My day off happened to fall on my birthday. It was the first birthday in my life away from home that I organized myself. Of course, I missed my loved ones; my parents sent a card in the morning, and friends were congratulating me throughout the week. But when you are there, your friends and family are those who surround you and live next to you. My neighbors from Romania, Russia, Turkey, Bosnia, China, and the Czech Republic gathered to share that summer evening with me.

I didn't expect gifts from them, but they all gave me something, something I was infinitely happy about. In one of the bags, I discovered a cake with my name on it.

It was so wonderful. I prepared and decorated the room in the most typical birthday style. Red cups and a contrasting turquoise tablecloth were chosen, and all guests were given colorful party hats and headbands with "Happy B-Day" written on them.

It was clear what kind of celebration it was. That evening we sang songs in English, I blew out 20 candles, made a wish, and everyone congratulated me, wishing me the most valuable and diverse things.

Then everyone wrote down wishes for the next 10 years for me to keep, which I collected in one envelope. Now it is especially interesting and pleasant to reread them. I can go back and remember how others saw me and how they wanted to see me in 10 years.