Preparing for a Green Christmas

Well, I've just finished my browse of all our friends and family's blogsites and have realized that we are the only ones who haven't updated yet. I've also noticed that everyone I know is quite a gifted writer. So, I apologize for my rather dry blogs. If you've got any creative ideas let me know.
I usually wait until I have pictures to show you before I post something. It's more interesting that way. I wanted to do an entry on what we actually do here. But, I still don't have pictures of Terry in his classroom or teaching physics in a grass-roof gazebo. So, this entry will be on Christmas plans. Today was classroom decorating day. It sounds like fun, except that we had to come to work for a half day on our regular day off. We do get another day off, but it's not the same when you don't get to sleep in.
Anway, each class is given supplies and 4 hours to decorate the room, but only the door is judged. Knowing how uninspiring my classroom of boys is, I was dreading picking a theme. The first theme was based on a cartoon they saw of an icecream factory. Except that the "icecream" was really snowmen pooping into cones. Somehow they thought this was hilarious. I'm not sure they would have been able to decorate an entire door with this. We finally settled on a Santa Claus shooting rudolph in Canada theme. You know, your typical holiday idea. I had them get approval from the principal first and was suprised that he gave it. I had nothing to do with it and was busy making soft, colourful snowflakes to hang from our ceiling. I also made a giant snowman that soon got turned into a gangster snowman with lots of "bling bling". Oh, I hope I never have 8 teenage boys of my own (maybe Charla will).
We now have the afternoon off and Terry promptly feel asleep on our 4-foot couch. I actually have time to write a blog because we just sent our christmas gifts off today and are done shopping. Wow, it's only Dec 6. That's maybe the only advantage of being in a foreign country for Christmas.
Alot of people have been asking what we do here to celebrate christmas. Because they don't really celebrate Halloween here, christmas began mid-October. There are fake Christmas trees everywhere and a number of houses with quite elaborate lights. We went to buy a tree and thought we were getting a decent sized one but when we got home, discovered that it was only 4 feet tall. Oh well, easier to decorate I guess. At school, we are learning some Christmas carols in Spanish and will go caroling some time next week. The school's idea of Christmas is to keep really really busy. In the next few weeks we have Christmas caroling, a Christmas banquet, a Christmas party, a cookie swap and a Candlelight service, plus Christmas day when Terry and I will go up to my house and open gifts and eat supper with the boys. That part I'm actually looking forward to. Let's also not forget the secret angle gift exchange and the pig roast on New Years Eve.
So, no, we don't get any extra time off but we are trying to get to Punta Cana for 2 days to visit an old highschool friend of Terry's. I'm not sure how that'll work as it's a9 hour bus ride from here.
As for what Terry and I are going to do personally for Christmas? I don't know. I'm thinking of just going to a nearby hotel for the night, just so it doesn't feel like another normal day of work. It's hard enough feeling Christmas-y here as it is. We have been playing alot of Christmas music though to get us in the spirit of things.















This is our gangster snowman and the picture on the right is the finished door. The boys like to look tougher than they really are.

Terry's classroom door is supposed to be a giant countdown to Christmas calendar, with candy for each day of the month.






This last picture is us decorating the house a few weeks ago. This is where I'll spend most of Christmas day.