Christmas in the tropics

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but one thing is certain – Americans and Dominicans celebrate Christmas very differently, especially taking into account that both share European roots. Things I didn’t miss at all: the snow, the cold, the endless shopping for Christmas presents (sorry friends…), the cold, the Christmas music and decorations starting in November, the cold. Things that were very different for me: not hearing even one American Christmas carol all season, not seeing my family to celebrate together, waking up Christmas morning with the only present around being a little hung over from the night before, eating grapes and apples like they are exotic treats, celebrating Christmas Eve and not Christmas Day, being able to go for a long run or bike ride in shorts and a tank top, and witnessing crazy bottle rocket sort of fireworks being shot off all over the place. I was one step behind on a couple traditions that, despite my endless questions about everything under the sun, never got brought up in conversation. One was that everyone goes out all night long on Christmas Eve eve (the 23rd), and since nobody mentioned anything beforehand, I went to bed early only to wake up various times during the night hearing all the loud music and fireworks, halfway wishing I was there!

Other than Christmas celebrating, we finished our first round of classes in the lab and had a little certificate ceremony before Christmas. Gearing up for round two, of which I will be less a part of to focus on other endeavors.

One of which I accomplished when I got to go to the capital and see Shakira in a concert with a bunch of volunteers, which was an exciting experience. Her hips really don’t lie.

I also finally got to go to my very first Dominican baseball game. My team by default is the Gigantes del Cibao. They are San Francisco de Macorís’ semi-new team that are just winning away. I believe also that there is a Kansas connection – a couple of pitchers are Royals. Other than creaming the other team they were playing, the Gigantes game wasn’t too different from any other baseball game I’ve been to…

For all my friends and family that read this, if I haven’t told you already, Merry Christmas late, and have a wonderful New Year’s celebration. I envision firecrackers playing some sort of role in my own!