"nobody likes you when you're 23...."

Happy Birthday to me.

I officially turned 23 last Sunday and unlike the previous couple of years, I did not have a breakdown about my fleeting youth. I think they call this progress. Despite this, I still have some issues about my birthday, and this year was no exception.

Leading up to my birthday I was having a bit of a sad moment thinking things like "This is going to be my first birthday away from home" and what not. This thought stayed with me a couple of days until I remembered my eighteenth birthday spent at EFY.

And then there was my sixteenth birthday spent at youth camp. That was the camp where the phrases  'Aaaannnaaaa! What you do that for?' and 'Cale boca' were coined, the latter being most likely spelt incorrectly.

I can't remember how I've spent most of my birthdays due to my terrible memory. My birthday is in the middle of the summer holidays which means that I've probably been away on 21st August quite a few times over the years. Anyway, the point I'm failing to make is that this was not my first birthday away from home at all.

The second issue I faced was that I live  in a new place, well, new country,  um, continent ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD from most of my friends and family. Unlike my friends back home who are aware of my impending birthday, most of my friends over on this side of the planet are yet to learn this piece of information through years of celebrating my birth. (Or seeing it approaching on Facebook.) Let me tell you, it's mega awkward telling people "It's my birthday next week". In a world where I'm attempting to make friends through my explicit coolness, uttering that phrase made me feel like a 12 year old again. And that is not cool.

If there's one thing I hate, it's organizing get togethers. If there's one thing I hate more, it's organizing my birthday get together. Seriously, it's too much like hard work. The hardest thing is trying to come up with something that isn't too lame and isn't the same as you do every other weekend. This is the reason why the last couple of years my birthday get togethers have been at Nandos (except last year where we mixed it up and went for a curry). It's because I can't be bothered thinking of anything to do.

I think I sound pretty egotistical when organizing these things. "Come to MY birthday meal which will be all about ME, to celebrate ME on the day I was born". Let's not forget there was probably another 499,999 babies born the same day as me. Despite this, I still expect my family to treat me as a queen on my birthday. anything less is unacceptable.

It's just stressful finding a time when people can get together. Murphy's Law clearly states that the day of my birthday celebrations will be the one day of the year where all my nearest and dearest are simultaneously out of the country/out of town/at work/at a wedding/family do they just can't get out of. I remember my shock last year when David (my brother) came along to my birthday meal. Thank you Dav-ido, you made me feel special.

I also don't feel too comfortable forcing people into the present buying dilemma. You know the 'do I buy her a present?/If I show up without a present and everyone else has one I'll look like an idiot/Is our friendship more card or present or both?' kinda dilemma. Let it be known, a friendly 'Happy Birthday' and hug will suffice (birthdays are one day a year where it's ok to force hugs upon people). Despite this, I still expect my family to buy me awesome presents every year, anything less is unacceptable.

All of this just a mammoth introduction to my third issue, which is unique to 2011. Thirdly, I could not be bothered organizing something and reminding myself that my best friends are all back home (yes, homesickness sucks, I like to keep it at bay by avoiding these kind of thought processes). So when it came to the week leading up to my birthday my plans were this: nada.

But never fear, dear reader, I had an awesome birthday. In fact I'm going to write another post devoted to how I celebrated my birthday. And this is not an empty promise because I have already written the post (boom!) and is scheduled for tomorrow. Check me out being organised and all that jazz.