As they say in Nicaragua, I have completed my 25th year and as we say in the states, I am 25 years old. Either way, another year has passed and I am blessed to say my first quarter of a century has been fabulous!
As a young girl, I would wake up to my mother’s birthday wishes, balloons and some sort of delicious treat waiting for me on the kitchen table. My Mom always knew how to make me feel extra special on my birthday. Heck, she planned an entire surprise party for me on my 17th birthday while her husband had gotten major surgery that very day! When I turned 20, I worked the whole day and she had twenty balloons sent to my work. She has never failed to make my day super-special.
Fortunately and unfortunately, I have spent my past four birthdays wondering around the world. When I turned 22 I was studying in Australia, at 23 I slept in a van while traveling from California to Utah and 24 in Nicaragua. So, this year I was really a little sad to be gone, yet another year. Also, I was turning 25! That’s old, isn’t it?
Much to my surprise, this birthday could not have gone better. On Tuesday, my women’s group and I celebrated in Claudia’s house. I made a homemade spaghetti sauce and served it with a really delicious dessert. And as promised at a Nica birthday bash, there was dancing. We did the salsa, Marenge, Cumbia and of course, danced to all the 90’s greatest hits 
It was a great night!
Then, I was woken up at 5 am on Thursday morning to the Happy Birthday song blasting right outside my door. I shuffle around trying to get out of my mosquito net, looking for my flip-flops and open my door. My roommates were standing there, singing to me! They gave me a little piece of pie and we danced in the waiting room of the clinic. Although it was 5am and still dark, I really was enjoying every moment of it. They snuggled back into bed for a few hours while I started my day.
I worked the morning and celebrated with some volunteers that night. I received some wonderful packages from the states along with an uncountable amount of birthday cards! My friends host sister decided she wanted to do my make-up (she studied cosmetology in Panama). So, I let her and it turned out to be beautiful. We stayed in all night, grilled, eat dessert and of course there was dancing. It was a great day.
I spent this past weekend celebrating with 10 of my Peace Corps friends. It is also my friend Tony’s birthday this week, too. We went to a small hostel and relaxed by the pool from Friday to Sunday. We played cards, eat delicious French bread and it almost felt like we weren’t in Nicaragua! It was paradise!!!!
All in all, this turned out to be a great birthday celebration.
Claudia and I cooking my birthday dinner
My Favorite Nica Women!
Little Munchkins
Dancing like a Latina is not easy, but I will try until I hit the floor!!!!!!!
Birthday Makeup: 25 and still basking in my youth!
My Peace Corps Mate: My hair will never look as good as hers, no matter how hard I try!
Birthday Weekend with friends from all over Nicaragua!
Ashley – Sounds like you had an awesome birthday celebration.. …so very glad you had fun…and so glad you enjoyed your package of greetings…thought it would make you smile…especially the onoville item…lol….anyway, time is flying by…love your pictures and the makeup and hair looks awesome….your hair is so long! You know you are missed and loved by so many people!! Hang in there Chickie!!
Love, Nance
So HAPPY that your birthday was special in a very good way!! It’s great to see that you are special to people there as well as here…you make a positive impact wherever you go!! Love you!! Mary
Happy birthday, Ashley!
Hope you had a great birthday Ash! It looks like you had a great time with some great people! You have some amazing memories to talk about when you get back to the States!
You are so lovely! Wish I could’ve been there.