Golden Birthday!

 

….oh wait, maybe it’s not over just yet. Before I can share about thailand I have to fill you in on the surprise party my awesome team thew me before we left Cambodia.

     Over the past few months we have tied to really honor our ministry contacts and the people we have served with in a special way before we leave. This has played out as like a dinner of some sort for most countries. I thought Cambodia was not going to be any different. About a week and a half before we left we decided to have a dinner with our contacts for the Thursday we before we left. After teaching english on that day Tash and I rode to the gas station to pick up some ice cream for the party. We got home and walked up the stairs to our apartment. When I opened the door I heard “SURPRISE” and the room was filled with balloons. There was cake, which is quite a treat in Kampong Cham since they don’t have ovens, ice cream, birthday candles and presents. It was wonderful. Don’t worry, we still honored our contacts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So fast forward to Bangkok. at 12.01 on my birthday, Noe ( one of our new squad leaders) yelled Happy Birthday Rachael and made all of the 52 racers in the guest house we were staying in very happy to be celebrating in their sleep. I went to sleep and then was woke up and was summoned outside my room. My team and some friends had bought a tiny cake and put a candle in it. They sang me happy birthday and I enjoyed my second birthday cake from a country with out ovens. The rest of the morning and afternoon was filled with cultural debriefs and meetings. However, during the debrief I had to spell my name with my butt in front of the entire squad. (If you don’t understand, don’t ask!)

 

 

        After all the official world race business was over, most of the squad headed to the mall to watch clash of the titans. The movie was good and then off to dinner. Just as I thought things were winding down , Jesse asked if I still wanted to party. Me and a hand full of true party animals headed out on, what I like to call, embarrassment excursion. The few late nighters split up into groups and had a challenge of finding me something ridiculous to wear for the rest of the night. As they walked past all the nighties and boxer stands I was happy when I only received a set of butterfly wings, arm socks, a plastic mask and a sword. After I got in a little sword fight with a 5 year old we heard some music from around the corner. Found a little bar and dance for a small but very entertained crowd. I used my new light up sword like I was at a rave. Then from the corner of our eyes we saw it. Glowing like the halo of Gabriel himself, the Karaoke upstairs sign beckoned us come. Jesse found out the details then we rocked it out in our own private karaoke room. We sang a little Whitney and a little Kelly Clarkson. (I wonder if we will ever be able to just call her Kelly) It was a good night

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  So all in all I can quite confidently  say that this was my favorite birthday in Thailand EVER. Thanks world racers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Happy Birthday To ME!!!!!!