Wow!! You don't know a birthday until you have had on in Russia, and it especially helps if you have 65 Russian students! The day started with a punishingly great leg workout (squat until you [almost] faint...) and a big birthday breakfast of oatmeal with pumpkin, tvorog, sausage, coffee, and compote. I arrived at work to find my desk covered with signs and candy, and there was a container of tongue xolodets waiting for me too. Nothing like a little tongue on your birthday, although I haven't tried it yet. 

Today, the staff at the American Home told me that there was an electrician working in my classroom, and that he promised that he would be done by 3:50--that is, ten minutes before my first class started. I thought nothing of it, and went to have another cup of coffee while I waited. At about ten minutes before class started, I was told that the electrician left, and so I went down to my room to prepare for my class. When I turned on the light, my whole class of teenagers jumped out from underneath the table and yelled "Happy birthday!" They had decorated the room with balloon, signs, and stickers, and they brought me a cake, so we had cake and tea during class. My next class gave me some amazing gifts: a bottle of classy French brandy, some wooden shoes that they had all signed, and a portrait of me drawn by one of my students. My last class brought in two bottles of champagne, and I figured champagne could only make the present continuous more interesting, so we toasted to my birthday. I've had an amazing day! 

Here are a few pictures of the presents my students gave me: