Birthday At-A-Glance

I don't really know why, but my birthday always makes me very nervous.  This year my anxiety was particularly high because everyone I was planning on celebrating with has only known me for a couple weeks.  Though my childlike need for an extravagant birthday celebration expired a while ago, I still enjoy a little recognition and love.  In the end, I had nothing to be worried about.  My friend Meredith arrived in Buenos Aires that morning, most of my friends came out to celebrate, and I had a fantastic time.  Since the night before my birthday was a Monday, we decided to stick to our customary Monday night activity: La Bomba, the Brazilian drum show.  Not many people can say that they've celebrated their birthday in a foreign country, at a cultural dance party, with friends they will probably have for the rest of their life.  Life is definitely wonderful.

Everyone who came out to celebrate with me at the Alamo before we went to La Bomba

Erin is AMAZING.  She went all out; she bought leis for everyone to wear so people knew we were a "party group," the crown that I'm wearing, and surprised me with a cake later in the night.  Sidenote: this is a picture of us with the biggest lighter I've ever seen in my life!

One of my best friends from college, Meredith, moved to Buenos Aires the day before my birthday!  She's living with me and specifically booked her flight to arrive in time to celebrate my birthday with me.  One of the best birthday presents I've ever gotten :)

The crown and I had some issues...

The drum line.

Me, CJ, and Mer enjoying our Quilmes (the most common beer here) liter cups

The girls: Linh, me, Mer, and Erin.

It's not a birthday without a delicious burrito.

After La Bomba I wanted to go to a karaoke bar or somewhere different, but Erin kept suggesting we go to Alamo.  Because we work there and always end up hanging out there, I was adamant about going somewhere different.  However, I'm a sucker for peer pressure and everyone we were with insisted on the Alamo.   Turns out, everyone knew that Erin had bought a cake and had stored it in the 'fridge at the Alamo, so they were all trying to get me back there for the surprise.  At midnight Erin walked through the doors carrying the cake singing "Happy Birthday" with my manager and everyone we work with.  It was amazing.