I turned 21 in Chile!

Hello hello!!  It's been SUCH A LONG TIME since I have written as my last month or so in Chile was SUPER CRAZY BUSY.  I have at least three more blogs to write about: my 21st birthday, the girls' home, and saying goodbye.  Then, I'm going to turn my blog, which was used to communicate with my people back home in the States, into a blog in order to communicate with my people back home in Chile!  hehehe!!  Sounds like a great idea, right?!  My dear twin, Rachel, told me about it--as she also is doing the same thing!  Sounds like so much fun!  And even though when I turn my blog over, I'll write in Spanish, I'll still put up tons of pictures so everybody who wants to can fallow along as well!

Okay.....my 21st b-day in Chile was OUT OF THIS WORLD!  The funny thing is, is that when I for sure found out that I was going to be in Chile for an entire year, I imagined how my birthday could be.  I remember thinking, will I have any friends?  And that at least it will be second semester....so I should have had enough time to meet at least someone!  Right?  Turns out, it was my most celebrated birthday I have EVER HAD!  God is sooooo good!  The weirdest thing about having my birthday in Chile was that it was winter time!  I have a SUMMER birthday and usually have my party outside, play games in the grass, enjoy the nice summer weather, and NOT go to class.  On the other hand, I was looking forward to bring treats to class as I never had an opportunity to do so at home.  The funny thing about that, is that even though my birthday landed on a Monday, I still didn't end up having class because of the strike!  I still had Monday night Bible study that I could bring treats to though...that kind of counts as class, right?  But nooooo, that was also canceled due to the rain!  Hahaha!

The celebrations started that weekend on Saturday, June 18th.  Pablo decided to make an "asado" (Chilean barbecue  for me and also include his mom, step-dad, and my Chilean parents.  It was such a nice time to be all together practically the entire afternoon and evening.  Before going over there, I spent the whole morning with my host mom, Osy, making the cakes for the next day and one that we would bring that evening as well.  When we were finished, Osy called me in to her room and gave me her favorite pair of emerald earrings as a gift.  We both started crying as she told me that you should give what you most value to the people you most value.  I will always cherish that moment and the beautiful earrings she gave me.  I love her so much!

My mom back home sends my Chilean mom her Angel Food Cake recipe!  We made it together that Saturday morning for my family party on Sunday.  It turned out perfectly!

Gerardo, Pablo's step-dad, playing darts.

My host dad doing his best! -- at least he is having fun!

All the meat and the grilled biscuits that Osy made!

Pablo's mom, Marta Julia, playing darts!

The cake Marta Julia made and the "21" candles that I used the entire weekend!  Hahaha!

Pablo surprised me with the biggest bouquet of flowers that I've ever seen....as my face turns red! hehehhe!

Playing, singing, and listening to music!

Now on to "once", Chilean's dinner time.  Above is the other cake that Osy and I made that morning with the left over  egg yokes!

The next day, Sunday, June 19th, followed with my birthday party with the entire family over at my Chilean sister's house, Ingrid.  It was so much fun to spend the day with the family, especially the little kiddies.  I love them all so much  and I knew that I would miss them like crazy!  This day my birthday was also celebrated along side with Father's Day.  My whole life I've had to share a family party with my dad, as his party is on June 24th, so I was actually looking forward to sharing the celebration!

Osy makes lasagna!

Look how the beautiful cakes turned out!  She would tell the family that, the "Angel Food Cake is a cake made for an angel!"  She also named the sponge cake (that kind of collapsed on us, so we stuffed it with the left over fruit) after my mommy, Lucy.  Cake Lucy is it's name because she gave Osy the recipes!  hehe!

Opening up presents!

My first Chilean flag....I am officially Chilean!!!

With Julio wearing the poncho that he picked out and bought for me!  So nice!!!

Father's day presents: a new hat!  (Osy actually ended up wearing it more than Julio! hahaha!)

Felix gets a new Sudoku book!

