Another Year Older

It was Friday, March 13th 2020. I was with a close friend at one of our favorite restaurant spots in Virginia Beach - a sushi place called Blue Fin. All around us, people were buzzing with conversation about COVID-19. It was the talk of the town. I remember saying to my friend that I hoped restaurants wouldn't close because of the virus. We lingered a bit longer than normal, perhaps our instincts knew what was to come. 

At the end of the night, we departed with plans to meet up for my birthday the next week. However, within a few days, cautions and fears about COVID-19 had increased. Social distancing became a thing. My trip to Africa with Mercy Ships was postponed. Needless to say, my birthday celebration did not include a meal out. Instead, I grabbed my free Starbucks drink to go and baked myself cupcakes. I've never been overly excited about birthdays, but I have to admit that last year was pretty lame. 

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There was nothing over the top about this year's birthday; it was simple, sweet and satisfying for my soul. Honestly, the best part was just being able to spend it with friends who also happen to be colleagues. I have always valued friendships, but until last year I don't think I fully grasped the true treasure of in-person relationships. Honestly, just spending quality time with others is gift enough. But no, that wasn't the extent of my birthday. 

We had expected some local protests on my birthday, so the day prior, my colleague and I went across town to the American Food Store. I had heard a lot of people speak about this store in 2019, but I was a first timer. Not only do I like cooking, but I really like grocery shopping too. As such, this outing was quite exciting. I was smiling ear to ear (beneath my mask of course) seeing so many brands and products that I'd find back home. Of course the convenience of having the products here in Senegal comes with a certain price, but as it was my birthday, I was ready to splurge a bit. When I got to the register, my colleague wouldn't let me pay. She and the other two already decided to cover the costs. I was touched. It was the perfect practical gift.  

A taste of home

On my actual birthday, I woke up to some cute travel-sized birthday decorations. My friends here in Senegal hand-wrote me a card, and I received birthday wishes via all means of electronic communication from other colleagues, friends and family members. 

Sweet morning message

At lunchtime I baked allergen-friendly pumpkin muffins with my spoils from the day before. Gluten and dairy free for me; nut free for my friend. Despite eyeballing all the measurements (we don't have measuring cups or spoons in the apartment) and using a toaster oven to bake them on a sheet pan, they turned out well. Ignore the odd shapes, toasty tops, and 80's-style hot pads; the texture and flavor were great! 

Pumpkin muffins - with and without chocolate

In the evening, I went on a long walk with a colleague. First we stopped by a shop with wall-to-wall products made from African fabric. It can be a bit overwhelming to the eyes - all the bright colors and busy designs. But, we were there for one purpose: to purchase an apron for cooking. I knew the shop stocked them, so we didn't stay too long. With that mission accomplished, we wandered down some unfamiliar streets and came upon a corner store that seemed to offer a lot of Turkish and Lebanese food products. I've been on the lookout for quinoa, so decided to duck inside to see if it was my lucky day. Indeed it was. We grabbed that, some granola, peanut butter and toothpaste and headed back towards our apartment. On the way, we picked up some beautiful fresh cilantro from a street vendor (truly fresh herbs are hard to come by) and some to-go food from a Lebanese restaurant. Given the amount of hummus I eat back home, I must say that I'm glad to have found quality hummus here in Dakar. 

Quinoa - another birthday splurge

When we arrived home, our places were already set at the table. Drinks were out. Music was playing (Paper Kites, an Australian band that that was new to me). We haven't eaten a lot of meals together recently, so it made my heart happy to be in community with the four of us together. I topped off my dinner with a vegan Magnum ice cream bar, which I surprisingly found at the neighborhood grocery store. Then, I settled in for episode #2 of Suits followed by calls with two friends and my parents. 

At 1 AM, with the rest of the apartment sound asleep and my birthday come and gone, I hit the bed feeling content. It was a good day.

PS: Perhaps next time I'll actually have a people picture to share; we have a bad track record for taking those.