A Different Christmas

This is Ivan's first Christmas in the U.S. and our first Christmas spent together.  Although my time in Honduras spanned two Christmases I never actually stayed in Honduras for the holiday.  Christmas is such a special holiday for me that I always wanted to spend it with my family, so I came home every year for about two weeks during the holiday season.

This year we're both together and both heading up to Vermont to experience an American Christmas but I think hubs is a bit sad that he won't be spending the holiday with his family.  Although, truth be told, he never really spent the holiday with his family, he mostly went to the fiesta in town and hung out with his friends.  I guess now that he's apart from his family he feels a bit more nostalgic though and wishes for his traditional and comfortable Navidad. 

The reason I never really stayed in Honduras for the holidays was because it was never a really big holiday in there.  They typically celebrate on Christmas Eve by cooking lots of nacatamales (Honduran tamales similar to Mexican ones but much larger and filled with chicken or pork and sometimes yummy raisins in the masa) then eating them at midnight. 

Nacatamales stewing in a pot - source: Bing Images

In Yusgare, where we lived, they always had a huge fiesta in the town salon and everyone (all ages!) would head over to go dancing and mingle until the wee hours of the morning.  Although I am a huge fan of nacatamales, that wasn't a big enough draw for me to stay in town.  We usually had a Christmas exchange at the health center, which was always fun, but that was done before I left. 

This year Ivan will have none of that - we aren't making tamales and there is no fiesta in the small town in Vermont where my parents live (nor would I want to go to a fiesta even if there was one).  However, I'm still hoping that he gets into the spirit of Christmas and loves our traditions too.  I know it will take some time because if I were in his shoes, I'd be sad too, and maybe he won't love Christmas as much as I do this year or even next year, but I'm hoping that it grows on him.  He  loves my family and is really excited about spending the week in Vermont - so that is good. 


How have you dealt with culturally different holiday traditions and being away far from home? 

License Failure

On Saturday we took a big step and headed to MVA to see if hubs could pass his learner's permit.  Yes, you read that right - he has to get a learner's permit, not an actual license.  Although hubs drove a bus all over Honduras he never had an actual license.  So, in order for him to qualify for a license here in the States, he has to get his learner's permit first.  Once he passes the written test for his permit he has to have his learner's permit for nine months before he can take the driving test for his license.  Yes, a very long process.

He's been trying to read the driver's handbook and understand the ridiculous amount of rules and laws that exist for driving but it wasn't quite enough to pass the test.  He ran out of time or missed more than two - both things don't allow you to finish the test, which he couldn't.  I thought he was going to be more upset but he just took it in stride.  I was trying to go over the book with him but the Spanish is actually very complicated and a lot of the words weren't common ones I knew - like the word for merge.  Took me forever to figure out what they were talking about!

So, now he'll study some more and take it again.  I'm kinda hoping he passes because if he fails three times he has to go to Driver's Ed which is far away, expensive, and not always worth the money.

Maybe one day he'll be able to drive around - just not this week!

O Christmas Tree



Putting up the Christmas tree is one of my favorite Christmas activities.  When we were young we'd put up the tree and decorate it as a family, talking about all the ornaments and reminiscing about the stories behind them.  Then, after the tree was up, my sisters and I would spend days sitting around the Christmas tree playing I Spy a Christmas Ornament over and over again.  The tree has always been such a sign of Christmas joy and I LOVE putting it up every year (I hate taking it down though, I find it so sad and I almost always make other people do it).



Husby with our niece P

So, while my mom was visiting for the weekend we went out and bought our tree.  As a kid we always had a fake tree (we lived overseas for most of my life and so it was easier to just put up a fake tree - my parents still put up that same tree, which must be at least 25 years old!), so it still seems odd to me to go and buy a real one.  However, there are numerous trees for sale near our house and for the last few years we've always bought a real one, sometimes even cutting our own tree down.



Standing next to the tree we picked

This year we just bought one.  This was husby's first time ever having a tree.  In Honduras some people have trees but in the town where he's from most people are too poor to spend the money for a tree, so it's quite unusual.  That just made it all the more special for us.



Next to an adorable mini-tree we found, but didn't buy.

After we finally got the tree home and up in its stand, we pulled out the boxes with all the decorations.  Husby was a bit nervous about putting up the ornaments for some reason but I gave him all our golf ornaments and he went to town.  I feel like I've been waiting forever to share all these Christmas traditions with my husband and sometimes I can't believe that we're finally together forever.



And we're already starting to dress alike



Our tree with all the lights, but you can't really see the ornaments



I also ordered us Christmas stockings, which he is very confused about.  I can't wait to see his face when he finds his full on Christmas morning!

Five Question Friday!!

It's Friday, so that means a nice link up with My Little Life and Five Question Friday.  It's been a hectic week and I think next week is only gonna be worse...so I'm eating lots of Krispy Kreme donuts to get my energy levels up!

