Jorge's birthday party ...

I must admit I felt flattered the moment I was invited to Jorge's birthday party. He happens to be a former Aeronautical English student of mine and one of the ten Cape Verdian trainees attending the Air Traffic Control Abinitio Course at the Aviation Training School I work for.

Although I later realised I might not make it in time (which I didn't) due to a last minute setback situation I am really glad I finally made it, as not only did I get to know a bit more about him and the others beyond the classroom (which is not a privilege many teachers are entitled to), but also because the atmosphere was one of heartfelt enjoyment until it was interrupted in a rather "abrupt" way by one of their "circumstantial" neighbours, who complained about the noise and threatened to call the Police.

Cape Verdian parties are definitely noisy, because there is music ... dance ... food ... drinks ... stories ...  anecdotes ... laughter ... and all that is associated with moments of cheerful happiness ...

Jorge, Marius and a guest friend in the kitchen (left). Jorge, Carlos, Victor and Micael in the living room (right).

Jorge and I

I must confess I was instantaneously speechless the moment I set eyes on Lenira ... she looked stunningly beautiful with her hair not tied at the back ... a subtle touch of make up that brightened up her face and that cheeky smile as if to say ... "None of you was expecting this!" ..., which I am sure none of us was ...

Lenira (left). Lenira and Jair (standing up) with some guest friends (right).

I was in for a few surprises throughout the night, let me tell you ... 

Who would have possibly imagined that Arico with that gentleman serious-like attitude could have entertained us with such "spicy" anecdotes ?...

Kelly and Arico

and ... Sara with her cheer leader smile and a never ending bundle of energy taking on the lead of the line up dances in which Micael (whom I never in a million years would have guessed danced, let alone in such an "inspiring" way) ... Carlos (whose hip and thigh "movements" were equally "inspiring") ... Victor (Wow !... how unexpected!...) ..., not to mention Jorge (whose hips moved like women's ...) and Kelly (whose "batuko" hip movement is second to none) ...

Sara

 ... As Elio and I sat talking I unexpectedly found out that his great grand uncle is someone I have known for a long time and whom I have always admired, together with another family member who prior to his retirement also pertained to "our" huge family of Aviation in Portugal ...

Elio

Jair with whom I have only had those "corridor" type of  conversations at the Training School stood there in the veranda talking with me about the concepts of life and living together nowadays and we almost forgot there was a party going on in the next room ...  until we were called in to sing "Happy Birthday" ...

By the time I got back home it was early morning and people could be seen going to work ... I still had the inebriating smell of that "catchupa" (I didn't try because I had had dinner before) embedded in me ... the taste of those spicy shrimps ...  the laughter ... the cheerfulness ...

As I was getting ready to lie down I wondered how important it is to be with people you love and who seem to love you back and respect you, despite the age gap ...