When I left the United States one and a half years ago to start my Peace Corps journey in Moldova, I didn’t really plan to come home again until my two-plus year commitment was up. This past summer I was talking to my grandparents and they encouraged me to come home for Christmas, and since it’s always good to listen to your grandparents, I took their advice and booked a flight home.
Being home for Christmas and just hanging out with my family and friends has been absolutely wonderful! I love Moldova and my life there, but there really is no place like home. The first couple days home were packed with things to do and people to see, so we spent a quiet Christmas at home, just hanging out and relaxing. We ate comfort foods, watched a Hallmark movie, and played some cards. In the evening, my mom’s parents came over and we celebrated my birthday with some yummy cake.
Yesterday morning, I went plowing with my dad. We were super lucky to get a nice snowfall and have a white Christmas and we got a bit more snow the night after Christmas. After he finished plowing, we went up to my family’s Christmas tree farm and took a nice walk through the farm. It was a cold but calm day and everything was covered with a fresh coat of snow. It was gorgeous!
Later in the afternoon, we celebrated “Thanksgiving” since none of us kids were home this year. My dad’s family came over and we had a full turkey dinner. It was delicious! After, we opened some presents and had dessert. My aunt gave me a beautiful ring that had been my grandma’s as well as a pair of earrings that had belonged to my great-grandmother, both of which were very special and meaningful gifts.
The Oke Den 