Christmas Eve

Every Christmas Eve all members of my dad’s family (that are able) come together at my grandparents’ house.  My dad is the oldest of 12 kids. As you can imagine, my family is rather large. I have 44 cousins on my dad’s side. Usually around Christmas most everyone tries to come, but I can’t remember the last time everyone was together; there’s always someone who can’t make it.

My grandparents house 

                My grandparents live on a farm in a small town far away from any big cities. They have a huge area of land, and some of my aunts and uncles have built their own houses on the property, so there are always lots of kids running in and out of the doors. Sometimes during the winter it’s harder to go in and out of doors due to the snow. There are times when the snow is deeper than a person is tall (a short person). Outside it’s freezing, but inside there’s no place warmer.         

                During the day, as all the kids are having snowball fights and building forts in the snow my grandmother along with help from many other members of my family start to cook. There is always A LOT of food. I guess there needs to be a lot in order to feed my family. Throughout the day the house fills itself with different Christmassy smells. When certain kids become tired or cold they run inside and “help” my grandma cook, which usually consists of telling her whether or not things taste good or not (takes a couple taste tests to tell). When it starts getting dark everyone starts to gather inside. Outside is wonderful at night where they live, no light pollution at all so it looks like there are millions upon millions of stars everywhere, but it does get cold. Inside everyone lines up to eat. Multiple tables are rounded up and put together, and buffet lines are formed. Usually the order in which you can get your food is determined by the order the children (my aunts and uncles) were born in, and my dad being the oldest usually gets to go first, which means I get to go first also. There’s an unwritten rule with my extended family, which is to get as much food as you can the first time around, because it probably will not be there if you want it again.

                After eating we once again migrate to the living room. The older aunts and uncles get first priority on the couch, followed by the older cousins, and then the dozens of babies seem to fit in all the cracks and spaces. We all sing Christmas carols and the ones who can play accompaniment to the songs on the instruments that they play. Then we do the Christmas plays. My grandfather wrote several different Christmas related plays, and every year we perform them.  He picks who the actors are, and hands the scripts out, then the performances start.  My great grandmother, now dead, was a famous playwright, and my grandfather takes after her.  Some plays are comedies, about the donkey that carries Mary and joseph to Bethlehem, and there are also serious ones, sad ones and traditional nativity ones.

                As we’re all sitting in the living room, the fire keeps us warm. It’s a really long fireplace, but I guess it needs to be long in order to be home to the 12 different stockings that hang from the mantel. Towards the end of the night my grandparents hang out the stockings as we all thank them for the candy and gifts that they have inside. You can tell when it’s getting late, because suddenly all the giggly 3 year olds are passed out on the floor. We all say good night, and Merry Christmas, then we gather our coats and head out into the snow. I think my favorite part about Christmas is Christmas Eve. 

Let it Snow

In many places this white Christmas idea is actually true. People wake up on Christmas morning and see a beautiful blanket of fresh white snow in their yard. Seeing snow fall for the first time tells people that the holidays are near, and that “It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas”. Some people claim to hate snow; they say it’s cold, wet and miserable. To me, snow is so much fun. The holidays are the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, and it’s so much fun to walk around at night when it’s snowing and all the Christmas lights are up. The colors of the lights reflect in the snow. While it’s snowing, everything is so quiet like a “Silent Night”.

                There are those other places, where either the climate is too hot or it happens that the seasons are backwards, making it so there is no snow on Christmas, places such as “Christmas Island”. I have lived in these places. Sometimes it is nice to be able to go to the beach on Christmas, and not have to worry about bundling up before walking outside.  Though summer time is nice, it’s hard to get into the Christmas spirit when it’s nearly 100 degrees outside. It may be different for the people who have always grown up with summer Christmases, but for me, I like the cold.

(http://goo.gl/mErro)

                “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”. There are books and songs and movies that portray the idea that when there is Christmas, there is snow. Huddled up in front of the fire in a big sweater while there’s apple cider and eggnog passed around, these are the times when it seems snow is essential to the Christmas atmosphere. I hope that “I’ll be Home for Christmas” so that I can see the sugar coated houses and the frosted trees. Until then “let it snow”. 

