Happy birthday to me! I’ve had the opportunity to celebrate my past birthdays in different countries all over the world, including Ireland, Peru, and Costa Rica. This year I had the incredible experience of celebrating my 16th birthday in France while on an exchange.
My special day started with birthday wishes from my family and friends and a fun day of rowing and sailing at camp. That night, we (the Lenoble family, their cousin Clelia, Zoe, and myself) got in the car and drove up the mountain through small towns to get to a restaurant called “La Ferme” which served traditional foods of the area.
Before dinner, we hiked for a few minutes up the mountain to watch a group of paragliders. It was awesome to watch and looked like a lot of fun!
At the restaurant, we tried a lot of different foods such as beignets de pomme de terre (deep-fried grated potatoes), tartiflette (a mix of potatoes, onions, cheese, and pork), and escalope paysanne (thin slices of lamb, white ham, cheese, mushrooms, and fresh cream). It was delicious! After dinner, we enjoyed a decadent chocolate cake.
The Lenoble family is a very kind and generous family, and they gave me a beautiful French perfume for a birthday present.
Celebrating birthdays around the world is a great way to experience different cultures. Firstly, all the cultures sing a song with almost an identical tune, except they are in different languages such as French or Spanish. Secondly, sweets are always involved, whether they are a gourmet cake or delicious cupcakes. Finally, lit candles are used to wish for good luck. All of these international experiences were fantastic and I realize it doesn’t matter what country you are from, celebrations are a big part of all of our lives.
I had a great day thanks to Virginie, Jacques, Juline, and Zoé. My sixteenth birthday was a lot of fun and a truly unforgettable experience. I wonder where I might celebrate next year… off to get my atlas! 🙂
Leave a Reply