24th Birthday Peace Corps Madagascar Style!!!

I am happy to report that I had an amazing birthday. In fact, I can’t actually remember when I have had such a fun birthday in recent years…maybe it is because when you are living abroad in the third world having expectations for anything can just lead to serious disappointment, but my day was amazing.

1^st of all: I am in Mahajunga which is such a cool city!

2^nd: I’m here with Peace Corps people…sometimes I wonder how so many very different people can get along, but shared experience accounts for A LOT!

3^rd: PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!! Wow. Amazing. Seriously the best beginning to my birthday ever. We all got up at 5:30 and went down to the Hotel Baobab. It’s a super nice hotel, with a plasma (what!?) screen TV in their lobby and we drank overpriced coffee and ate Magnums at 6000AR a pop! (whoa! That’s like what I spend in 2 days at site…) But it was so amazing and great!

4^th: I’m basically on vacation right now…so I spent my day wandering around Mahajunga visiting all of the cute little tourist shops that PCVs can’t afford…but it doesn’t hurt to look right!? I had an espresso and palmier and not a single person bothered me while I enjoyed it, which is basically a miracle!

5^th: PIZZA, ICE CREAM AND WINE! We splurged for my birthday and it was delicious!

Thanks to all of you who sent me messages! It just added to the great day I had here! Love you all!