It's Gonna Be Great!

Today is December! Crazy Crazy Crazy. Don't worry, I'm listening to Christmas music here at work. I'll work hard this month to spread the Nô-en (Christmas in Vietnamese) Joy.

Actually, I have a really good feeling about this month. I think it's going to be great. Maybe I'm creating too many expectations and am going to be sorely disappointed, but I don't know, there is something about December...I just feel good about it! Here are some things that contribute to the positive December vibes:

1. Recently, I've felt a lot like a grown up. Earlier I realized that in even saying that, it probably negates the statement itself, but eh, oh well. I think there is something about being busy at work that makes me feel, I don't know, like I'm working; this isn't school any more. Recently I've had tasks to do and I feel useful here. At this point, the month looks like it is going to continue this way, although I guess you never know. Here's a couple of the things I've been working in the past few weeks:

• I helped to prepare for the MCC Workshop that took place last week
• Working with Max to sort through applications for the School of Peace that he runs in India February-May. I gathered everyone's applications, organized them, helped him choose participants, emailed them to congratulate them (I let him send the not so congratulating emails) and am now fielding questions about passports and visas and religious dietary requirements and other various things
• Tomorrow I leave for Quảng Ngãy, in the central part of Viet Nam with Derek and Cô Bảy. MCC does some relief work there (it is where the storms were the last couple of months) and I'm going to help document it and write stories about what MCC is doing. Yay for new places!!
  
• Continuing to edit the mastheads (website header) for Max's Websites
• Organizing articles to send out as a monthly newsletter for CJPA (Center for JustPeace in Asia) and ICF (Interfaith Cooperation Forum)

2. I think I really Hanoi's December weather. It's a little unpredicable, going from cold cold cold (like gloves and big coat) to relatively warm and humid (skirts and a t-shirt weather) but always enjoyable :) I'm not looking forward to summer returning to Hanoi, so I'm going to take advantage of "winter" as long as I can!

3. I guess this one could be a not so good thing too, but today Calah and I completed 100 hours of Vietnamese language learning! This means we now have to take a break for a month and then start financing lessons on our own come January but for now I feel quite accomplished!

4. Christmas happens in December. Even if I'm not at home, I still love the atmosphere of Christmas. I'll just have to create it here.

5. Last, but certainly not least, my family is coming in only 17 days!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!

All that to say, December is going to be great :)

PS I added a couple pictures to my last post so you could better visualize the ugliest cake ever.