Some Sort Of Holiday Weekend

Yeah! Three-day weekend! Why? I honestly have no idea. Apparently it's some sort of holiday here in Oz. A quick google search returned the result: "Today Is Labour Day." I couldn't find a single Australian who could tell me what we were specifically honoring as a nation, much less WHY we were honoring it.

I find this to be a very real trend all over the World. In the western world these random "off" days are schedule far in advance and we all look forward to them. Memorial Day BBQ in the USA and Labour Day back to school. Boxing Day and another two hundred public or bank holidays in the UK means you almost don't work more than you do work (Also, boxing day has NOTHING to do with the sport of boxing). We're "honoring" things but all we're really honoring is a chance to not go into the office. Why even name the holidays anymore? Do most people even take notice?

In the non-western world (my goodness, when you right it that way it sounds really judgmental) holidays just seem to pop up last minute, but everyone knows EXACTLY WHY they're celebrating. Every October and February they would call a week-long holiday in China 3 or 4 days before the week-long holiday would begin. Chaos would ensue, but they all knew they were honoring New Year on one week and communism on the other. In Thailand, following the death of a member of the Royal Family, the government called for 100 days of mourning where everyone - EVERYONE - had to wear all black all the time BY LAW. By day 72 it was hard to remember why everyone was still doing what they were doing.

So alas, here I am in a new land with new holidays and because they're fresh for me, I'm taking the time to figure out exactly what they're for and spreading the news like wildfire. It's amazing how we suddenly care/invest/engage with people, places, and ideas when they're either not our own or very new to us. Makes me want to sort out our American holidays too! At least it's a day off...

Pic from here: http://www.freewebs.com/fergieboy10/HappyCow[1].jpg
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Kyle Taylor
www.kyletaylor.com

Holiday Parties LIKE WHOA

Tis' the season to feast, apparently. Particularly in the UK. It seems that everyone is offering up free food to sad students. From happy hour drinks sponsored by brilliant professors to swim team dinners and Rotary celebrations, It feels like I'm chowing down on some massive masterpiece of a meal at least twice a week, and I'm not complaining!

One of the grandest - and most festive - of them all was hosted by the lovely founders of PeaceChild and my now good friends David, Rosey & Eirwen (not to mention the other 16 phenomenal teachers, voluteers, employees, family members and riff-raff who were there).


They hosted quite a to-do at the PeaceChild White House outside London and invited me to "crash the party." The grounds are actually home to not only David and Rosey, but to Rosey's mother Eirwen and the constant flow of young people who effectively lead the organization. They live down the path in what can only be described as a more luxurious version of camp barracks, complete with kitchen, terrace, beds, bathrooms, TV and the like. I've never seen anything like it.


We spent the evening eating (obviously), singing carols and playing games with the fireplace crackling as it kept us toasty warm. In addition to the photos, I was also able to capture Rosey telling the "Holiday Mad Lib," which involves everyone in attendance who each offer up adjectives to make the story borderline hilarious. Enjoy!



More holiday parties coming soon. There are just so many!

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Kyle Taylor