They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I’m going to save time and just post a few pictures that visually describe my wonderful Christmas celebration here on the island of Ko Jum, Thailand.  We had a huge beach barbecue on Christmas Eve.  Not a gas-grill barbecue.  This was a barbecue over open fire, right on the sand, with a grill that we actually made!  (Well, we designed the grill, bought and cut the iron rods, and then paid a welder to assemble the grill, which measured about 1.1 meters by 0.6 meters!)  

I’m so thankful for the opportunity to take time off from “normal life” to explore the world, help those who need help, and meet new friends.  I miss family and friends (and, yes, at times certain conveniences of my life in California). 

That said, my Christmas here was pretty awesome.  Thanks to Uza Beach Residence and the Helpers, especially my new Argentinian friends who taught me a thing or two about real barbecuing!  (And slack-line!)

Our Christmas Eve celebration was so awesome that we basically repeated it two days later on December 26!