My birthday overseas

On Monday, I celebrated my first birthday overseas that I could clearly remember (I spent my first two birthdays in the Philippines when I was just a baby—so that doesn’t really count). This birthday was a little different than those that I would normally spend at home. This birthday, I spent a great deal reflecting about the year before and constantly counting my blessings. Last year, I spent my birthday stressed over GREs and figuring out what to do with myself because I once believed that there was no outlet for me in my post-undergrad life. I was lost. I experienced a lot of emotions that caused me to do irrational things, forcing my heart to finally stand in the front line and eventually let go of what I believed could become suppressing to me. It was different then. But now that I think about where I am a year later, eyes a little more clear, I needed all of that to become what I am right now.

Birthday Celebration #1
I spent my birthday this year with people I eventually came to love and appreciate, people who substituted the family and friends that I had back home. Being that it was also my last weekend in Nong Khai, the Isara gang and I headed out to a local bar called Bar-Nana, where we enjoyed live music and each other's company. It was refreshing almost… I think the last time I was really out with people like that was when I last left the U.S. As we walked through the streets of Nong Khai, I kept thinking, “’I would probably be doing the exact thing in San Jose, spending a little bit more money on the booze that I’d be drinking at the moment, being a little more dressed up, and paying way too much for cover at a club”. It wasn’t that different from what I did that weekend in a sense that it was less expensive: drinking beer purchased from 7-11 while consuming on the way to the celebration venue, somewhat dressy (I even straightened my hair a bit and curled my eyelashes!) and spending absolutely nothing on cover.

After we spent part of the night at Bar-nana, we went to a bar called Warm-up, which is nothing like the Felang bars in Nong Khai (less grimy old men with tiny (sometimes very young) Thai women) because more locals actually find themselves here on weekends enjoying a game of pool and drinking a bottle of 100 Pipers Scotch. After Warm-Up we decided to hit the hay and called it a night.

Birthday Celebration #2
I was incredibly emotional on this day. It wasn’t the overwhelming feelings of sudden homesickness that drowns me during flows of reflections, but marking this the last whole day that I was able to spend with everyone at Isara. The day ran as usual. I did some last minute e-mail writing, made phone calls home and tried to finish up everything on my to-do list before leaving and being disconnected from everyone for awhile. Lara and I taught our last lesson together to our Beginners class. I couldn’t help but get lost in a trance of flashbacks while overseeing the students copy down the parts of the face onto their little notebooks. It was almost yesterday when we shadowed this class. I remember observing which ones I found closely resembling me when I was kid, or the cute ones who I wanted to learn their names. So much has happened since then.

Kirk interjected towards the end of our class and had the students write me birthday cards and sing happy birthday to me. I still have some of the cards with me right now while I’m traveling. The students were very sweet—some even gave me presents! I got a plush toy and a bag of chocolate covered wafers from Nut, a Hello Kitty key chain with my name on it from Pom Pam, and Oishi Tea drinks from Dream (Lara and I joked that she just went “shopping” at the 7-11 her parents own down the block for me). I had a great time teaching this class. It’s just so bittersweet to leave!

Later, we went to the buffet to celebrate my birthday. I think I almost inhaled some of my food. I’m usually really hungry on Mondays since Lara and I fruit fast on Sundays, so it was definitely satisfying my ravenous hunger. Once we finished dinner we headed over to the hotel next to Bar-Nana and sang good ol Thai karaoke. We were greeted by Kirk and Ming singing, surprised that we got to the venue so quickly after they’d left a bit early to make the karaoke reservation. We sang songs that made us laugh, scream (or at least made Bell & Sam!), snooze (I saw Nok dosing off!), and cheer from excitement. It’s always so much fun to resurface those songs that took you back to certain times in your life, or just the feelings tied to singing them. Sometimes, I remember songs based on which playlist they’re under when I hear them and I usually feel that exact mood.

To me, singing always is a symbol of togetherness. I couldn’t help but keep a permanent smile when I looked around the room seeing everyone have a great time, singing and laughing together—usually from trying to hit those unattainable pitches, or from shock that Bell and Sam are freakin undercover rockstars! Besides that, I also thought “this is almost the last of this experience with everyone” which made me feel a bit bittersweet about leaving Nong Khai.

At the end of the night when Kirk asked how my birthday went, I told him that it was one of those days where your face just has this sore feeling from being clenched so much from smiling.

I like those feelings.

Thank you, Isara for making this an extraordinary birthday that I will never forget.