It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

I love Christmas. Seeing a movie that came out on Christmas Day, eating chocolate chip coffee cake, opening presents, holding candles and singing Silent Night, watching all the Santa Clause movies, buying gifts for my parents with their money. I think everyone knows the holidays are the hardest for exchange students. And I'd be lying if I said it was different for me. (Did that make sense? I was trying to say the holidays are hard for me too.) 

For exchange students feeling not so great, remember that

A) All the traditions you left behind will be back ther next year for you. (This point was given to me by my dad)

B) There is a good chance that there is an exchange student in your country right now experiencing your Christmas for the first time. Think of it as you giving it up for a year for them to experience it for a year. Like my family is hosting a girl from Costa Rica and my host family's daughter is in Missouri. During Halloween, Thanksgiving, and now Christmas I just think about me giving it up so they get a chance to experience it.  

C) You're on exchange to learn about another culture. Christmas in that country is different, embrace it. 

D) You are a (pardon my French) BAMF. You traveled to a foreign country by yourself. You are living a way of life that (in my case) didn't exist a few months ago. You are going to be telling these stories to your great grandchildren (inshallah) 

For people who know an exchange student:

Show them the Christmas spirit even if you don't celebrate Christmas. Show them how you celebrate. At the very least it will create a distraction. More likely it'll make life long memories and they'll be very happy and grateful. 

So now on to what I wanted to talk about  when I started writing before I got all AFS Volunteer-y was this lovely Christmas story. 

How Maria Didn't Steal Christmas

One early morning, a half asleep American named Corie sat on a bench on the playground. It took every once of strength she had not to give in to the beautiful sleep that was calling her. A lovely curly haired girl walks over and cheerfully wished Corie a good morning. 

"I have something for you," she said handing over a plastic bag. 

Corie took the bag and peaked in. 'Is it tinsel?' She thought thinking back to when she asked Maria to buy her tinsel. She pulled the gift out of the bag. It was better than tinsel. 

"Maria brought me a tree!" She exclaimed. "Maria gabetly shagara!"

During the school day, Corie made a 3D paper snowflake to put on her tree. 

Later that evening, when Corie was shopping for her secret Santa, she found super cheap, small plastic ornaments and lights. 

She raced home and decorated her tree. 

This is what the snowflake looks like. 

Corie had felt a lack of Christmas spirit. Now that she has a beautiful tree, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. 

The End

Thank you to Maria Ramy, my great friend, who actually gave me the gift of Christmas. I actually almost wanted to cry when she gave it to me because like wow. I can't even. I'm so so grateful for everyone making this Christmas so great. 

I'm also excited because Christmas lasts until January 7th so bring it on. 

Happy holidays!

Stay beautiful. 

Byeeeeee

Corie.