I'll never forget the year that during our "Christmas Tour," my high school music teacher made the mistake of assigning our show choir to sing the song while visiting one of the living facilities for the elderly. We broke half our audience down into tears by the middle of the chorus. I understood, of course, that it hadn't been her best idea. What I didn't appreciate though, is what it actually feels like to spend holidays not surrounded by loved ones and the smells of a turkey in the oven and familiar spices wafting from the table.
I don't doubt that I'm going to enjoy myself here over the holiday season. I haven't yet decided whether I'll be traveling or hanging around to see what Christmas and New Year's are like here in Moldova, a country that certainly knows its way around celebrations with family. Either way, though, Thanksgiving's been a bit of a downer.
Even on the toughest days, I'm glad I'm here. I'm glad I'm working hard to help with situations few have had the nerve to address. I'm happy to be a part of the children's lives that shows them the only way they've ever known things to be done may not be the only way things can be done. I love that I'm meeting people, and I won't deny that I'm proud of myself for even the smallest of successes.
Still. It's a holiday, and I'm not home. I'm not hugging my mom, I'm not laughing with my cousin, I'm not drinking wine and playing board games with my sister and her boyfriend. It isn't the same.
Anyhow, I've been trying to think of things I can do that will brighten things up for me. I'm definitely eagerly anticipating snow, because that always makes the world feel like Christmas to me. I am excited to start a hunt for a few gifts for the host family, and I'm looking forward to hearing the traditional songs, and to blasting my own wide collection of Christmas music from my computer while I cut and color materials for school. I know I'll enjoy some days off school that I can spend bundling up and taking my camera for long, icy walks or hunkering down with a mug of hot tea and a good book. These things won't be exactly like home, but they won't be completely foreign either.
I do have one wish from home, though. I've had a few different people offer care packages or Christmas gifts from America, and while I love the gesture, there isn't much here that I really need. If you have the chance, though, I would positively love to be able to deck out my bedroom in Christmas cards from across the miles. If my friends and family could pitch those extra few stamps to send a festive, written in English, filled with warm wishes card this way, I'd appreciate it tons! In fact, you don't even have to worry about getting it out early, since Christmas is celebrated in Moldova twice, once on the twenty-fifth of December, then again on January seventh, my birthday.
So, if you'd be willing to add to the card collection I hope to display in my room clear up until the snow melts (maybe longer, so far cards I've received have never come down from where I display them) the address is:
Corpul Pacii
Cassandra Mosier, PVC
Str. Grigore Ureche #12
Chisinau, Moldova 2001
Also, the closer we get to the holidays, and the more I miss the people I love, the more I'd be thrilled to Skype with any of you. My screen name is c.g.mosier, and if you want to send a message or plan a time to video chat, that would be positively wonderful!
Know I'm sending warm, Thanksgivingy wishes halfway around the world to you all and that I could not possibly be more grateful for the love and support in the only place that, no matter how far away I may lay my head at night, really is home! Eat some turkey for me!
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