Friends

It's good to have friends, hot toddies, and a banjo in your life. It's especially good to have them in your very own apartment all at the same time. And it's good to feed them zucchini bread, errhhh, the friends at least.

Besitos,

Allie

Khin Shwe gets married!

Khin Shwe's family was my first official case when I worked at the IRC. I can't describe how compassionate, hardworking, and genuine this family is. They kept in touch with me the whole time I was in Chile, e-mailing pictures along with little updates on how they were doing.

I was very honored to be invited to Khin Shwe's wedding this past Saturday. It was great to see her, her family, and many of the other Burmese I worked with at the IRC.

Unfortunately, my camera ran out of batteries right after the ceremony, so I don't have as many pictures to share with you as I would have liked. Here are a few...

This picture sums up the scene pretty well. It was definitely a tradition American style Christian wedding, but a little off. For example, when the ceremony started, the room was only about half full. People kept trickling in and finding seats during the ceremony until there was standing room only. And yet more people found a way to sneak in. Kids were running around and there was a mob of people taking pictures with cell phone cameras at the podium throughout most of the proceedings. It was relaxed. The music cues were all off. There was much giggling. It was truly a lovely and joyous affair.

And then there was lots of meat. Meat cooked a million ways. I tried to try a tiny piece of every one and became too full to go on well before I had tried them all.

Then we all hugged and went home. What a day!!

Besitos,

Allie

NYE in NYC

I debated heavily over whether or not I should bring the fancy pants camera out on New Years Eve. I went for it, which turned out to be the first astoundingly great decision of the new year.

But first thing's first, a photo shoot of some of my favorite people on earth getting alllllll dressed up and ready to go out.

Crazy magic ghost hand...

Els must be the most beautiful woman on earth...

Proof:

Then we went to a party where I continued to accost friends and strangers alike with portrait taking sessions...

My favorite...

Colors! French people!!

Tis the season...

This year Hannukah took place December 1st-8th. That's painfully early if you ask me. I was in the holiday spirit when I got back to Binghamton this week, and we had all these presents to open.... some pomp and circumstance needed to be mustered. Sooooo, I forced my family to fake another night of Hannukah with me complete with latkes, menorah lighting, presents, and good cheer! Thanks, for humoring me, family!!

Laktes frying....

Mom and Dad light the menorah...

Besitos,

Allie

Road trip and oh so much more!

Last Monday I left Denver and partook in an epic ROAD TRIP adventure with good friend and fellow gnocchi enthusiast, Al.

I took lots of pictures. See?

I went to a family Christmas party in Long Island...

And I visited the Boy's apartment in the city for the first time!

Here is his street...

Boy walking down his hall.... How did he get so grown up?

The view...

Click on the links for more pictures of the road trip, the family party, and the boy's apartment.

Un beso,

Allie

Fun in Denver with Ms. Catie-cat and Company!

I've been hanging out in Denver with Ms. Catie-cat for the last few days...

We've been taking walks and testing out all the fun kitchen gadgets she got for her wedding. What a lovely way to spend a weekend.

I love this pretty family oh so much.

Starting to drive east tomorrow morning!

Besitos,

Allie

Busy bee.

Anyone who knows me well is probably acutely aware that I have a fear of having nothing to do. I was trying not to dread this week. All of the courses I'm both taking and teaching ending one by one... leaving me with a few days of NOTHING before I take a (arguably insane) cross country air/road trip journey back east. (You've got to fill your time somehow, right?)

Okay, the NOTHING has not come. Little thing after little thing has kept my days so jam packed that I can't even keep up with the basic housework tasks needed to keep a 300 square foot apartment clean. Yay?

So, here are some pictures of the last days of class of all three of the ESL classes I had the pleasure to work in this fall.

Class 1: Burien Library

At our end of the semester party we played games...

And ate tamales....

And chit chatted....

Class Two: Student teaching in a Bellevue elementary school ESL class

Unfortunately I can't post pictures of these darling little faces without parental consent... so here are some pictures of darling little hands.

Class 3: Other Burien Class

We had a party (yes, more delicious tamales)....

And I finally remembered to get a class photo! Yayyy!

Besitos,

Allie