The Best Birthday Gift :)

This is going to be a super short post because I just posted one, but I figured since I’m still on break, I should take advantage of the free time I’ve got and give you all another story.  Last week, on March 30^th, I turned 23… so yeah, I’m now in my mid-20s officially. CRAZY!  That particular Friday was the last day of our term, so Cat and I only had to go in to work for a few hours for our staff meeting, and by 1:30 we were home.

I have been teaching guitar lessons to a few of the students in Standard 7, and so when we got home, there were about 6 boys in that class hanging around near our house. We let them in to visit and spent the bulk of the day with them. I worked with a boy named Wenceslaus on his chord techniques as he added 3 more chords to his guitar knowledge, and all of us played multiple rounds of Jenga , scrabble, and Uno. As part of their PDS class, I have been teaching the 7^th graders a Beyonce dance called “Move Your Body” (check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYP4MgxDV2U), so at one point, we all went outside and did the dance about 5 times. That’s right… 13 year old boys WILLINGLY and ENTHUSIASTICALLY performed a dance. It was mind blowing. We listened to music outside and kicked a football around (and I seriously need to perfect my skills), and when we all came back inside, Wenceslaus strummed a G chord repeatedly on the guitar as everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to me…off key by music-snob-standards, but SO JOYFUL. I don’t remember what I had planned for that day, if anything, but I cannot imagine a better way to have spent my big step into adulthood than dancing, listening to music, and playing games with those students. There are COUNTLESS times during the week when I lose my patience with students, or feel frustrated and exhausted, or simply do not want to be around kids because I’m “just too old for that” now. But it was a really awesome reminder that I don’t have to grow up as quickly as my “age” number suggests. Yeah, I’m in my mid 20s now. Yeah, I can still act like a goof ball with the best of them. I think helping me realize that was the best birthday gift my seventh graders could have ever given.

After the students left, Cait and Shea returned home from a long day at Loyola, and the four of us spent time together. I was completely overwhelmed by the generosity of these beautiful and thoughtful people. The gifts they gave that day in addition to their constant support and presence with me during our shared experience here makes me feel so comfortable and loved in this country… not just on my birthday but ALL THE TIME. Hearing birthday wishes from family and friends back home also reminded me of the love and support that I have from all of you ALL THE TIME. Needless to say, it was a fantastic day, and I want to thank ALL of you for continuing to support me from home with letters, thoughts, and by the simple act of reading my ramblings. You’re the best J.