Holiday Pre-Party has officially started

Tree, check. 

Family Christmas letter, check. 

Hot enough to go to the beach, check. 

Christmas in Kolda is looking like its going to be just like Christmas back in Cali.

Merry Christmas!  A little tree and bunches of goodies have arrived just in time to help me and my hut feel festive for the holidays.  Endless gratitude to my family for feeding my junk food, peanut butter, and tea habit from afar as well as helping me spruce up the walls of my hut with some super sweet letters from home.

Love and hugs to my family and friends back home. I miss you all very much and hope you are having a wonderful Christmas with loved ones (minus me of course).  Please eat an extra slice of pumpkin pie for me and blast that NSYNC CD I make mom play every year.

Belated Turkey day love

While I was enjoying two turkeys, some chicken and various other fixings with my Kolda volunteer family, my mom made sure to send some love from home via flipcam.  One of my favorites, posted above, features my uncle who's sporting a beard in solidarity of my voyage overseas - he's not shaving til I get back.  I think my aunt is now considering buying plane ticket home just to put a stop to it.

Its a little belated, but I am so thankful for my family back home who has been so supportive, emotionally, mentally, physically (my need for chai tea is a serious physical need, that lipton stuff gets old after a while), etc. Also a big thanks to my PC family for being available for everything from brainstorming products to showcase at a local fair to grabbing a beer on a lazy Sunday afternoon.