Oh, Christmas Beach

I am finally near the end of the most insane 3 weeks of work since I've been here...and along the way I've been able to sort out my Christmas and enjoy the record December snowfall.

About the snow...It's snowed over 4 feet in 3 days. Even though it makes driving so far to my schools difficult, it is really fun when I go straight up into the mountains to the isolated elementaries, getting first tracks and making a snowplow out of my car on roads that aren't even roads anymore, dodging small avalanches and sliding into snow banks for fun. The maddening thing is that it all has fallen during the week, making skiing in it impossible...so I will try to get out this weekend!

I'm going to the beaches of Thailand for Christmas, 12/21 - 12/31 and then back to see a Japanese New Year. I'm still kind of in shock...this will be my first Christmas away from home and family, and I'm going to an Asian tropical paradise (my apologies to my family and friends, especially Ely and my brother and mom). But I'll be with a few friends and will be meeting some of the other JETs on Phi Phi island and then maybe heading to Koh Lanta island since my mom liked it there so much. And of course there will be a couple nights in Bangkok...

One thing that's been on my mind is the fact that we will be on the beaches that were slammed in last year's tsunami. We will be on Phi Phi on December 26th, the one year anniversary. I believe there will be a memorial ceremony that we may attend.

Someone told me they wouldn't feel right being on those very beaches for the anniversary...which is understandable, especially because friends were affected by it. But I feel like if anything, these hard hit areas need people to come and just BE there, to keep their economy supported with our tourist revenue (many of the areas are struggling as tourist numbers have dropped of course). I donated to the Red Cross last year but sometimes you can't really trust your money with relief organizations...I feel like actually being there and putting money into the hands of the locals may have a more direct impact.

And of course just to stand there a year later and look out at the sea and just show heart and support, that's the least I can do.