Cross-Cultural Birthday Chronicles with Gurasis Singh (Bonus)

Hi, this is Gurasis Singh and you're listening to My Thick Accent podcast. Welcome, dear listeners, to a special chapter of my Canadian journey. So today I want to share with you all a memorable birthday experience from my time in Canada. And what better day than today to share it? because it's my birthday, okay. So picture this It was July 9th 2019, a significant day for me, as it marked my first birthday away from my family and my very first birthday celebrated in Canada.

A blend of excitement and nostalgia filled the air. Life has a way of presenting us with delightful surprises, and this day was no exception. Despite having an exam scheduled, our professor his name was Nino Kalavekyu who was also part of the plan, ensured that we had ample time to finish the exam and also enjoy the festivities. So, with precision and thoughtfulness, everybody organised a seamless transition from exam mode to birthday celebrations mode. Now brace yourself for a comedic twist in the tale.

So, just a few minutes before the break, my caring professor asked me for a small favour, simple to fetch a coffee from the cafe. Little did he know that I had yet to explore the world of Canadian coffee. Believe me, i hadn't even tried Tim Houghton's famous double double up until that moment, lost in translation, i heard coffee, cream, medium one or something like that. What he meant was a medium coffee with one cream, no sugar. Thankfully, a very sweet classmate came to me to my rescue and helped me decode the order. So when I returned with the coffee, something magical happened. The lights went off and a projector lit up the room. And there it was an enchanting birthday video capturing moments shared by my friends near and far. My amazing friend back in India collected videos from my loved ones and put them together in a sweet montage. They sent it to one of my classmates here in Canada. Overwhelmed with joy, i could not help but smile, laugh and even shed a tear, i guess. To make it even more special, my best friend from India arranged for a video call so they could witness my reactions first hand. It was truly, truly a heartwarming moment that I'll forever cherish.

The celebration continued as we transitioned from the video to the cake cutting ceremony, the cake that my professor brought for me. Okay, so here we are having a birthday. I'll bring that for you. But this was no ordinary chorus of Happy Birthday. In our diverse Canadian classroom, each person added their own cultural flair by singing the birthday song in their mother tongue. Yes, from English to French, arabic to Spanish and finally, italian, the room resonated with a beautiful symphony of languages. It was a testament to the beauty of diversity and a celebration of unity, and as someone who loves capturing memories, i made sure to document every bit of this incredible thing.

And if you want to experience the warmth and inclusivity of the celebration, head over to the official MyThickAxen Instagram page. Check out the stories. There. You'll find videos of birthday wishes in different languages, proof of the love and diversity that made my Canadian birthday unforgettable And that, my friends, wraps up this amazing chapter of my Canadian journey. From surprise videos and coffee mishaps to heartfelt moments and multilingual melodies, my birthday celebration was truly a special experience, thank you. Thank you for joining me today And remember life's beauty lies in the unexpected and the diversity around us. Stay tuned for more such stories on My Thick Accent. And, if you're listening to this sometime other than today, check out the 2019 birthday highlights on my Instagram profile. The handle is @IAmGurasis. That's it for today. New episode coming this Thursday. Stay tuned and let's continue knowing each other Beneath The Accent.