Last Christmas you gave me your heart...

Let's talk about Christmas. Interesting story. in America there was nothing I hated more than Christmas music, especially when children sing Christmas songs on the radio, so I was more than happy to be here where that horrible tradition of playing grating Christmas music nonstop for a month doesn't exist.  However, the closer we got to Christmas and the less it felt like Christmas the more I nostaglically listened to the Love Actually soundtrack (only Christmas music I have on my ipod and also just a great movie) and the more I liked Christmas music. So maybe Christmas music isn't so terrible when it isn't constantly blasting in your ears for a month.

When we were in Ouaga for our meetings I had the pleasure to go over to our CD's house and decorate sugar cookies. I'm still really terrible at the job but I am thankfully still talented in eating them. However, with a stomach that is now used to never eating sugar I felt like I was going to die after eating 5 jolly, frosted sugar cookies.
Anyways, on a scale of one to ten of how much Christmas day felt like Christmas was about a 1.5. In Ouaga it sort of feels like Christmas because people are trying to sell fake little Christmas trees or blow up santa claus', but once you get back to village and everything looks exactly the same dusty brown, you would have no idea it was Christmas, much less December. In face two days before Christmas I ate a watermelon...so, yeah. But it not feeling like Christmas wasn't bad because I didn't get sad or feel like I was missing anything, so that was a plus.

Despite it never feeling like Christmas I still had a fantastic time. All the students left on Thursday and I went out for drinks with a couple professeurs to get the vacation started off right. As usual, it was really hilarious and I got to eat some delicious flame broiled chicken, plus we planned out the next three days, which houses would cook which day so that we could better enjoy our partying. Friday rolls around and after enjoying a quiet morning, sleeping in without the ringing of the school bell every hour, I headed over to the Mevi's to get things rolling. Mme. Mevi's family came over and they spent almost the entire day preparing the party that we were going to have that night, it was a little incredible. I helped a little bit and then excused myself to take another nap because, why not? Came back all spiffed up and things got started at about 8, we ate some good food and then everyone started drinking and dancing like there was no tomorrow. And we danced until 4 in the morning. It was really hilarious, seeing all my coworkers tipsy and dancing. The great thing about Burkinabe dancing is that it's difficult to dance to their music, becuase it is terrible, but that means their dancing is so spasdic and weird and hilarious to watch. They get so into it, like they just sort of bob around and maybe do a little hip shaking but they are all about it and so proud of themselves it really hilarious. So, it was great.

4 hours later, up and at 'em, Merry Christmas, headed back over to the Mevi's to have some breakfast and watch everyone stumble out into the sunshine. Still hilarious. Then we sat around all day long, had lunch and then it was time to make the rounds to the neighbors, saying hi eating food -chicken, cake balls, popcorn, and shrimp cakes with a soda. At each house we had to eat those things. So I wanted to die, from only getting four hours of sleep and then eating so much food, I thought I would explode. Finally it's 4 o'clock and I feel late enough for me to excuse myself and I got home cursing whoever invented chicken (never thought I'd see the day) and slept for a good 13 hours that night. All in all it was a great Christmas, really hilarious and happy and they were really happy that I stayed their with them, loved it when I danced and just think I'm so nice. So win win.