Merry Christmas!!!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve
(Written Dec 23rd)

I just read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Woke up this morning, made myself some “Dancing Bear Buttermilk Pancakes (from the Peace Corps cook book),” cleaned my apartment (like down on my hands and knees scrubbing the floors kind of cleaning), decorated my foam Christmas trees (more fun than I imagined), hand-washed my laundry (never fun, but I’m getting used to it), then read The Alchemist.

“To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only obligation.” – from The Alchemist

If you’ve read it, I don’t need to explain. If you haven’t – read it.

I was sitting in my bathroom today and I said a loud, “I’m in Kyrgyzstan! I am in Kyrgyzstan.” I do that sometimes – I’ll be in the middle of doing something totally mundane and it hits me – where I am and what I’m doing. Most minuets of most days have begun to feel routine. I wake up at the same time, drink my morning coffee, go to work, usually meet a friend for lunch, work some more, go to meetings, come home to my apartment and cook myself dinner, read or watch a movie, go to bed, etc. But I have these punctuated moments of self-awareness – which usually make me stop and say a loud, “I’m living in Kyrgyzstan.” Then I look out the window, or turn on the water and know that it really isn’t that different than the places I’ve lived in before that got me to where I am now. There are children playing and laughing, students in school, politicians in their offices. And that’s what really amazes me. Just because it has an exotic name, it’s really not that different. People are people in spite of where they are born and live, what language they speak, and what religion they keep.

I’m not allowed to talk about politics here, in this forum. But we had presidential “elections” last week. If you want to know more email me. Quite interesting.

The Be Good Tanyas have been holding steady at the top of my music playlist, along with Damien Rice, and my old friend, Catie Curtis.

I bought a long phone cord last week. There’s a place I can buy internet cards – so I can use dial-up from my apartment, instead of having to go to the internet café. The cost is pretty much the same and so is the speed, so I’d do it for the mere convenience of sitting in my pj’s and sipping tea while checking emails. Unfortunately, my computer is too smart for old school dial up. It’s like, “dial-what? Where’s the Wi-Fi?” Well, there’s no wireless here (that I’ve found yet). But a good friend has promised to bring me back an external modem from the land of Europe, after the holidays. Merry Christmas to me! I haven’t used my own computer to access the internet since Philadelphia in July.

It snowed all day today. It was really nasty. There’s about a quarter of an inch on the ground! I love the PCV’s from California and Florida who send me texts like, “What constitutes a blizzard?!” and “I’m hibernating until April.” Cracks me up. I kind of miss sledding. There’s a tradition here that on the first snowfall of the year the boys throw snowballs at the girls. Needless to say, I didn’t go outside today. Last time a boy threw snow at me it broke my nose (cough, BEN, Cough). The good thing about the snow here is that it covers the sidewalks, and if I can’t see the sidewalks, I can’t see what’s on the sidewalks, and I walk a little bit steadier.

So you can probably tell from the latest pictures I posted that I’ve met my kitten. Sooo cute, huh? I don’t think I’ve ever seen an animal so small. Her little ears and tail were all stubby and when she stood up she shook. The momma cat seemed like a beast compared to the baby. Haven’t decided on a name yet. She’s all white underneath and grey on the top with flecks of black. The timing will work out well though. I have to go to In-Service training for a week at the beginning of January and by the time I get back, she’ll be ready to be separated from her mother. I can get cat food and that stuff here, but if anyone wants to send tiny flea collars I’d be extremely appreciative.

I have to admit I did something amazing today. I made a tomato-cabbage tortellini pasta dish from scratch and it was delicious! Okay, so the tortellini was Barilla (thanks Dad and Carolyn), but the sauce was all me. I’ve developed this cooking strategy. I impulsively buy things at the bazaar, like cabbage, and then throw it in a pot with sautéed onions and see what I come up with. I’m a big fan of one-pot meals. I was even going to make bread today, but I couldn’t find any yeast at the store. A couple days a go I made reeces pieces cookies for my coworkers for the Holidays. Tomorrow, for my wine and cheese party, I was thinking of making fake-crab dip.

Wine and cheese makes me think of this great wine bar in Brattleboro Vt., that I used to go to with some friends from school after our Arts and Social Change class. That place had the best olives. The wine was expensive (for my budget), but I always felt so grown-up going there (except when I had to order the cheapest glass on the menu). Tomorrow night won’t be so fancy. I told everyone to bring their own wine (I’m no Santa Clause).

I’m happy a friend will be spending the night on Christmas Eve. That way, I’ll have someone to share the cornmeal pancakes I’ve been wanting to make with. Christmas dinner will be potluck style – like Thanksgiving. There will just be a small group of us, since Christmas is during the week and the village kids can’t come. I’m making green bean casserole without green beans (can’t find them anymore). I haven’t thought of what to substitute them with yet, but I’m leaning towards potatoes.

I hope everyone has a fun Christmas wherever you are and however you’ll be spending it. Don’t worry about me in little old Kyrgyzstan. I’ll be in good company. I’ll be merry. I will be thinking of you guys. “Just another day,” has a whole new meaning to me now.

“Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as times passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend…It is a force that appears to be negative, but actually shows you how to realize your Personal Legend. It prepares your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth.” – from The Alchemist