Monday, December 24, 2007

Happy 'Thirty-third month', Fabi!

Fabi is not crazy about going to "school" (his playgroup). Twice a week he gets to meet a group of 7 other kids (about his age) to play and snack with. When we're getting ready in the morning to go out of the house he tells me: "Yo no quiero ir al kinder." He cries for about 2 minutes once I leave and then (I'm told) he enjoys, plays and laughs very much.

He enjoys the Christmas ambience and I have repeatedly told him we're celebrating Baby Jesus' Birthday and have been avoiding reinforcing the role of "Santa Claus".

His vocabulary is -as always- increasing. I'm proud sorry to admit he learned the English words 'stupid' and 'shut up' and knows how to use them in the right context (when he is angry!). I have NO idea where he might have heard those words. He might have heard me say those words and then had them reinforced when watching a couple of videos from the Indian movie "Ta Ra Rum Pum" (he especially likes the racing cars!) I hadn't noticed that even though the movie is in Hindi, it's sprinkled with some English words, so from now on, we will be sticking to videos that are especially for children, like Caillou, Thomas, Bob The Builder and Pocoyo besides - of course- Sesame Street.

So despite the fact that I don't swear (much) and I am now even more aware of my language, I was SHOCKED to hear Fabi exclaiming a Spanish word totally foreign in the Costa Rican speech. "Coño!" shouted a very angry Fabi when something was not working out the way he wanted it. I have to admit, it was very funny to hear him because he even said it with a caribbean accent. Well...that's just a side effect of hanging out with my friends from Dominican Republic.

Editor's Note: The G rating of this blog might have changed to PG-13 with this post due to "strong" language :)

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Friday, December 21, 2007

Diciembre en Erba Villa

El "Grupo de Madres e Hijos de Habla Hispana" celebró así el mes de diciembre:

Cumpleaños del mes (Pauline, Dante...y Claudia):





La Posada:(Click para ver el video)



Un saludo muy cariñoso a todos nuestros amigos que se encuentran lejos: en especial a la familia Moreira Soto - en Chile; a la familia de Atzín -en Hamburgo; a Lidia y Chantal-en México.



¡A todos les deseamos unas muy felices fiestas de Navidad y Año Nuevo!




El grupo reinicia sus reuniones a partir del próximo lunes 7 de enero, 2008 en su horario habitual de 15:00 a 18:00.

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Thursday, December 20, 2007

X-Mas Hot Chocolate afternoon

We have been living in this apartment for ten months now. Initially I had this idea of doing a "house warming", but never got around to it.

During this first year that I have been in Germany I have met many new friends and up until now I have been terrible about inviting them over to visit. Since December is a very festive season I thought I would finally get my act together and have a little get-together in my mansion nest.

I ended up hosting a "Christmas Hot-Chocolate Afternoon" with four friends who happen to live on my street. They liked all the goodies that I served, including the hot chocolate with Bailey's, the Christmas cake, the star shaped sandwiches and the Christmas-shaped
potato patties. (Thank God for Eismann!) The star shaped sandwiches are my own creation. Fabi took some to his playgroup as part of his snack the next day. Now everytime he's going to eat a sandwich he wants it to be in a shape of a star!

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Friday, December 14, 2007

Busy Schedule - Updated w/ pics!

Our past week has been busy -to say the least:

Saturday 8th: Christmas Party at "Grupo de Madres e Hijos de Habla Hispana" (Erba Villa).
Sunday 9th: Mass in Spanish language and later a gathering with snacks.
Monday 10th: Last meeting of the year at Erba Villa (December birthday celebrations).
Wednesday 12th: Rosary (Virgen de Guadalupe).
Friday 14th: Christmas (Latinamerican) dinner.

Fabian and I have gone to all of the mentioned activities (except Wednesday's, because we were recovering from a seasonal cold).

I have pictures I will share soon (except of Sunday's gathering because I didn't take my camera), but I do have a story to share from that day:

On Sunday we were suppossed to get together after Mass and share some snacks. I had bought some corn flakes cereal and marshmellows the day before and I made "
Cereal Treats", which is a variation of this north american classic snack. It turns out people loved my dessert and someone even asked me for the recipe. ME! A recipe?!--- I was thrilled! Nobody has ever asked ME for a recipe before! Ha ha!

UPDATE:






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Rica Navidad

To add to my description of German Christmas traditions, I just wanted to show you a picture that illustrates how enthusiastic they can be about mortadella.

