Birthday Day

So today was a Birthday Day. There were five kids that have birthdays this month, so they all celebrate them on the same day. Birthdays are a big deal here, so we spent quite a bit of time on this. I had three kids in my classes that were celebrating- Irene, Lewis, and Lyna. At 11:30, we all went into the fun room, where they had a pizza, some rainbow rice cakes, and what looked like funions on a table. The birthday kids stood in front of it while they had their pictures taken. Apparently it's not common for people to smile in pictures here, most of the kids either had a straight face or a weird attempt at a half smile.



The cake was being delivered, and was running late, so they had the kids standing at the front of the room for about ten minutes without doing anything. Finally they decided that the kids were all going to perform their songs again, and they started with my Lemon class, who did "Little Bear Lake" again. The cake came after about 4 classes had done a song, so they took more pictures of the kids with the cake, and then lit candles, and gave each kid a chance to blow them out (while taking more pictures). Then it was pictures with each kid by themselves, each kid with their class, each kid with their class and teachers, and each kid with the others that had given them presents.





Then we ate lunch, which was pizza and noodle soup, with funions and cake for dessert. Some of the kids opted for cake, but most wanted the funions. When the kids eat lunch, or snack, they have to say a prayer first. They close their eyes, put their hands together, and say (to the tune of Are You Sleeping, Brother John)

Thank you father,
thank you father,
for the food,
for the food,
any other blessings,
any other blessings,
amen,
amen,

Thank you for the lunch,
enjoy your lunch

When they're done eating, they say "finished", then bring their plates and utensils to the kitchen. They then get their toothbrush, which is hanging next to the sink, and come and say to me "toothpaste please", at which point I put the toothpaste on for them. They then have to say "thank you", and go brush their teeth. When they're done brushing, they can go play until the next class.

And this was my dinner last night from Home Plus (HP):