ISALC, Lewis and Clark College

Birthday: Rumba Until Five in the Morning by Oscar Martinez, A.

 

One of the most important moments in everybody's life is birthday number 21. When you are 21 you are supposed to be responsible, mature and all that long boring story of what an adult should be. But fortunately things are quite different in my country Colombia. 21 means stupid crazy things mixed with little pieces of undisciplined behavior and wildness; consequently, your birthday must be like a plant that grows up in this mix. In order to achieve this kind of celebration you should read carefully my advice, since it is derived from the personal experience of this author.

Before buying balloons, the cake, the drinks or renting clowns (optional), you should look for a place to have a party. Remember that the size of this place must correspond with the number of people attending the celebration. You don't want to have thousands of people without knowing half of them, so my advice is to invite only your closest friends two days before the birthday. Another thing to take account of is the watts that your radio is going to produce. This will help you to minimize the probability of having the police at your party (remember to weigh the degree of prudishness of each neighbor).

Once the physical location is ready, it is time to think about the king of the night, YOU. What to wear? Since all the pictures and all the scenes will focus on you, choose clothes that highlight and identify you (don't take too seriously this observation unless your birthday is on October 31st). When you think of your shoes, think about comfortable shoes waiting to dance. And this is very important, be prepared to dance and to have a party until the next morning. Is not a good idea to wake up early this day even if there is an exam or an appointment (think about priorities); also, sleeping a little bit in the afternoon will help.

There is no party without music, snacks and drinks. With music, remember that the party depends on how people are feeling about the quality of the music. Find music to satisfy all kind of tastes, salsa, meringue, vallenatos, techno and everything you can get from your friends and your family. There must be someone in charge of the music, a D.J. for your private party. If you don't want to waste money hiring one, be sure that someone will be ready to program the music. The snacks and drinks must be like the music; they must be bought to satisfy everyone. My advice is to get beer, aguardiente, whiskey and all drinks before midnight, given that after 1 A.M. stores close their doors. In addition, you should know that the quantity of alcohol dispersed during the party must be regulated; otherwise, the beer aguardiente and whiskey will disappear in few minutes.

That distant moment has become a reality; you are in a party with your friends and your family. When the party gets to its highest point, turn off the lights so the cake can be served, and everyone can sing you "cumpleaños a ti". However, from the moment the party begins, try to enjoy every single second, doing everything you have always wanted to do (don't think about the disaster of the place, the maid will fix it). Take away the stress, pain, fatigue, or anything that affects your happiness. Think how lucky you are; all the people have come to join you and have a good time with you. Because life is living, and being an adult is learning to live.

Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 10/23/99