Tamales and Cake

We walked into the computer room and it had been completely transformed!  There were streamers and tablecloths and tamales everywhere!  I was ready to dig in, but it seemed we rang the bell at 10:15 so everyone would have moseyed by 10:30.  I grabbed some pesos to go buy a coca light for Mom and me, but Geno stopped me on my way and said she was going to get herself one, she would get them for us.  She wouldn't take my (well, Mom's) money, of course.    By the time she got back with the drinks, teachers were slowly coming in and taking a seat.  There were four kinds of tamales: shrimp (in the style from Rocio [2nd grade]'s hometown), corn (my favorite), cheese, and pork.  Mom and I decided to have some self control.  So we did.  We took one of each and split them evenly.  Tamales are so good and so rich.  You think you can eat about fifteen, but after one you're full.  If you make yourself, you can finish the second one.  We did it.  
After we had all gotten close to finishing our tamales, Sandra went on the hunt for a knife to cut the cake.  As we loaded the cake with all the candles we had (24- how depressing that a box of candles doesn't cut it!), they told me of a Mexican tradition for birthdays.  For your wish to come true, you have to put a ring around one of the candles.  I wasn't sure I believed them, but they convinced me.  We lit the candles and they sang Las Mañanitas to me.  After they finished that, Mom started in on "Happy Birthday," and some of them joined her.  "Hoppy BEERtday."

At the end of the singing, I was proud of my lung capacity to blow out all the candles!
As I was about to cut the cake, Giovani (my TV interviewer) popped in to say hello and happy birthday, but that was it.  He works about 3 blocks away and had to get back to work, but wanted to wish me my Happy Birthday.  He didn't even have time to wait for a piece of cake to go.  I cut the absolutely incredible Snickers cake (chocolate cake with caramel icing and peanuts on top), and served it out to everyone, but not before I took the traditional mordida.  I saved the piece that I had bitten out of for myself.  And here, no one dunked (or even attempted) my head!

I passed pieces all around and we all enjoyed each other's company until almost 11:30.  That's right, an hour and fifteen minutes for a thirty minute recreo.  You have to just smile at the education system here.