It's a Wonderful Life

I’m afraid this post might be a bit corny. Maybe too sentimental or mushy for some, but I am going to write it anyway. So if you are more of a Grinch than a Cindy Loo Hou, skip it. For Christmas, all of the trainees (and a few current volunteers) went to the Conakry house to celebrate. Why get on an overcrowded bus for 2 hours each way just to celebrate for 24 hours? I’ll tell you why. The Conakry house has electricity, air conditioning, flush toilets, and REAL SHOWERS! We even had a Christmas tree- one volunteer helped a Guinean market pine-ish trees to expats in the capital as Christmas trees. We watched Elf, It's a Wonderful Life, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. We had a great white elephant gift exchange (the big hit was a bottle of ketchup and I am not saying that sarcastically). It was hard missing out on the Christmas season and especially hard being away from friends and family, but this Christmas was also really refreshing. This morning I opened a framed picture from my graduation, Via Coffee, a bar of nice soap, a letter from my family, and a USB drive with a video of the family and my dad reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. It was not much- the total value of the gifts was around $20, but I have never been so happy and moved by my gifts. They say the Peace Corps changes you. Don’t think I am swearing off Christmas gifts. When I get home, I will be going shopping and I will gladly accept any present you want to send to me, but this was a nice reminder that those things are not the real meaning of Christmas. When you are home, you are with the people you love, so the presents that you get can be material. When you are away, the presents become a manifestation of that warm fuzzy feeling. Good work family! You made the other volunteers jealous. The video on USB drive is now the bar that is set.

We also went to the head of the community economic development program’s house for Christmas lunch. I now understand why the SFS kids really want to go live the expat lifestyle. Her house is beautiful. Stepping into it felt (and smelled) like America. We had some American food and drinks as well as a stuffed goat. I almost ate a piece, but than I realized how much it still looked like a goat, how much it still looked like the really cute goats that live at my house, and I couldn’t do it. I think I am going to become a vegetarian again. When you have about as much language in common with the people around you as with the barnyard animals, the animals really start to take on human characteristics.

My host brother can say one phrase in English. It is “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” He has said this to me at least 5 times. Unfortunately, he is away this week so he is missing his opportunity to use it appropriately so I will say to for him since it’s all I really have wanted to say this whole post. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Being away from all of you reminds me how much I love my friends and family.