Let it snow let it snow let it snow!

Oh the weather outside is frightful

But the fire is so delightful

And since we’ve no place to go

Let it snow let is snow let it snow

Translation: It’s really really hot outside and everyone is burning garbage but since I’m stuck in Senegal I may as well get into the Christmas spirit!  It’s really more of an emotional translation than a literal one. 

Yes the Christmas Season is upon us.  The streets of Senegal are filled with cheer as everyone begins their shopping and starts putting up lights.  The traditional Mango tree in the center of town is filled with ornaments and the Talibe are being extra nice so that Santa won’t give them coal.  Also far from the usual fare of rice with fish, the training center is now bursting with the smells of fresh baked cookies, apple cider, and scrumptious honey baked ham… Hmmm now which part of this fantasy is the least likely to be true?  Eating pork in a Muslim country, or the Talibe being nice so that they WONT get coal?  I’ll let you be the judge.

Yes I’m a little Christmas crazy right now, but when you’re thousands of miles from home in a third world Muslim country it’s either let Christmas uneventfully pass you by, or grab your Santa Hat and paper snow flakes and make it happen yourself.  I was very well educated in the lore of Santa Claus as a child and I don’t remember anyone saying that he skips over Africa so look out everyone I’m rollin out the red and green carpet pour le Pere Noel. 

Luckily I am here at the training center where my Christmas activities won’t be so strange.  I’m not sure how my family in the village would react to me putting ornaments on a Baobab tree.  So here’s the plan.  Firstly decorate the training center with an absurd amount of everything Christmas: lights, trees, snowflakes, etc.  Step two watch every Christmas movie known to man.  Step three, sing carols, buy presents, and generally prepare for Christmas.  Step four celebrate Christmas with my best friends in country and eat copious amounts of baked goods. 

Surely I am somewhat in denial that Christmas isn’t quite going to be like it is back home in the states, but I’m going to try god damn it!  In all honesty this is pretty strange.  I’ve never spent Christmas away from home, but hopefully it will turn out all right.  To everyone back home, enjoy the holidays and cherish your chance to be with family and friends.  I would trade every present just to be there with mine.  Speaking of presents… Don’t send me any!  It’s really expensive and consumerism is so America’s thing.  I am like soooo much better than that now (can you hear the sarcasm?).  But seriously it’s expensive and there are more important things than stuff.  If you feel so inclined to get me a present, do this instead: go to www.kiva.org and make a $25 loan to someone in the developing world (preferably in Senegal).  Don’t send me a kiva gift certificate, loan for yourself.  After Peace Corps I will most likely be a poor starving actor and I’ll just end up withdrawing the money as I need it.  If you make the loan, having fancy non-arts jobs and what not, you will probably be able to keep reloaning that $25 dollars and it will thus do much more good.  Who knows you may even come to like helping third world development and loan even more.  I’m just trying to save the world here.  Actually this is an entirely selfish venture to make Santa think I’m super good so I’ll get more presents.  I hope he doesn’t read blogs.  Fingers crossed ;-). 

Happy Holidays Everyone! And Happy Hanukkah to all of my Jewish friends celebrating right now. 

Garrison