T'was the Night Before Christmas

Hello everyone!  Yesterday I decided to go out and do some 'errands'.  That began with me going to the post office to mail the post cards I had filled out, plus send a card my host mom wanted me to send.  And so I walked the 5 or so blocks to the commercial area (I don't know what else to call it, there are a few department stores, a McDonalds, a Starbucks, some shops, a few large banks, etc) only to find that the post office was closed (at 1 o'clock on a Monday...?) Not sure why haha...but anyways, I decided, instead of going home and sitting on the couch with my computer, that I would instead do just a little shopping.  And so I browsed some stores for a little while, bought 2 shirts, and returned home quite happy with myself.  I just felt very proud that I could go out and 'run errands' all by myself.  I'm sure it doesn't sound like much, but in a new, huge city, and in a different language, I find it quite an accomplishment just to go shopping haha.  I can't really explain it.

Then today, the 24th, I met Chachi at McDonald's and we had lunch.  Then I returned home.  Here, today is more or less considered Christmas, because they celebrate on Christmas Eve (family gets together and opens gifts and eats dinner around midnight).  It has not felt like Christmas, whatsoever.  About a week ago, someone said to me something along the lines of "6 days till Christmas!" and I couldn't believe it (and here's some of the reasons why):

1. It's 73 degrees out (5:20 PM, it was hotter earlier today).
2. I'm wearing shorts and a tank top.
3. I'm on summer vacation.
4. There is no snow, nor will you find any, in Lima.
5. I'm both tan and sunburned .
6. No Christmas tree in my house (I think there's one downstairs in my host grandma's house).
7. No Christmas lights on my house.
8. Very few Christmas decorations in my house.
9. No Christmas cookies.
10. I won't be going to my grandparents' houses to be with all my cousins.
11. No hot apple cider.

Just overall, no feel of Christmas.  There is some Christmas music on the radio, a few red bows and a red table cloth on our table, but besides that, if I didn't look at the date at the bottom right hand corner of my computer screen, and see that it says 12/24/2013, I probably would have forgotten that it was Christmas.

I was talking to Chachi earlier today, and I told him that in the United States we celebrate during the day on the 25th, and starting in the morning, the gifts are opened (because Santa (in spanish=Papa Noel) came during the night and left them under the tree) and then the family typically gets together that day to eat dinner. It was a weird concept to him haha.

So I don't exactly know the plans that my host family has...I think that we'll just be having dinner here but I have no idea... I will post about what we did tomorrow or within a few days.  Until dinner, I think maybe I'll watch Home Alone on Netflix to get me in the Christmas spirit.

And although it doesn't feel like Christmas, and nothing is the same, I don't feel homesick.  But I do know that for Christmas 2014, I'm going to go all out.  I'm talking lights covering the house, decorations galore, tons of presents for my family, insane Christmas sweaters from Goodwill, an astounding array of Christmas cookies and gingerbread men, and hot cider with candy canes.  And I will enjoy the time with my parents and siblings, whom I miss more than anything else...besides food hahahaha.

And in the mean time, here is a video that I found that I find quite hilarious (copy the link, right click 'open link') : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnXrzDtusA&feature=share

And here is a video that a few exchange students made of all of us exchange students in Lima: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHXXcb7ezOI&feature=youtu.be

Enjoy your Christmas!  
Tons of love,
Ginger

Btw:  If anyone reading is willing to leave me a comment, I'd appreciate it.  Thank you.