13 March 2026 · Frisco, Texas
Ariana, Vivi, Maria, Angela, Lori, Ann, and Banu
Lori had no idea.
On March 12, ESL 360 students organized a surprise birthday party for her at the home of Leslie and her husband. Leslie’s house was filled with fresh flowers — all kinds, all colors — and the kitchen counter was covered with food that students had brought from their own kitchens and traditions. It was exactly the kind of afternoon that is hard to plan and impossible to fake.
Lori felt loved. There is really no better way to put it.
It’s a Small World.
Before the singing began, Fatemeh’s phone rang. She stepped aside to answer it. On the line were her niece and nephew, calling from Iran. They had participated in ESL 360’s book club for a time, reading along from half a world away, and they wanted to wish Lori a happy birthday. It was a small thing, in the way that kind things sometimes appear small until you think about them — two young people, in Iran, taking the time to reach out to a teacher they barely know. Lori will not forget it.
Then came the singing. As has become the tradition in this class, the group first sang Happy Birthday together in English. Then, one by one, each group of students sang in their own language — Spanish from Mexico and Peru, then Portuguese, then Russian, then Spanish again from Venezuela and Argentina, then Turkish, then Farsi, then Korean. Each version was different. Each one was entirely theirs.
Lori grew up riding It’s a Small World at Disneyland — that slow, cheerful boat ride through a world of tiny singing figures, each one in their own costume, each one offering the same simple song in a different language. She loved it as a child. Standing in Leslie’s living room, she thought: this is what that felt like. Except it was real, and the people were her friends, and she was the one being sung to.
There was also a cake. Carolina, from Argentina, had made it — a decadent fudgey chocolate layer topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Lori’s daughter Vivian was there too, which made the celebration even sweeter: Vivian’s birthday falls just a few days before her mother’s, and the class was thoughtful enough to honor them both. They blew out the candles together.
Lori and Vivian blowing out candles together. Carolina’s cake was the perfect reason to celebrate two birthdays.
Karina, Kira, Flavia, Fatemeh, Sasha, Maria, Arsenia, Leslie, Banu, Yulianna, Lori, Lily, Ana, Mariana, Angela, Marisela. Not pictured: Ariana (Lori’s daughter), Carolina, Cristy (in Mexico), Esmeralda (in California), Erika, Hyun Jung, Javi (Leslie’s husband), Jinny & her daughter, Lily L., Maria (Arsenia’s daughter), Monica, Rosaura, Stefanie, & Yariela,
Unfortunately, some of the party had already gone home by the time we thought to take a group picture.
Thank you, Leslie and Javi for opening your home to us. Thank you, everyone who came. And thank you, to Fatemeh’s niece and nephew, who called from very far away.