Comparisons.

It's funny how things change.  And how they stay the same.  Here's a fun reminder.

About this time last year I met my family for a pretty awesome trip to France.  My hand-me-down, never-need-them-because-I-live-in-the-tropics shoes fell apart in the streets, which led to some distraught time in a huge department store.  I also shivered a good bit.

This week, there's been quite the cold snap here and I am once again shivering like crazy, although I can say I'm slightly better outfitted for the weather.

Last year at Christmas time, I was eating rice on the floor and harvesting rice with my Malagasy friends and family.  I was eating litchis by the basketful and sweating profusely.

This year, I'm stretching out Christmas to make it as long and cold as possible.  I spent the actual Christmas day with family in Massachusetts, where we ate turkey and stuffing and cranberries.  No rice could be found on the table (or the floor).  We carefully stepped along the driveway to avoid slipping on the ice.  Next week will be second Christmas with the North Carolina part of the family, and I am willing to bet money there won't be any rice there either.