twenty-three.

I think I just turned twenty-three. it was definitely one of the most bizarre birthdays in recent memory, if not ever. as we were in the village it would have been hard to celebrate in any way normally, but who likes normal anyway. the other students, bless them, arranged for a bit a fiesta in the evening, on the 24th. someone brought rum from mombasa and we thought we'd all sit around, drink some rum (I hoped out of coconuts) and look at the stars.

I neglected to mention my birthday to the family I was living with. mostly, I was bummed not be celebrating at home, and in kenya birthdays aren't a big deal, especially in the village because they don't know their birthdays (ps. they tell time by the sun! the equator is a crazy place.) I told them I had a school meeting (a lie we students decided upon together) at 8 and would be back later. well they insisted (despite my protests) on walking me to the designated location (a room in a house near the water with bars on the windows) so I showed up to my birthday party with easily a twenty person entourage comprised mostly of children. and I wasn't the only one, many other students had clingers as well. so there we were, 23 american students, attempting to drink rum, in a muslim village, by headlamp, while kenyan children clung to the bars of the windows, staring at us. AWKWARD to say the least. there might be a special place in hell for those who drink round muslim children, if so, consider my spot reserved.