A Belated Birthday Recap

I'm back! I have returned from my amazing New Zealand and Sydney travels, and am just now starting to sort through the hundreds of photos I have.  In the meantime I thought I'd do a quick birthday weekend recap, since my birthday was just a few days before I left and I didn't get a chance to recap. 

My birthday was Friday, March 15.  I was scheduled to work that day, which was fine by me since otherwise I would have mostly spent the day at home alone.  Each Friday, the school has a mini assembly (they call them "parades" here) first thing in the morning.  Each class takes turn being in charge of the parade, showing classroom projects, etc., and then at the end of each parade, they celebrate any birthday for the week.  Lucky for me, no one knew it was my birthday that day.  Or so I thought.  After they called up the few students/teachers that had birthdays that week, I thought I was safe... until a few of the students started shouting, "It's Miss Megan's birthday, too!!"  I had completely forgotten but a couple months earlier, one of the kiddos (with an amazing memory apparently) had asked me when my birthday was, and REMEMBERED all that time later.  I usually hate being sung to in front of a crowd, but it was actually kind of fun.  They sing the same happy birthday song as we do, but since the school I've been working at is a school for students with special needs, they also sign the song which was really neat.  Oh, and after the birthday song is over, Aussies say "Hip hip, HOORAY! Hip hip HOORAY! Hip hip HOORAY!"  It's pretty cute!  So anyway, it ended up being a fun day at work. 

Since David has to work every Saturday, that Friday night was just your typical "weeknight" for us.  I did some packing and getting ready for my trip and watched American Idol of course (it plays on Thursdays and Fridays here). 

On Saturday (which was my actual birthday in the US), I met my friend Kim and her sweet baby Cooper for coffee, then I headed back home to talk to some friends and family on the phone.  That night, David took me out to dinner at one of Gladstone's few fine dining establishments (and even then, the term is used loosely).  It actually turned out to be quite nice.  It was a beautiful night, and we sat outside on the deck.  We shared a bottle of wine (Australian Shiraz, of course), and David somehow convinced me to try kangaroo finally- in the form of Kangaroo Spring Rolls.  Kangaroo is not something I ever thought I would eat- in fact, before moving here I didn't know that ANYONE actually ate kangaroo meat.  But hey, when in Australia, right?  I didn't hate it.  But I didn't love it.  It was kind of gamey- which I had heard might be the case.  Definitely not going to make it a part of my diet, but I guess I am glad I can say I tried it. 

All in all, it was a great FIRST Australian birthday and LAST birthday in my 20's.  I have a feeling though that it might just be the first of many times that I will turn 29 :-) 

*Excuse the awful photos.  The restaurant had some crazy blue overhead lighting that made everything look odd. 

 

Kangaroo Spring Rolls!





 

My hair looks crazy long here...

My handsome birthday date!