Today Was A Really, Really Good Day

A girl couldn’t be happier with a birthday spent in Korea.

The morning started out just the way I had hoped, with three messages from my family (grandparents, parents, and sister) waiting like presents to be unwrapped in our Skype inbox. They all sang their own renditions of the Happy Birthday song. I was reminded of a few things: my dad has a really great voice, my grandfather is getting better and better every year and my grandmother cries each time they sing. I almost look forward to hearing her choke up as much as anything.

Will made me open up the gifts from him before I went to work. I was thrilled to receive a tin full of loose-leaf Earl Grey tea from Ahmad Tea in London. After one cup in the morning, I was craving some more the rest of the day.

We had miyeok guk for breakfast (seaweed soup) and I learned from my co-teacher that it’s actually a traditional Korean birthday dish. Perfect!

After teaching the third graders in the morning, my co-teacher and fellow Epik teacher broke out the cake and we had a wonderful mid-morning snack.

The cappuccino cake was a hit. I danced as she sang.

I don’t remember the last birthday I celebrated with snow. But, after this year, I won’t have to look back too far. Behold, my school yard March 8, 2010.

I met Will for dinner in Yangyang after work. We had some great dotsotbap and I also received a cake from Will’s co-workers…the exact same one I had that morning! After a walk home in the snow and slush, it was finally time to open the gifts that my family had sent overseas to arrive in time for the big day.