Thursday, December 25, 2008

Happy Boxing Day

I hope you're all enjoying your holiday festivities. Christmas was just surreal, we went through the motions as well as we could, but it just wasn't the same as being back home. (still no camera though, it hasn't recovered from it's sandy romp on Koh Samet)


Bunny & Bobby's parents had sent them a bunch of presents. Bobby drew a picture of a Christmas tree and put it up next to the closet and we all piled presents underneath. I tried to hang my stocking but the @$%^@%^ hooks you can get here don't hold up crap so my stocking just ended up in the pile. We opened presents. Bobby got a couple of books - which is exciting for all of us - especially the Cambodian guide book. Bunny got a water heater - again, a great gift for everyone. They got me a neck pillow for the bus ride - it's awesome, it looks like a donut with pink frosting on top. I love it.


They also got me a bag with some beautiful beautiful Engrish on it: First off there's a picture of something that looks vaguely like a llama sitting in an egg carton, then the text - LOVE DWARF BEAR. Well, I like egg fries, but I'm not an egg. Oh my god, anybody who can pick me up from this egg basket?! Which, when said with enough feeling is another good all purpose exclamation. The bag I got for Bobby had similar Engrish phrases on it - it's done up like a bag of candy and says: I'm in the mood for deliciousness. Rich fresh odors! Not quite as amusing, but highly appropriate nonetheless, I gave Bunny a t-shirt with the Thai alphabet on it. I plan on getting one for myself too before I leave.


Presents opened and chocolate consumed, we met up with Jed and went to Starbucks. It was all decked out just like a store back home, playing the same Bing Crosby Christmas music. It was 80 degrees outside, but I still had a hot chocolate with whipped cream. Then we bummed around the mall for a while and went to lunch at a nice Sushi restaurant. Bobby had to get to class at 3pm, but Bunny and I didn't start until 6 so we went home. I just lounged around and was about to get ready for work at about 4pm when I got a call from the school. My only class for the day had canceled. I was a tad irritated because I think they canceled the day before but I just wasn't notified. In any case just threw on my swimsuit, grabbed my beach bag and headed out to Ban Phe.


It was warm, but it had gotten really cloudy and grey, so it wasn't exactly perfect beach weather, but I did swim around for a bit. You know, just so I could say I went swimming on Christmas. ;) Then back in town Bunny, Bobby, Jed & his girlfriend, our head teacher, and two other farang guys we know.... uh... Click and Klack all met for dinner. Oh, and when I swung by the school I had mail! It was a very cute, and vaguely cannibalistic 'cat eating gingerbread kittens' Christmas card from Indigo Mouse. =) We went to the German restaurant, ate nummy nummy western food and drank a few bottles of wine. It was good.


I really can't complain ... but somehow it didn't feel the way Christmas 'should' feel. I really wish there weren't so much hype and expectation heaped on that holiday. It's like - if you don't have a Rockwellesque family or snow on the ground it ends up feeling a bit disappointing. Maybe it's just the family thing. As messed up as my family is, I guess I still kind of want to be with them over the holidays, enjoying our traditions and watching my niece and nephews open their presents. Even if my horrible sister is there, she's *my* horrible sister, you know? I don't know, maybe that's just the stage 2 culture shock talking.


My classes for today were also canceled, so in theory I have the day off. But I need to go to Immigration to get the second half of my non-B visa authorized. B, B & I also need to get reentry visas for our trip to Cambodia. If we don't, when we cross back into Thailand our non-B visas will revert to tourist visas, and that would be a mess and probably involve even more hanging out at the Immigration office and more filling out forms and paying fees etc etc. So better to do it right before we leave.


I hope those of you in the NW are enjoying your winter wonderland. Bundle up and have another egg-nog for me. =)


TAG: Sweet Chili Sauce

5 comments:

Michael5000 said...

I'm going to need pictures of those two bags....

Karin said...

Merry Christmas!

The snow is great and I'm glad I havnen't had to drive in it, but really, we're so over it.

Bezzie said...

I think it's the hot weather. Christmas shouldn't be celebrated in hot weather. ;-)

But as unChristmasy as it felt--you'll never forget that one!

Batty said...

Love the Engrish bags! The odoriferous one in particular, that's a hoot.

Merry Christmas, even if it's warm.

Rebel said...

M5K - I'll see what I can do.

Karin - I know, I'd be over it by the second day. I don't deal well with cabin fever.

Bezzie - I don't know about that. I had trouble remember what I did yesterday today!

Batty - I love it too, and may have to get one for myself.