Oh! Also!

Plus, there are so many birthdays here! And okay, at the risk of sounding campy and all of that, it really is wonderful to celebrate with someone here, because they came not knowing if they'd have people to share it with, or what it'd be like--and you can always tell it really means something to them, really touches them, that new people they hardly know care, that other people in this strange environment would plan something, and show up, and make it festive and really celebrate! And for each person I know here who's been through it, you can see that they appreciate it. It's beautiful to have birthdays here. It's wonderful to see the surprise in their faces.