My 25th Birthday

Let me start this post by saying a massive thanks from the bottom of my heart to all of you that wished me many happy returns.

I am officially a quarter of a century old (original age) now, but 26 yo based on my Baptism certificate as well as in Korean age. 

I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world. Today, December 2^nd, which was such a busy day of the week for me. I had a long presentation in one of my class works today. I had to read 3 papers and find some related article to the topic that I was presented about. Not to mention but it was about 3 Special Solutions for 3D Display. I honestly had no plan at all to celebrate what it is called birthday. Don’t judge me. I am a person who doesn't like to celebrate the birthday like anybody else. I don’t even like cake but I don’t hate it either. There is one thing I want on my birthday, which is to be remembered by the people I loved. 

By the way, let me back to the story-line. After finishing my long presentation in my class, around 5:00pm, with a very happy and relieved feeling I went back to my lab. I knew that my lab mates would probably bought me a cake but still I was wondering what flavor of cake they would get. How did I know? Well, it is a tradition in our center. We usually celebrate one’s birthday by getting a cake and eat it together. This is the only thing I knew it’s gonna happen today. Nothing else. 

And, I was totally wrong. I was completely blown away by all the “Happy Birthday” Greetings + “Birthday Presents” as I didn't expect. If somebody asks me was I surprised? YES. I really was. Not only surprised I got. Because I feel unfair if I only say SURPRISE by not putting the word “BIG” in front of it.

My friends buy me dinner, brought me to play bowling which I didn't experience before, and one more thing, they got me a STARBUCKS gift card. OMG!!! I was speechless seeing it, especially they wrote the birthday wishes message in my language. 

I don’t know how I describe this feeling. All I could say is that I've had the best birthday ever. I am tremendously blessed to have those awesome and warmhearted people around me. I am tremendously blessed to have awesome individuals in my lab. 

Even though I didn't get any messages or calling from my family (minus my big sister and my cousin) on my birthday, I know that I am always in their prayers. Though, I am still happy and blessed that I am not alone. Another than that, I would like to express, though, is heartfelt to God for an amazing life and another year for me. Happy Birthday to me!

Photo credit: 윤식 

Photo credit: 상옥

Photo credit: 상옥

Photo credit: 상옥

Photo credit: 지현

Photo credit: 상옥

The restaurant we had dinner at

This is probably the best birthday present I got so far ^^
I'm so touched by how they tried hard to write the message in Tetum 
(Timor-Leste mother tongue). Speechless...