I had my Ծննդիան ոՐ, birthday, yesterday, though i don't bring this up for congratulations, rather it's presented as a segue to culture. I have been living in Yerevan since January. During my first job the first office birthday cake was bought by the person celebrating. This continued to happen and i interpreted it as culture specific to the office, as it was made of employees from all over the world. I thought, "What a progressive idea, to give rather than to get on your birthday." So, the phrase, "This is how we do it," lent itself to this picture of idealism that i had painted in my mind of the world renowned international organization. just one more of the many lessons in you-see-what-you-want. Currently, I'm working in another office. On my birthday, a day i wasn't preparing people for, a lady came in with cake. In offices that i have been a part of in the States, they are either birthday-crazed, meaning everyone chips in the for each employee's birthday, buying a cake or a small present, when it comes around; or it is hush-hush. I was startled to see the piece of homemade cake. When I was handed my portion, my coworker said nonchalantly, "She just had a grandson." Smiles ensued, and guilt set in.
On my birthday, i ate the cake of another. I did not provide my own. To punish myself i let the work of a grandmother for her hour-old grandchild sit on my desk for sometime [3 hours to be exact, it was homemade after all]. The excuse of not being able to produce such a fine cake with my own hands is not one at all. You can purchase a lovely flour sculpture in any of the Many supermarkets in Yerevan. While i type, i can't help but mortifyingly re-experience in my head the obnoxious sheeping-away i did from the when's-your-birthday-question. absolutely no E for effort in sight.
In the States people help you celebrate your birthday. Self-cake buying would be considered a bit presumptuous. A bold move that would seem to proclaim a high degree of self-importance, possibly moving some to gag. So, it seems as though some people just opt out of caring all together, to selflessly save others the trouble or just in case there is truly no one who cares enough to rally the troops in their favor. A lot of people in America actually dread a day that means heaps, due to the way it has essentially turned into a popularity contest, causing many to have horrible flashbacks of their years in adolescence.
So, when people ask you when your birthday is in Armenia, it's not something to shy away from. They are asking you when you're bringing cake for Them to eat. If you keep it a secret, you will more than likely be considered selfish and stingy, causing some wave of ancient Pagan negative voodoo to come splashing your way. With this in mind, i will be reworking my impression and bringing a store-bought masterpiece to share with all tomorrow. In rudimentary Armenian, i may scribble in some icing, "Thank you for your patience, I'm learning."
viva!
