"Fixed the newel post!"
Merry Christmas everyone! And a happy New Year as well. My holiday season this year has been interesting, that's for sure. This is the first year that I've celebrated Christmas and New Year somewhere far away from home, and I experienced a big mix of homesickness and excitement. I really missed taking the annual family Christmas photo in front of the tree in the living room. And I am sorry to say, I was sorely disappointed when I saw the family photos this year. Just look for yourself!
It is an outrage! Not one family member made a dumb face. Everyone is looking in the general direction of the camera. It's all smiles. Dad's not even in the middle of a sentence! And I have to ask...what will become of my poor nieces and nephew without their Aunt Amy's encouragement of self-expression during the Christmas photos each year? I don't know. I just don't know. I feel I have let them down. I've let the whole family down. I know how much my mom enjoys examining the Christmas pictures each year looking for the one with the least amount of shenanigans possible so she can add it to the Christmas album. I'm sorry, Mom. I will make every effort to be present for Christmases to come.
In any case, even though I was homesick, I was still looking forward to my first Ecuadorian Christmas. I had plans to go to my future-in-laws' house for a midnight dinner followed by walking around town wishing a Feliz Navidad to the neighbors and all our friends, delivering some Christmas cookies and hanging out until the sun came up the next day. This, apparently, is how they roll down here. I spent the 23rd and 24th baking. I made fudge and butterballs and candycane cookies from the recipes (and ingredients) my mom sent me. I watched the most classic of Christmas movies to get into the spirit of things.
I arranged all the cookies on plates and wrapped them up, I took a shower, I put on some semi-new clothes. Ismael came to get me and we were about ready to walk out the door to go to dinner when all of a sudden...the stomach virus I had unknowingly caught unleashed itself. I will not say anymore about the unleashing.
About a half an hour later I thought I would be ok so we went ahead and walked to his house where everyone was starving and anxiously awaiting our arrival to eat the Christmas dinner. Well...I should have stayed home. I didn't even make it five minutes into the dinner before feeling yuckier than before. And I felt like I kind of ruined things for everybody else. I think they all envisioned their Christmas dinner a little differently. So, that was a bust.
The highlight of the holiday, however, was the gift I received from my future in-laws. They got me a shirt. It's black and it's got writing on the front. Not just any writing...it's gold, sparkly, studded...your general bling. And it says, no joke, "My boyfriend is cuter than yours" so...that is awesome. And the absolute best part was that it's written in English, so they had no idea what it said when they bought it. I opened it and they go, "what does it say? I hope it's nothing bad" hahaha. nice! They were very excited to find out what it was exactly that they bought me. So... awesome, indeed.
All this took place in a span of about 15 minutes. So...that was my Christmas. I spent the next six days suffering the symptoms of the stomach infection, followed by symptoms of an allergic reaction to the first antibiotics I was given, and pondering why, exactly, I decided so long ago not to pursue a career in North American theater. Ismael took good care of me and made sure I was well-fed. He brought me soup, which he made. He even cleaned my house for me while I was out of commission for a while. What a guy! He took me to see a doctor (my appointment was at 10:30pm December 29th...who makes appointments for 10:30pm??) and I got some antibiotics that I am not allergic to, which was great. That seemed to do the trick. More or less. And I was able to enjoy the New Year's celebration.
New Year was awesome. The "celebration" at midnight sounded more like a civil war than anything. Looked like one too. Much different than yelling "happy new year!" and playing with noise makers and party poppers for about 30 seconds after the stroke of midnight.
In Ecuador they burn the old year. Literally. They make these dolls out of wood and paper mache and then at midnight all the neighbors gather in the street and they all pile their dolls (the "old years") on top of each other and they pour on some lighter fluid and voila! New Year's celebration to the max.
Well, in other good news. The Guayaquil airport has got The Wireless. So...it seems worth it to make a weekly trip to the airport café so that I can actually upload pictures and video and that is what I will be doing. Thanks for hanging in there with me while I get this internet communication deal all figured out. Hope you're all doing well and that you had a happy Christmas and New Year.
