Half Life

Yesterday, we celebrated the birthday of one of the ladies that owns Sunshine Cafe, our favorite restaurant in town. We walked down in various groups, sang her happy birthday, gave her a gift of pineapples, made her a card, etc. Apparently, it was so moving, that she cried... but I wouldn't know. I was too busy Skyping with my long lost roomie, Abby. (For the record, Abs -- it was SO worth it!)

When everybody got back, we started comparing how birthdays are celebrated in Thailand and in America. Being the only native Thai person in the house, we then bombarded Nat with questions. His responses are included within the parenthesis.

• Are birthdays bigger here or in the U.S.? (They're about the same, but if you're old and imporant, birthdays are huge here.)
• Do you get presents on your birthday here? (Yes.)
• Are there any milestone birthdays like what we have in the U.S. at 16, 18, 21, etc.? What are they? (Not really. Well, I guess like 25.)

With that response, I literally jumped for joy. Hannah, another volunteer, caught on to my excitement and said something like, "Meghan! You're going to have a Thai milestone birthday... in Thailand! That's so cool! Hey Nat -- what makes 25 so memorable in Thailand?"

His response was so nonchalant and Nat-like that it makes me sick... "We say that it's like half a life."

So I guess I have exactly six days until my life is half over in the eyes of the Thai. Ouch.