Not So Winter Wonderland

From what I hear, everything back at home is really starting to look like a winter wonderland, just as the song describes. Well, I've been listening to that song and other Christmas music a lot lately, but it's just not quite as picturesque here. There is definitely something to be said for a white Christmas. It just adds so much to the holiday. I miss it. There are more signs of Christmas here than last time I wrote--Christmas trees are up in some stores, businesses, and homes, and some of those have Christmas lights as well--yet I have not heard of any real Christmas traditions or plans. In fact, most people just tell me it's pretty much a normal workday like every other day. That is depressing to me. But then again, no one does Christmas quite like America! :)

Emily and I are making an effort to emphasis Christmas and celebrating the Savior's birth. We've been meeting with the kids to practice the Christmas Program, we made invitations to the program with the MMM group, we put the advent wreath (thanks again for the candles, Mom!) up at church, we added the manger scene to the alter (thanks for that, too, Mom!), and put up the Christmas tree. This Friday we'll add to that at Activity Night. We're going to have a whole hour (or a little more) just for decorating. :) We've got pictures to color, cut out and put up including angles, the nativity, and a maze that helps the shepherds find the baby Jesus. We will make a paper chain to put up and we'll also put up some garland. All this will be done while listening to some sacred Christmas music. I'm telling you, Santa is waaaayyyy too important to society. When we said we were going to have a Christmas program one little girl, Doris, told us she has a Santa costume and asked if she could be Santa in the program. lol Funny, but it shows how important it is that we celebrate the real emphasis of Christmas.

On Saturday, we're teaching the MMM girls a true American holiday tradition--baking Christmas cookies! They're coming over to our apartment after the program rehearsal. We'll decorate cut-out cookies that Emily and I are making tomorrow, and then we'll make candy bar cookies (the one with candy bar bites baked in the middle) and chocolate dipped pretzels. Then each girl will be able to put a little collection of cookies together to take home and share with her family. We'll also have a devotion of course. I'm thinking one about love and generosity, but I have to see what ideas Emily has yet, too.

Our Christmas plans aren't set in stone yet, but we know that on Christmas Eve we'll have a "family Christmas" with the two of us, and probably Aida. We're planning to make a big dinner. I guess we gained some courage and confidence in the kitchen since Thanksgiving turned out to be a success. :) We haven't made our menu yet, but we're aiming for something somewhat impressive. That's our goal at least. Now we just have to decide what would fit those qualifications....Hmmm......Anyway, for Christmas Day we're planning to be a bit more active. We invited Olsa, Neda, and Ledio over for a game night/movie night where we'll have Christmas cookies and other snacks. During the morning and early afternoon we'll probably go to a smaller town with them and view a very old but beautiful church. It's very well known here in Albania. It's popular for both locals and tourists to see and is apparently extra beautiful at Christmas.

The part of our upcoming weekend that isn't consumed with Christmas activities and preparations for church will be consumed with preparations for our last week of classes before the holiday. Next week is our last week and so we have final tests to write. Since my classes decided to be truly Albanian and talk to each other and ask for answers all through their last test, they are each getting an individual test this time. They will all have the same sections to the test, but the actual questions will be different. This time we'll see who actually studies. *Evil laugh!* Just kidding. I'm not the mean teacher, I just need to know who, if anyone, is learning anything. ;)

Also since our last classes before our second session starts in January are next week, it means that we have to plan our our registration and orientation for January already this weekend. Then we have to put all the information together so we can get it to kids and their families next week. Lots of planning and calendar-checking and forms to prepare. Think we'll be busy at all this weekend? lol

Oh! I have some more crazy bus stories to share. There are just so many interesting situations on the buses here. I never have a clue what will happen. The first crazy story took place on Saturday on my way to church. The bus had to stop twice because of arguments. Not dangerous ones or anything, but it's never stopped for conversations before. The first stop was because a man was trying to use a bus pass that was expired. It started as just a conversation between he and the ticket-taker guy. Then the guy next to me joined in. Then two more other guys did. Then the girl in front of me wanted to see the pass. In the end, the guy ended up paying the 30 Lek for the ride like everyone else. The second stop was because a man wanted to bring two live chickens onto the bus. People can buy live chickens from the market so it's not unusual to see that. What's unusual is that he wanted to bring the live chickens on the bus. People have brought dead chickens on the bus before, but after the argument ended, the guy was allowed to bring his two live chickens on the bus. He was holding them by the feet (or ankles, if chickens have ankles. Anyone know?) and every time we went over a bump or stopped quickly, they flapped around and squawked loudly. What a ride!

Then on Sunday as I walking to the bus to come home after English church, there were a bunch of kids lighting firecrackers in the bus lane. They'd light them right before a bus came and then run off. Or they'd light them really close to the street. As I got on the bus, I saw the kids getting ready to light some for our bus. Their timing was perfect. They went off just as our bus went over them. I thought the bus was going to explode or something because after that, it smelled like fire smoke the whole ride. I'm telling you, these bus rides are insane some days! Haha! Never a dull moment!

Then, another funny bus ride happened yesterday. I was riding home after class and there was an old drunk guy on the bus. You don't see people drunk in public all that often here. Well, I'm sure if I was out late at the popular bars I might, but all in all, it's not nearly as common here as it is in the States for people to be drunk in public. Anyway, this guy was. He wasn't annoying or anything, but he was singing. lol Everyone was chuckling at him even though he didn't know it. He was signing the Albanian hymn (aka national anthem) and some other songs I didn't know. And then he couldn't remember the words to the song he had in his head so he just started singing "Bum, bum bum..." and looking at the guy next to him for help. As if he hadn't provided enough entertainment, we all had to switch onto a different bus because the driver of our bus was done with his shift. (Weird way to end a shift. Why not just have the driver get out and a new one get on? But whatever. lol) So when we got onto the new bus, there was a whole new set of people who chuckled in amusement.

I have much more to tell, but as it is late and the story is long, I will save it for tomorrow. Yes, that's right, two blog entries right in a row. It's been so far between them that I bet you thought I forgot about this thing or abandoned it completely. Not the case, my friends! I've simply been super duper extra busy, as you can tell. I'll give the rest of the report tomorrow. It involves a four day visit from our new Australian friend, the Opera,game night and a movie marathon. :) Don't you love my life? I do! :D