Friday
Looking back to the end of November, I kicked off my birthday weekend on Friday by celebrating with my coworkers at La Farga Infantil. In Spain, it’s tradition to bring treats to the workplace for your birthday or other milestones, so I brought chocolates to share. The highlight of my day was seeing the students’ reactions when they learned it was my birthday. During art class, a few five-year-olds used plastic shapes to create a ‘two-layer cake’ with twenty-three candles on top.
Saturday, My Birthday
On the morning of my birthday, I woke up to a lavish breakfast prepared by my host family. The table was filled with fresh fruit, cheeses, hams, muffins, and even a birthday cake. They sang “Happy Birthday” to me in both English and Spanish. My favorite part was blowing out the candle and playing games with the family afterward.
My only birthday wish was to see the Christmas lights on Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona. When I found out that November 22nd was the first day of the lighting, I knew I had to make that part of my celebration. I invited a couple of friends, and off we went! Seeing the dazzling lights reminded me of home, but it was also one of those “pinch me” moments because I still can’t believe I’m living out my dream of being in Barcelona.
Sunday
The next day, my host family and I decorated gingerbread cookies together. Wholesome moments like these are exactly why I chose to live with a host family instead of in independent housing. In the U.S., there’s an unspoken rule that we don’t start officially celebrating Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but since Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday in Spain, Christmas festivities begin much earlier. Although this weekend made me miss my family and friends back home, my birthday was still filled with new adventures and wonderful company.
Author: Kameryn D.