International Birthdays
Hey it's my Birthday. I turn 25 today (woah). Ok well actually its still the 21st in the US, so I guess technically it won't be my birthday until 2pm this afternoon when it hits midnight over there. And actually actually I was born at 7:09 pm on the 22nd, which is in fact 9:09 am on the 23rd over here... So I'll just have to celebrate on both days. :D
Speaking of birthdays, I've probably told this story before, but I like it and its my birthday so I'm going to tell it again.
Back in 2005 I turned 20 (this tends to happen when you were born in 1985). This was very cool that I was no longer a teenager and I officially entered the group of people in their 'twenties.' But at the same I'm I wasn't 21 yet so it was kind of... meh. No longer a teenager, but still have a year to go before I can drink. The following year I studied abroad in Japan (and I'm still studying that broad in Japan... ahem, yea... ok back to my story), and in Japan the drinking age is actually 20 instead of 21. Hooray! I can legally drink a little bit sooner! Then October 2006 rolls around, and I turn 21. Hooray! I'm 21 now! This is a big deal!
...wrong. In Japan you were able to drink when you turned 20, so no one cares about turning 21. In fact, turning 20 in Japan is like turning 18 & 21 combined because you are able to drink, vote, drive, etc. Plus, the government throws this big Coming of Age Ceremony for you and all your other fellow 20 year olds, with the whole country taking a holiday (the 2nd Monday of January I believe). So too bad about 21, that all happened when you turned 20.
So long story short, I completely missed that big 'now able to legally drink' birthday because of my wonderful timing and differences in drinking ages between the US and Japan. Related, Kana turned 20 in Japan while I was there, and then studied abroad in the US the following year... where she turned 21... see above face.
Impromptu Japanese lesson! How do you say happy birthday in Japanese?
誕生日おめでとう！
tanjoubi omedetou!
You can also say it more formally with:
お誕生日おめでとうございます
o-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu
There's no birthday song as far as I'm aware, although I wouldn't be surprised if they sing the Happy Birthday we're used to.
UPDATE: I'm pretty sure this is exactly what a birthday is like in Japan. Yea, definitely. No mistake.
And of course, complete with a remix -
Good 'ol Azumanga Daioh
Speaking of birthdays, I've probably told this story before, but I like it and its my birthday so I'm going to tell it again.
Back in 2005 I turned 20 (this tends to happen when you were born in 1985). This was very cool that I was no longer a teenager and I officially entered the group of people in their 'twenties.' But at the same I'm I wasn't 21 yet so it was kind of... meh. No longer a teenager, but still have a year to go before I can drink. The following year I studied abroad in Japan (and I'm still studying that broad in Japan... ahem, yea... ok back to my story), and in Japan the drinking age is actually 20 instead of 21. Hooray! I can legally drink a little bit sooner! Then October 2006 rolls around, and I turn 21. Hooray! I'm 21 now! This is a big deal!
...wrong. In Japan you were able to drink when you turned 20, so no one cares about turning 21. In fact, turning 20 in Japan is like turning 18 & 21 combined because you are able to drink, vote, drive, etc. Plus, the government throws this big Coming of Age Ceremony for you and all your other fellow 20 year olds, with the whole country taking a holiday (the 2nd Monday of January I believe). So too bad about 21, that all happened when you turned 20.
Impromptu Japanese lesson! How do you say happy birthday in Japanese?
誕生日おめでとう！
tanjoubi omedetou!
You can also say it more formally with:
お誕生日おめでとうございます
o-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu
There's no birthday song as far as I'm aware, although I wouldn't be surprised if they sing the Happy Birthday we're used to.
UPDATE: I'm pretty sure this is exactly what a birthday is like in Japan. Yea, definitely. No mistake.
And of course, complete with a remix -
Good 'ol Azumanga Daioh
posted by Kurisu at
10:46 AM
2 Comments:
Azumanga Daioh = So much win.
I got the other side of the coin: I turned 18 over a year abroad in UK, and turned 21 back in the US.
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