So, since being back from my trip, not too much has been going on. This is just a Christmas edition posting so it won’t be too long.
Christmas here is not celebrated on December 25th like it is in the states but is celebrated on January 6th. In all honestly, my family didn’t know about our Christmas in the States and if came as a shock to them when i told them. From New Years till their Christmas, there is just a huge party going on. Honestly, for about six days. I think I already mentioned this. People go to everyone else’s house and eat and talk about whatever else. Well, since the death of my host father three years ago, my host mom really didn’t pay much attention to the holidays. However this year, they got out their Christmas decorations. My host mom says that its for the little baby, but I like to think that she got them out for me. I mean really, the baby isn’t going to know the difference.
So, we got the tree out. I know right now you are probably thinking of an 8 footer that scrapes the ceiling and you need a step ladder to step on to put the star on the top. Well, what we had was a barely three foot tree that frankly looked like crap. It was the Charlie Brown tree. However, the first thing we did was put lights on it. Its amazing how simple lights on a tree are, and its even more amazing how those lights just totally absorb your attention. In reality you are staring at a tree with lights on it. I mean you don’t just stand at a traffic intersection staring at those lights right? (Well maybe you do). Anyway, there is something really magical about it.
After the lights, we put up the seven ornaments that we had. Since Mom and Dad sent over some ornaments, I added my two to the tree and the family totally flipped out with excitement. The funny part about this was I was sitting down and my sister was putting up all the decorations and she kept asking me why I wasn’t helping. So I got up and tried to help. I am not making this up... every ornament that I put on the tree, she took off and said “here’s a better place for this”. Not a single ornament that I put on the tree is in its original place. The best part about this was that she had no idea that she was doing that.
So after the tree was decorated, it was beautiful, just like Charlie Brown’s. (Actually Charlie Brown’s tree still looked like crap, but ours didn’t). The little decorations that we had on the little tree that we had was good enough. This would be my first tree in two years and that made me happy. Tonight, we are having a Christmas party with some of the other volunteers. Last year, I spent Christmas in Korea spending it with people from Australia, Ireland, Kansas, Michigan, Virginia, and Korea. Who would have thought... And while I was in Korea, I would have never imagined that I would be spending this years Christmas with the people that I am about to spend it with. Its very interesting.
Thats not to say that I won’t miss the Moravian Love Feasts, Meatball night, and other traditions, but I guess this just gives me a deeper appreciation of those things. I’m looking forward to my first Christmas back but am thankful that I am here to spend it with the people that I am going to spend it with.
Merry Christmas. Drink some egg nog for me.
Until next time...
Christmas here is not celebrated on December 25th like it is in the states but is celebrated on January 6th. In all honestly, my family didn’t know about our Christmas in the States and if came as a shock to them when i told them. From New Years till their Christmas, there is just a huge party going on. Honestly, for about six days. I think I already mentioned this. People go to everyone else’s house and eat and talk about whatever else. Well, since the death of my host father three years ago, my host mom really didn’t pay much attention to the holidays. However this year, they got out their Christmas decorations. My host mom says that its for the little baby, but I like to think that she got them out for me. I mean really, the baby isn’t going to know the difference.
So, we got the tree out. I know right now you are probably thinking of an 8 footer that scrapes the ceiling and you need a step ladder to step on to put the star on the top. Well, what we had was a barely three foot tree that frankly looked like crap. It was the Charlie Brown tree. However, the first thing we did was put lights on it. Its amazing how simple lights on a tree are, and its even more amazing how those lights just totally absorb your attention. In reality you are staring at a tree with lights on it. I mean you don’t just stand at a traffic intersection staring at those lights right? (Well maybe you do). Anyway, there is something really magical about it.
After the lights, we put up the seven ornaments that we had. Since Mom and Dad sent over some ornaments, I added my two to the tree and the family totally flipped out with excitement. The funny part about this was I was sitting down and my sister was putting up all the decorations and she kept asking me why I wasn’t helping. So I got up and tried to help. I am not making this up... every ornament that I put on the tree, she took off and said “here’s a better place for this”. Not a single ornament that I put on the tree is in its original place. The best part about this was that she had no idea that she was doing that.
So after the tree was decorated, it was beautiful, just like Charlie Brown’s. (Actually Charlie Brown’s tree still looked like crap, but ours didn’t). The little decorations that we had on the little tree that we had was good enough. This would be my first tree in two years and that made me happy. Tonight, we are having a Christmas party with some of the other volunteers. Last year, I spent Christmas in Korea spending it with people from Australia, Ireland, Kansas, Michigan, Virginia, and Korea. Who would have thought... And while I was in Korea, I would have never imagined that I would be spending this years Christmas with the people that I am about to spend it with. Its very interesting.
Thats not to say that I won’t miss the Moravian Love Feasts, Meatball night, and other traditions, but I guess this just gives me a deeper appreciation of those things. I’m looking forward to my first Christmas back but am thankful that I am here to spend it with the people that I am going to spend it with.
Merry Christmas. Drink some egg nog for me.
Until next time...
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