Growing up, I always felt like I got the short end of the stick by having a summer birthday. I was the youngest in my class, had to watch all of my peers get their licenses before me, and I never got to enjoy cupcakes at school. However, I’ve come to appreciate my birthday. First of all, it’s July 11th. 7-11. Easy to remember, and I have my own little convenient store. Second, I’ve gotten to celebrate my birthday at camp for the last few years. Camp birthdays are the best. We will be returning home around July 1st, which means I’ll get to celebrate my birthday with my family. This is very exciting, but that means I won’t be able to celebrate my birthday with my Race family. All of my other teammates have birthdays between March and June, and we’ve been throwing parties to the best of our ability. Our resources are limited, but Race birthdays are fun. As soon as I signed up for this route, I knew I would miss out on this experience.
In the midst of my sadness and disappointment, someone had the idea to bestow upon me a fake birthday, hence firthday.
April was the only month that was birthday-less in the Ninja family, so we decided on April 12th. We didn’t know it at the time, but it was Brandy’s actual birthday on April 12th. She’s our fabulous squad leader, and one my current roomies, so I didn’t want
to steal her thunder. We decided to move it to the next week and celebrate on April 19th. The day started with a wonderful surprise waiting on my bed when I came out
of the shower. Chelsea got me a strawberry ice-shake, which I’ve become obsessed with since arriving in Vietnam. I pretty much had free reign of the entire day. It didn’t take long to decide what I wanted my firthday activity to be. On the way to the HIV children’s home, we passed by a roller skating rink. Task accomplished. I grew up spending every Friday and Saturday night at Magic Valley Skateland. I still love a good skate. We got directions from our Vietnamese friends, hopped in a taxi, and headed to the rink. After renting some totally awesome skates, it was time to hit the floor. The flat
rink was really small, but there was an outer track with slopes and hills. It was a blast.
to steal her thunder. We decided to move it to the next week and celebrate on April 19th. The day started with a wonderful surprise waiting on my bed when I came out
of the shower. Chelsea got me a strawberry ice-shake, which I’ve become obsessed with since arriving in Vietnam. I pretty much had free reign of the entire day. It didn’t take long to decide what I wanted my firthday activity to be. On the way to the HIV children’s home, we passed by a roller skating rink. Task accomplished. I grew up spending every Friday and Saturday night at Magic Valley Skateland. I still love a good skate. We got directions from our Vietnamese friends, hopped in a taxi, and headed to the rink. After renting some totally awesome skates, it was time to hit the floor. The flat
rink was really small, but there was an outer track with slopes and hills. It was a blast.
The next part of my firthday involved a surprise dinner. I was taken to a place called Bobby Brewers. They serve American food, and there was a small movie theater upstairs in the restaurant. Customers could watch movies for free! I ordered a whopping cheeseburger with fries and we watched The Bounty Hunter, starring Jennifer Anniston and Gerard Butler. Cute flick. We ended the night by going to Yogurt Space, which is basically like an ice-cream buffet. My friends know me so well.
One of the highlights of my incredible firthday experience was my gift from my fearless leader, Colby. Okay, gift might not be totally accurate. I’ll preface by telling you that entertainment on the Race is a little….unconventional. This is partly because we’re separated from many of the normal entertainment resources at home, so we have to find our own entertainment. Colby is a significant source of entertainment for our team. First of all, he screams like a girl when he’s startled (in the manliest sort of way). These moments result in hysterical laughter from the rest of us. My favorite was probably when a monkey sneaked up on him in Kenya and jumped on his shoulder. He’s just funny. So, Colby agreed to get his chest waxed for my firthday. This afternoon we went to the spa, video camera in hand. I haven’t laughed so hard in quite some time. It was definitely one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.
There you have it. My firthday has come and gone. I would like to thank everyone who made it such a special day. Does this mean I get to celebrate two birthdays from now on? I would be okay with that.
