My birthday is not going to be like most other 21st birthdays. I’ve known this for a while. Not only have I experienced alcohol many times, Morocco is the kind of country in which liquor stores probably wouldn’t care if a ten year old walked in and put down 15 dirhams for a shot of straight vodka.
Furthermore, Fez, a city in a Muslim-dominated society (and where Muslims are banned from converting to Christianity), is far from being the kind of place where I can walk a few blocks over to my favorite local bar and get krunked on my birthday. A few liquor stores are operating but they are inconveniently located and have horrible selections.
Bar-hopping isn’t my style anyway. In reality, there is a much bigger reason my attitude has changed toward my birthday - the day is just not important to me anymore. No giddiness is arising in my as the day comes closer, even when Alex mentions to me that it is coming up so soon. I have no preference in plans on the actual day.
Even up until last year I found it hard to believe adults when they tried to convince me that they didn’t care about celebrating their birthdays. Birthdays were all about going out, having fun, skipping school to do whatever you wanted, and getting gifts – so of course who wouldn’t be excited about it?
The thought that I may be growing up is a bit scary. I’m starting lose that slacker high school/college mindset and am replacing it with a practical frame of mind. . I don’t really get bored and don’t plan partying into my schedule, because I can’t find enough time in the day to do all my errands, study and spend time with Alex. It’s like I went from being the college kid to being a woman in less than a year.
And I guess what goes along with being a woman is letting go of frivolous occasions, like birthdays. My studies won’t go away on my birthday. The dishes won’t clean themselves on my birthday. And it is definitely not a reason to damage my liver. I really want to see what womanhood brings and I’d rather not begin it by drinking so much that I blackout and wake up embarrassed and sick.
Nevertheless, I still have a birthday list. To be completely honest, gifts of any kind make me happy all the time. That is the one nice thing about birthdays I guess…people actually want to give you gifts (or feel obligated to).
Anyway, here is the small list of things I wouldn’t mind having for my birthday:
Furthermore, Fez, a city in a Muslim-dominated society (and where Muslims are banned from converting to Christianity), is far from being the kind of place where I can walk a few blocks over to my favorite local bar and get krunked on my birthday. A few liquor stores are operating but they are inconveniently located and have horrible selections.
Bar-hopping isn’t my style anyway. In reality, there is a much bigger reason my attitude has changed toward my birthday - the day is just not important to me anymore. No giddiness is arising in my as the day comes closer, even when Alex mentions to me that it is coming up so soon. I have no preference in plans on the actual day.
Even up until last year I found it hard to believe adults when they tried to convince me that they didn’t care about celebrating their birthdays. Birthdays were all about going out, having fun, skipping school to do whatever you wanted, and getting gifts – so of course who wouldn’t be excited about it?
The thought that I may be growing up is a bit scary. I’m starting lose that slacker high school/college mindset and am replacing it with a practical frame of mind. . I don’t really get bored and don’t plan partying into my schedule, because I can’t find enough time in the day to do all my errands, study and spend time with Alex. It’s like I went from being the college kid to being a woman in less than a year.
And I guess what goes along with being a woman is letting go of frivolous occasions, like birthdays. My studies won’t go away on my birthday. The dishes won’t clean themselves on my birthday. And it is definitely not a reason to damage my liver. I really want to see what womanhood brings and I’d rather not begin it by drinking so much that I blackout and wake up embarrassed and sick.
Nevertheless, I still have a birthday list. To be completely honest, gifts of any kind make me happy all the time. That is the one nice thing about birthdays I guess…people actually want to give you gifts (or feel obligated to).
Anyway, here is the small list of things I wouldn’t mind having for my birthday:
~An acceptance letter to Georgetown University (George Washington is a great second) so that I can kick ass in my studies.
~An Amazon reader (digital book reader) so that I can kick ass if I ever decided to join Oprah’s book club.
~Gift card to Walmart because convenience shopping kicks ass.
~Athletic Jump Rope in order to kick ass with toned legs and triceps.
~Hybrid car so that I can kick the ass of outrageous oil prices.
~Pure white Quinoa for outrageously healthy and ass kicking recipes.
~Dr. Scholl’s Cut-It-Yourself shoe inserts to increase my ass-kicking methods (I guess if you got me the Walmart gift card you would be kicking ass by killing two birds with one stone!)
~Season 5 of Nip/Tuck (which I must say kicks the ass of all other TV shows).
~An authentic hoodie - unfortunately the Middle East is not on the same ass-kicking level as America when it comes down to comfortable and long-lasting clothing (I love college hoodies, and any will do fine).
~A bright ass-kicking red leather bag I saw in the old Medina of Fez.
Well, that’s about it. I’m all about ass-kicking if you didn’t pick up on that. And I will be doing the same on my birthday…can’t let it slow me down. I will probably indulge in a great glass of wine or two.
Alex and I have plans to go to Ifrane for my birthday weekend. It is a cute little village an hour outside of Fez and it stands out quite a bit. This is because it is modeled after a Swiss village, with the steeped roofs and all. There is a famous university there, and it is a really nice clean little town with lots of green. It may just be one of my best birthdays yet….
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