Health, Happiness, and Many Children

This past weekend was my birthday, and I am pleased to say that I got to have a completely new and different experience on said birthday.  In the US, one can go out to eat, or gather with close friends and family and blow out some candles on a cake, which is generally what I've done on my birthday for my entire life.  However, being here, in a new country, away from the people I love and care about the most, I was not really...excited or looking forward to a birthday celebration.  Despite these low expectations, I was completely and pleasantly surprised on Sunday when every one of my classes whole-heartedly congratulated me on my day of birth.  Everyone was very sincere, wished a variety of pleasant things upon me (most common = to always find love, to always smile, to be healthy, and happy), and gave hugs/kisses.  A few students even brought small gifts!  I was amazed, partly because of the grand display of affection from people I don't really know, and partly because on Sunday, I have four classes of people that I see only once a week.  I had briefly/off-handedly mentioned that Sunday was my birthday during class the week before, and every class not only remembered this fact, but made an effort to do something nice for me!
The last class I taught on Sunday was the most amazing.  They are one of the favorite classes that I teach, as each student is very creative and spunky, and we always have a very fun time together, despite the fact that we only spend 2 hours together per week, and that they are only Level 1 students.  On my birthday, a few of the girls came in and congratulated me personally and brought in some small gifts, but then, they laid down their things and left again.  No one came into the classroom until two minutes after class had officially started, but when they did, they formed a semi-circle around me, sang happy birthday, and presented a cake and a bottle of champagne!  Later in the hour, we had a little party together, and did a traditional Ukrainian birthday toast--each person said something genuinely great that they wished for me during the next year, and we all commenced to sip champagne.  Of course, I was smiling constantly, and was very impressed at the honest and sincere way my students helped me celebrate my birthday in a country far from home.  I was floored by the compassion of these almost-strangers. :)