Celebrating my birthday this year was in every word different. First of all, I turnt 20 on April 17th this year. A day earlier. There is no date as ugly as that day. I have never disliked a date more than that one. And only because I have to wait one more day. Yes I can be super inpatient.
Just when I started diner I got messages of my dad and some friends. I didn't forget it but I wasn't looking at the clock all the time. So when it actually was 6pm and my phone started buzzing I realized that in Holland it was April 18th. And if I was still in Holland it immediately felt like it was my birthday. Anouk started calling me and my host mom told me to answer it. So there she was, her voice almost made me cry. The sweetest wishes and of course a song. Pour girl stayed up until 12pm, or maybe not just for me. "The parting goes on without you, Nienk" says she to herself.
Just when I started diner I got messages of my dad and some friends. I didn't forget it but I wasn't looking at the clock all the time. So when it actually was 6pm and my phone started buzzing I realized that in Holland it was April 18th. And if I was still in Holland it immediately felt like it was my birthday. Anouk started calling me and my host mom told me to answer it. So there she was, her voice almost made me cry. The sweetest wishes and of course a song. Pour girl stayed up until 12pm, or maybe not just for me. "The parting goes on without you, Nienk" says she to herself.
The next morning, April 18th, my actual birthday. and I still think it is the most amazing day of the year. Only the sound of it makes me happy. Looking at a calendar or seeing it on my phone makes me smile. That is not weird, at least I think so. I really wanted to dress up. Tights and a dress are quite unusual for me. It is just not convenient to play with kids in a dress. Plus I love wearing jeans and t-shirts. So I decided to wear a dress that I actually saved to wear on my birthday. And Finally that morning I was allowed to read the cards that my family and friends sent me. I did not received that many card in years.
My phone buzzed, this time it was Noortje. I was about to leave but that could wait a bit. I miss her a lot. Good to speak with her and quickly update her on me. While she needs to update me more about her, because in the meantime the went to Dubai. Sadly there was not a long time to talk. It was time to go. A new adventure with a old friend. I got my text from Anne that they arrived.
Anne lives in Chigago, the windy city. I met Anne in New York City during the introduction days. It was amazing to she her again and spent my Birthday with her and Guilia, her friend who lives near me. They planed a mini road trip. First we went to the Great Falls, Not a waterfall but a place in the potomic river were the water.... whatever I do not even have a clue were I am talking about. Well, the weather was good, no sun but warm. We stayed there for two hours and took a huge amount of photo's, read selfies. After two hours we moved on. Next stop; Annapolis, I did not even heart of it once before. It is in Maryland near Baltimore. Just found out, thanks to wikipedia, that it is actually the capitol of Maryland. Though baltimore is bigger and has more citizens. Annapolis is such a cute city. The Navy it settled in Annapolis. For a second I though we were in England. Oh, haha I love wikipeadia, while I try to write my blogpost I got totally distracted. Do you want to know what I just found out. Annapolis is a sister city of Talinn, Estonia. In 2012 I celebrated my 18th birthday there! I was in Parnu, but still. It makes a circle be rond. moving on with Annapolis, it was so pretty, we walked around and sat down in the most nicest Starbucks ever. Because there is one thing I really wanted and that was some WiFi now and then. Starbucks is everywhere in the States and they will always provide you with some WiFi! than we strolled a bit more. To the bay and walked trough old American/English style streets.
Just a moment to appreciate all the messages, just wauw. I got a lot, lot. not only on Facebook but on basically every social media and more. Being far away from home is hard a specially on days like your birthday. But I had such a great day and all those messages brought home a little bit closer.
After Annapolis we drove back home. While driving back the GPS brought us through the downtown Washington DC during the traffic jam. Awesome, haha that was a way to show Anne the Capitol and the Washington Monument for the first time. It also meant that we drove through three different states in one day. So that made our little road trip sound a lot bigger.
We had a lovely diner at a tapas bar. My host dad was in Boston with the two oldest girls for spring break, so my host mom took me and my friends out to that restaurant. It was delicious. I had such a good time in that restaurant. And of course I had a delicious desert. A 'Happy Birthday cake' ! A real American birthday cake. If you never been here you might not ever have seen or tasted it. They are super sweet and they have a huge amount of icing on it. It looks really good and they do taste good. But make sure you don't cut a to big of a piece. I made that mistake and Anne, Guilia and myself were not been able to finish that piece.
Coming home after this day was so good. My phone half exploded because I didn't had any service for a couple of hours. Out of nowhere all those messages arrived and again, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. But having no service also meant for me that I had no connection to my family. I am more of a family person than I might want to admit. I would have loved it to Skype my family that day, but sadly enough that was not the case. Anne let me be on her 'Hotspot', but the service wasn't good enough for a Skype call. Well that evening I came home. Happy but kind of sad at the same time. It turns out that there is a huge box in the hall. My dad had sent me tulips. I was alone downstair. Totally cried my eyes out reading the card that my dad wrote me. I miss Holland and the beautiful flower field, but he brought a piece to my. I seriously hugged the flowers, is that weird? It was such a sweet thing. I love my dad a lot.
So here I am one week later, still 20. My cards gradually arrived and even my moms gift made it after a 4week travel. I had an amazing day. Seeing more of the county what I would love to do more and having a really good diner. America you are treating me well, in all aspects of that word. I need to enjoy more and I will because I feel more and more honored to be were I am every day. I like it a lot and I like all of you a lot. It means a lot to me that you wrote this, did you know that? now you do!
Just a moment to appreciate all the messages, just wauw. I got a lot, lot. not only on Facebook but on basically every social media and more. Being far away from home is hard a specially on days like your birthday. But I had such a great day and all those messages brought home a little bit closer.
After Annapolis we drove back home. While driving back the GPS brought us through the downtown Washington DC during the traffic jam. Awesome, haha that was a way to show Anne the Capitol and the Washington Monument for the first time. It also meant that we drove through three different states in one day. So that made our little road trip sound a lot bigger.
We had a lovely diner at a tapas bar. My host dad was in Boston with the two oldest girls for spring break, so my host mom took me and my friends out to that restaurant. It was delicious. I had such a good time in that restaurant. And of course I had a delicious desert. A 'Happy Birthday cake' ! A real American birthday cake. If you never been here you might not ever have seen or tasted it. They are super sweet and they have a huge amount of icing on it. It looks really good and they do taste good. But make sure you don't cut a to big of a piece. I made that mistake and Anne, Guilia and myself were not been able to finish that piece.
Coming home after this day was so good. My phone half exploded because I didn't had any service for a couple of hours. Out of nowhere all those messages arrived and again, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. But having no service also meant for me that I had no connection to my family. I am more of a family person than I might want to admit. I would have loved it to Skype my family that day, but sadly enough that was not the case. Anne let me be on her 'Hotspot', but the service wasn't good enough for a Skype call. Well that evening I came home. Happy but kind of sad at the same time. It turns out that there is a huge box in the hall. My dad had sent me tulips. I was alone downstair. Totally cried my eyes out reading the card that my dad wrote me. I miss Holland and the beautiful flower field, but he brought a piece to my. I seriously hugged the flowers, is that weird? It was such a sweet thing. I love my dad a lot.
So here I am one week later, still 20. My cards gradually arrived and even my moms gift made it after a 4week travel. I had an amazing day. Seeing more of the county what I would love to do more and having a really good diner. America you are treating me well, in all aspects of that word. I need to enjoy more and I will because I feel more and more honored to be were I am every day. I like it a lot and I like all of you a lot. It means a lot to me that you wrote this, did you know that? now you do!
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