HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! That is what I woke up to on December 9th. Actually, it is what I usually wake up to on December 9th come to think of it... it's my birthday! This year I woke up to messages from my family and friends wishing me a happy 32nd birthday in Thailand.
Oh god, how did it happen? When did it happen?
Thirty two. Again, 32. When did I turn 30? And 31? Are you sure I'm not 31? Is this not a mathematical error? I've never been great at math...
Ok, take a deep breath. You live in Thailand and have traveled to countries most people you know haven't or won't go to. Not bragging, but looking at what I have accomplished. I'm also not the oldest teacher here so it isn't too crazy.
Get ready for work and run out of the apartment because I was running a little late. When I leave I see there is a happy birthday sign on my door. Using my brilliant powers of deduction I think it is from Allison. The fact that she was asking for tape the night before might have swayed those thoughts as well. I was totally surprised and super moved but had to continue to hurry!
I get to work and teach. My students are sweet enough to sing me happy birthday which is special and I maybe almost tear up from it. Once the kids are down for their afternoon naps me and my coworkers head off. They are taking me out to lunch for my birthday!
We eat an amazing meal and I am introduced to the delicious som tum (Papaya salad). Everything was good including the fish that was staring at me the entire time. I'm then told I have to eat the last of everything to get a handsome boyfriend. Who am I to break or judge traditions?
Then they bring out a cake and sing. Again I hold back some tears because it is amazing how kind and wonderful these women are. I blow out the candles and slice it up, almost dropping a piece. We finish the cake and slowly head back to work. This is after we put my candles in the fish who has been glaring at me the whole time. You can't have a birthday cake and a birthday fish without candles to blow out!
We head back to work, finish the day and head home. When we are back at school I realize I had two missed calls, but I don't know who they are. I get quite a few random calls that are usually in Thai and recordings so I think nothing of it.
However, when I get home I get a text from my sister asking if I got the cake and flowers. Apparently that sneaky devil somehow order a cake and flowers to be delivered to me! She did this all the way from Orlando, Florida! I tell her no I didn't get them. She gives me their email address and we set up to have it delivered before 9 pm tonight to my apartment.
I take a nap and then get ready to go to dinner with my friends. Around 8 pm when people are heading to the restaurant/bar we frequent, which we have dubbed Emily's, I still don't have a cake. We decide to head to the restaurant anyways. Once there I ask my friend Passter to call the company and to have the cake and flowers delivered there. He is awesome and helps out.
We get our drinks and have fun. Shortly the cake and flowers are delivered. The flowers are beautiful and I still can't believe she set this all up! Then I'm told to close my eyes and they sing happy birthday. These amazing friends also bought me a cake!! When you are out of your element and away from family and see the kindness of others it is truly touching. Again, I fight back some tears. They sing and I blow out the candles. Eventually we chop the cakes up and there isn't much left of either in the end.
We drink and have fun and then head to the bar I get to hear every night. This bar, Gypsy, has live music and is pretty loud every night but always sounds like a good time. Since we have never been I feel birthday is the perfect reason to check it out. That and since we live behind it we can just crawl home.
As soon as we walk in the door we start dancing with strangers and drink and eat nuts, I think..? I was good with a buzz and not too crazy, but let's be honest, drunk. Definitely drunk. But wasn't feeling sick. So success has been had! Out with great people, ate cake, yummy food, drinks, have flowers and don't feel awful. If that doesn't ring birthday success at 32 then I don't know what does!
Then the wine cooler happens. Oh why the wine cooler? My friends insist I drink it even though it is awful. It is terrible and I regret this decision immediately. Not long after this we head home because the bar is closing. I get all the way upstairs before the regret hits hard.
I tried to keep it classy, and succeeded in front of others. But the wine cooler is the death of me and I become old friends with my porcelain friend. In the end I make sure to hydrate and eat some bread and wake up feeling hung over, but trust me, it could have been so much worse.
I can now cross off "having a birthday in another country without any family" from the list. But I can also cross off not feeling alone, forgotten, unloved or sad while away from home for said birthday. And that is probably the best I could get.