20 Adventures from my 20s: #5

Twenty-first birthdays for Americans are huge, huge deals. What happens when you turn 21 in a land where your peers have been legally drinking since they were 16? The American friends in France made it a point to celebrate birthdays together, but it did feel a little defeating. At first my friends had agreed to a weekend trip for my birthday, and we were looking at Lisbon or Dublin, but somehow it just wasn't working out, so I resigned myself to a typical, local Bordelais birthday. So imagine what an adventure it was that year to have...

MY FIRST (AND ONLY TO-DATE) SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY OF MY LIFE

I have always wanted a surprise birthday party, maybe just to say that I had one, but any hints I dropped were left on the floor. Ha. I don't even think I talked about wanting one that year. My roommate and I were just planning a dinner at our apartment on the night of my birthday, after which we planned to go out downtown.

A few months prior, two of our friends, a German and a English guy, rented an apartment a few doors down from us. The night before my birthday, they suggested that I come over and see the place, cause I had never seen it before. I told Katie, and she readily agreed. We went up to their apartment in complete darkness, which was frustrating. I was calling out to them but they were saying that their light was broken and just come up.

I stumbled into a room, the lights went on, people yelled SURPRISE! there were balloons everywhere, and then Jens and Rafael both popped open bottles of champagne. It was SO UNEXPECTED and SO AMAZING! I couldn't get over it.

The drink of the night was gin and tonics, and more and more people not only showed up, but then met us out downtown when we hit up bar favorite Tex, and then the outside bar in Place de la Victoire, that for my life of me I can't remember anymore!! (I'm getting old).

Taking the inaugural shot!

Me and my roommate Katie with our gin & tonics

Out at Tex - look how happy Susanne is for me! I just loved her

My two best friends in France - Pam had already gone home in December

El Bodegon!! That was the name of the bar we loved!

Tommy and Phil the Irish

Ahhhh the memories! I still revel in this night. I would be fine if I never had another surprise birthday party again - this one was just too perfect, and a great way to turn a 21st in Europe to still being so memorable and heartwarming.