I'm 27...I mean 28 err....

In just a couple of days I'll celebrate my 27th year, a very non whimsical year that doesn't get too much attention. I don't really know what to expect from being 27, I mean 28. Umm...what?
Ok in Korea, I'll be 28. They add a year for that whole being in the womb for nine months thing. Understand now? Good, now that that's out of the way...

When I was 18 I thought that by the time I was 27 I would be married and have at least one kid. When I was 21 I thought when I turned 27 I would have travelled, returned home and gotten married. When I was 25 I thought in two years I would have a full time permanent job, a new car, and live in bohemian themed apartment in Seattle. Now, I'm two days away from 27, I live in rural Korea, am single, have a job for another six months, no car, and cringe a bit at the thought of having children. 18 year old me is crying, 21 and 25 are stressing out. 27 year old is laughing, saying, "Oh 26 year old Jennifer, you silly girl." She isn't putting any expectations out there. No more, "when I'm 30 I'll be..." thoughts. Nope. Why would she do that? So she could live up to her timeline or everyone else's? So far those expectations and timelines have worked out wonderfully, right?

In the past month I've heard about more friends being pregnant, giving birth, getting married, moving in together, etc. It's just plain depressing! I'm unbelievable happy for my friends and family who are having wee ones, moving into other stages of life, etc, but damn, a single girl can only take so much. I told another single expat here how behind I felt. "By the time I get married, weddings will be out of fashion, or they'll be so many damn babies in there nobody will here my vows, " I bemoaned to her. All of my friends will give me advice, making them sound as if they've been married half of their lives. Maybe they will have been married half of their lives by the time I finally do the big I DO. We had a good laugh at ourselves.

But seriously. Why should I have to be worried about a timeline? In the scheme of things, most people would say that going to Korea set me back a few years by means of marital bliss and baby blossoms. And I've thought about that. Quite a bit. I've cried over it, smiled over it, and come to a conclusion.

Screw it.

Most people my age will fit into those timelines and right now will be paying off the debt their exorbitant weddings racked up, wiping up baby spit, and stressing over mortgages. And that's ok. That is what they want. Some people are born to be parents and love to wipe up their kids' spit. Meanwhile I have very important decisions to make about my future. You know, like should I go to Bali or Thailand for vacation?

Enjoy that timeline, pressurized society, hope it works out well for you. In the mean time...hello 27.
You look pretty amazing.

Bali? Thailand? Bali? Thailand? Ok flip a coin...