1. What on the top of your holiday wish list and why?

I think what I want/need the most is a new digital camera.  Mine broke so I can't take any more photos.  Boo. 

2. What is your favorite Christmas gift from the past?  

I don't want to single out one gift - I like everything I receive.  Gift-giving can be really personal and I know everyone puts a lot of thought into their gifts so I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by not picking their gift as my top gift - everything I receive is GREAT!

3. If you had life to do over, what would you be when you grow up?

Hmm, I love what I do - public health.  I am currently working hard on trying to get my pre-reqs done so I can apply to nursing school.  However, I don't think I would choose to do nursing school over public health - I feel the path I have taken career-wise will make me a better nurse so I wouldn't want to skip that step.  Sometimes I wish I could stay home and be a stay-at-home-mom because I just kinda dread trying to work and be a momma at the same time...but, unfortunately, I want it all - a job, a family, time to spend with love ones, etc.  It's tough!

4. When do you put up your tree?

Since I am currently living with my sister, I put up my tree when she wants to.  I'd love to put my tree up Thanksgiving weekend but that will have to wait until hubs and I have our own place.  I think we're getting our tree this weekend and putting it up with my mom who is in town.

5. What is your favorite holiday?

I love Thanksgiving and Christmas - because they are family holidays.  I love getting together and spending time with family and the warm, cozy feelings that those two holidays bring.  I also love the 4th of July because I love celebrating the U.S. as cheesy as that sounds.

Relax - It's Friday!!

Happy Weekend!!

Thanksgiving Re-Cap

I wish I had a photo to show you what husby's Thanksgiving plate looked like (but my camera is broke).  Like I imagined, he was not a fan of most of the food on the table.  I cooked turkey, green bean casserole, stuffing, fresh cranberry sauce, rolls, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, apple pie, and pumpkin pie.  As we sat at the dinner table and filled our plates with yummy food - I look over at his and all I see is turkey and roasted potatoes.

I actually thought this might be all he'd try - which is why I had roasted AND mashed potatoes.  He hates mashed potatoes and usually won't eat them, but I know he likes roasted potatoes so I made sure to pop a batch in the oven.

Then, as my sister and I are pouring gravy all over our food, I offer him some.  Only to see that he has already squirted ketchup all over his turkey and potatoes.  Yup - his Thanksgiving dinner amounted to turkey and roasted potatoes topped with ketchup. 

I couldn't help but chuckle.

It was his first time eating turkey though and he seemed to like it.  Of course I mentioned that turkey makes you tired if you eat enough of it - and he used that excuse to fall asleep on the couch while I was washing the dishes.  And he used that same excuse the next two nights after leftovers too. 

And one thing that always amazes me is husby's ability to lick a bone clean.  He ate the turkey legs and somehow manages to literally leave ONLY bone...and he breaks little bones off to get the meat in between them.  It's an art really.  One day I'll have to take a picture because it is truly amazing how little he leaves on his plate.

I then got the lecture about how much food we waste here in America.  He is actually very appalled by how much food we throw out and I hate to tell him, but we don't throw that much food out.  Way less than the average person because I tend to freeze a lot to eat it at a later date.  He thought we cooked way too much food for Thanksgiving and said that I had to eat it all or I was just as wasteful as everyone else.  So, what did I have for dinner tonight?  The pasta skillet my sister cooked, on top of potatoes (because we still have tons of potatoes left).  Yup - it's all about combination.

Hubs is also slowing learning about the Americanized version of Christmas.  His had two thoughts:
1. People in the U.S. really like to celebrate Christmas (in Honduras it's just not that big of a holiday).
2. Christmas is VERY expensive.

Both very true statements.

I love my hubs and seeing things through his eyes.

Ok, gotta get back to beating him in Sorry!!!

Five Question Friday!

After a great Thanksgiving, I'm fully enjoying a day off work, relaxing - no shopping included.  Husby is at work, otherwise we may have made a fun trip out to shop.  I'm not really feeling like braving the sales all alone without reinforcement.  It's probably a good thing that he's working because he would most likely HATE the crowds and lines.  He's a bit impatient when it comes to shopping!

Since I'm at home with nothing pertinent to do, I'm participating in Five Question Friday.  I will try to do my best to update this blog a bit more with things other than generic blog questionnaires - I just don't always having something amazing to share.  Or don't have the time is more like it!

So here goes nothing...if you'd like to participate too, hop over to My Little Life and link up!

