Today is kind of my birthday. I say kind of because I crossed the International Dateline and so I think I won't actually have been born until sometime tomorrow morning. That said, I think it doesn't really matter. It's 'Vember Ten! where I am. (That's something that only my parents and Karol Guthrie will understand.)

A twenty-first birthday is something odd in Western culture. It's considered the age of actually becoming an adult in society. I know that 21 is still young, but at this age I feel that I should be accepting some responsibility. My country says that I can drink and vote and fight in wars and rent carpet shampooers. I must be pretty responsible. I must be pretty cool. All that said, though, I have never voted, I would despise being in the armed services, and I rarely vacuum. As far as drinking, I'm not wild about that, either. So what does this birthday really mean? I get the sense that it means that I need to be a real person. I don't need to be as relient on people holding my hand in every grown-up situation. I will still ask for advice and guidance, no doubt, but in reality the decisions and their consequences are mine. If I want to rent an apartment, buy a car, move to Seattle, it's all me. If I want to bungee jump, go to culinary school or adopt an orphan, I can. These are none of my actual plans (except the apartment), but it's interesting to think that they are actual options in my life.

If 21 is adulthood, responsibility, and general grown-ness, then why was I in China before I got this old and sagely? It is curious that children are allowed to move around the world alone. I'm certainly glad I am as old as I am at this juncture in my life, that is, I'm glad I've gotten this far and here. That sounds more melancholic than I intended. I just mean, I regret actions in my life, but I don't regret the lessons I learned subsequently.

So I'm a grown person, I guess. I feel like I'm standing with my hands in my pockets and shrugging in the face of some person in a business suit and power tie.

I got a very nice cake with my class yesterday. I'll post pictures when I get them from Chanelle.

T