Santa is Coming

HO HO HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS is exactly what I was saying yesterday at school. I had the unique opportunity to transcend time and space when I put on a costume recognized across the world as representing only one thing, Santa Claus. The fact that I'm Jewish made this experience ten times more enjoyable for me. While I was enjoying the irony of my status as a Hebrew St. Nick, the children taking pictures with me couldn't have cared less and probably don't even know what Jewish means. A lot of adults don't understand what Jewish means over here. When I put on that costume, It no longer mattered what I did or said. I was Santa, and that was enough for anyone in the room.

Santa's gift to me was a humidifier for my apartment. It came a few days before Christmas, but has been providing much need moisture to a bone dry apartment. Why I hesitated for so long to buy this essential appliance escapes me, but it probably was a mix of my laziness and unwillingness to spend thirty dollars. I used it for the first time last night and can notice a distinct difference in my skin, throat, and nose. I don't know how I lived for so long without this. You'd think I'd be used to a dry environment after living in Colorado for over two years, but I never had a problem keeping even my nipples moistened there.

A sad truth about working in this country is that you don't receive much vacation time. It's just part of the culture to give the appearance that you're working hard and staying competitive with the rest of the market. While most of the students at my school are on vacation from their normal school, the academies they attend will stay open. A lot of kids take some time off from the academy, but the majority still come everyday. Time taken away from the academy is time wasted or time spent letting others gain a competitive edge on you. I really don't work too many hours, I just have to work every weekday. A lot of my presence here is just for show; to make the parents happy. I don't agree with the work ethic of this culture, but because of their strong work ethic and desire to stay competitive in the world, I am able to work and make a decent amount of money.