...and that's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown!

It’s been an interesting holiday season. Though I’ve been away from home on Thanksgiving  several times, this was my first Christmas away. I’ve noticed a few things : #1.  no family, however lovely and nice they are, can take the place of your family on Christmas. #2. Gifts aren’t nearly as important here. They really go more with the “it’s the thought that counts” attitude, which is really refreshing when you’re kinda broke. After Christmas, I didn’t hear much of the phrase “what’d you get for Christmas”. And# 3. It’s really hard to get ready for the holiday’s when you’re working!

 Although I didn’t get the care package my mom sent me over a month ago, it was a pretty good Christmas, I can’t complain.  I got to eat some traditional food and hangout with other ex-pats and watch little kids bask in the glory of opening their Christmas presents. Here are some pics. 

Carla, Jonathan and I at the hospital Christmas pary

My "Christmas tree" and presents

Baby Jonathan, Michaela and I

Luminarias outside of my apartment

Mainly, I’ve been really touched by how nice people have been. Some of the hospital staff were worried I was going to spend Christmas by myself and they wanted to make sure I had an invitation somewhere. I got a couple of little gifts from some really unexpected people. The maintenance men finally got around to fixing some things in my apartment and yard that I’d asked to do months ago,  plus some extra things too, like clearing out some weeds and  pruning some plants and trees.  The crazy thing is, I hadn’t even reminded them to do any of it.

But I felt the most love today.  It’s been cold lately, really cold, and with no heater at work or at home, I’ve developed  a deep hacking cough. This morning, after I had a serious coughing fit where I practically coughed up my left lung, two separate people asked me if I was okay. One was the nursing /HR director.

“You’re still coughing? Have you taken anything for that cough Tina?”

“No,” I sheepishly say as I look down at the floor. “I don’t know what to take.”

“Well, you need to go see the doctor and get medicine, that cough can turn into something more serious,” she says

I nod.

“Tina,  I’m serious, go to the doctor right now.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I respond meekly. I kind of felt like I was being sent to the principal’s office, but it made me smile. I may work at a hospital, but I hate going to the doctor, they can never find anything wrong with me and just tell me to drink lots of water, which I already do.

The other person who shared his concern was the maintenance director, Don Marco. “Okay here’s what you need to do. First of all, go see the doctor. Second of all, get some eucalyptus leaves and put them in boiling water, then get some Vicks Vapor Rub, you know what that is?” I nod my head.

“ Okay, then you pour that all in a bowl, put a towel over your head and you just breathe that in. That’s what I do with my girls. I’ll go chop down a branch of eucalyptus right now.”

I honestly didn’t believe he’d remember. But this afternoon as I went to my apartment, I saw a giant branch leaning against my door. A few hours later I saw him again. “Did you see the leaves I left you?” Don’t use all of it at once, just a little bit…” then he goes on to re-explain the proper methodology.

The moral of the story is this:  you don’t need THINGS to feel loved. Just someone to ask you how you’re doing and perhaps someone to weed your lawn without you having asked them to. And that's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown :)

Beba, over and out