Birthday! (A little late)

Hola Ciao Hello Howdy What it do!

I apologize for not posting anything for a few days, I’ve been busy turning 17 and stuff. I am writing this from my bed, it is Monday night, 10:13 p.m., and I am utterly exhausted. I needed to write though, or else I would feel like the day was incomplete. The last two days have been the busiest and most intense days in a while, probably since my first week.

On the night of March 7th I was watching “Weeds” on my computer in bed when I looked at the clock and it said 12:07. I thought it was funny: well, I’m 17 now. For 7 minutes I’ve been 17. I don’t feel any different, I don’t look any different, but I’m 17! Sweet!

I awoke the next morning after a really nice, deep sleep (in which I dreamed about driving souped up golf carts on sand dunes, pretty fun) to Maria and Gerlando knocking on my door, carrying a tray with a bacon, egg, and cheese, a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice, and a big cup of hot tea. It was amazing! Mama Andrea had given Gerlando the idea, and told him how to make it. It was truly delicious, and they watched me eat it in polite disgust, because the idea of eating “eggs like that with meat” for breakfast was a pretty strange idea to them. I devoured the sandwich, drank the tea and the orange juice, then opened my present from home-home.

It was one of the best gifts I have ever received- wonderful in its simplicity and its usefulness, it was a glorified care package from Bedford, filled with things that I love, things that I miss, things that I can use here with joy: many packs of gum, the new GQ (which I have been reading carefully and slowly, almost like rationing), toothpaste, the first season of “Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” cookie dough, dried fruit, a clipping from the New Yorker on Che Guevarra, the Pine Needle (Pine Island’s newspaper), and a funny and sweet card. I have already gotten use out of the toothpaste, gum, and GQ, and cannot wait to start “Its Always Sunny in Philidelphia,” make the cookies, eat the fruit, read the other stuff. Thank you family, it is a perfect gift.

Feeling full and ready to start my day, I invited Gerlando to go out on a walk, since it was beautiful out (FINALLY! Just in time for my birthday). We walked to the abandoned house that I really like, felt the hot sun, and picked up his scooter from the mechanic. At one point I had to take off my Dad’s cashmere sweater because I was sweating! The first time I can say that! We returned home, I showered, got dressed, and practiced my speech for the exhibit of the photo contest that I entered a few weeks ago, which ended on my birthday, with a ceremony up at the castle, in one of my favorite parts of Favara.

This week, four or five AFS students from northern Italy came to Favara to see another part of Italy, a program that Intercultura (AFS Italy) organizes, that I will take part in at the end of March when I go to Verona for a week. A girl from China, a girl from Austria, a girl from Turkey, and a boy from Chile all came to the exhibit with their various week long host families.

The calendar in which my photograph is featured was presented at the ceremony. It was printed really nicely, which I was excited about, and I was also really happy to see all of the great other photography that was submitted. Really nice stuff. I had to make a short speech describing the idea behind my photograph, which I will post later.

Returned home with a Comune di Favara fancy key chain, a calendar, and yellow flowers (for Women’s Day). Ate a big but quick lunch, and rushed to the computer to talk with the fam!

Got to talk to Simon and Dad, which was really great, up at the ski house. Really happy to see them, looked like they were having a great boys weekend. Then talked with Mom at home for a while. I felt so content with our conversations, it was like another birthday gift from them. We decided that we aren’t going to talk until the Wednesday after this Wednesday. I think it’s a good thing- keeps my mind on the mission. Sat out on the balcony reading the GQ, studying every picture, reading every bit of text, feeling the hot sun on my head and face. It was so nice.

Then we went to San Leone with all the AFS kids. I got to catch the last glimpse of the sun going down. I felt like it was a good day, a full day, a nice way to start off my next year. Ate gelato at a gelateria all together, then raced home to get changed and go to my birthday party, at a restaurant nearby.

The party was really fun. Ate a TON of pizza, talked and laughed with my AFS friends, and best of all marveled over how many nations were represented at the table! Denmark, Canada, Germany, China, Chile, Italy, the U.S., France. It was remarkable! Opened gifts, got some wonderful stuff- one of my favorites a Sicilian style hat, like the old men wear.

Although I felt exhausted and my eyes were dry and tired, we went to catch the end of another kids birthday party at the edge of Favara. We got there, said hi, saw some friends, then decided we should go. We had no ride, so we walked over the hill that is Favara to Kaja’s house, then back home. I ended up going to sleep at 2:30, and waking up at 7:30 to go to school. Gerlando slept in, and I went, because the principal wanted to have all of the visiting countries represented, which turned out to be five minutes in his office talking. I was exhaaauuusted the whole day (today), and am so ready to turn on my iPod to my new sleep mix (Moby and Brian Eno ambient stuff) and pass out.

Tomorrow I go to Palermo with the AFS group. Do some tourist-y stuff, but I’m sure it is going to be fun. I have to wake up at 6:15. Bahhh. I better get to bed, I will post this at some point tomorrow, along with some pictures.

Hope all is well! Zander