Looking back at Christmas...

So, I never posted anything about our wild and crazy Kazakh Christmas. That probably has something to do with the fact that our school asked us to throw 15 parties in 2 days. So, I was a little preoccupied.

Christmas was wonderful here. Away from the oh-my-gosh-I-want-those-shoes of the American Christmas, I was able to focus like never before on that Baby in the Manger. It was a season of learning and celebrating and teaching many many MANY students about American Christian traditions...

Here's a brief look at the different ways we celebrated a holiday that doesn't really exist on this side of the globe:

Party #4/15. Yes, still genuinely smiling.

Party number 8/15. But this one was a TON of fun because it was with our own students, and they're the only intermediate/advanced students in the school. We decorated sugar cookies, watched Elf, played Christmas Pictionary, and did a dirty Santa gift exchange...

More of our students at their party:

Celebrating with our co-workers at Interlingua:

More student parties. I played my trumpet at every single one, and every time I played, every single little cell phone came out of the pocket and recorded me. They've NEVER seen a trumpet before!

Loving on the littles:

Pin the nose on FROSTY!

Interlink Christmas Party. Christmas Carols with Abyen, our driver/comedian/do-it-all guy at Interlink:

With my roommate in front of the New Year's Tree:

All the Interlink girls:

Celebrating at a local Ch-rch! The kids did SUCH a cute program for us:

They did so well!

Precious little angel :) :

The rest of the Southern Kazakhstan team came to Taraz on the 26th, so we could celebrate Christmas together. It was Curtis and Katina's first time in Taraz, so we showed them around, took them through our sprawling bazaar, got them dinner at our amazing burger place and a Kazakh pizzeria, took them through the square, and showed them our school. As a team, we read the Christmas story, exchanged gifts Secret Santa gifts, watched Christmas movies...

Below is a picture of us with our gifts. I asked my secret santa for the "nice toilet paper"...as you can see below, I got it :)

Here's a nicer picture: L-R: Dave, Alicia, Carolina, Katina, Curtis, and yours truly:

Merry Christmas from the Ends of the Earth!