Wow it's been awhile since I've had a birthday party. Wait no, that's not true, I did have a party 2-3 years ago when I was in Boston with akl and hclee, the joint party with Peter. (btw, it's pkkim's birthday on the 7th!) But I've had very few birthday parties that I haven't had to plan myself, and it was really fun.
I love N and B - they're so thoughtful sometimes, it's really catches me by surprise. They threw and hosted a birthday party for me, it was so very out of their way. More than anything, it's been nice to spend my birthday (which has extended to a week's time) with many of the people I love. I got to have 미역국 with my parents last weekend, hung out with the old CWB crew while at Nationals, had some cake at the dj courtesy of Mr Lim with the dojang folks, a surprise cake in small group, and tonight got to mix together some MIT alum friends with TKD friends...and given how hard it is for me to get out and see my friends and be a normal person, this gave me a good excuse to do it and have a good time.
And a good time I had!
Apparently I'm an honorary Jew as well. They're teaching me how to be Jewish, which for birthdays, I've been told, is for them to ask what you want, for you to tell them what you want, and for them to get it and give it to you with a gift receipt so you can return it if you don't like it. Wow. How complicated (yet strangely efficient).
This explains why my cousins went through the EXACT same process with me and I was so confused. It all makes sense to me now - they're all Jewreans. I mean, they grew up on Long Island and went to more bar mitzvah's than dohl celebrations - no wonder they celebrate birthdays the Jewish way!
I think it's really funny though, because Koreans go so out of their way to insist that you don't want anything, or try to be polite about those sorts of things. (Well, outwardly polite...it seems wrong to ask for something). What a culture shock. Apparently I need to get more in touch with my Jewish side...
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