I'm about to let you in on a secret: my age. OK, it's not that secret -- but it can be a sin to ask someone their age in the U.S. On the other hand, it doesn't seem uncommon to discuss your age when you first meet someone here in Europe. For example, job interviews can seem much more personal because well, personal information is shared. So, I'm becoming more comfortable with sharing my true age with people.
If it's your birthday in the U.S., friends and family will perhaps make you a cake or throw you a party. In Switzerland, it's the birthday person's job to bring treats for everyone. Or buy drinks for everyone. At work, colleagues will bring in croissants or pastries for a "znüüni" (snack at 9 am). Birthdays are still very special, but things are more up front and open.
So, in just over 33 days, I will be 33. It's in between the more significant ages of 30 and 35, and not exactly a special birthday. Until I found out that it's a "Schnapszahl" birthday! Schnapszahl means a double digit ("zahl" means number). So, this really is a special birthday that only comes once every 11 years! Schnaps is a generic word for liquor, so I'm planning a toast of Schnaps on my birthday. I learned about Schnapszahl on the recent 11.11.11 -- an extreme example of Schnapszahl.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the U.S., and will be mostly an ordinary day here in Switzerland. I am thankful for friends and family, no matter how far away you are. Have a happy turkey day, and enjoy all the food!
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