Holiday Updates

And it seems another few months have gone by without me thinking to write a blog.  I truly am sorry for my absent-mindedness!

Life continues to be great in China.  I truly have found my second home here, and for a long time I considered staying a third year.  The thought continues to enter my mind now and then, but I realize it is more of a fantasy than a reality and, in spite of my love of my China-home, I know that, come summer, it will be time to move on to different things.  What things? I'm not quite sure yet, but I trust that God will lead me in my next step when the time is right.   

A few holidays and monumental moments have come and gone since I last wrote, and of course, Christmas is right around the corner. 

This semester continues to keep me busy.  More often than not, at the end of each night, when I look back at all that happened during the day, I feel like a week passed since the time I woke up that morning.  Volunteering at the orphanage and at the "Welfare Home" (retirement home for adults and special needs orphans 16 years old+) continues to be a fruitful experience.  Last week, my writing students made Christmas cards for the residents that I will deliver next week, closer to Christmas.  My students also made cards for my former residents at Sunnycrest Manor, which I'm anxious to get in the mail as soon as I can afford to send them all. ;) 

On top of the orphanage and retirement home, cooking and Chinese lessons continue to be a blast. My language is really coming along and, consequently, I'm making more and more friends Chinese every day, which is definitely a blessing and something I'm entirely grateful for. Next week, my department will have their annual Guiyang University New Years Party, and together with Kari and a few of my fellow Peace Corps volunteers who will come in to Longdongbao for the day, we will sing a Chinese song, Shuang Shuang de Guiyang, that is a tribute to our city (you can listen and see the video here: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_cf00XMjY1MjAwODA=.html, and, while you're at it, here's another video of my province: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjU1OTQ5MTI=.html).  "Shuang Shuang de Guiyang" means Guiyang is cool. Cool as in weather and cool as in hip. ;) 

Thanksgiving this year was absolutely my favorite holiday in China thus far (I cannot believe it's been 1.5 years already!).  I spent the actual holiday with my Fellowship at an American family's home.  All the families from our Fellowship were there, and so there were lots of children and amazing, traditional (all save the chicken in place of turkey) Thanksgiving food! It truly felt like I was with my "family," especially with all the children running around. :)  We spent the afternoon putting together puzzles and playing games, and after our amazing meal, we gathered around and a few of the musically talented in our group played a few pieces for us.  It was really an exceptional, warmhearted day!  The following Saturday, I was honored enough to celebrate Thanksgiving again with my Peace Corps Guizhou family.  All the volunteers from Guizhou province gathered in Guiyang at Todd and Jess's home for another great banquet of traditional and not-so-traditional food.  To cap the holiday off, Todd and some of the boys were able to find a fallen down tree and, with a butcher knife and their body weight (you can imagine the sight), cut it up for fire wood and we had out first fire in China that night. :)

Now, with Christmas fast approaching, I've spent a lot of time explaining the "meaning of Christmas" with my students and having Christmas parties, making Christmas cookies, decorating my apartment and explaining the significance behind it, and this week we're going to attempt White Elephant with each class (about 33 students in each class), which might be a little crazy, but fun nevertheless. :)  I don't think I've ever celebrated Christmas this much or for this long, but it's really been a more special holiday because of it!  This coming Saturday, on the other hand, is a Chinese holiday (Winter Solstice) where, in Guizhou and a few surrounding provinces, it is believed people should eat dog or lamb meat in order to keep our bodies warm for the entire winter.  Last winter, I made the mistake of not observing this holiday and it was the coldest winter I've ever experienced (indoors, anyway).  This year I will not make the same mistake, and I'm going to visit some friends in Anshun (about 1.5 hours away) for a dinner of dog hot pot. I'm hoping it will work miracles in my body. ;) Immediately Sunday morning, I will return to Guiyang bright and early in order to attend our Christian Christmas Prayer Service and lunch with all foreigners from the province.  Last year the prayer service was really meaningful, so I have high hopes for this year, too.  Of course, Christmas will be spent with my friends in the city (including Chrismas Caroling at a hotel, a slumber party with a bunch of girls from the Fellowship and dinner at Kim and Jonny's place), and next weekend we will celebrate yet again by going to Zunyi (a city about 4 hours away) and gathering with all Guizhou volunteers for our annual Christmas bash.  Busy, busy, busy! :)

In two weeks, this semester will come to a close and all of my grades will be submitted.  It's an odd feeling to think I only have one semester left.  If I had more time to reflect upon it I think I'd be pretty overwhelmed, but as busy as I've been I haven't had the time (thank God) and so instead it just seems unreal.  After the semester closes, I will be rushed off to Chengdu for Peace Corps In-Service Training, and will give two sessions to the newer volunteers.  I'll be in Chengdu for a few days (and have plans to meet up with one of my former students from when I taught there 2 summers ago, which is what I'm most excited about for the entire vacation), and then I will go to my friend's home near Wenchuan (where the earthquake hit), Sichuan, just a few hours south of Chengdu.  Zhou Lei is a student at my university and we've become really good friends.  His family wants me to come to their home in the countryside and Zhou Lei makes sure to remind me of the offer every week, so I'm definitely going to take them up on it for a few days before I return to Guiyang. :) After that, my vacation is a bit foggy and unplanned, but by February I'll be joined by 3 good friends on a big trip to Thailand (all things considered) for a few weeks before school starts! Lots of things going on and lots to look forward to! :)

For now, I must resume my grading before Tuesday Cooking and Dinner with Students begins.  I wish you all the best and hope this blog finds all of you well, healthy and happy.  Until the next time, God bless and Merry Christmas!! :)