i got 99 problems, but...

Yay birthday! In Korea I am now officially...still 24. According to the Korean system, everyone's age changes together at Lunar New Year, so my birthday doesn't mean all that much. Also, under the Korean system (which technically, I suppose, I should be calling the Chinese or maybe the East Asian system, since the Koreans weren't the ones who came up with it) when you are born you are immediately considered 1. As I was born late in the year, I turned 2 when I was only a few months old...thus my current advanced age (I've been 24 since arriving here in July).

My domestic birthday loot so far: a pair of shiny, fire engine red high heeled shoes from some of the teachers at my school, a little clay bear from my 4th grade posse, a lotion/body wash gift set and a really expensive cake from my host fam, non-thigh high nylons from Mama Susie, yet another charm for my cell phone, a Milk Project eraser and pencil, a cunnin' notebook, a ring, a teddy bear, and lots of candy, snack foods, and pens and pencils from my kids.

To celebrate my birthday, I met up with a pretty big group of ETA friends (James, Mama Susie, Jenn, Steve, David Kim, Jill, Anurag, Eric, Irene) on Friday night to see Jay-Z in Seoul. Yes, you read that correctly. I got to wear my new red shoes and see a ton of foreigners. The concert was really, really great...even though I wouldn't exactly call myself a Jay-Z fan, I think his music is fun and dance-able and concerts are pretty much always g times. Plus, it was a Jay-Z concert in Korea. I mean, come on. Afterwards we went out on the town to eat, dance, and noraebang. We spent the night (or rather, the middle section of the morning) in a bath house, where a nice old Korean lady washed my back for me and I got a massage in a crazy massage chair. Then Susie and I got delicious, delicious burritos (with real cheese and sour cream and guac and oh heaven) for lunch and I popped on a bus back to Gongju to have a little birthday party with my host family.