ZUM GEBURTSTAG VIEL GLUCK. (happy birthday)

I am now officially an adult. My transformation took just one day...and to the eye one can see no difference, but by the dates on my birth certificate as of the 23rd of may...i have now left a phase of my life behind and have moved into adult hood.


So what did i do on this mile stone birthday?

I awoke nice and early so that I could have a sneak peek of my birthday gifts in the morning. I re-wrapped the ones I peeked in so that I could reopen them later with my host family. I also took a photo of myself in my mirror so I had photographic proof I was 18.





I then went upstairs to go and have breakfast. I had to have breakfast alone in the morning as my host brother and sister get up at different times to me..and they had exams that day. so we planned to have a special Swiss dinner that evening and then open all my gifts etc then.

So I climbed up the stairs form my down stairs bedroom and was greeted by a Happy Birthday banner draped across the ceiling.



I then turned the corner and was so extremely surprised and amazed to see a special place setting for me sitting on the table.






This was just so wonderful and a really lovely gesture...So i had my breakfast in luxury and then ran to go and catch my train.

I rode the train to the next stop were my friends all get on. After many a Happy birthday (or Zum Geburtstag) hug and song we arrived at school. I had woodwork first up. In wood work I have been making a mirror and I was so Happy today as I finished all of the construction and painting. My mirror is a mirror with 2 photo frames either side. In the photo frames I had then placed photos of my family and friends.............and when I go home I can change all of the photos and have the, all of Switzerland.


After wood work with people sawing and using big machines it was time to go to our next class.



Of we trundled...however my next class was canceled so I went with some of my class outside to the eating and sitting grass area. Here I was greeted by bottles of champagne...... and gifts form my class.



After popping open the champagne (i did that myself by the way.....my first time ever) and having a toast.... it was time for me to open up the gifts my class had given me.

My class followed a Swiss theme and gave me a Swiss T-shirt, a wallet, a Swiss army knife.....and heaps of chocolate.

Then we tucked into the lamination's I had made the night before....these lamination's tuned out good as it was my second attempt of making these Australian specialities and so I had learnt all the tricks to the trade.

Then I snapped away with the camera and went photo crazy.........I wanted to remember this wonderful gesture from my class and to have as many birthday photos as I could.

We then went off to Biology, After Biology it was lunch time. I went in to the Mensa (the cafeteria.....just like the ones on American teen movies) to have lunch. as I was eating my lunch a group of the other exchange students from my school sprung into the Mensa singing happy birthday embarrassing loudly, and carrying a cake...........i went so red as the whole school was looking at me...but it was such a sweet and wonderful gesture. Kay-Lea the other Australian from rotary had made the cake and gave me a card and an Australian Balloon. This was so lovely of them. They really did make my 18th something special.

I then had a free class so went down to the train station to ring home. I went into a phone box and talked to all of my family. This was rather amusing as it was so hot i had to keep on opening up the phone box door to let the air in..and with my balloon blowing about, me speaking loudly in English ...all of the people in the train station kept staring at me

After my phone call i went back up to school for sport. Sport was my last lesson of the day so after it I went home.

At home I was greeted with a happy birthday from all my family(except for my host dad as he had gone away on a business trip). it was then present opening time. I received a Swiss theme from my family....so a Swiss cook book so I can cook all of my favourite Swiss meals at home in Australia. I also received a Swiss T-shirt, a Swiss bum Bag ( all the Swiss use these all the time....it is so odd) and a Swiss cap.


I then opened my gift form my family. I received blue and black pinny dresses ( I love dresses and in Switzerland I can not buy then anywhere). I also received a wonderful purple necklace form my sisters. It was so beautiful and it is something I will have for ever and when I am 90 say...oh I was given that when I was 18. I also received some Australian Care items such as Milo and Vegemite. I also received some family jokes , such as a piece of pepper and a piece of rice. For me these made perfect sense and were so funny...but my host family didn't seem to get eh joke and just thought Myself and my family were strange...I mean it is not normal for a person to get rice and pepper (and one grain of each may I add) for their 18th Birthday. I think it is great as when I am 90 i can say I got a grain of rice for my 18th Birthday..how awesome is that.

For dinner we had raqulet ( I don't know how to spell it). This was so yummy. It is a Swiss special meal where you put cheese in a special metal dish and then put it under a special oven on the table..the cheese then melts and you poor it over vegetables etc.

This was so good We then had dessert. This was so yummy. My host mum had made me a beautiful butterfly cake with 18 candles....and another luck bug

I blew our my candles and then digged into the cake with the rest of my Host family.

However I had eaten so much raqulet I was now completely full

I had had such a wonderful day with everyone putting in such a huge effort to make my day special. It was so nice of them. I had my first birthday away from home...and while it was different..it was made nice by all of the generosity of everyone around me.