¡Feliz Navidad!

I have now spent more than 10 months in Guatemala and these ten months have brought me tremendous happiness as well as abundant opportunity to learn a thing or two.  So, here are  10 lessons learned from my 10 months in Guatemala:

1.    You can not rationalize the irrational.  You just can't.
2.    Good people exist everywhere.
3.    No one is going to stand up for you if you don't stand up for yourself.
4.    It's better to do your dishes as you go along and not let them pile-up.
5.    You never stop missing hot showers.  Don't ever let anyone tell you that you will.
6.    Sometimes, the best thing you can do is close your eyes and repeat to yourself, "This is fun."
7.    Having fleas is the absolute worst.
8.    There is no replacement for being flexible.
9.    It's okay to do nothing once in a while.
10.  Families are created and exist in the strangest of places.

Here is a picture of my Peace Corps family.  Christmas came a little early to Cajolá when 12 of my favorite Peace Corps Volunteers came up to celebrate!  With a little bit of teamwork, we ate 2 stuffed chickens, 5 pounds of mashed potatoes, 2 dozen carrots, 2 pounds of green beans, a squash casserole, 40 dinner rolls, a strawberry-chocolate cake, and brownies!

I can't believe I've only known these fools for ten months, because I have never been closer with a group of people in my entire life...

P.S. We actually are happy; we're just using our Guatemalan picture faces.  They almost never smile in photos!

Merry, merry Christmas to all!  I hope that you enjoy celebrating wherever you are and whoever you're with!