My birthday and some special presents

So in the last two weeks I have celebrated my birthday and celebrated the ridding of some visitors than has been planted on my after I received a gift from the nursery children.


The 18th of September. On this day I threw my children a birthday in honor of myself. Now personally, I would rather have just gone under the radar with my bday this year, but in Indian culture your birthday isn’t really about you, it’s about the party you put on for others. So in the spirit of fitting in, I held a bday party for 50 children. With a list of their favorite junk foods, I went off to the local market and bought up on individual chip packets for all, popcorn, plates, lollies, juice and anything else that caught my eye-a feast to feed 50, for a total cost of roughly $20. With the help of 4 other foreigners (3 of which have since left) we put on a party with a number of parties games. Uaine and Brit (UK) drew up two fabulous giant donkeys to play pin the tail on the donkey, the first time they had played it. Then I had Beth (USA) run a game of limbo while Brit and I led musical statues. Split off into three separate groups (small girls, small boys and nursery) and divided into three corners of the room, we had a jolly fun couple of hours enjoying the deafening screams and shouts of the masses as well as the blazing heat that was encompassing us from all the sweaty little bodies. Did I mention the power was off for the 40 hours previously and so no fans or lights were working? Anyway, the party ended well and all enjoyed which was awesome :)


On my actual birthday I was showered with more happy birthdays than I have received in my entire life, as well as enough flowers (picked from the gardens :P) and cards to fill my table which was lovely! Pricilla made me a chocolate cake and the kids made me a goofy birthday hat I was forced (happily) to wear for a number of hours before I walked through a doorway and if fell off… That night I bought 6kg of chicken for all the girls to make meat curry for once, as well as soft drink which is also a novelty. While we all ate in darkness for a number of minutes, the generator kicked in and the party started up again. Once the meal was over we all adjourned to the girl’s hostel area, ready to kick back and enjoy the “soothing” voice of Bollywood superstar and heart throb of all-Sha Ru Kahn- in one of his films. As is the norm, most girls got up and danced along with the dances, coping each move and giggling at each other. It was a lot of fun! My dance moves left a lot to be desired though, I could tell by the polite pitiful gazes that were thrust my way. Oh well, it’s my birthday, I can embarrass myself if I want right?
So that was my 19th birthday, spent in India, on the 19th of September-they call it my Lucky birthday here. And I believe it was. =)






(Pictures: FRom top to bottom- 1. Me in my party hat,2. Nursery kids playing musical statues, 3. limbo and 4. pin the tail on the donkey)


I contracted headlice from my little kiddies after about week 3 of being here. It’s quite a problem here, everyone gets it at least once a year. What was particularly unfortunate for me was that I had just managed to get rid of some headlice I had contracted back in Australia, only about a month before I left Aus, so I wasn’t particularly overjoyed at my lovely present..Anyway, forget lotions and potions as a de-licing solution, here they strip the procedure back to the core, and do it monkey style- picking each individual one out by hand. For a number of weeks I had hourly visits by a few of the girls to go through my hair. Now before you take me for some spoilt princess summoning my civilians to do the dirty work, de-licing is actually one of the girls weekly jobs. They have to spend an hour a week going through each other’s hairs to prevent infestation through the entire dorms. So I joined the band, although I sucked at actually finding them in other peoples hair, and had my beauty treatment along with the rest of the girls. Apparently my lice is so white compared to Indian lice, because the lice adapt to the hair colour. In fact, I don’t mean to brag, but I am actually somewhat of a lice pro now. To cut a long and itchy story short, Selma (who I would say is probs my best friend on the mission) spent around 2 hours one afternoon attempting to get rid of them once and for all. She first went through my head as is, then she went and got oil to make them slip down my strands, then finally she brought out the big gun in the form of a nit comb. Using all her strength and all my willpower, we crushed those critters and destroyed the entire clan of them. Mission accomplished.

...For now at least.




(Photo: head lice hunt)


There have been a few more events here and there, but for now, this will do. Love to you all!!!!

Lauren xoxox

PS. Go Saints for next week and Happy 50th Dad for last week.