Anyone that knows me can say that I love holidays. I especially love Christmas and I am always up to celebrate. This year, however, was my first year away from my family for holidays. When I was in college, Christmas was really fun. It was almost like I got to have two Christmases. One with all of my friends at school, then I would get to go home and be with my family. It was great. Plus the US has the Christmas spirit in a whole different way from Korea.
Christmas here is more of a couple's holiday. Families don't celebrate it together as much. It was actually surprising how many of my students said they didn't even own a tree. At my house, my host parents bought a little artificial tree and got some lights to go around it. It wasn't the most festive but I appreciate them for making the effort anyway.
On Christmas Eve, my host parents had some friends over, and I made fudge with my host brothers. It was my substitute for not being able to make cookies this year. But the reality of the differences came on Christmas morning. I woke up to some wrapping paper being ripped and I look out and see my host brother, alone, opening his Christmas present. My host dad already left to play tennis, and everyone else was asleep. I go down and give him my present and leave the others under the tree. It was kind of sad in a way. On Christmas morning at my house, I always play Santa Clause. I am the one who is sorting through the presents and handing them out to everyone. I also am the one who opens the dog's stockings and lets them play with their toys. So to see this, was s different than I was used to. My host brother went outside to play with his new toy and I go back to my room.
It was definitely one of the harder moments during my grant year, being so far from my family, but it was a small sacrifice for everything that I get to experience this year.
Don't forget to check out my post about how I celebrated Christmas in the classroom
No comments:
Post a Comment