Birthdays and Really Awesome Presents

So I was headed back from grocery shopping with the new volunteer (more on her later), when Alvaro asked me if I'd ever had a birthday away from home. I realized that I actually haven't been home for a birthday since I turned 19. My last three birthdays have all been away from my family: DuNord YMCA camp in Ely, in Melbourne last year, and now in Costa Rica. I guess I'm getting used to it, but it does make me a little homesick - I want family on my birthday!There must be some part of me that actually likes fuss being made about my birthday, though I can never seem to find it while the fuss happens. I guess I like the idea of fuss, but not the actual fuss? Anyway, I told the folks at UBL that it was my birthday today (I mean, I told them the 16th was my birthday. I didn't casually mention it this morning) so this morning at cafecito they had two of their liturgical musicians play a tican happy birthday - though the song is apparently Mexican? It was very sweet of them. Then Becky took Ruth (an American professor at UBL), Amanda, and me out to lunch at a sort of fast food place called "Spoon." This evening Amanda and I went out for pizza, and had a great time, though the pizza itself was edible and not much else.Becky took the pictures during the "concert", and also took a video of the last minute plus of the birthday song, which I now have on my computer. If I could figure out how to edit it, I'd post it, but since I can't, I think you all get a pass.
Amanda is the newest volunteer. She's a rising college senior majoring in theater, and is from Alabama. She seems really nice - and certainly was game for lunch immediately following her arrival. She was supposed to live with me in the apartment, but her parents had some safety concerns, so she's up in the student dormitories. She has an open invitation to come down whenever - its really nice to have someone my age here, because as much as I enjoy chatting with Luz, in the end, she's still only 9. I think Amanda and I might travel some together. I'm excited to get to know her better, and she made for a pretty sweet birthday present.