Thanksgiving

There are many holidays which are celebrated around the world such as: Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day and Halloween. There are also other holidays which are specific to certain countries, like Chinese New Year and the 4^th of July. One holiday which is especially centered around American culture is Thanksgiving. There are different forms of thanksgiving in different places, but the main thanksgiving takes place in the good ol’ U.S of A.

                The fourth Thursday of November is the time to loosen your belts and prepare for some serious consumption. Depending on how you were raised, food which is set out on the table may vary, but I’m pretty sure that most families eat the same traditional foods.

First, there is the turkey. Freshly roasted and covered in broth and gravy. The hot white meat is perfect for the (usually) cold fall weather.

Then there’s the stuffing. Personally I am not a huge fan of bread and assorted greens that have been shoved inside a bird and cooked, but it is a necessity when it comes to this meal.

Then, of course, there are the potatoes, my favorite part. I love the creamy mashed-ness of a potato and butter. The gravy from the turkey broth mixed in with the mashed potatoes is the perfect combination.

Cranberry sauce is another one of the traditional foods. It is usually the only noticeably sweet type of food on the plate, but the cool berry and the hot turkey are two opposite that really do attract.

Thanksgiving is a holiday where nobody gives presents, people just give thanks, and eat food….mostly just eat food.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

SAMUN

Every year hundreds of young teens get all dressed up and ready, not for a party, but for a fake UN conference. Some people might ask why in the world anyone would ever want to be in a Model United Nations (MUN) group, the answer is simple, it’s fun.

                There is indeed a work load. Each delegate (student) has to write a position paper familiarizing them with their issue. There are different committees such as: Alternative Energy, Good Governance and World Health and Food. Each committee has its own set of issues that pertain to the committee’s relevance. As I know from experience, position paper writing is not the funnest thing in the world. It involves loads of research and reading to figure out a certain countries opinion on, say, hydro technology. Once this is done, all delegates must write a resolution paper. Resolution papers say facts about the issue, and then ways in which your delegation will solve the issue while encouraging others to help with the issue as well.

                Resolutions are the main part of MUN.  At SAMUN (South American MUN) there are two whole days spent talking to other students (representing countries) in your committee, the whole purpose is to try and get all the countries and delegations in your committee to agree with the ways in which your own delegation hopes to resolve the crisis. This is all actually a bit boring, sometimes it is fun defending your own ideas, but it’s once you get into the actual big mock General Assemble (GA) where the fun starts happening.

In the GA all the resolutions are presented, and delegates are able to agree and disagree with the resolutions the same way people debate about other topics. During this time there are other students (Admin) who pass notes back and forth between delegates. The purpose of the notes is to discuss with other countries about the topic at hand, but what fun is that? Most students use the note passing system as a way to meet other delegates or just to chat with their friends.

                Though most people would say that they would never dream of joining MUN because of how boring it sounds, it was an experience. MUN is an Opportunity to meet other people, and practice yelling and debating in an intellectual way.

SAMUN and MUN are so different once you are in, than what they seem like as spectators on the outside.  Don’t judge them because they sound boring and sophisticated, they are so much more than that. 

Angel Falls

How many people have seen the movie Up?  In the movie the old man flies his balloon house to Paradise Falls with his new little boy scout friend. The man and boy find a talking dog and an elephant sized bird. Most people don’t know that the actual water fall which Paradise falls was based on is called Angel falls. Angel Falls is in Canaima Venezuela and sadly is not home to any talking dogs or ginormous peacock-like birds.

                Angel Falls is named such because Jimmy Angel was a pilot who discovered this super tall water fall while flying through eastern Venezuela. I don’t know why the movie Up decided to change the name to “Paradise” falls, but the movie industries seem to do whatever they want nowadays.

                In order to get to the base of angel falls one must sit in a small canoe for 4 really long hours while the driver steers through the winding river. If you happen to go during the rainy season you will find that there are dozens of smaller waterfalls that have temporarily formed from all the water that has accumulated at the top of the plateaus. After getting to the base of the falls there is about an hour long climb to the viewing point. Once at the main viewing point there is a clear view from bottom to top of the 3212 foot waterfall, and it’s super-gorgeous.

                

                The cartoon movie does not show the full incredible-ness of Angel Falls. In order to see how amazing it is, they you should get on a plane, fly to Canaima Venezuela and hire one of the nice locals to steer you towards the base of the tallest waterfall in the world. 

