Happy Birthday to me!

So it is now the afternoon of July 7, and I am enjoying being in Gimmelwald and being 25. Wow that's weird to say! A quarter century seems so grown-up, like I should be a complete adult without any of my old childish tendancies - and yet I still like to frolic around like a kid when I get the chance.
Today I was hoping to climb the Schilthorn, but there are deep clouds enveloping the whole area so I will hold off till tomorrow. I have met a bunch of people my age - this is actually the first hostel I've been to where the majority of the people here are Americans and under 30.
This is a gorgeous place, even with the clouds. Yesterday the skies opened up and we could see the mountains surrounding us - and yet we are so high up to begin with (I think about 4600 feet - higher than the top of Ben Nevis already). We walked up to a slightly bigger town with a grocery store, which had peanut butter - exciting since I just ran out of my supply. Now we are contemplating going hiking somewhere closer to here this afternoon. It is fun to have a group of people to hang out with, especially on my birthdy. One of the girls is baking me a cake as we speak - though it was supposed to be a surprise; one of the other guys accidently told me.
I had an interesting conversation with a couple of girls and guys last night, about politics and people and cultures and everything in between. One of the girls made a comment in passing about how she was frightened by "fundamentalist Christians" - she's actually the one who is baking the cake. I know she knows I'm a Christian, because it came up last night when I was reading Orthodoxy by Chesterton, but I hope I can show her that people who believe the Bible is true can be just as caring, open, and welcoming to to people as anyone else. I wouldn't call myself a fundamentalist in the way she was using it, but at heart I believe the Bible fundamentally and will always hold to that. Anyway, there are a couple of people that I would love to show how living for Jesus is freeing and full of hope - and not the way they perceive "narrowminded" Christians to be.
I sent a package home today, though we'll see how long it takes to get there. Included is a bunch of postcards for a lot of you - don't feel bad if you're left out because I only had 11 to send and soon I will get more. But I really do appreciate everybody taking the time to read this and travel with me on this journey.
I learned some amazing things while in route from Sweden to here, and I really want to share them - but my internet time is almost up. So I promise I'll get back to them soon! I love you guys and I know you are sending me birthday wishes from wherever you are.