My first quinceañera

Since my mom didn't give me a big birthday when I turned 15, I've been looking forward to going to a quinceañera the whole time I've been in Paraguay. Well I've been here a year, and girls have turned 15 but the ones I am close with don't have the 5 thousand dollars or so that it takes to throw a good party, therefore I hadn't been to one, until last weekend!!! The birthday girl Lumi is from my training community therefore I got to visit and stay with my host family. I really didn't bring appropriate clothes for this type of party, so I went paraguayan jeans shopping. Oh did I score big time...they are technically jeans, but look more like spandex, would NEVER buy anything like this in the states but... when in Paraguay do what the Paraguayans do.





The party was supposed to start at eight but David's sisters, who started getting ready at 6, weren't ready until 9:30. When we got there Lumi was waiting in her beautiful white dress next to a box, we entered she greeted us all then took the gift we brought and put it in the box, and we were escorted to our table.





While we were sitting at the table waiting for the rest of the guests to arrive they brought one soda and one beer to the table. After most of the guests were seated the birthday girl went around passing out red roses to all of the guys. I was mad that I didn't get a rose, but the rose is what you offer the girl to ask her to dance.

David and his brother Juan, with the red rose.

Then the waltz starts and the birthday girl starts out dancing with her dad, then one by one the guys ask her to dance, only long enough for the photographer to take a picture then the next boy comes in.

After the waltz the dinner was served. Chicken, with rice salad, and sopa paraguaya. It was delicious. After dinner we sat at the table a while longer waiting for things to get started.

Lucy with her cousin who was in the cutest little tux!

While waiting for things to get started, it starting to sprinkle, then started to rain, A Lot. Everyone went under the mango trees to wait it out, then it didn't stop, the birthday girl was crying so we all started to dance in the rain. After 10 minutes of dancing, soaking wet, the lights went out. We went over to lucy's house under her porch, because there wasn't enough room for everyone at the house where the party was. About 45 min later the lights came one, the out again, still raining. The birthday girl was inside her house with tons of people and wanted to cut the cake but the photographer had left, so called me over to ask if I would take pictures.

The tradition is the girls stand by the cake first for the picture, and they all have a string that is attached to something in the cake, one string has a ring and the girl that pulls it out will get married first. David's sister Sonia pulled out the ring!!

Then all the guys get around the cake for their picture.

Remember that all of this is going on in the smallest house every while the lights were out and everyone was soaking wet. Then the birthday girl ( she's in the pink now) wanted her picture with EVERY person at the party.

After we ate the cake we were forced to go outside, the house is tiny and the mom didn't really like all the dirty and wet people inside her bedroom. We went back over to Lucy's house for a bit and hung out. At about midnight I went home, because I couldn't feel my feet any more.

Unfortunately the next two days were beautiful and sunny the only night of rain was the night of the party.

Now I can say that I've been to a quinceañera!!!