Job Discussion Forums

Hoser · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada

Anyone got'em yet? This will be my second Christmas away from home and I think I'm feeling it more this year than I did last year. It doesn't help of course that my roommate is going home for Christmas! >.<
What are your solutions for the Christmas blues? How do you keep your spirits up? My strategy involves:

Anyways that's what I'm planning on doing. How 'bout the rest of you?

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

I know how it feels.
My Japanese wife just doesn`t understand how it feels. The 24th and 25th
of December are tough days to spend in Japan. Last Christmas Eve I worked.
This year I will spend time with people. It helps to do something social on those days.

Thanksgiving is another tough day, but Christmas is harder.

1n 1997 I was in Russia and on the 25th of December my university students brought a bottle of champagne and we drank it in class.
I was touched.

I have spent 8 Christmases overseas. In 2002 I went back to New York, and it snowed a lot, and I had a good time.
I just find it weird that people want to go to KFC on that day.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Eggnog

4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces bourbon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg whites

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Cook's Note: For cooked eggnog, follow procedure below.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

The TESL away from Home at Christmas Drink

one beer stein
Fill with ice
Fill with single malt 12 (at minimum) year old scotch.
Add one lemon wedge (optional)

As an additional option:
Add one little umbrella (for female EFL instructors only)

This will be my 4th in Japan (in a row) and my 5th in a row away from my family (my boss in Canada was a bit of a dick and so gave me between 7:00pm Christmas eve until 8:00am Boxing Day off even though I lived about a five hour bus trip from home and so I would have had at most 12 hours -spent mostly asleep- at home that year).

My strategy involves denial, denial denial. Pretend that it isn't really Christmas, but instead is a fried chicken hookin' up on a date day. Only Christmas itself is really depressing and when I call home, which is actually boxing day here because of the time difference. The worst part is actually opening mailed presents because it's just so lonely. But my family keeps refusing whenever i ask them to just not send me anything.

Eva Pilot · Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:45 pm Post subject:

My first Christmas away from home...just in case, my mother sent me a box of Christmas decorations, and 50 Christmas cards so I can't get out of the family obligations.

She would have sent me a tree if it was cheap enough I think!

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

I only spent one Christmas in Japan (I was only there for two years and went home for the first Xmas), but I really enjoyed it because there were a few other people around and I had a friend visiting from Taiwan. I got my house modestly decorated with stockings and a mini tree and played Christmas CDs over and over and over... particularly Julie Andrews. What a voice!

In the weeks before Xmas, before people started going home, I had some movie nights at my house, with The Christmas Story and A Christmas Carol. I find that being proactive and inviting people is a good way not to be stuck alone!

I've spent Xmas in a few other countries, too. The Czech Republic, Peru, and this year Oman. So far they've all been wonderful. I even ended up meeting another Dave's forum member by chance in Peru last Christmas.

d

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

This is Christmas #5 for me in Japan. I have to say the first one was the best as we spent about a week at a friend's house in Mie-ken.
Since I have my little nuclear family with me, I don't get very lonely. We always set up a tree and have lots of decorations. Christmas music is played all the time and we make hot mulled apple cider. I wish I could buy a turkey here locally, but have not seen one yet. My advice would be to spend time with friends, buy little gifts for each other, make it so that it is something you bought in the 100 yen shops.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Venti · Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 171 Location: Kanto, Japan

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Sure. But you'd be cooking your own turkey... Last person to leave, please lock the door. Laughing

This year we'll be in Canada over the holidays.... A rare and unusual trip for us. To be perfectly honest, I'd rather stay in Japan over Christmas and take a ski holiday to Nagano or Niigata.

Maybe next year, Venti. Wink

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

Funny, I have spent most of the last 18 odd Xmas's away from home and it's never really troubled me. My wife however loves it, and she's Thai, so go figure.

Our Christmas plans: This weekend we are having people from work over for a meal (no Turkey - no oven) the lst weekend before holidays at our school.
Most likely a Christmas Buffet at a Hotel in Nagoya on Christmas day.
The wife has been putting up decorations and handmaking cards for weeks now and no sign of any let up.

6810 · Joined: 16 Nov 2003 Posts: 309

Chris... wha?

Haven't cared for Xmas since I was about 9 which is when my mother told us the reason we didn't do Xmas was because we were athiests. Re-invested that suicidal (literally in many cases) December cash outlay in birthdays the year 'round etc.

Christmas in Japan - hey, pretty lights, pretty girls, Kohaku retrospectives and no one w.anking on about Jesus etc. Quite refreshing really.

rebecca432 · Joined: 26 Nov 2006 Posts: 20 Location: Osaka, Japan

While I'm home this Christmas, I'm hoping to still be abroad next Christmas so I was wondering about this topic myself. I'll look forward to not having the obligation to buy gifts for family back in the states since I'll be abroad. Other than that, I will miss my Christmas Eve at my grandma's house and the food. But that's why I'm indulging THIS Christmas so I won't feel too bad when I'm starving next Christmas.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Well, I don't think atheism stops a lot of people from getting into the holiday spirit... But if it makes you feel any better, you could always stop by D2 and pick up a Festivus pole.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus

Then, you can introduce your students to the finer points of "Airing of Grievances."

Smile