tannjobi omedeto to me

thank you for all the birthday wishes and thoughts. this year I probably had one of the best birthdays in all the world's history of birthdays. we all know that presents and cake and other such things are unimportant, and want one really wants for ones birthday is to be remembered and feel loved. I could not have felt more loved then if I were Japan's national sweetheart.

Hiroko, the Japanese teacher with whom I teach daily, went well above the call of duty. Her kindness practically blinded me. All my little students were dears, making me cards and singing "Happy Birthday" (its the same English song here. There is not a traditional birthday song, which is unfathomable to me). Ofcourse the cards were all in Japanese. One of my little trouble makers wrote me a note that says, "I am always mischievous, I know, but I really like you and enjoy your class." The Americans took me out to a Japanese/Italian restaurant, (the salad had sashimi in it and was delish!). And a certain Japanese boy charm bought me a rather expensive bottle of red wine (saying that the grapes knew they would be mine from conception...oh heartmelt).