Birthday Bash

Turning 28 on the 28th of March! Yes…! Yesterday, it was the day… a big 28 and today… it’s the start of a new year, a new age and new chapters… Hopefully!

It’s been years since I decided to celebrate my birthday. My 21st was the last proper birthday bash I threw. Up until this year, that is…

2 weeks ago, me, Matt and Mike were talking and figured we needed a reason to throw a party… That’s when Matt suggested: “It’s Niamhs’ birthday soon, perfect timing!” And that was it: I had a birthday party to plan…

Honestly though, I did hardly any planning; apart from sending a couple of texts and getting everyone at work to spread the word that on the 28th there’d be a party happening in the Manhattan apartment (which is the name of the complex where Matt and I live). On the day itself a big shop was done, to pick-up some booze and food in the supermarket… this apartment is always ‘party-ready’ (just for the amount of space we have). All that was needed was a smile on my face, the hostess-mode needed to be switched-on and we had all the ingredients for a great night!

Oh yes… a group of people would add the party atmosphere of course! I had no clue who was exactly was invited or how many people would end-up coming. I figured; expect nobody and everybody who DOES arrive is the icing on my birthday cake! And it couldn’t have planned out better! What a night it was… Matt and Mike even got a singing session going… playing ‘especially’ for me! It was brilliant. Everyone who was there was linked to the ‘group of westerners’ in Jinzhou, in some way.

At certain moments, it was actually quite a surreal experience. I couldn’t believe that 5 weeks ago I didn’t know any of these folks! Yet, here I was, turning 28, in China, with a group of maybe 30 people, who came by on a Monday night (even though they had to work the next morning) and partied with me for hours. And everyone was saying the same thing: “Niamh, it’s like you’ve been here forever…” And to me it feels the exact same. But it’s a good thing, because I’m not an outsider and probably never really was… I was accepted straight away. How nice it is to have found this home… As well, seeing everyone together in one room, on a night like last night, just showed me how many special people are around me and how close we’ve instantly become.

On the morning after the night before, there’s no downer at all… There’s no hangover. Just excitement – even though I can’t wait to go to bed again tonight, to catch some precious sleep…

After last night, something new feels to be starting, once again. I haven’t figured out what… maybe it’s just the spring in the air; because today has turned out to be the warmest day this year, so far. It’s 18 degrees outside and the buzz that’s suddenly around the streets is contagious. Maybe this could very well be why I’m feeling like something new is happening. Who knows! It could also be related to the book or to where I’m living or just… to life in general… Huummm… My brain is urged to work overtime and to start analyzing, but I’m going to quit for now! Whatever’s going on, it’s all good in the hood and I’m so ready for another week with the kids!!!!!! Yay!