I accidentally deleted the beginning of this posting so it totally isn’t as good as it should be. Sorry.
Ok, so Saturday is when my birthday officially started. I went to the farmer’s market downtown and among my other purchases (including a Santa for Heidi and a dusty rose piece of luggage) included cakes for the club girls, flowers from Buddy and Daisy (yellow roses and chrysanthemums, the guy gave me a euro off for my birthday) and a tee-shirt from Oscar that I’ve wanted (what a good fishy!). I forgot my luggage the first trip down and so had to go back to town, this time for lunch with Claire, Maire, Jessica, and Laura at the market (Falafels with Twix “fingers” for dessert!).
When I got back to the house the second time the club girls surprised me at the door and started to sing “Happy Birthday”. While they sneakily decorated the small dining room for a party, I made a candle out of some wax candles that I had gotten at the beginning of my trip, two St. Blaise-blessed candles, two candles from the Good Friday vigil at the Colosseum, and a Guinness glass.
My candle didn’t turn out as I had hoped. First, I didn’t fully wait until each layer was cooled before I poured in the next color, which caused the colors to mix a bit. Then I was using one full candle as the wick to the new candle (you know, put it in the middle and poured wax around it). This would’ve worked fine had I allowed each layer to cool, but since I didn’t the whole center candle started to melt. When I finished pouring and came back when it had cooled, I found that my make-shift center candle holder had fallen into the wet wax and I had lost the wick in the candle! I still haven’t found it, so I basically have a pint glass of multicolored wax (and the purple turned a nasty shade of green too). Jessica suggested I cut out a hole in the top large enough for a tea light, perhaps no one would notice the different. Ya know, it would look nice and last longer too J
Between dinner and going to get Mira I fully intended to write more of my paper (notes = 2,300 words which could easily be turned into a paper by themselves), but ended up falling asleep on my floor for 45 minutes. We made Mira a white bread and cheese sandwich (no meat in the house, oops) because she wouldn’t get dinner on the flight (it’s so expensive, but that’s how they make their money I guess). We were a little late in picking her up (about ½ hour) but she’d had trouble with baggage claim and wasn’t waiting for us for too long. Ah…a road trip. We called Jane and Noirin, who had come with us to Rome, for a cup of coffee. We got to go to Jane’s residence (not a student residence like RG, but a study center for students to go to when they need a place to study and get help) and have Coke and tea. This is where my second birthday party took place, because Jane and Noirin put candles in my bowl of ice cream. I wished that Mom could be here to celebrate with us. She’s here in spirit, but she’s missing out on so much fun! We talked about Rome, the Da Vinci Code and how O.Dei’s actually getting some good press out of it because everyone wants to interview members to see what it’s really like. Some journalists are really impressed because O. Dei’s NOTHING LIKE THAT BOOK. Seriously, no self mutilation, no straw mats (which might actually be softer than these European beds!). Just devotion to God and to making everyone else’s life a little bit better through prayer and volunteering. Jane and Noirin were amazingly prepared considering we called them a little bit before 10PM and showed up about ½ hour later! We got kicked out at 11:30PM and on the way home we talked and giggled, prayed the rosary (for me, all my party-goers, and Mira’s great-aunt lovingly known as “Nana”) and sang along with the iPod. They didn’t want to start the rosary until midnight “so we can do the Glorious mysteries” according to Jessica, but really because they could then sing “Happy Birthday” in at least 5 different languages (English, German, Irish, Spanish, and MaP’s Spanish). Somewhere in the middle of a Beatles’ song it hit me that this truly was a great birthday, even if nothing else happened for the rest of the day. My family may not remember me (I understand, there are quite a few other things that require constant attention) but my friends, people that four months ago were complete strangers and are now my second (aka “European”) family, they really really care. They are here and they are going to make sure that I have the best birthday ever. Yeah.
10:42 AM
Mira got me the bestest present ever – a HRC tee shirt from Cologne…she remembered how I had found out Cologne had one but we didn’t go and found me just the right one (a design I didn’t have!). I kinda figured someone had gone through my closet when the clothes hadn’t been pushed back all the way, and I was right. Jessica had gone in to check my size. Yay!
