Chistmas

So my first (last?) Christmas away from home is already over. There was so much anticipation, and now it's gone.

I spent Christmas Eve-day feeling fairly miserable for myself. I moped around the dorm, trying to keep myself occupied. I looked in vain for a live stream of Carols by Candlelight. One thought crossed my mind, "I really wish mum would call, just as the Hallelujah Chorus comes on".

As a background, our family always gathers around the TV on Christmas Eve to pig out on lollies and pretzels while singing along to the carols. We light candles, get crumbs and wax on the carpet, and have a lovely time.

So I was sitting there, watching the clock ticking toward Christmas Day on the website of "The Age" newspaper.

Suddendly my phone rang! It was mum! "Hello darling! Listen to this"... It was the Hallelujah Chorus! I couldn't believe it. I sat there and developed an allergy to the airconditioning.

I was just so amazed that mum had granted my one Christmas wish! It really was magical. So after a lot of nose wiping, we had a chat for 20 minutes, it was just wonderful.

The AIESECers took pity on me and so I ended up at an Armenian cafe, complete with Christmas tree.

Christmas Day was excellent - I couldn't have asked for a better expat Chrissy. I had breakfast in the backyard with Tabiri, my Ghanian teammate, then I headed up to an Aussie Christmas Day with some of the diplomatic community.

We sat around all day being as Aussie as we could, the talk revolving around familiar bars, beers, and anything else that we can't access here! After 8 solid hours of drinking grape juice, I was a little worse for wear, but managed to grab a taxi up to Karaj to see Floor, Sepehr and Bastian for the evening.

So that was it. All over in the blink of an eye. But it was a lot of fun, that's for sure.

Missing you all back home. I'm exactly half way through my term. I know that the next half will fly, but still. xoxoxo

Have a wonderful New Years Eve everyone! See you in 2010!