A Happy 30th

Tuesday, 29 November 2005

Friends in Seattle left messages on my cell phone during the day (Thanks for the singing telegram Christina!), and in the evening the phone rang off the hook while at dinner with the family. But, the best greeting that made my day was at 3:30 pm when I was shopping with my friend Kai at The Gap. All of a sudden, my phone rang, and the caller ID said "Maryland"....I usually don't answer calls I don't know, but answered anyway, and immediately heard what sounded like a recording...Kids singing "Happy Birthday"...I put the phone to Kai's ear and was baffled as I didn't know who it was. She asked, "Is it your kids?", and I said no...I figured it was some sort of strange hoax, but then as I brought the phone back to my ear, I heard "Happy Birthday, Ms, Mau!"...and then, it clicked! Kids?! Omigosh, they're calling from THAILAND!

Christy, my former roommate and teaching partner in Thailand, made the call from her cell phone and had the kids sing to me. It was so awesome! I got to talk to most of them, and even the new students in the class, even though it was difficult to hear over the laughter and chatter in the background and their broken English. I got to talk to Matt, our Thai teacher, about her boyfriend and Christy about how I'd be celebrating my 30th. All asked when I was coming back to Thailand and if I was going to eat som tum (my favorite green papaya salad, which just isn't the same, even at the most Thai restaurant here). What a pleasant surprise indeed!...They managed to surprise me last year for my birthday in Thailand, and now this year, they did it again (they even had to wait a day to get the time change right!). It was good to hear the kids' voices again and hear what animals they were writing about for their animal reports. The 30 minute conversation brought me back to Thailand, if even for a brief moment, and made me really happy. Thanks Christy and Bamrung Wittaya English Program 2 kids...You made my day!!