When I got in last night I found a present from LuLu on my desk. It was a lovely card, a cd mix I’ll have to play soon, and a red Chinese knot with tassle like she has on her door. That’ll go on my wall when I get home J
Today I got dressed up, putting on my pink skirt, white shirt, and boots. I was a little late for breakfast b/c I poked myself in the eye putting on some make-up (it is after all a special day!). I woke up this morning (after hitting the snooze button for about an hour) and my first thought was, “It’s my birthday!” It is a beautiful day (just like I prayed for) so it’ll be tons of fun out and about at the picnic. Too bad Maire and Maria are leaving tonight after dinner for their course out at Ballyglunin (which means they’ll be gone for a month) but at least they got to stay here an extra day to be with us. For this I am very grateful.
My plan:
11AM mass at house (the last w/ Fr. Macken)
12PM mass at school (the last w/ Fr. Diarmund)
1:30/2ish picnic at school
After picnic – presentation of Mira’s UNIV photos before dinner
6? Dinner
Maire and Maria leave
After that we’ll maybe get to roast marshmallows in the backyard
What a day!!
8 May 2006
9:14AM
I would’ve written more yesterday but I was sooooo tired by the time I reached my room at midnight that I didn’t want to do anything that required thinking. Anyway, my plan generally went off without a hitch. The 11AM mass was funny when Fr. Macken said he’s speak slower for Mira and my birthday. The 12PM mass at the chapel was fun because this little girl was sitting behind us (maybe two or three years old) and right before Fr. Diarmund started the Eucharist portion, she loudly said his name. He tried to keep a straight face but ended up cracking up and with him the whole congregation. After this we went back to the house and I helped Nuri figure out where her hostel is in Rome using my trusty maps. Friederika brought me tulips and candy…not sure where the candy went but the tulips are just starting to open up in the dining room. At about 2PM we gathered up the troops (including Mark, the tallest of us all) and headed over to the picnic. Swing music was provided (and it was awesome) and so were real plates, silverware, and whatever glasses you could find. A swanky party indeed! 100 people didn’t sing “Happy Birthday” to me as I had feared - thank goodness, I’d been terrified!!! Some of us (including Christi in the skirt) sat on a bike rack while the others sat on the ground. We had some nice group photos taken which I hope to put online soon (you know, after I start working on this paper). After this we played Frisbee, me in my skirt and stockinged feet! It was tons of fun, especially when Bart the dog showed up and tried to steal our Frisbee! What a sweetie, we totally wore him out! About an hour into our fun it not only started to rain, but hail in the size of those little berry pieces that make up a whole raspberry but NOT raspberry size (if that makes sense). We ran to the house, said good-bye to Mark (he heads home today) and Bart (not sure where his home is), and looked at pictures until dinnertime. Dinner was lovely, lasagna (my favorite!) and garlic bread with a great chocolatey/fruity/cream cake. I wished (and I can tell you this b/c it came true) that my Mom and Matt would call – which they did after dinner just as we started roasting marshmallows in the backyard in one of those disposable grills. Jessica thought that you could just set up a big bonfire/pile of wood in the backyard and it wouldn’t be illegal (I think it’s only legal in Juneau, Alaska and only after you call the fire department!). The disposable grill did just fine and we ate marshmallows until we were stuffed, sang songs, and talked (mostly about the media, starting with Spongebob and how he can build fires under the sea and getting in deeper from there into violence and government control of media). It was great fun, with the moon and stars shining above us. A little into the beginning of this Mom and Matt called, camped out at his dorm room trying to figure out how to get the phone to work. Matt of course assumed I was sloshed simply because it’s my 21st but no alcohol was involved (coke, mt. dew, 7up and water, seriously!). Lol, it’s all good fun. I had a great time talking to them, hearing Matt yelling at Mom because she was cleaning his room as he spoke to me. Hahahahaha!
Over all, I had a great birthday. I’m a little sad that only 5 people and 3 pets back home remembered without prompting (in alphabetically order Carmen, Heidi, Matt, Mom, and cousin Sarah) – I got many more birthday greetings when I put my age back up on facebook. I didn’t hear from any of my other family members though, even after I sent out postcards with big ol’ hints on them (2 days before Europe Day on 9 May!). Kinda hurts my feelings. I hope no one sends anything now because the mail’s completely unpredictable and might not make it before I go home. I love e-mails though, they are always good to get (unless they contain viruses and stuff)!