It is an outrage! Not one family member made a dumb face. Everyone is looking in the general direction of the camera. It's all smiles. Dad's not even in the middle of a sentence! And I have to ask...what will become of my poor nieces and nephew without their Aunt Amy's encouragement of self-expression during the Christmas photos each year? I don't know. I just don't know. I feel I have let them down. I've let the whole family down. I know how much my mom enjoys examining the Christmas pictures each year looking for the one with the least amount of shenanigans possible so she can add it to the Christmas album. I'm sorry, Mom. I will make every effort to be present for Christmases to come.
In any case, even though I was homesick, I was still looking forward to my first Ecuadorian Christmas. I had plans to go to my future-in-laws' house for a midnight dinner followed by walking around town wishing a Feliz Navidad to the neighbors and all our friends, delivering some Christmas cookies and hanging out until the sun came up the next day. This, apparently, is how they roll down here. I spent the 23rd and 24th baking. I made fudge and butterballs and candycane cookies from the recipes (and ingredients) my mom sent me. I watched the most classic of Christmas movies to get into the spirit of things.
I arranged all the cookies on plates and wrapped them up, I took a shower, I put on some semi-new clothes. Ismael came to get me and we were about ready to walk out the door to go to dinner when all of a sudden...the stomach virus I had unknowingly caught unleashed itself. I will not say anymore about the unleashing.
About a half an hour later I thought I would be ok so we went ahead and walked to his house where everyone was starving and anxiously awaiting our arrival to eat the Christmas dinner. Well...I should have stayed home. I didn't even make it five minutes into the dinner before feeling yuckier than before. And I felt like I kind of ruined things for everybody else. I think they all envisioned their Christmas dinner a little differently. So, that was a bust.
The highlight of the holiday, however, was the gift I received from my future in-laws. They got me a shirt. It's black and it's got writing on the front. Not just any writing...it's gold, sparkly, studded...your general bling. And it says, no joke, "My boyfriend is cuter than yours" so...that is awesome. And the absolute best part was that it's written in English, so they had no idea what it said when they bought it. I opened it and they go, "what does it say? I hope it's nothing bad" hahaha. nice! They were very excited to find out what it was exactly that they bought me. So... awesome, indeed.
All this took place in a span of about 15 minutes. So...that was my Christmas. I spent the next six days suffering the symptoms of the stomach infection, followed by symptoms of an allergic reaction to the first antibiotics I was given, and pondering why, exactly, I decided so long ago not to pursue a career in North American theater. Ismael took good care of me and made sure I was well-fed. He brought me soup, which he made. He even cleaned my house for me while I was out of commission for a while. What a guy! He took me to see a doctor (my appointment was at 10:30pm December 29th...who makes appointments for 10:30pm??) and I got some antibiotics that I am not allergic to, which was great. That seemed to do the trick. More or less. And I was able to enjoy the New Year's celebration.
New Year was awesome. The "celebration" at midnight sounded more like a civil war than anything. Looked like one too. Much different than yelling "happy new year!" and playing with noise makers and party poppers for about 30 seconds after the stroke of midnight.
In Ecuador they burn the old year. Literally. They make these dolls out of wood and paper mache and then at midnight all the neighbors gather in the street and they all pile their dolls (the "old years") on top of each other and they pour on some lighter fluid and voila! New Year's celebration to the max.
Well, in other good news. The Guayaquil airport has got The Wireless. So...it seems worth it to make a weekly trip to the airport café so that I can actually upload pictures and video and that is what I will be doing. Thanks for hanging in there with me while I get this internet communication deal all figured out. Hope you're all doing well and that you had a happy Christmas and New Year.
posted by Amy at 2:20 PM
5 Comments:
I do apologize for not sending you our Christmas pics sooner. They will brighten your Christmas photo spirit.
Here you go. Enjoy. Your traditions are alive.
http://khmorrison.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/for-amy-merry-christmas/
Oh, I'm so sorry you were sick, and for so long! Glad you are better now. Differences in cultures crack me up - doctor at 10:30 pm, what in the world???
Okay, and the shirt. I laughed out loud!!! You will definitely have to keep it forever as a reminder of your first Christmas with your in-laws!!!
We miss you and have you in our prayers!!!
Burning the old year sounds pretty awesome to me. That would really be awesome especially after enduring a couple months of school right before.
Go Amy. Sorry to hear about the sickness. Take care of yourself. Can't wait to see your shirt... soon.
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