unreliable and change routes on a whim. And so I had an extra 2 hours tacked onto my bus route to town and back.
I had resolved to call The Man when I got home, as my big birthday present, but I had gotten home too late. He had waited for me for a while online, but because of the longer-than-expected errands in town, he had to get offline and do his own errands. I will be going to bed soon so I can wake up for work. It's really sad because I had planned with anticipation that I'd get to talk to him today on Skype, and that'd be my big treat for the day. But I blew it big time, and so now I can't talk to him on Skype at all on my birthday. I'm pretty upset with myself for this.
So, for tonight, I'll read my book and check emails and whatnot before I go to bed. I might make my birthday dinner peanut butter and jelly with an apple right now.
I've resolved to pretend I'm still on NYC time for my birthday, since I was born in NY. That way, when I wake up at 5am tomorrow morning to Skype with The Man, it will still technically be my birthday (at least in the US). I won't feel so bad about ruining my own birthday plans, then. Anything to make it great.
2 comments:
Mmmm that sounds like the best birthday dinner to me! PB&J and apples! can't go wrong! miss you darling! I hope for your birthday you realize just what big things you are accomplishing by 26! No quarter life crisis for you!! xoxo
I thought about you all day, and wished I could shower you with gifts and a gluten-free cake. Then I would hug you and kiss your cheek until you said "Aww Mom!" and pried yourself away. I miss you soooo much!
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