I realized the other day it has been a long time since I posted any new blogs.  It’s hard to believe that November is half way over and this year will soon end within a little over a month.  It’s been a crazy yet exciting year and while I’m fairly certain that at the beginning of the year if you’d told me I’d be living here I would have laughed.  But even through all the ups and downs that have brought me here I wouldn’t change it for the world.
With Thanksgiving soon approaching it made me realize how different my holidays are going to be for the next couple of years and how much I’m going to miss the crazy traditions I had back home; like waking up at 3am to go shopping or watching Elf the day after thanksgiving, but I’m excited to begin new traditions here and then take them back with me.
This month has been fun and full of new experiences.  Remember that list from the previous blogs?  Well add watching a live turkey get prepared for Thanksgiving and dance at a Tatooine wedding to the list.  I don’t know if I mentioned it the other blog but I went to the women’s salon type thing the other day and got an amazing pedicure and my first ever facial (it was so relaxing…..add those to the list too; I never thought I’d get those done once I left home).  I’ve included some pictures in this blog (hopefully they show up correctly). The one of my hand is from an Eid visit we went on a couple weeks ago.  The girls did henna for our hands and I got my first ever real henna on my hand.  It’s a local tradition here to do henna for holidays, weddings, or really any special occasion.  Speaking of weddings, the other picture is of me in my wedding outfit for the wedding I went to.  While I was there my roommate and I, along with a few other friends, were actually taken to the dance floor and we danced for the first time at a wedding here in Tatooine and it was so much fun.  I also got another henna design for my hand while I was there.  At weddings the family walks around with henna and they put dots in the middle of the hands of the single girls ( supposedly it means you will be married within a year; so I’m not sure how that will play into my life personally J but it was fun to get it done none the less). 
Tomorrow I officially graduate from the first month of language and then I begin the second part where I begin to talk a lot more.  Language has been hard but I feel like I’m learning a lot and I’m trying to remember it won’t all come at once (but you guys probably know how I am with patience).
Well that’s all for now; as always there’s more to come (and next time I won’t wait as long to post).

Today is my weekend and it's been a great day.  My roommate and I decided to have a relaxation day, so we went to a women's center and I got a facial and a pedicure, while she got a pedicure and manicure.  After our relaxing morning we came home and since today is Thursday we had our traditional chicken tenders and french fries Thursday lunch (very cultural......not, but still delicious and our staff loves it).  Last week we went on Eid visits to people's home and while at one of our friend's house her daughter drew henna on mine and my roommates hands for the Eid holiday.  It's funny I went from carving pumpkins, decorating trees, and hiding eggs for holidays to drawing henna on my hands for holidays.  My roommate and I did find some holiday movies we can watch as we put up the tree that was left for us to use this December.  We're already making plans for combining old holiday traditions with new ones as well.  For example watching Elf the day after Thanksgiving (and maybe even making a trip to the market even though there won't be crazy sales or people) then putting up our tree, and watching Ralphie in Christmas Story billions of times and baking peppermint cookies and peanut butter kiss cookies. 
This morning as we drove into town there was snow on the mountains and it made me realize winter is on it's way and I can't wait to make a snowman and snow cream.  My roommate has never lived in a place with snow so it's going to be fun to introduce her to all the joys of snow.  We both realized the other morning that this Saturday will mark one month we've been in Tatooine. Strangely enough it seems longer since we've been here, but in a good way.
I don't know if we mentioned before but we have turkeys in our garden area and the male doesn't like me and my roommate for some reason so every morning he tries to chase us.  I don't know about you but a huge turkey chasing me with a beak and claws on its feet scares me to death.  Our gate guard always comes and saves us from it and then laughs while we run away.  It's been a great week and while I wasn't feeling good earlier this week and I am feeling better and am excited about all this week has in store.  Well more to come soon.