Holidays have always been a big deal for me. Game night parties with my friends, making Christmas cookies with my family, buying more presents than I can usually afford... things I didn't really consider when making my decision to move around the world. When fall approached, with the season of cheer looming in the distance, I started getting nervous about how I would handle the holidays by myself.
What I've been surprised by is how much I don't feel alone. I've got friends here that are close enough to be my makeshift family, co workers who are incredibly intuitive and supportive when I need it, and my family and friends back home are only an internet connection away.
Also. 'Tis the season for arts and crafts!
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| My kids absolutely loved these stand-alone turkeys. Highly recommended! |
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| 2 weeks of Christmas songs and projects? Yes please! |
Thanksgiving was an ordeal, but only because I brought it upon myself. I was so excited to share my holiday traditions with my coteachers, who had never had a Western Thanksgiving meal, that I offered to cook the whole thing. Nevermind that the only really cooking I'd done before that was helping my mom in the kitchen
Everything went off without a hitch, to my own disbelief. I slightly burned one batch of sweet potato casserole, but all three dinners were a huge success. My coteachers loved the food, constantly asking me for recipes and offering me their homes and kitchens anytime I had the 'want to cook'. Their kids didn't like the food as much, but they enjoyed helping (read: watching) me cook in between chasing each other around the house.
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| Have you ever tried eating GBC with chopsticks?? |
My potluck dinner was fantastic. I am constantly amazed and self-conscious about the amount of time and effort that people put into a great evening for their friends. Given that most of my 'girls nights' consist of pizza, movies, and nail painting, having an elaborate set up with games and prizes for the winners blew me away.
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| Sorry ladies, I tried to get a good food shot! |
Dinner at my house also went well, despite a few last minute call-outs. I was nervous about so many people being in my apartment at the same time, but about half the guests were late, and some of the early birds had to go, it worked out nicely into two 'waves' of people. Everyone had as much food as they could eat, and we played games until I kicked everyone out (because I'm an old lady with an early bedtime).
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| Pretty good if I do say so myself |
Christmas is shaping up similarly, with plans with friends Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and a Skype date with the family Christmas night. Despite having to be at work the day before and the day after, I'm glad that I have enough of a community of friends here that I don't feel so alone.
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| Complete with presents from the family! |
It can be easy to isolate yourself here. Wake up, go to school, go home, go to bed, repeat. If that's all you want your time here to be, then it's going to be miserable. I've been lucky to establish great friendships here, and I can acknowledge that I am tenacious in holding onto those friendships. Heck, I'm tempted to follow a couple of people back to California when they leave in February...
Anyway, I have an interesting post lined up for next week, and then a 2013 wrap up to finish out the year. Stay tuned!
안녕!
PS- It just occurred to me what an outdated phrase 'stay tuned' is. Will the next generation even know why we say that?
PPS- Am I the only one that says that now?
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