Culturally Confounded in Taiwan: Chapter 3

This one sort of goes along the lines of getting free stuff. But it doesn't.

I'm sitting in the classroom right now during lunch break. All the students are in their homerooms, either eating or settling in for an afternoon nap. A small girl just came in and said to me (in Chinese), "Today is my birthday. Here is juice for you." I replied with a confused "Happy birthday" in English and Chinese as she walked out the door.

So now I'm sitting here with papaya juice on my desk that some child gave me for her birthday. I feel a little bad. First I was disappointed to have my birthday on a Saturday because it meant no adorable 4th grade chorus of "Happy Birthday" in class, but now that I realize I might have had to provide treats for everyone on my birthday, maybe it was for the better.

This is not the first time this has happened, either. I've also gotten candy and mooncakes from students on their birthdays. I vaguely remember parents baking brownies or cupcakes or something for kids to bring in on their birthdays back in elementary school, but buying papaya juice for the whole faculty? This one's new to me.