MY BIRTHDAY!

Lucky me, I got to celebrate my birthday on about 3 or 4 different days here and I will again once I get home. Day #1 was Friday before my birthday with Lou at the beach. We spent all day in the sun and reading at the hotel before getting all dressed up and going out to get pizza. But at dinner, poor Louie got sick so we rushed back to the hotel right after dinner and came out later to get coke for his belly. It ended up being a better night (other than his actual pain) because we just sat together and talked about the week, and I tried to make sure he was doing okay. Day #2 was my real birthday (Sunday the 1st) at my homestay back in Monteverde. I woke to a huge breakfast, as usual on Sunday mornings at my house, and two giant cakes on the table. I share my birthday with my brother, Alonso, so there was a cake for each of us. Immediately after breakfast (awesome-- dessert at 9 in the morning...) my family sang to us and we ate chocolate cake (Alonso´s) and MANGO CAKE (mine). It was forreal the most delicious cake I have ever eaten in my life. Lou agreed. I also got to cut a huge chunk of it and claim it as mine, like my family here usually does, to eat throughout the rest of the week. After breakfast, Lou came over to show me a surprise outside. I followed him to his house and he gave me a beautiful, sparkling birthday card. It is probably most definitely (or as lou would say probs mos def) the best birthday card I have ever recieved (thanks louie). Later that day, after a very nice 2 or 3 hour walk with Lou around our neighborhood, Lou´s mom gave me one of my favorite birthday presents ever. She handed me a little gift bag decorated with travel type pictures of shells, stamps, photos, bags... and inside it had a perfect-sized-for-me tote bag with a native Costa Rican bird called a quetzal sitting on a branch embroidered on the front. I had the perfect day--until I got homesick... Day#3 Package! On Monday I got a package at school from home! I loved reading all the cards from my sisters and parents, and I felt like I was home for a moment or two. (PS- thanks for the extra pants and birthday phone calls.) Day#4 was yesterday. I got another package. Carly, Annie, Piper, and Sarah put together notes with candy, snacks, and a magazine into a birthday package for me. The notes made Lou and I really realize how much we do miss home. I think we will be ready to come home by the end of our trip. It was like my birthday all over again because I was so excitedd to open the package and read your notes and it still hasn´t faded. Thank you so so so so sosososososososo much for all the birthday notes and wishes and messages and the update notes. Lou and I both are so happy to hear from you. I really had the most amazing birthday. Mostly because of you guys.

Love,
Rachel
(The last post was Lou by the way)