TWENTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!

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Well, it's official...I am 21 years old ALL OVER THE WORLD! All times zones-inclusive. As usual, I don't feel too different...except maybe kind of sad to be officially "old." No more good milestones after this point...you just start getting older!!! LOL. Oh well, not going to wallow in that self-pity...I am going to look forward to this year!

I have to confess that I didn't really celebrate my 21st in the American way...in fact, I didn't do anything! I was wierdly tired all day long, and after having spent all weekend in Strasbourg, I had to prepare an expose for tomorrow...more or less accomplished now. So instead of going out and getting trashed with my friends at the Tombs (which I might have to do next year), I spent the morning at the Opera Garnier interviewing the Director of Dance, Brigitte Lefevre, for my opera class, and then the afternoon was spent at Sciences Po in class. It was a pretty typical day, but the special 'birthday' aspect was maintained thanks to the deluge of Facebook-messages I received from all of my awesome friends in the US and England...I love you guys!!! Thanks so much! I was also lucky enough to bump into Yazi this afternoon at school, so we treated ourselves to a hot chocolate and a chat...always fun! So my friends made my birthday this year...yay! Friends rock.

I got home totally exhausted (??? no explanation) and barely had the energy to climb the 4 flights of stairs to the apartment. But after a nice birthday meal cooked by Dominique, during which we exchanged Christmas presents, I was restored enough to do my expose practicing...whoopee. It was a very "low-key" night in comparison with the craziness that COULD have taken place, but I did really enjoy sharing some special moments with Dominique. Her son Cyril moved to Russia this morning, so she was feeling down this morning...so I gave her my present over dinner. It's a picture frame with a collage of pictures I took of her and her grandson, and she really liked it...put it on top of the TV with her other "special" family pictures. Gift success! The best part of Christmas. I was glad to give her something she liked, because we get along really well and it was a good moment of emotional exchange.

She gave me a pair of earrings in return, which I can tell she put some thought into...they are green, and dangly, and just my style...she has noticed my tastes! I was really touched. My giant collection of earrings is something of a joke in the household, so this gift just deepened our rapport.

I felt closer to her than ever tonight, really liked as a person in and of myself...always a nice sentiment! Dominique took the time to tell me how happy she was with me and how how situation has worked out, and how much she is impressed by my "vitality", as she calls it. Apparently I am a good enough friend/companion that she will do the same student-host thing next year...so yay for cultural echange! We both like how she teaches me things about France and helps me navigate through my daily life here, and how in return I tell her about all my travels and plans for the future...a 'rencontre' of youth and maturity! So that was really special and definitely gave me a 'warm and fuzzy' feeling this evening. Now I'm going to bed because I have the daunting 8-hours-of-class day tomorrow, but I will post a blog about Strasbourg soon...which was my great 'birthday present to myself'.

Love from Paris,

Your-now-legal-girl

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Photos

Dominique & Guillaume
Not the son who moved to Russia (that is Cyril, father of Igor)...this is the youngest son, Guillaume, who is a freshman at Sciences Po Bordeaux.

Me on the last day of being 20
Ice-skating in Strasbourg