Friendship Day

In Peru, Valentine's Day is more commonly known as Friendship Day. This makes me quite happy. Not because I'm single, but because I dislike the "holiday". And whether you believe it or not, I don't dislike Valentine's Day because I am a disgruntled single. Quite the contrary, I actually prefer not being in a relationship on Valentines Day. I've had my share of wonderful boyfriends. Every year when February rolls around I tell them I don't want to celebrate it and I don't want any presents. Of course, non of them believe me and feel it is some sort or trick or test. The truth is, I don't need a holiday to show some one that I care about them. I especially don't like that Valentine's Day demands that one show love through material goods: flowers, jewelry, expensive dinners. And let's not forget balloons. Nothing says I love you like a bunch or helium inflated red latex. The expectations of Valentine's day are just as inflated and overpriced as the heart-shaped balloons. There is a direct corelation between money and love. According to Valentine's day law (written by See's, Teleflora, Morton's Steakhouse and Tiffany's) the more money you spend on a Valentine's Day gift, the more you love some one. It is this reason that I do not like Valentine's Day and genuinely mean it when I tthe man of the hour that I don't want any presents.

However, when I am out of a relationship, I'm rather fond of the day. "Single Awareness Day", as I've heard many a bitter single woman refer to it, is an awesome excuse to get together with all of your friends and have a party. And since Peru appropriately calls it Friendship Day, me and the girls did not waist the opportunity to do what we do best: get together and have a good time. I had originally planned with Candice, a very simple and relaxing evening. It would be a nice lite, homemade dinner followed by desert and champagne while watching Sex and the City (the single girl's bible on DVD). Some how my simple plans evolved over the weeks without me knowing. When the rest of the girls showed up they brought with them all sorts of red decorations, red devil horns,a pinata filled with all the escencial V-day goodies, alcohol, chocolate and of course red heart balloons.

We decided if we were going celebrate, we were going to do it right. So we got all dressed up and as we waited for the last of party to arrive, put together a whole air-band/lip sync performance to "The Summer of 69". So we danced and sang, ate and drank and went outside and beat the crap out of the pinata. It was a laid back, rockin party. It's the way Valentine's Day should be.
And as we settles down with a few episodes of Sex and the City, we celebrated not our singleness, but the love we had for ourselves. All of my friends in Lima are either volunteers or working for an NGO. We are all living in a foreign country and are doing something we are passionate about. We are independent and strong and do not need the crutch of a man. They say before you can be happy in a relationship, you have to be able to be happy alone. So yesterday, we celebrated being happy above all else. Being in Peru has been a challenge like no other and there have been many days and nights were I have felt sad, scared, alone and lost. So finally having found my way in life again and feeling like a stable, happy girl was my real reason to celebrate. I didn't need a day on a calender to reflect and express my emotions, but I never miss an opportunity for a great party!