La Navidad en el Verano (Christmas in Summer)

 

 

I just celebrated my first Christmas away from the United States, away from snow and cold, and away from my family and my friends.  To say that it was strange is an understatement.  To me, it never really felt like Christmas, or at least the Christmas that I normally have... Regardless, Christmas came to Chile.  I had a Christmas Retreat with the staff of Andacollo on the 23rd.  I gave a presentation to everyone on the theme of Jesus being born poor for the poor.  I was super super nervous beforehand but I think that it went pretty well--and the best part is that it is done!

 

 

I had a rather laid-back Christmas Eve; chatted with the fam, slept in, etc. I went to mass at the parish

at 9 that night.  It was a lovely mass and the church was full of parishioners.  I was invited to the Alvarado house afterwards to celebrate with them.  We had drinks and dinner together, and two of the Haitian seminarians joined us as well.  Anais was so soo excited to open her presents that she could barely wait until midnight (as per her mother's rule) to arrive.  So she scarfed down her dinner while the rest of us had barely begun.  So while the rest of us were eating and talking, Anais was shouting over everyone to tell and then show her mom and I her new presents. 

 

 

I gave her headbands and my mom mailed the game Uno for her as well.  So after dinner, while drinks and conversation flowed, Anais, Luciano, and I played numerous games of Uno.  Icemick and Jacquy also joined in a few games.  Victor's mom and sister/brother-in-law showed up around 3 in the morning, but I was only able to make it for an hour more before I had to cry off and head home.

 

Christmas morning, I woke up and opened my Christmas presents that my mom had sent.  Victor and the rest of my "family" picked me up to head over for an asado (bbq) at Nana's house.  I stayed for a few hours, with lots of food and more Uno games, before Victor dropped me off at the event on my side of town with the Congregation.  The other ex-pat priests, brothers, and nuns and I had a very lovely dinner and conversation.  It was overall a very lovely summertime Christmas.

 

I am headed off on the Misiones trip to Paradones, Chile on January 3rd with Andacollo.  I am sure that there will be some great adventures that occur that I will share with all of you.  Until then...

Colegio Nuestra Señora de Andacollo

So the school year has come to an end here in Santiago.  Summertime is officially upon us.  And I am finally getting around to putting up pictures of the colegio.

The Congregation of Holy Cross runs two colegios down here, St. George's College and Colegio Nuestra Señora de Andacollo.  Andacollo has kindergarten through 12th grade, two courses of each grade.  

Front of the colegio

The rush to class after the final bell

Recreo (recess.)  

(on days when the smog isn't too bad, you can make out the Andes in the background)

Monday morning assembly

My classroom

My 4th graders

My other 4th graders

The Church

Now that the school year is ended, I have spent this week in preparation for the Misiones trip in the beginning of January.  A group of 35 high schoolers from the colegio and 10 adults will be heading to Paredones, which is a poor community in the country about 4 hours southwest of Santiago, for 10 days doing mission work with the people who live there.  More info on that soon!  But right now, we are planning the trip and getting to know one another.  I am very excited for the trip!