My Birthday!

I have to say, turning 21 in a foreign country, where the legal drinking age is either 18 or not enforced, is rather anticlimactic. I have sort of been “21” since living in Australia. Who cares – its official! I am 21 and am now legal to drink IN and OUT of the United States of America.

We celebrated on Friday night, the 30th, by going out to eat at this really nice Italian restaurant. I had the best pumpkin ravioli and everyone surprised me with this massive strawberry cheesecake – words don’t even begin to describe how delicious it was…I am a chub. After dinner we went to the Black Cat, a jazz club. The place had a good atmosphere to it – little round tables, candles, a low stage. There was a jazz trio with this amazing piano player (she had the coolest voice!). I was stoked because they were taking requests and actually played the song I asked for. Happy birthday to me!

On my actual birthday we Americans had a rather uneventful field trip to a handful of museums in Jakarta (blah) but at night we went to a traditional Balinese wedding reception. I know, I know, I do things in style around here. Weddings here seem to be a bit different than in the states. It is normal for second cousins to invite friends because the wedding list is often over 1000 guests. There were actually 1500 at the one we went to. It was held in this massive ballroom and there were no tables or chairs for people to sit; just tables and tables of food. People queued to greet the wedding party and then mingled around the hall eating. It was a really fun way to celebrate. Even though it was a wedding I kept telling myself everybody was there commemorating my birthday. Things did become slightly awkward when I was asked to record a video message for the bride and groom figuring (1) I was one of the four white people in the room; (2) I don’t speak their language and (3) the minor detail that I don’t know the bride or groom….once again, a smile goes a long way.