Tis the Season

Well friends,

Let me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas! I officially started celebrating Christmas the day after Halloween...as is typical for me...but, now that Thanksgiving is behind us, I am in full on Christmas mode. I have like 5 advent/count down to coming home calendars...including one for my students...which they love...even though it's putting a paper ornament on a paper tree...they argue over who's turn it is to put it up just like we used to do Mom..haha. (P.S. I sincerely hope that you have the advent calendar down and are putting up the stuffed nativity pieces even though we aren't there...I am ashamed of you if you haven't. It needs to be not only up, but updated when I get back...I think it's my turn for Jesus this year.)

Let me back up for a minute and talk about Thanksgiving. I ate a traditional Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday night, which was great. The reason for eating Thursday being that a lot of families here take vacations for Thanksgiving...including me and some of the other teachers. We traveled to Belize on Thanksgiving day and returned on Sunday. It was quite the adventure. It was 5 hours on a bus (that cost approximately 9 dollars to ride), which was actually a very nice bus...and then an additional hour on a water taxi across the Caribbean to Belize (not as nice...way more sketchy...cost about 20 dollars...go figure). After quite a battle with Guatemalan immigration, we finally got there and to our hotel, in Punta Gorda, Belize, which was very nice. Punta Gorda however, is teeny tiny and has about 3 restaurants that open whenever they feel like it.

On Friday, we got to take a boat out to the many tiny little islands that are off Belize (I think they said there are something like 139 of them) and we went snorkeling, which was probably the single coolest experience of my life (you know how I feel about animals). I got to hold a starfish and a sea cucumber, which was SO sweet. We had a guide who could point out all the different fish and tell us their names...like I said, probably the best experience of my life.

Saturday we rode some bikes around and just hung out by the pool... it was cloudy...so I naturally didn't put on sunscreen...mistake...burn central. Oh well. Bet you most of you can't say you got sunburnt on the Saturday after Thanksgiving...

We came back on Sunday, with immigration being a lot easier this time, around 9 at night. Overall, it was an excellent Thanksgiving...I had my doubts about missing the traditional Turkey feast...but for one year and the most awesome fish I have ever seen...I can let it slide.

As I write this to you I have 2 weeks and 2 days left until I leave. It is AMAZING how fast the time has gone...but at the same time, the beginning of the semester and middle school seem like they were 10 years ago. I think I'm stuck in a time warp. I am getting VERY excited to come home because I miss all of you so much, but I will be very sad to leave here too. Catch 22.

As per my mother's request...I will be writing a blog about Guatemalan Christmas traditions...which I'll be honest...I will probably google to find out. I know some things...just not everything. Hope you all are doing well! I can't wait to see your faces in a very short time!

Love,
Claire

Shoutout to Melissa Coffey: Don't go to Florida...I mean...I know you need to and all that junk...but just don't. It won't be healthy for you to be away from me for so long.

Shoutout to Haley: Please keep Mom in check about the advent calendar. It's very important to me.

Shoutout to Ross: You thought you were going to get Mom and Dad to get the tree without me. FAT CHANCE. You cannot take away from me something that is part of my being.