Feliz Navidad!!

just stopping in for a brief moment to say Feliz Navidad to all those who i love so much.

christmas was amazing here, so beautiful and memorable. only cried for a brief 10 minutes after talking to my mom on christmas morning, but after that i pulled my shit together, and literally just danced. our arbo house woke up christmas morning, ate some delicious chocolate chip pancakes prepared by theresa and myself, headed to mass, and then had a solid 3 hour dance party singing and laughing, mainly to reggaeton, which may be in the running for my new choice music--it was insanity, but so much fun. we did our "secret santa" on a $1 budget, and were in hysterics at the creativity that arose through that restraint. let{s just so that there were a lot of "coupon" gifts, and regifts from things our parents and friends sent us, too funny. but in all seriousness, this christmas i felt so much love and joy. i had a constant smile on my face for most of the time, and this year christmas really did have a magical feel. no fighting, no obligations, no resentment. a lot of sitting around and talking and laughing. we have been laughing for about four days straight now.

one christmas tradition that we did partake in here that i absolutely loved, were the christmas posadas. it{s hard to explain the exact feeling/environment of a posada, but the gist is basically a reinactment of mary and joseph going from house to house looking for a place to say--there{s a lot of music and discussion about faith and love, and what the holidays are all about. they happen for 9 days straight, and our house went to about 4 of them. especially with the power out, and doing most of them by candle light, i was so moved. i{m sure if you wikepedia posada, you{ll get a little bit better description of what they are, but for now, just know that this tradition was something that made my christmas all that more special. i just felt so connected---through faith, and through the basic fact that we are all human, and here to love one another. it was really powerful.

so now i{m off for a week, and dan, karla, steve, john, and i have decided to head to cuenca for a little "vacation" fun. we leave tomorrow morning, and it should be great. we{re all just ready to take a break from Duran, and breathe for a bit. work has become a little mundane, and the screaming at semillas has started to make me a little sorda. so we leave tomorrow morning for a few days of reprieve.

before christmas came, we were also so blessed to have karlas mom and sister come visit us for a few days, which was awesome. just having family in the house really brought a new cheer and light, and great food too! getting to share in this experience with people back home is so profound. its one thing to describe and write and talk, but to really be here, and see and hear and feel what Duran is like brings on a whole new sentiment.

alright, well that{s about all i have time for today. thank you to everyone who sent me christmas wishes, it was just so sweet and really made my heart smile knowing that i{m not forgotten about back at home. and it{s already almost 5 months--incredible, seriously. this time is flying.

when i get home from cuenca, i promise to write a more detailed post, and give you a better update on the happenings down here. for now, just know that i{m happy, like really happy---and laughing a lot. sometimes my stomach hurts from laughing so much after sitting down with these four crazy people i live with. they are ridiculous, but i love them.

until next time, or next year i guess i could say!
sending you so much love it hurts,
love,
jamie

oh, and wikepedia grillos while you{re at it, that{s an episode i didn{t even get into, but if you can imagine the biblical times of locust, you may have accurately imagined what it{s been like in grillo season. ha, yeah so not fun.