As it gets closer to the holidays I am beginning to realize how much I took them for granted in the past. I am really starting to miss the holiday enthusiasm back home. Thanksgiving is tomorrow here in Shanghai. Luckily, since our entire program is from the states, CIEE is taking us to a huge Thanksgiving dinner at an international hotel. There is supposed to be turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. While the intentions are fabulous, the expectations aren't high because most "western meals" always end up with some sort of Chinese twist. We are making bets on whether or not we will be asked to go around the room and say what we are thankful for like we had to do in elementary school. CIEE seems to bring all these activities back into our lives whether we like it or not (most of the time I love it!). I was also pretty bummed that unlike back home, we have class on Thanksgiving. I thought about starting a sit-in at the dorms in protest, but then my IR professor let us know that he will be out of town and class tomorrow is cancelled! YAY! While I know that this Thanksgiving won't be anything like spending the day with my family back home, I am thankful that I have made some amazing friends that will make it feel as close to a family holiday as possible. As I mentioned in my previous post, I found a store in our mall that had a section of Christmas decorations, this to me is a miracle. I never thought I would find decorations in China except in the French or British concessions. They were by far the most expensive Christmas decorations I have ever seen. And no, the santa's and snowmen are not Asian, despite what my mother thinks they look just like santa back home. I woke up yesterday to new of snow in Salem and Eugene and hundreds of pictures already on facebook of everyone playing in it. I was so jealous and it really started to make me "holidaysick." One of my friends has his girlfriend in town for the week and unfortunately she gets pretty bored while he is in class. I decided that I needed to get something to bring up my spirits and get her out of the dorm. We went to the mall and the Christmas store. I bought myself a single Christmas decoration for our room and to lighten my spirits. It worked. I decided to make a list of all the holiday activities that I wish I was home to partake in for future self-reference.
~ Eating too much and watching football on Thanksgiving
~ Giving thanks and spending time with my family
~ Helping mom put up Christmas decorations
~ Putting up the Christmas trees while drinking egg nog and listening to Christmas music
~ Playing in the snow whenever possible
~ Buying Christmas presents and wrapping them in mom's themed papers
~ Mom making cookies throughout the entire month of December and getting to steal a few when she isn't looking ;-)
~ Cuddling with my puppies in front of the fire
~ Christmas movies (Miracle on 34th Street & The Grinch)
~ Visiting friends that are home from school
~ Steak and Lobster with Chris's family
~ Christmas eve night at the Essers
~ Looking for Santa Claus and Rudolph in the sky on the way home
~ Christmas morning cinnamon rolls
~ Being with my family and thinking of those that can't be with us
The winter holidays are the best time of the year. I am thankful for them and those that I have to celebrate them with. Happy Thanksgiving!
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