Turning 30
When a child is born in Korea, the first year of development where a parent boasts a child's age in months is completely forgone. No one does it, and thank the lord for it. People using months instead of years to describe a child's age after 11 months can spit-shine by butt. Is your child really 36 months?! ---- Can you divide by 12?
In Korea, at birth, a child is one (1). The only time a child's age is mentioned in anything but a year is at the doctor's office and the 100-Day Celebration. The 100-Day Celebration is the day a child is no longer considered vulnerable, and is ready to venture outdoors. It's also an excuse to throw a big party (or two), and get expensive gifts. Just imagine a very late baby shower. Moving on . . .
The grand-daddy of birthday celebrations is also the largest holiday on the Korean Calendar, what the western world knows as New Years' Day. There's a whole mess of information concerning the government moving the celebration away from the Lunar New Year when it was historically celebrated. Long story short, Angry People + Nervous Government= 2 National Holidays, one for the solar calendar and one for the lunar. It is on New Years' Day (whichever you celebrate) that all Koreans add one year to their age. Large family gatherings are the norm as are trips to the east coast to see the sunrise. Much respect is paid to the family's elders, and their are plenty of foods and gifts.
There are no bowl games.
So there it is. By Korean birthday math, I am currently 29 years old. In four days' time I will be 30. It could be the short notice or loss of a year, but I'm not too apprehensive about turning thirty. Maybe the second time around I will be.
In Korea, at birth, a child is one (1). The only time a child's age is mentioned in anything but a year is at the doctor's office and the 100-Day Celebration. The 100-Day Celebration is the day a child is no longer considered vulnerable, and is ready to venture outdoors. It's also an excuse to throw a big party (or two), and get expensive gifts. Just imagine a very late baby shower. Moving on . . .
The grand-daddy of birthday celebrations is also the largest holiday on the Korean Calendar, what the western world knows as New Years' Day. There's a whole mess of information concerning the government moving the celebration away from the Lunar New Year when it was historically celebrated. Long story short, Angry People + Nervous Government= 2 National Holidays, one for the solar calendar and one for the lunar. It is on New Years' Day (whichever you celebrate) that all Koreans add one year to their age. Large family gatherings are the norm as are trips to the east coast to see the sunrise. Much respect is paid to the family's elders, and their are plenty of foods and gifts.
There are no bowl games.
So there it is. By Korean birthday math, I am currently 29 years old. In four days' time I will be 30. It could be the short notice or loss of a year, but I'm not too apprehensive about turning thirty. Maybe the second time around I will be.
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