My 23rd birthday

Last Saturday was my 23rd birthday! So of course, I stayed in and didn't do much.

This was because the real party was happening Sunday. First, I got up early (8:45) and went to play volleyball for four hours. My adopted team was playing a friendly inter-squad match, so this was grueling but tons of fun. A reminder: unlike in international 6-on-6 volleyball, in East Asian 9-on-9 volleyball the teams don't rotate players. This means I was up at the net running hits and blocking the entire games. So much fun - but so tiring.

Next up was a Costco run. Unfortunately I had to forgo lunch with the volleyballers, but it was worth it as I got to take a new teacher (Robby) to Costco. There we met Jay and Jason, grabbed some Costco pizza and started shopping. I bought a total of 10 items, all of them sirloin steaks. (2 packages, for those astonished at the amount.)

Jason had his car so my steaks and I got a ride home. Once back to Hansol (my apartment building) it was time to buy veggies and prep the food. Robby and our friend Susie came over to help season the meat and make the shishkebabs, and before long it we headed up to the roof with mounds of food.

It was our first (and hopefully not the last) rooftop barbecue of the year. The sun was just setting, the charcoal was hot and the steaks plentiful and cooked just right. Apart from the steak, we made BBQed yam steaks, chicken and veggie skewers and seasoned chicken tenders. Yummmm. I had to skewer the chicken on my chopsticks for lack of proper implements, though this didn't deter anyone from eating them.

It wasn't the same as a backyard barbecue on Sierra Way or W 18th Ave, but it had a lot of charm and was a great time. Most of the teachers at our school turned up, including three teachers spending their first weekends as our colleagues, so I was surrounded by friends and very satisfied.

I ate leftover steak for days.