Caca's 17th

Caca is my host sister remember (also pronounced chacha remember) and in January she turned 17. 17 is a big deal in Indonesia because that's when your legal I think.Classmates had had birthdays in school with cake and singing but for my host sister – Chacha’s birthday the family went all out. They decided to make it a surprise party. For the week leading up to it we were all hush hush laughing about our deception in secret.
    She thought she was going to celebrate her birthday the following weekend because the restaurant had already been fully booked. She made plans to go shopping for a birthday outfit. Because she shared her birthday with other classmates she was sad when they got 'happy birthday's' and present in school. She thought that we were just going to have a family dinner.
The day of the party I came home a bit earlier from school and help h. Mama make cream soup and decide on dessert. Caca came in and asked why we were making enough cream soup for 50 people. My answer, oh the orphans from the neighborhood are coming and are going to eat cream soup. She started asking me questions about her new DSLR she had gotten that morning. I was running between the pot of cream soup, her room trying to keep her distracted from all the craziness, and on high alert because my American friends were roaming the city getting ready to head to the restaurant where the party was to be.
        Eventually I went and got changed for the party. Which prompted more questions. Why was I going out looking so nice when it was only a family dinner? I was simultaneously being rushed out the door so I could collect my americans and get to the restuarant before the surprise part. It was explained that my friends wanted to come to dinner with us too then later hang out in the city. I was shouting behind me ' Now that I'm dressed nice you have to too. and Bring your camera you have to take more pictures. I was harried - it was so exciting.

Then I picked up Amy, Andrew, and Nathan and we went to the restuarant. Caca's whole class was invited along with a few members of my class.

preparing for the surprise

A group of 40 16-18 year olds are hard to quiet but we did it. We hid in the restaurant and she came in and SURPRISE!

she enters!

Caca cried as did a few of her classmates so I think it was a hit.

We spent the rest of the night singing - there was karaoke at the restaurant, and dancing. They sand S&M by Rihanna which was very hilarious. Ayu Ting Ting was very popular as well. It was a Sundanese restaurant (my family is Sundanese- from Bandung). The food was great some fish, some vegetables, pudding. We ate ice cream instead of cake.

Yum the cream soup was good too.

The the party wound down just a few friends left. Dancing Queen was the last real song before we packed up and left.Get it because she's 17 get it?! I had an awesome time. I hope she had a better time and remembers this birthday for a looooong time. I love surprises.

Yaaay Caca's 17th!!!!

Also great - Caca, Nanda, and I all had on very similar colored, themed dresses - like Twins!