Parabens!

Well, I thought I'd label this post Happy Birthday! because I heard that a lot today. Yay! I'm officially 17! as of 1:23 this afternoon, even though I was born at 8:23 in the morning--because of the time difference at 8:23 I was actually 17 minus 5 hours. But now, no doubt about it...
Today I woke up, started getting ready, heard a knock on the door. Opened it up and was greeted by the host family all holding pan lids and clanging them together--it's a tradition! I think it's supposed to wake the person up, but I was up before. Fun though! Then presents of jeans, a shirt, and a sweater-- a fashion family!
At school, I got lots of "parabens!" and beijinhos. My class sang happy birthday (in portuguese) to me in history class. For lunch I went with anne-lise to a really good pastry shop for a yummy croissant. yay.
on the way we met some construction workers on the street who started talking to me (anne-lise was on the phone)...asking where I was from, my name, what I was doing here...I'm used to those questions, so I answered (first name, USA, here as an exchange student for a year, living in Lisboa), then asked what they wanted. "amor." oh gosh. That's not something you'd encounter at home. Then he asked if I had a telemovel and I said "yes, but I have to go. adeus." hehe something I'm not used to really, but more common here than at home. quite a strange experience. a bit sketchy. oh well.
I had to keep reminding myself it's my b-day today--I keep forgetting! Maybe because I'm in a new place and I've never celebrated my birthday anywhere but at home, so it was quite different. just a normal day. Maybe just because I don't get the same "wow, it's my birthday" feeling I got when I was a kid...like not being able to sleep the night before. now it's more normal. But nice, anyway.
I'm excited for the dinner tonight. Host grandparents, aunts and uncles, host family, and elizabeth and her host mom will be there. Curry chicken and other amazing things from what I saw downstairs (though I don't want to look much; I want it to be a surprise).
I went to the band on friday and again today. It's quite quite quite different from concert band. I don't know if I'll join. The music is not very hard (a bit challenging on sight reading, but I'm used to harder--I've been singing aegean to myself and missing it). It's small, with what seems like a lot of little kids. A couple people my age; I don't know. ugh!
Saturday....woke up late, I think. Lunch, went to the house of mariana from school to work on a history project with her and rita and josiane, also in my class. It was fun; I think I'm starting to make portuguese friends, which is good. Mariana gave me books today for my b-day to read when I'm better at portuguese! her dad is a translator, so they have lots of books in lots of languages. yay.
AFterwards, I went home quickly, then had dinner at Elizabeth's house, which was fun. Went back to the casa and watched the end of a movie about FDR, which I enjoyed.
Saturday lunch at the avós (grandparents) house, which was fun, too. Still getting used to cousins my age, though. Then to the museu dos coches (coach museum) with Elizabeth, which was really cool. I've really learned to love and appreciate history and museums. Back on public transport, which took a long time.
Didn't have any homework last weekend! yay!
Monday....after school I met with my AFS counselor, João. He went to Germany 89-90 (was there when the Berlin wall fell the day after I was born! yay!) He's really nice, and a good support to have.
Came home and watched a movie about monks in german with portuguese subtitles, and understood a lot! yay!
yesterday I had school, dance, etc. not much exciting.
By the way THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE CARDS AND E-MAILS!!!!!! They have been making me soo happy!
Well I have to study for a portuguese test tomorrow (eek!) and I think people will be arriving soon, sooo.....ttfn!