Youth Tech Camp 2014- Burlington,VT

CIEE Trip- Eureka Spring, Arkansas

Newsletter 3rd edition - The Non-Stop 4 Days 18th Birthday Celebrations!

I had a pretty good birthday experience on March 29^th this year. I was really excited with high expectation for my 18^th birthday in America. Have a big party on my house, enjoy the pond, bbq party, spending time with all my American friends, or have a memorable dinner with my host family. It was okay until unexpected news from my coordinator came, which told me I have to do other CIEE orientation and trip which is a mandatory for me as a grant student.

Thursday, March 28^th.The day before I’m gone which is the day before my birthday too, fortunately I still got a chance to go to school before my coordinator pick me early. I got a lot of surprise from all my friends at school that I wasn’t expecting before. There were balloons all over my locker, plenty chocolate bars inside my locker, and a really big chocolate cake from my friends. At 1 pm my coordinator came and I have to leave my town and went to the trip to Eureka Spring, Arkansas. I met a lot of new people that I haven’t seen before. To be honest I wasn’t at really good mood at that moment because I really don’t want leave my friend and my town, but I tried to seem excited as always. I tried to opened my mind because I already there that’s the decision and I supposed to having fun.

Friday, March 29^th (D-day). Celebrated my birthday with exchange student around the world was a fantastic day. First in the morning I woke up with all balloons in all over my bed, floor, and wall inside my room at the hotel. Everyone come and say happy birthday to my room, and my coordinator gave me a big pin that said “Birthday Girl”. I have to stick it on my shirt and wear it all day long, which made all the random people that I met at that day say happy birthday to me.  We began our trip by visiting so many beautiful places. The most amazing and memorable event at that day was in the night. We gathered at my coordinator room to eat cake and celebrate my birthday. They all sang ‘happy birthday to you’ song in many languages like in Arabic, Spanish, Thailand, Korea, China, Serbia, Indonesia, Russia and other countries. It was really touching for me and makes my 18^th birthday different than ever. Can you imagine that, it was like a sort of international birthday night for me!