Moustaches in Movember and more...

Here in the Land Down Under, the fuzzy growth above a man's lip is not a sad throwback to the 1920s but a way to raise money and awareness for men's health the world over. All over New South Wales and beyond, moustaches are sprouting (and have already sprung) as men are growing a "mo" to support causes like prostate cancer and depression in men. Even our tiny, mostly female, microcosm of Abbotsleigh has been affected. We have several "Mo Bros" on campus including our chaplain and IT manager. Apparently, this moustache-growing mayhem is part of a worldwide men's health initiative sponsored annually by the Movember Foundation. (I must say, however, I'd never heard of Movember prior to living here.) The rules are simple, you begin the month clean-shaven and have 30 days to "grow your mo" while seeking the sponsorship of all the females you know, aptly named "Mo Sistas." I first noticed this mo epidemic while at the beach with Jess and while Australian fashion has always been questionable, the moustaches pushed the envelope a smidge too far. Thankfully, I was quickly set straight by Jess and can now calmly appreciate the hairiness, knowing it's there for a good reason and will, hopefully, be gone by Dec. 1st.
As Movember is quickly (so quickly!) coming to a close, my thoughts are drifting ever closer to Christmas. Of course, it doesn't help that everywhere I go there are Christmas decorations and Christmas songs and Christmas trees and Santas in their sleighs taking pictures with the kiddies. It all seems slightly surreal since it's 70 degrees and sunny out and I have tan lines. Is it still Christmas if you're not wearing three layers of clothing and you can't see your breath when you walk outside? Is it still Christmas if you're snuggling up to an air conditioner instead of a fireplace and sipping lemonade and not hot chocolate? I'm not so sure about all of this. In my mind, the two are absolutely inseparable. Granted, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" so I can lay my concerns to rest. But in the meantime, I'm not quite sure what to make of a tropical Thanksgiving...
Meanwhile, changes are underway here at the boarding house. With the school year coming to a close in two short weeks, preparations for the new year have begun. Having had quite an...(ahem)experience...with the year 9s and 10s these past four months, I put in a request to try my luck with a different boarding house. I found out this week that next year I'll be moving to Vindin House to work as resident with the year 8s. I am not only looking forward to living in a real house (Vindin is a beautiful old Heritage house) but also working with a much smaller group of girls (about 25 compared to the 61 I had this year). Videos of my new residence and updates will be forthcoming in January.
The important thing right now, however, is that we're down to two weeks and counting, folks! I'm still in shock at how fast the time has gone. I'm planning a last minute, mini-road trip to Canberra (the capital of Australia) with Jess this Tuesday so I'll probably do a little write-up about that (and maybe a video if I'm feeling creative), but that'll probably be my last blog for the first half of my year here. All other news you'll just have to wait to get from me in person. ;)
Cheers!