Monday, November 30, 2009

Christmas Craziness in October??!!

Living in Africa brings a whole new set of challenges…not just how to cope with new living situations, new friends and new social cues BUT also how to stay connected with those that you left back home. Being my first year here I really wanted to be able to send out Christmas Cards…something that I have never really been all that good at stateside let alone abroad! So one October afternoon good old Shutterfly sends me an email…”half off Christmas cards if you order in October…”

I think to myself…hum…a picture card would be nice to send out!
Half off…that’s awesome!
Free shipping…humm?? I’m close to 100% certain that doesn’t mean to Africa….
Humm…if I do this, how will I get them here in time?
If I do this, how will get them all back!?

And then it hits me….I know people from Cali coming here in November!
So I spend an entire night uploading two photos to Shutterfly
Spend another couple hours actually getting the order to be shipped to my friends house who in turn agreed to stick them in his luggage on his way to Uganda!

So here they come…beginning of November and I have a crazy amount of Christmas cards to write before Nov. 21st rolls around and the cards need to be carried back on someone else’s luggage headed stateside…

Can I just tell you how strange it is to write “Merry Christmas” on a card before you have celebrated veterans day or thanksgiving!

SO now, here it is…thanksgiving day and I can officially say that all of my Christmas cards are done and on their way to the United States in two different checked bags…Lets hope luggage doesn’t get lost and that all arrive to their final locations in one piece…

Lets also hope that all of the recipients appreciate all the craziness that actually had to go into the planning and execution of getting 400 Christmas cards from the US to Uganda and then back to the US before Christmas day…

Merry Christmas to all…and to all a good night J

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Wow. Those Christmas Cards better be appreciated.