Birthday Thoughts

My year-long journey being 35 and happy summer/winter solstice!

Jun 21, 2024

Hi, how are you? Happy Friday!

Today I woke up a year older. While I was answering birthday messages Instagram sent me a collection of stories I shared on my year-long journey being 35. The video was a bunch of disconnected photos without context and I didn’t save it. But it made me think of everything that has happened since June 2023 and I thought it would be a good exercise to write down a list of memorable and important moments these past 12 months.

On June 21st, 2023, Saja, my niece in Yemen, was born. The day of my birthday, I woke up with the news that the family celebrations would be double from then on. Today, she is celebrating her first birthday, happy birthday sweet Saja!
I celebrated my birthday number 35 in a bar in Manhattan. We had planned a gathering at a restaurant by the Hudson River, but it rained a lot that day and we had to change locations last minute. My friend Yari was visiting, and it was a super fun and special dinner.
Manhattan, NY, June 2023. Photo from my personal archive.
We spent the 4th of July in New Hampshire with our U.S. family. There’s a parade every year and the highlight of the day is the lawn chair drill team. It’s very funny and here’s a video if you want to see it.
In August, our Manhattan apartment lease was up and we decided to move to Brooklyn. We checked more than 20 apartments and in September we moved into our current home. Gatita got really scared with the move, but she quickly realized more space meant more fun and claimed the windowsills for her naps.
Brooklyn, NY. Photos from my personal archive.
On October 7th, I woke up to the news of the war in the Middle East. From that moment on, not a day goes by that I don’t feel pain for the thousands of innocent lives that we have lost as the war unmercifully continues in Gaza.
In November, I attended the Charly Garcia Corner event in New York. He is a legend of Argentinian rock, and he’s always been outspoken about injustice. During this time, Argentina was gearing up for a crucial presidential election. The band played the song “Los Dinosaurios” about the forced disappearances during the military dictatorship. Listening to my fellow Argentinians singing along, I wondered how many actually subscribed to Charly Garcia’s lyrics. Two weeks later, I had my answer when the diaspora vote in New York was announced: most of the Argentinians in New York voted for a government that denies those forced disappearances happened.
Charly Garcia Corner in Walker St and, Cortlandt Alley, New York, NY 10013. Photo from my personal archive.
In December, I had to stop work because this country’s rules didn’t allow me to renew my permit without it expiring first. Inefficient? Nonsense? Yes, bureaucracy also fails in the United States. I cried a lot. The renewal could take weeks or months, and I said goodbye to my colleagues without knowing if I would be able to come back.
In January, I flew down to Argentina with mixed feelings. I was happy to see my family and friends but also frustrated that the date was an imposition of the circumstances. I had that feeling of helplessness that so many foreigners in the U.S. experience for not having the same opportunities and rights as everybody else. Long talks in my home backyard, lunch at my grandma's, and my friends’ tight hugs reminded me that we’re all in this messy world together and that I am fortunate to have a wonderful tribe that holds me strong and never lets me fall.
In February, I got my work permit and could come back to work. My desk plant seemed dead, but I took care of it and it came back to life.
In March, we broke the first fast of the holy month of Ramadan at home with friends. My sister moved to New Zealand and now she always calls me from the future.
My phone screen nowadays.
In April, one of my sisters-in-law came to visit and I met her in person for the first time. She was the only family member I hadn’t been able to hug yet. We saw the eclipse and it was an amazing gift to celebrate Eid with her. I also did a bakery crawl with my friends in Brooklyn. It was incredibly fun and delicious. I strongly recommend!
Downtown Brooklyn, NY, April 2024. Photos from my personal archive.
In May, this newsletter was born. I’m thrilled to have started this project because it brings me so much joy to take some time to write to you every weekend. I hope you are enjoying it too! Please let me know what you think in the comments below or send me a message, I’d love to read you.