Merry Christmas and a Happy Sylvester

If you haven't heard this story already (so not Emily, Joanna, Marian, my parents, Scott, Ashley, is there anyone else who even reads this?), you may be a bit confused by the title. The first time I heard this traditional English greeting, I was also slightly unsure of it's exact meaning. I was quickly enlightened by my landlord, who loves to tell me new words in the English language that no one who actually speaks English has ever heard of. Apparently, in some places (maybe a remote South Pacific Island formerly colonized by the British...I haven't been able to to confirm this yet, but I'm working on it), "sylvester" is another way to refer to the New Year. We asked a British girl if it was some random British thing, like sardines on toast or spelling "color" with a 'u,' but she said it wasn't. At least it was a way of breaking up our traditional conversation that we have every time my landlord actually shows up to collect the rent (he was supposed to come tonight and didn't show). Every time he comes, he reminds me of the time that the French UNIFIL guys left for vacation and didn't shut the water valves. He got a call at 4.00am telling him that there was water flowing over the balcony of his apartment. When they got back from their vacation and saw the damage, all they could say was "Mr. Abbas, you told us. And you were right. And now we will pay for everything because you were right. If only we had listened to you and shut off the water valves." And so you see, Miss Amanda, you must close the water when you leave the house! Also, give me more money because you use too much electricity.

Mr. Abbas isn't the only Arab man who has helped me learn more about my language. One of my friends in Jordan had a father who was a lawyer and also an expert in every language in the world. Of course, as he informed me, all languages are derived from Arabic. He took my raised eyebrows as a sign of my interest and continued. "For example, your word "genie" comes from our word 'jinn'." I nodded. This is true. Of course, considering the fact that we don't actually talk about genies on a daily basis and that they generally only come up in conversations involving Arabian Nights or Scheherezade, this wasn't exactly an earth-shattering revelation. But Abu Mohammad was not finished yet. "Your word 'good' comes from the Arabic word 'jayid' which is sometimes pronounced 'gayid' and therefore 'good'." I murmured something about the German word 'gut,' but he ignored me and began to clear up another commonly misconception. "Your word 'technology' comes from the Arabic word 'teknolojia'." So you see why everyone needs to learn Arabic. It's the only way to honestly be able to communicate what you truly feel. Or so Abu Mohammad told me...

So that’s your little language lesson from me and my linguist friends. I hope you all have a happy Christmas and a wonderful Sylvester. I also hope you have some great friends who will give you exciting presents like some of the ones I have received- Guccirash perfume and a shiny porcelain picture frame with a dolphin on a spring leaping in front of the photo that will be inserted there someday. Enjoy your fake or real trees as I enjoy the dead one I spray-painted silver. And have fun with your families as I am enjoying mine…see you in 20 minutes, Emily, with the dressing, the rolls, the chocolate mint dessert and the marshmallows for your sweet potatoes. Bejewelled or Family Band tonight?

This is my Christmas photo with my tree and the Fuzz.