Rain and Rocks

There are so many forms of outdoor recreation. One of the many that I love is rock climbing. There’s the thrill of elevation along with the joy of carrying your own weight on a rocky mountain slope. I recently went on a rock climbing excursion and I and the five other people with me had quite an adventure.

                It started out with my dad waking me up at 7:30 on a Sunday. As you can imagine it’s not the funnest thing to be woken on the days you’re supposed to sleep in till noon. Then getting ready and loading in the car with my older sister and my dad. We were going with a group from my school so we had to drive to the campus first to meet up with the rest of the people. Pretty much all the students at my school decided they were too cool to go rock climbing and so there was only one other student there besides me and my sister. The three of us were accompanied by two teachers and a parent (my dad). We loaded in the car and headed out for a short drive to the rocks.

                We got there and the teachers unloaded all the equipment and lead the way along a small path leading to the place where they were to set up the ropes. Once we got there the three girls sat and watched while one teacher belayed the other who needed to lead the rope. I don’t know how much you know about rock climbing but lead roping means that one person climbs the rock and takes a rope up and hooks themselves onto different consecutive hooks that were previously drilled into the rock. After climbing to the top of the hooks there is a more permanent attachment that the rope is thread through in order for the next climber to use that rope as an anchor (like apulley system) and then they can top rope climb (regular rock climbing with a rope at the top). My sister the other student and I all did a couple climbs and for the most part stayed injure-free. But after about an hour or so it was time to relocate ourselves to another location.

            Taking down the ropes and packing up our little temporary camp site we began to climb further into the jungle. We found a small cliff about 20 minute walk away and decided to practice our repelling skills on it. The ropes were once again set up, but this time using a tree as an anchor. We all took turns repelling down the small ledge, this time however there were a few scrapes and bruised. When we were in the middle of our repelling rotation it began to rain. Within a few minutes everyone was soaking wet and miniature rivers had begun forming on the trail that lead back to the cars. After making sure that all cameras/phones and other electronic devices were as much water-proof as we could get them we thought it would be best to get back to the car before the water rose anymore. The hike was wet and slippery. The 6 of us were freezing cold and shivering with every carefully placed step that we took in order not to fall. Finally after what seemed like a long cold trek we were back to the cars.

            Once we were all showered, cleaned and bundled up we realized that the whole trip was actually really fun and totally worth it. Now all that’s left to do is wash our shoes. 

The Hunger Games Trilogy

There are few series which capture the minds of male AND female readers along with adults AND children. Some of the few writers who have succeeded in creating such book series are J.K. Rowling with her mezmerizing Harry Potter tales and Phillip Pullman with his Dark Materials trilogy. Now a new writer has recently broken the ribbon with her rapidly rising trilogy The Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins is the writer of the Hunger Games, Catching Fire and now the last book of this short series, Mockingjay.

                This past year all the Hunger Games books have risen on the list of “Must Reads.” Throughout the U.S. in particular people of all ages have been eagerly absorbing the tale of Katniss Everdeen.

                All the books are set in the future. They take place in what used to be the United States but what is now a mixture of 13 districts and the infamous Capitol. Katniss lives in district 12. All districts have certain manufacturing or agricultural duties that help supply the rest of the districts. Katniss’s district is head of coal production. The Capitol is angry at all the districts for choosing to defy them in previous years, so in order to show the people of the districts how much power the capitol has over them they arrange the Hunger Games.

                The Hunger Games take place every year.  One girl and one boy are chosen by lottery from each district and they are all put into a giant arena. The 24 children, “tributes,” between ages 12-18 are meant to fight one another until there is only one survivor. While all the tributes are hiding in forests and plotting against one another the capitol and people of the districts watch them on television as a form of entertainment. The Hunger Games are meant to punish the districts because it is taking away the lives of their children.

                Mockingjay continues the tale of Katniss. She has many struggles with her life being a former player of the Hunger Games, and now she is being forced to lead the districts in a rebellion against the capitol.

                Will the districts succeed in overruling the capitol, or will the Hunger Games continue to take the lives of district children? Who will win over Katniss Everdeens heart, her best friend Gale or her co-victor Peeta?

Read to find out…the Hunger Games, Catching Fire and the last tale Mockingjay.