The cake was more than a success, it was a hit!  Everyone absolutely loved it and all the kids said how they want that
cake for their next birthday!  This picture we took for you, Mom!

Now, my real birthday, on June 20th, was very special.  My host parents made a completely typical Chilean meal as I am Chilean now.  hehehe!  Osy also told me that I could invite a couple people over, Pablo and Breann, being the ones that could make it--and it was so nice to have them!  After lunch, even though the strike was going on, I still had to go to my grammar class which was only for foreigners.  After finishing lunch I bundled up and headed out in the rain to catch a bus to get to class.  Having to go out in the rain in Chile is not fun, functions usually get cancelled, and people tend to stay inside.  To me, the rain was something exciting, as it was, indeed, my first winter birthday!  I remember I got to my university pretty wet and my shoes were soaked.  I was looking for my classroom, as it had gotten moved, and couldn't find it.  Now I was getting worried about being late, so I asked someone in the office.  They told me to ask someone else and then that person wasn't at her desk so I was sent back to ask again and they sent me back to wait for her.  It was all getting very confusing and kind of frustrating....I wasn't seeing any of my classmates around so I was starting to get the feeling that we didn't have class today.  uuughhhh!  The lady finally returns to her desk and can't seem to find the professor on the room sign up list.  I then call my friend, Danika, who is also in that class and she tells me that she received an email saying that we didn't have class, because the professor couldn't reserve a room.  Why does this always seem to be a theme in my Chilean college career?? -- arriving to class only to find out that it's cancelled!  Ohhh gosh!  I felt like crying...because for some reason, again, I didn't receive that email.  Oh well...I was not going to let that ruin my birthday!  Later that day I received a call from Felipe wishing me a happy birthday and telling me that Bible study was cancelled.  I then suggested that we do something as I was planning on bringing leftover cake and everything to the church!  We quickly decided to go over to his house and he told me I could invite who ever I wanted.  I called all my friends, and it turned out to be a good group of friends--for the ones that could come last minute in the rain!  :)  

Breann and I...the Chileans!

Pablo and me.

Sopaipillas Pasadas!!!  SOOOO DELICIOUS!  I'd say my favorite Chilean food!  It's like fried pumpkin bread soaked in this sugary cinnamony sauce!

Porotos con riendas!   A bean and noodle soup with garbanzos!  

We didn't even need to make another cake! -- we still had tons of leftovers!

With my Chilean parents!

Here we are at Felipe's house!  This photo is staged, but I was still surprised!  I thought that we were just going to get together to hang out, but they had everything ready...with balloons, snacks, and a sign!  So thoughtful of them!

Manuel even came prepared with a gift!  So sweet of him!  Pear and chocolate cookies--yummm!

...Rob ended up eating the majority of them. haha!

The boys!!!

Pipe washing the dishes...

...I went over to help him and they all thought it was funny that I wanted to do the dishes on my birthday!

We played an intense game of UNO!  -- No English speaking allowed or you have to draw 2 cards.  Now those are MY kind of rules!

The one normal photo...

Here come the MANY crazy photos....

This was the group hug!!! aaawwwww!!!

On Tuesday, June 21st, at my Bible study in Valparaíso, Claudio gives me a gift that I wasn't expecting.  I wasn't even sure if they knew it was my birthday!  It was the next Tuesday, June 28th, that Nancy makes me a delicious strawberry mouse with chocolate crust cake and they sing to me.  So nice!

On that Friday, June 24th, my friends at my small group surprise me with a homemade pound cake and snacks!  They say such encouraging words to me and pray for me!  What a special surprise!   

You think I've had enough?!?!??!! OHHHHHH NO!  But just wait!  There´s more!  (hahahha! Sounds like an info-comercial!)

