Birthday Celebrations: Peruvian Style :)

          The birthday celebrations started on saturday with the making of cookies. Me and my host sisters had a great time because they had never made cookies before.

We made a trip to the grocery store and despite the fact that everything was in smaller sizes, we found all the necessary ingredients. Although we did use m+m's instead of non-existent chocolate chips. 

Although, when it came to measuring and baking we ran into a few more problems. 

1. we had cups to measure with and table spoons, but no teaspoons. So the amount of salt, baking soda, and vanilla were iffy. 

2. Cookie sheets were not put on the shopping list so we used glass casserole dishes instead. 

3. We were working with a gas oven. This meant that on the bottom was a fire that cooked the bottom of the cookies really well, but left the tops pearly white. As you can imagine this made it difficult to know when the cookies were done. 

Here's a picture of the cookies in the casserole dishes and if you can't tell the bottoms are very very burnt. Like black burnt. 

Not only did I have a lesson of baking in a different country, but also in science. I remember learning that if extremely hot glass got put under really cold water then it would break. I experienced this first hand when I put the casserole dish under the faucet to make sure that the left over burnt cookie would stick. Yep the dish cracked clean in half.

This very burnt and hard cookie would have been considered a failure, in Zeeland, MI, but here in Arequipa, I prized it as an adventure. Not even the burnt bottom could stop me from enjoying this taste of home.

I also got pampered on my birthday with a manicure. Turns out Tania has great talent at doing nails. I felt right at home as many times I have gotten such treatment from my cousins on my birthday. (Thinking of you Rel :))

I know that I am not the only flower lover in my family so I thought I would add these three pictures for good measure. We're moving into spring here in Arequipa, and I felt that the flowers were especially pretty for my birthday :) I promise these pictures are real and I took them during a walk in the park near my home. 

Emily, Me, Emily, and Micah all happy for a chance to celebrate. 

My personalized cake

My presents! Chocolate, cards, a shirt and a care bear to sleep with from my little sister. Such a wonderful birthday. I am so blessed to have people here in Peru who made it a special day for me. 

(also I don't have a picture of it, but Mom sent a present with me in my suitcase to open. It was fun to have love from home as well.)