Happy Birthday Colin!

In case any of you were unaware, yesterday was a very important day.

"You know those little booties they
make for newborn babies? Well they're
like that, but man-sized! They're
man-sized baby booties!"

Yesterday, our very favorite Chilean adventurer, Colin Dunham, turned 21 years old!



To make up for have to celebrate it far from family and (most) friends, we tried to make it as special as possible, and everyone pitched in!




For starters, just after midnight, when it officially became May 29th, Colin's host family showed up at the door to his bedroom singing the Chilean version of happy birthday and carrying presents. They got him a cozy chaleco (sweater/jacket), and Mama Patty made hand-knit slippers to keep Colin's toesies warm around the house. They are precious.

In case you were wondering, the Spanish
version of Happy Birthday goes like this:

Cumpleaños feliz,
deseamos a ti.
Feliz cumpleaños a Colin,
que los cumplas feliz!

Next, after a good night's sleep, Colin and I met up an hour before class to head to the mall. We went to Dunkin' Donuts, because Colin wanted to share his birthday celebration with our whole class! Unfortunately, the guy working there let us sit around and wait for twenty minutes before he told us that they wouldn't be open until 11:00--exactly when our class starts. Fome. (Lame.) Luckily, we didn't
get too bored, because I used that time to give Colin his birthday present!

Candy, candy, and more candy!

Not to be discouraged by the fact that Dunkin' Donuts was closed, we stopped at a little shop on the way to class and Colin bought our classmates muffins and orange juice instead. We were all very appreciative of both the food and the temporary distraction from normal class. Our good friend Charlene even bought Colin a Mickey Mouse crown to wear so that everyone would know he was el rey del día (king of the day)!

Charlene's so awesome, she even wrote 21 on Colin's crown!
(It's not quite as big a deal when the drinking age is 18...)

After our first class, Colin and I stopped at Mango's Cafe to drink tea, eat croissants, and relax before heading back for our Ortofonía test. Colin invited all of our classmates to his birthday lunch, so after our test, several of us walked to Pizza Hut--Colin's restaurant of choice. We met up with Hilary and Charlene, who had gone back to the store in an attempt to find a piñata. When they couldn't find one, they decided not only to each get him a thoughtful birthday present, but also to buy party favors for the rest of us! (And let me tell you, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are DE-licious.) So we spent the afternoon enjoying deliciously American pizza and some great company.


When our last class of the day ended, Colin and I headed back to his house for torta (cake) and once. Enro was excited to see Colin drinking a Heineken with once, but unfortunately I only planned for Colin's one drink on his birthday, so Enro had to get his own beer instead. Maka picked out a tres leches (three milks) cake, and it was delicious. Mama Patty managed to fit 21 candles on it, and Colin successfully blew them all out in one try.

21 Candles... but did he make a wish?

On top of his Chilean celebration, Facebook, email, and Skype brought Colin's friends and family from 5000 miles away a little closer to us, and I think it was a pretty good day all around.

Happy Birthday, Colin Dunham.

-Rachel