My big sha-bang birthday party still  hasn't happened.  It kept on getting pushed back as the dates with moving apartments kept changing.  We originally were going to wait, and have it in the new apartment, as it was bigger and more people could fit.  Osy really wanted to do something special for me, which I so much appreciated.  It turned out that we were going to be moving a lot later than I thought, meaning that my birthday party would have been more like a going-away party--which wouldn't be much fun.  I told my dear friend, Felipe, about this and he immediately offered to have the party at his house!  What a generous friend!  We set the date for Saturday, July 2nd.  We started planning for this party a while back once my friends found out.  Two of my friends in particular, Felipe and Cony, asked me if we could have an "American" party.  I, not quite sure what that meant, responded with, "sure!  but what kind of party is that?"  They replied, "A costume party!!!"  I told them that I have never once had a costume or themed birthday party but that of course we could do it!  We ended up picking "Cartoon Characters" as the theme for the costumes.  We needed something fun, with lots of options, and something easy enough for everyone to find or make a costume.  I told Felipe that my host mom and I would make the cake and that we would also help buy snacks and stuff!  I also told him that I would be in charge of games!  Hehe!  Everyone brought something to share, as well, and we actually ended up with leftovers!  I spent pretty much the entire day with Felipe, finishing buying our costumes, we ate lunch with his family, and setting up the room with all the decorations.  It turned out to be the best birthday party I have ever had!  I had to look up indoor group games as I usually play outdoor competition type games at my birthday parties in the states.  All the games were a hit!  And what was more of a hit were the punishments for the losers.  In fact, throughout the whole night, everyone would break out into chanting saying, "Penitencia! Penitencia! Pentencia!" (Which means "punishment"...hahaha!)  The Americans all arrived on time and ended up helping set up, while all my Chilean friends trickled in after that.  All the costumes were so great and I was quite surprised with how creative people got!  About 30 or so friends showed up, making the party a wonderful rambunctious good ol' time!  

The punishment for coming to the party without a costume, was for me to draw a "costume" on your face!  This "garden"  would soon become Tinker Bell!  hahaha! 

The Villains of the night

Breann and Fran as Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.

Rachel, Felipe, Pablo, and I decided to fill the cast of Dexter's Laboratory.  Rachel was the mom, Felipe was Dexter, I was Deedee, and Pablo was Mandark.

Pablo had put his mom's fake eyelashes on me to top off the costume!  So funny! 

Matías and Camila, brother and sister, as Woody and Jesse! 

Ale and Nicole came as the same person on accident!

Here I am with Cosmo (Roderto) from Fairy God Parents!

Anna, as sleeping beauty!  Hehehe!!  Anna was actually here through CIEE first semester, but she came back to do a research project--and just in time to come to my party!

Minnie Mouse!  My dear friends, Betsy and Cony!

some role playing...

role playing gone flaite, or Chilean gangsta.  Fran turned into a Flaite machine that night!  So funny!

We played the blinking assassin game!...here are all the dead people!

The cakes brought out by the Jimenez brothers!  Again....the cakes were a hit!

Got my head pushed into it....I guess there's a first time for everything!  hahaha!!  yummy!

Here we are with the costume finalist for the Best Costume Contest.  From left to right:  two Minnies, Strawberry Shortcake, Mario, the Joker, Cosmo, Hermione, Jesse, Woddy, and Deedee--the birthday girl! 

This was another punishment for not coming with a costume!  I had to draw this one with my eyes covered!  haha!

This was a game called, "Um", where the person blindfolded has to guess who's lap they are sitting on but they can both only say "Um" three times.

FRAAAAN!  I LOVE YOU!!!

Making Banana Frio with Rachel, my twin in real life and my mom at the party!  hahahaha!

Felipe and his faces....they are my FAVORITE!

Felipe's gift to me....I almost cried when I got it!  He is such a wonderful friend and I will miss him so incredibly much!

hahahahah! BEST EVER!

Hermione and Harry Potter who originally came as Gretchen from Recess.

Enjoying our Banana Frio!

Cony and the scarf she gave me!  I love that girl so much!!!

That is the first and last time I wear fake eyelashes!!!