Thanksgiving

Earlier this week Uncle John, Don and Berrie were in town and we got to spend a little time together. I should them around Santiago on Saturday and on Monday we went out to Valparaiso. It was a lot of fun and had so great conversations, the food was phenomenal, and overall a fun time. I must thank them again for letting me tag along and be their little interpreter, but i think, hopefully, that they all enjoyed it.

Today is thanksgiving and i first must at least say some of the things that i am thankful for.
1) Great family and friends, i miss you all dearly. I hope that life is giving you trials, nothing that you can't handle, but something that will keep you honest and searching.
2) Opportunities, much of that comes from my raising (again parents, i think you didn't screw up too much), and how we all (regardless of age) still have the rest of our life a head of us. Make it worthwhile.
3) Tender socks, sorry a bit of a thing with me, i love socks.
4) Food and shelter, it is nuts when you see how many people simply do without both. It is nuts to see how we simply take these things for granted. Not to plug or ask for money, because anyone of you knows i don't like doing that, but in the spirit of the season please donate to your local or international charities. With the current economy things have slacked tremendously. People are doing great things all over the world, do you part and partake in this mission to try and make some positive changes.
5) Grandma's Almond Roca, yes this was a huge hit down here in Chile. I must tip my hat. Thank you very much.

This week was fairly normal, but then things picked up today and will continue until the weekend. Today was thanksgiving. There was mass at school this morning at 8 and i had work from 830 to 230 and then went to St. George for mass at 5 and then thanksgiving dinner. Then Father Mike and i had to leave Thanksgiving dinner early to get back to Andacollo for graduation mass for our Seniors at 8. (for those of you, most i would assume, who aren't accustom to Chilean geography it is about a 30-45 minute drive between the two depending on traffic.)

The thanksgiving meal was nice, but simply not the same thing as being back home. I truly do miss phenomenal home cooked food. Yes, i use the word phenomenal for my mother's cooking, and i would like anyone to question or doubt this claim. It is also very weird having it be 85 degrees and sunny for our Thanksgiving. I do think that it will even be weirder when Christmas roles around and i will be spending my time at the beach and what not.

Tomorrow i have school during the day and then the actual graduation ceremony for the Seniors.

Here i must give props to anyone who is a teacher or who works with kids, because you are astronomically underpaid and under appreciated. I have only been teaching for 4 months and have have thought about at least causing physical pain on many of my students. So 6) i am very thankful for the tremendous teachers that i have had throughout my life, both inside the classroom and out.

I hope that you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and that you are able to appreciate what we have been blessed with.