best gifts ever (it's not that I haven't loved EVERY gift ever given to me-it's just that it is pretty durn cold):

the wool socks from mom and dad that make it seem as though i am walking on clouds
the green sock/bootie-like things from heather
knee socks from megan (a MUCH better option than thermal underware)

thank you for these gift that are trying their hardest to keep me warm on these icy, cold, windy nights.

***

It has been a good week. Monday was really just a lovely day. I went to a training with the Red Cross for their School Speaker Program. We'll be going into the schools and doing presentations about child soldiers, HIV/Aids and other humanitarian issues. I've done a lot training in the last five months, and this was definately one of the best since it was good information, casual and conversational. The other two volunteers in training either have or are working on Master's degrees in International Humanitarian Law, so the conversations were facinating. Although, it throws me off again in terms of "what I want to do with my life." Humanitarian Law sounds intriguing, and I've loved all of the work I have done with branches of the Red Cross...anyone want to tell me what I should do with my life? Someone told dad to be an engineer, and so he is, I'd be happy with a suggestion or two :)

That night was book club, at a fabulous little coffee shop. But we (I) read The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man (no one else finished it) and I learned a very important lesson: I really do not care what James Joyce has to say about religion, art or beauty, and I am not a fan of his book. Who decided that stream of consiousness writing was a good literary style?

Chinese welfare association came out to the youth programme on Tuesday, open club Wednesday, detached tonight (thank goodness for big, warm detached coats, the weather caught me off guard).

AND, the new BVSers have arrived in NI/Ireland. I have met one of the five, and she's fantastic. It's good to have several more Americans around to help out with our Thanksgiving dinner in a few weeks. Looks like we may have a big crowd. I do love Thanksgiving, but I have decided that I also like the fact that there are no other holidays between Halloween and Christmas in this country. Makes me feel not so bad for listening to Christmas music, obsessing over Christmas gifts, and appreciating Christmas tunes and decorations nearing full swing all over the city.