Birthdays in Ecuador!

Manna PDs 2010-2011 at C'est La Vie with the owner for Becky's birthday

This year’s PDs have celebrated much since arriving in Ecuador. Just last week we indulged in a Cajun meal at a Louisiana-themed restaurant in the north of Quito for Becky’s 23rd birthday! Jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp etoufee, and chicken fried steak were the welcome fare for the night at this establishment, founded and run by a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, who has called Ecuador his home for the last 28 years, and his Ecuadorian wife. Although it at times proved confusing (Tabasco sauce and a throw rug on the wall featuring a lobster and crab declaring laissez les bons temps rouler over a boiling pot of gumbo? Where are we??), the location turned out to provide a perfect atmosphere for birthday revelry, complete with the now highly anticipated presentation of Zoë’s beautifully creative birthday card. One of the highlights of all our birthdays here is receiving her card, though it’s for no small amount of anxiety on her part to create a work of art to memorialize each birthday in Ecuador. Overall, hooray for delicious food and wonderful company together to bring in Becky’s 24th year!

Zoë reading Becky's birthday card aloud to the delight of the table.

Becky and her complimentary cake and balloon at C'est La Vie  

Admittedly, we have neglected to mark here the growing older (and wiser) of two more of our group. To right this wrong, we here give tribute to those old souls among us. In September we celebrated Sam’s 24th birthday at a Mexican restaurant in Quito. On a festively lit patio and joined by an old friend of Sam’s from California who happens to also be living and working in Quito, we partook in copious amounts of enchiladas and nachos to quench Sam’s longing for his favorite home comfort food. There’s really nothing like Mexican food to make one feel like one is home in the States, no?

In October we were not lacking for celebration either, as Luke turned 26 in our midst at an all-you-can-eat buffet in Quito. Meats, salads, sides, and desserts from an inexplicable assortment of culinary heritages decorated our table for Luke’s birthday dinner. The meal was followed karaoke, dancing, and more laughter with the entire group – not to mention a champagne cork popped in his honor when a bartender discovered it was Luke’s birthday. A night of friendship and joviality, it seemed the perfect way to mark the passing of another year for Profe Lukay, as our Centro kids so fondly refer to him.

Our two senior men, Luke and Sam, celebrating Luke's birthday!

¡Feliz Cumpleaños a todos!