Yep, Ireland threw me a really great party. I couldn’t ask for more here. The girls at the club, Jane and Noirin, the BBQ at school, and the great dinner and marshmallow roasting last night were just so….words can’t describe how much it meant to me. So much time, effort, and thought was put into each detail of my unforgettable birthday. I’m so grateful to have spent time with all of these truly amazing people who made me feel more at home than I ever thought possible. How did I get so lucky and fortunante to meet these people? I really don’t think I deserve to be so spoiled. I really wish I didn’t have to leave, that we could all stay like this for much longer than these 4 short months. If everyone could have a study abroad experience similar to mine, how happy the world would be!
Alas, must finish my paper or else I can’t go home. I must go home, not only because I need a job (to pay off my fabulous journey here and to save for trips to Alaska – I’d love to go in the summer and fish with Jessica and her family, St. Louis – I want to see a baseball game w/ Laura and her dad, Germany – Mira’s big day??, China – running around the streets of Bejing with LuLu, next year’s UNIV congress and World Youth Day in 2008 in Sydney, Australia – Claire and I want to visit our families in NZ first though!!) and should probably live in the house I’ve rented, but to share my experiences with the people back home, to encourage them to go out too. Even if just for a couple of days. It just totally opens your eyes to a giant world out there with people who speak different languages and have different customs than you but smile the same, laugh the same, and care for you the same way as those do back home. It’s truly a wonderful gift that I’ve been given and I’m grateful for every moment I’ve been here, even those filled with self-doubt, self-pity (no one loves me) and homesickness. If I hadn’t been here at RG with all of these fantastic people who made me feel at home, I wouldn’t still be here today, but hightailed it home the second week in January.
I didn’t have to give a birthday speech (they forgot which is OK by me!), but I guess if I did, this is what would be in it.
I’m grateful
-my family and friends back home who remember me and miss me and kept me updated. I know that it’s annoying sometimes to have to keep track of me and what I do or don’t know that’s important and just realizing that I really need some love from home. I look forward to coming home and seeing everyone and getting back to work and school and my general “normal” life which kinda got suspended when I left. Words can’t express how thankful I am for the postcards, e-mails, phone calls, messenger chats, and facebook postings I’ve gotten. It really means a lot to me.
-to be able to watch my new friends grow, for some in their English, for some in their confidence, for some in their love of chemistry, for some in their love of God and of life, and for all in their friendship
-the internet’s yes and no working, because if it did work all the time I’d always be on the internet
-for Irish weather, because the nice days are really nice and the stormy days means we have indoor fun, like playing cards and talking for hours
-cheap European travel, b/c I would’ve never gotten to go everywhere that I have, nor meet everyone I have
-O. Dei, although your beds are hard compared to mine, at least they aren’t straw and I’m always welcome to crash anywhere in the world….seriously, because w/o O.Dei I wouldn’t have had any of the experiences I did b/c there’d be no RG, no circumstances that would’ve pulled together our very diverse and dynamic group, and no place I can proudly call home. And I might’ve believed a little of “The Da Vinci Code” which I can now proudly bash at home b/c I know O. Dei, I’ve lived here, worked here, laughed and cried here, and always always always felt wanted, loved, and at home here.
-God, Grandma, and cousin Mike looking down on me, making sure that I’m happy and healthy and so are my friends and family
-that I came, because my life would be completely different. For example, I’d have less debt J But I’d also have less friends, less experiences that I treasure, less places to go to visit, and less HRC tee-shirts. Hahahaha
-most of all, I’m grateful for all of my new friends. I’ve never felt closer to people that I’ve known for such a short time. You guys know me waaaay too well, you can tell when I’m lying, when I’m sad or stressed, and when I’m sleeping (aka the UNIV conference!). It’s truly hard to believe that we’ve only known each other for 4 months and 3 days and even less. I’m so happy that I met each and every person, because everyone added to my life in some way, through song, laughter, jokes, music, conversation, faith, and life. I couldn’t have asked for anything more and I totally expected way less. So I thank each friend, a member of my European family, for touching my life. Every moment I’ve spent with you, I treasure.
Ok, I’m starting to tear-up now so I’m going to take a nap and then write write write!!
Lots of love, Christi
