my vpn is being a grinchy, scroogey, mess

So I haven't been on Facebook in about a week, which wouldn't be so bad except that I want to see what everyone is doing! I know I made it for two months without, but I kinda got used to it again.

It's Christmas week! My living room is decorated, I've been playing Christmas music, and my classes are doing gift exchanges--it tickles me to see how excited they get! They wrapped them so prettily, and put nice handwritten notes on them with their beautiful, delicate handwriting. It's only Monday, but three of my students gave me personal gifts, which were very sweet. One of those students has been working on improving her writing, through emailing back and forth with me, and she told me yesterday that she passed her IELTS exam and got good scores on the writing section; that was a great kickoff to Christmas week. She has been so sweet and gracious, and her writing really did improve over the last month, I'm proud of her and glad that I could help.

Still no tears! I got a little sniffly while watching the end of Love Actually, which I found online, at the part when they're showing all the people hugging at the airport gate...but that's only because I'm so excited to be coming home for vacation in a month and five days! We'll ignore that whole getting-on-a-plane-to-come-back-thing for now. Things are still fantastic here, I still miss people from home but I know apart from people, there's not much for me there. Today I was showing my class pictures from the summer road trip to Chicago, to demonstrate how six people could fit in one hotel room. That really made me miss college summers when we all used to hang out. "We Need a Little Christmas" is also stuck in my head almost everyday, so I miss those crazy SMTI kids, especially my sweet Christmas husband, Sam, who sang so loudly after such a quick change. I am getting to see my baby brother on Skype more now that he's home for break, and we're arranging a schedule so I can watch everyone open presents on Christmas morning after they've watched me open mine on Christmas Eve (U.S. time). This is how fantastic my family is--they sent me a box packed chock-full of wrapped gifts, hot chocolate, and even a stocking sewn shut. Of course, they're under my little foot-tall tree, waiting for a few more days. I would trade it all in a minute to be home with nothing but my family, but I made a choice, and I'm making a little money and getting a little experience so I can work my way to a place where I can have Christmas off and actually go home.

In other news, I am a full convert to thermal longjohns/underwear, which are very popular here due to the lack of heating--I've bought two full pair and one shirt. I've also switched to my Eskimo coat, so I'm pretty darn comfortable during class. It actually snowed here on Wednesday! It started as heavy rain, then turned to sleet, then became big, beautiful flakes that didn't stick but sure looked nice. The forecast says it might sleet here on Saturday, which would be close enough to a White Christmas for me! I've been out shopping for gifts to take home, so I feel even more like Christmas since I LOVE buying presents for people. I keep seeing things and thinking, "So-and-so would really get a kick out of that". Lucky for me most stuff here is cheaper!

That's about it, and since I probably won't post again this week, I want to wish any readers a Merry Christmas! I leave with some lyrics to describe my holiday feelings.

"I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love
Even more than I usually do
And although I know it's a long way back
I promise you...
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams"

"Merry Christmas darling
We're apart that's true
But I can dream, and in my dreams
I'm Christmas-ing with you...
I wish you Merry Christmas
Happy New Year, too
I've just one wish on this Christmas Eve
I wish I were with you"

"Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now"

the craziest things I've seen in China...so far

I really should have been keeping a running list, because now I'm trying to think back past the two or three that stand out most. This list will be short, but I need to stay in the habit of blogging.

--The first week I was here, and I think it may have been my very first time in Wal-Mart, I saw a mom and dad holding their child over a flip-top lidded trashcan to pee. One was holding the kid in a seated position, and the other was trying to hold the lid open without getting pee splashed everywhere. All this right in the middle of the clothing department.

--Actually, some of the better ones I remember (and the ones I have to try hardest to not stare at) involve children and public urination. I'm really lucky that I read about that a little before I came here, but you can't imagine it until you see it. I've seen a grandma holding a little girl next to a sidewalk tree, like where dogs poop. I've seen a mom actually pointing her son's "member" downward to direct the flow, in the midst of a group of people taking shelter from the rain, on one of the busiest streets in town. And the kid looked at least 7, that one was actually more disturbing than anything. One of my banshees pees right outside in the courtyard, and sometimes tries to pee on the other boy. They're crazy.

--Once I was walking past a restaurant with full-length windows, and could see a man sitting inside at a table and a large dog sitting in the seat opposite him, eating off the table like it was the most normal thing in the world. The next time I walked past a few days later, there was no man but the dog was sitting in the same place and there was also a smaller dog laying in the windowframe.

--I have seen people bring dogs into McDonald's, smaller dogs about the size that you can carry in a big purse, but the oddest animals I've seen in McDonald's were the Siberian dwarf hamsters. You know, those cute, tiny little hamsters that are brownish-grayish on their backs and white on their bellies? We had some when I was growing up, mine was named Miss Susie. Anyway, they sell those here along the sidewalk with the cats and birds and puppies, so a girl bought a few in a little cage, brought them into Mickey D's, and set them right there on the table while she was eating. Again, it always seems like the most normal thing here.

I know there are probably more, but it's nearly 3 a.m. here and I really should get in bed, I can't fall back into the "up 'till early morning" cycle again. I know that taking 3-4 hour naps in the afternoon doesn't help, but I was exhausted by the time I got home from errands this afternoon. I'm getting all jealous reading on FB about everyone's snow when it's about 70 degrees here! It's ridiculous! The temperature is supposed to take a steep drop on Sunday night, let's hope that actually holds true because I can't stand this Septembery weather. I have the banshees tomorrow, and after they pay me I can actually buy groceries, then Payday is this Friday so I can start buying Christmas presents, which makes me happy! I'm also going to scout some Christmas movies, they had more scary movies before Halloween so I'm hoping the pattern holds true for Christmas. I really hope I can find Love Actually, which is mandatory Christmas watching for me. The Holiday would also be a plus. I brought White Christmas with me, so I'm not totally without holiday films, but more would be merrier. I started a countdown in my planner, 50 days until I come home!