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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Invitacion - en Costa Rica

Les paso una invitación de mi amiga Ana Cecilia:



Los invito a la I Feria Nacional de Mujeres Empresarias, organizada por el Instituto Nacional de la Mujer (INAMU), el Banco Nacional, Fundecooperación y Cefemina.

Vamos a participar cien mujeres de todo el país, de distintas actividades comerciales.

Espero que puedan ir y apreciar nuestro trabajo.

Día: Viernes 14 y Sábado 15 de diciembre

Lugar: Centro de exposiciones, Real Cariari (Centro de Convenciones Torre Geko, edificio anexo a Plaza Real Cariari-Heredia.)

Horario: 10.00 a.m. a 8:00 p.m.

Ana Cecilia Prendas Garro
Tel: 8316877

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Thursday, December 06, 2007

Nikolaustag - Updated!

As Ishan opened the door to leave for work this morning I noticed a gift bag at our door.

I took it inside and opened it carefully. No nametag, no message, just lots of goodies inside.

I checked my mail a few minutes later and found my answer in a message from my friend Rong: she tells me December 6th is Nikolaustag here in Germany!

St. Nicolaus came to us to leave a gift*!... Isn't it great?!

Christmas is celebrated around the world and each country has its own traditions. Marianne is right: it *IS* good to be in Germany during the Christmas season:

Here's a picture of the AdventsKalendar which Ishan got in office. In order to know which window to open each day before Christmas day (and get a small chocolate), you must exercise your knowledge of German and math:

* I already had written this post when our doorbell rang and I heard someone St. Nikolaus running away. He came again and left a second bag of goodies:


** Update - Fabian and I went out in the afternoon and came back to find -yet another- surprise for St. Nikolaus. His 3rd visit today! YUM!...All the goodies!

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Wednesday, December 05, 2007

80's flashback

The music in my recent post induced me to have a flashback, which I indulged in last Saturday (rainy) afternoon while everybody else was sleeping in the house.

The song "
Mad World" was originally by Tears for Fears (TFF).

(Curt Smith & Roland Orzabal in the 80's)

I was surprised to know that TFF had a mini tour in July '07 (the band got together after several years). Here´s a "before and after" picture of Roland Orzabal:
Roland reminds me a lot of the actor Jon Cryer, whom I remember from the movie "Pretty in Pink". Here's his "b&a" picture:

My all time favorite movie is "Ferris Buelle's Day Off" with Matthew Broderick. I saw the movie recently, as I got the DVD for my birthday. (Thanks 'anando!)


Curt Smith doesn't remind me of anyone, but I'm posting his "b&a" picture just because he's doing such a great job at aging with (so much!) grace. He has a blog! and a YouTube account!

And just because I love TFF and "b&a" pictures:


Does any of this strike a bell? MasalaDad has NO idea what any of this is about...funny!

Oh! By the way...I consider myself a 90's gal! You know...techno music!

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Saturday, December 01, 2007

Advent

Letter from Jesus*

As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a celebration in my honour and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated.

During this time there are many people shopping for gifts and in every part of the world everyone is talking that my birthday is getting closer and closer. It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me.

As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago.

At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration. Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration. I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honour. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautifully wrapped gifts.

But, do you want to know something? I wasn't invited. I was the guest of honour and they didn't remember to send me an invitation.

The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my face.. And I wanted to be with them and share their table. Since I wasn't invited, I decided to enter the party without making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner.

They were all drinking; there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They were having a grand time. To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying: "Santa Claus, Santa Claus" as if the party were in his honour!

At midnight all the people began to hug each other; I extended my arms waiting for someone to hug me and do you know no-one hugged me. Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me. What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one?

I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly left. Every year it gets worse. People only remember the gifts, the parties, to eat and drink, and nobody remembers me.

I would like this Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life. I would like that you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on the cross, to save you.

Today, I only want that you believe this with all your heart. I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one has ever imagined and a spectacular party.

I'm still making the final arrangements...

Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book. Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party.

Those who don't answer the invite, will be left outside. Be prepared because when all is ready you will be part of my great party.

See you soon. I Love you!

Jesus
* Source: Unknown

"Advent (from the Latin word advenio, meaning "to come", "the coming of Christ our saviour") is a holy season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, also known outside the Church as the season of Christmas.

Adventus is the Latin word for "coming", and is the exact Latin equivalent for the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure as they await the second coming of Jesus."
-- Wikipedia

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