25 years young!

I was prepared to pass my 25th birthday, a quarter century, my capicua (the name for when you can play your last domino on either end of the train, earning 25 points) here in the campo, a nondescript day of reflection and thanksgiving for all the breaks I’ve been given in 25 years. When people called and asked what I was doing I shrugged, “moving my three suitcases to a new house, relaxing, eating rice and beans and if I get really ambitious I’ll make some pancakes later”…I was surprisingly content about it. I guess that probably comes from a lifetime of having your birthday so close to Christmas that none of your friends are ever around (although I must say that my family has always been phenomenal).

My relaxing day was a bit thrown off by this new allergy I have developed, I believe to dust, which is what my road is made of unfortunately. It had me sneezing uncontrollably, with a runny nose and watery eyes – which my family here now contributes to me crying all day because of their evil conspiracy not to wish me a happy birthday, even though they all knew it was.

She didn’t wish me a happy birthday but my ‘mom’ cooked my favorite – eggplant – for lunch and then we played some dominoes, which I am always happy about. I thought it was quite strange that all of my siblings were nowhere to be found, but figured that our aunt must have cooked something really great for lunch as they were all there, supposedly.

Because it was my birthday my brother said that I could come with him to visit some friends later on in the evening. At about 8pm he came looking for me, exclaiming on sight, “Pero tu estas fea! Ponte linda! Un poco, por lo menos!” – Ah, you look ugly! Get yourself pretty! A little at least! – “Well, this isn’t starting out to be a very nice birthday outing,” I thought, but my mom (the real one) always says “Just slap on a little lipstick and go!” At 25 I still don’t wear lipstick but I generally opt for mascara and heels, and I switched to a sparkly shirt.


Turns out that my group of youth had been planning my big surprise party for a month. They had all chipped in and were waiting in the dark in disco at the end of my driveway, along with half of the community, a giant cake and a photographer. When I walked in they sang me the traditional Dominican birthday song and I took about a million photos with every different combination of people at the party. We danced a little and they had even bought giant bottles of soda and prepared several trays of ketchup/mayo salad sandwiches – not exactly my favorite, but they are vegetarian and fit the budget of a group of 15 year olds.

These pictures don't do them justice, I'm still waiting for the photographers pics, but the decorations were fabulous – pink ‘It’s a girl!’ balloons! I suppose it was a girl, 25 years ago on this day. And a bottle of rum from our local Brugal company rep.

Needless to say I felt extremely special and was even more glad I had passed my 25th here with such generous friends. In case you are wondering my good friends here range in age from 19-25, which is a rare age population in the campo. Usually they all go to the city to work and study, but I am lucky to have so many around.