of birthdays

. Around 31 July 2008
Birthdays abroad are funny. Odd, I mean. Good, fun, different (you never know just what will happen). One of the first things I did in Tanzania was turn 21. It was pretty funny to me (ha-ha funny) actually. One of my favorite memories, actually. The program directors, who barely knew me, gave me a beautiful wooden bowl with a carved elephant on it (I still have it, back home). The other students all pitched in and got me two cakes and a whole bottle of Hakuna Matata. Tanzanian liquor, that’s what that is… The cakes were dry and not particularly flavorful, but we had fun and then when there was plenty left over I wandered around the cafeteria giving away the rest. We went back to the dorm and got ready for our first day of school. Yup, all I had on my 21st was one shot of not particularly burning Hakuna Matata and then I went to bed. J Fitting, right?
Anyway, this birthday passed with very little fanfare: I couldn’t find any eggs so I didn’t even get a cake, instead I bought a bunch of candy and cookies and soda for my family and we celebrated the day after my birthday. The morning of I helped slaughter a sheep. Which is something only men can do… I tried to ask why but was only told it is Haram (absolutely forbidden by the Qu’ran). I bet there’s a reason behind it, maybe something about life-givers not taking life, but I’ll have to figure that out later. Anyway, it was somehow a little frustrating, sad, not as clean as I wanted it to be. For starters they just cut the neck while it’s awake and then leave it to die, fully conscious. Don’t even break the poor thing’s neck… anyway, it was pretty cool to watch it cleaned out, and then to take the amazingly soft meat upstairs and watch it be cooked and then eat it later. It was good, too. Except that I am just about through with dwaz. I want a whole week off of Moroccan food. Well, local Moroccan food, anyway. Or rather, my host family’s cooking. Not bad, but there’s a flavor theme that I’m a bit tired of.
Highlights of the day were definitely when two PCVs (Sarah and Nate from the Eastern Middle Atlas ENV, if you know them) called me to sing me Happy Birthday… and tell me that Nate brought me floss threaders from the United States!!!!!! Hooray no cavities in my front teeth!!!!!!!! But so many others texted me their wishes, and some even called (thanks Jon) to make their wishes, so it was great. And Mom, your box actually came ahead of time. J And then Mom called from Madeline Island to talk, and I got to talk to my cousin’s son, who is sharp as a razor at barely 3 years of age. All in all, a Happy Birthday, but it was funny. What with the sheep slaughtering and everything. :)