1. What is your favorite part of a Thanksgiving Day meal?
I actually love everything about Thanksgiving.  My favorite part of the food part of the meal is my Grandma's corn dish and turkey mixed with cranberries.  I also love stuffing, sweet potatoes, and mashed potatoes.  So, pretty much I love every food item on the table except for green bean casserole (but I ate some this year).  Apart from the food I usually love sitting down with the family, eating together, and talking about Thanksgiving past and other fun memories.  I haven't actually had a Thanksgiving like that in a while though - last year I was in Ecuador, the year before I was in Texas with my sister, the year before I went to my sister's in-law's house, and before that I was in Honduras.  This year we sat down as a family but my sister and her family were in a bit of a rush to try to go to the in-laws for dinner so we literally spent 30 minutes at the table.  It's quite ironic because I spent 6 hours cooking in the morning and then a full two hours cleaning up all the dishes - but only 30 minutes actually at the table (and that includes the time it took me to carve the turkey).  Yeah - not really ideal, but it was fun anyway.  I do miss Thanksgiving with my parents though.

My sister and me celebrating Thanksgiving in Ecuador!


2. Are you a host or a guest for Thanksgiving this year?
I was definitely a host.  I started getting the turkey ready at 8am and cooked until about 2pm.  We ate and then my sister, her husband, and their two kids went off to her in-law's house and I cleaned up the dinner (which took a good two hours getting the meat off the turkey, packing all the food up, and washing dishes) and then husby and I cuddled on the couch and watched movies.

3. When you think of one Thanksgiving tradition, what comes to mind?
I usually think of watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but now that I'm cooking I can't actually do it.  That's really the only thing I think of, even though it's pretty much the most common thing to do.  We don't have any unique traditions like writing notes or sharing what we're thankful for or anything like that.  When I was little and we lived overseas we always tried to invite host country nationals over to eat and share in Thanksgiving fun - in Italy we invited the Italian family that lived below us and in England we invited the people from whom we rented our house.  However, we now live in the U.S. and we're our own host country nationals.  Although it was my husband's first Thanksgiving, which was kinda fun.

4. You have two pieces of pie in front of you and you HAVE to eat one...do you pick pumpkin or pecan?
That's not too hard because we rarely have pecan.  I would definitely pick pumpkin.  Of course, if it were my house and I could do whatever I wanted I would have pumpkin, apple, and pecan all on the same plate.  This year I had pumpkin and apple together, on the same plate - we didn't make pecan so I couldn't add that.  I love pie!!!

5. Are you a Black Friday shopper?
I answered this for Fill in the Blank Friday on my other blog but I can recap here.  No, as I am sitting here on Friday at home, by myself, writing my blog - I am definitely not a Black Friday shopper.  I went a few times with my sister and it wasn't bad or anything.  I just don't have any money to spend until our next paycheck so there's no point.  I tried to do some online shopping but the websites kept crashing.  Makes it difficult, no?

Have a lovely day!!!

Going Home

View of Honduras from the plane



View of Tegucigalpa from plane

 A few weeks ago we bought tickets to go back to Honduras.  I wasn't quite as excited as hubster was.  It's not like I don't want to go, it's just not as fun for me anymore.  I admit, the most exciting thing about traveling to Honduras before was getting to see my soon-to-be-husband.  I also had a really good friend there Albita and her family that I hung out with all the time.



Hanging out with the family



My best friend Albita, who moved to Spain

 However, hubster is here with me so I don't have to travel there to see him.  Plus, my friend moved to Spain to try and earn some money for her family.  So, it's just her family left.  I love her family to death, but it's not the same as having my friend around to gossip and have fun with.  I will get to see the nurses though - and all the health center staff.  I'm excited about that!

The nurses and health center staff

Even with all that, I am excited to go and see everyone.  Hubster's family is planning on showing me how to cook some of his favorite foods.  I am excited to learn more Honduran recipes - aside from the basics I know how to make.  His aunt is an amazing cook - she can make really good baleadas and empanadas.  Not that after one lesson I'll be a pro or anything - but it'll be fun times.

His aunt selling baleadas in Teguc

I'm a bit worried about how hubster will handle going back and whether it will make him happy or depressed.  He still misses Honduras all the time and doesn't consider the U.S. his home yet.  Of course I know it's only been one year, but I think it will make going back harder.  I don't know what scenario will be worse, a) he goes back and it feels like before he left and he fits right back in with his friends, or b) he feels left out and like all his friends continued their life without him and he doesn't fit in anymore.  Neither scenario is good but either is possible.  It's hard, and nearly impossible, to "go home" and so I'm hoping he's not too disappointed.  It's hard for him here because no matter how many friends we make, none of them speak Spanish well enough for him to really talk to them.  I can complain about husband things and marriage with any number of people but he has no one to talk to here.  He can't complain about me or the horrible wife things I do nor can he talk with anyone about marriage or how hard life is.  I don't think anyone in Honduras can relate to that (he doesn't actually know any men that are married and actually with their wife - they all get married and then move to the U.S. to support their family) and so I sometimes feel bad that he's so alone.

So hopefully it will go well and I won't have to drug him and stuff him in my suitcase to get him back to the U.S!