Florida Xmas

Happy New Year, everyone.
The last few months in Lahore have been a kind of a blur. We've been working on finding new jobs, which is a process full of stress, uncertainty, and disappointment. However, we're both getting really good at interviews, and in the process we've met some interesting people and learned about some great schools around the world.
Just at the end of November, we began talking with the American School of Doha in Qatar. The staff we've talked to are all friendly and enthusiastic, the administration seems progressive and interested in doing the kind of things we're interested in doing, and, while this part of the world was not on our list of preferences, Doha looks like a much more manageable place to live than where we are now. We have signed contracts with the school, and are currently working our way through the mountains of paperwork that go with getting a work visa for Qatar.
Which is one of the reasons we decided we needed to visit the States for our winter break. Mainly, we needed to officially get hitched! We headed out of Lahore on the night of our last day of school for one of those disgustingly long travel days that fill us with dread. Twenty or thirty hours later, we arrived in Orlando, to be greeted by another lengthy immigration process for me. This time I asked, and apparently, it's just something I have to expect now when returning to the US. Once out of their back room, we were greeted by Wendy and Suresh, then had a couple more hours of travel to Bradenton.
We went directly to the county clerk's office (travel smells, greasy hair, rumpled clothes, and all), walked down a long hallway of property tax collectors, probation officers, and various other county functionaries to a little desk at the end, where we filled out some paperwork, paid some fees, and were ushered into a small room across the hall, where the clerk led us through some vows, signed a paper, and that was it!

Our professional wedding portrait!

The rest of the time in Florida was a really nice break. Long walks by the water with my new wife and mother-in-law, home-cooked meals (with lots of pork!), and the comfort of being in a place where we know how things work. A few specifics:
Christmas was really special. I got to take part in Rani's family's traditions, which are similar to the one's from my family. Christmas morning stockings, then presents passed out by the youngest cousin.

Rani with her bottle of maple syrup BBQ sauce. Thanks, Dad!

Rani, Wendy, and I had spent the previous day preparing a massive Christmas feast, which turned out amazingly well (best meal I've had in a long time).

That's my little big sister down at the end behind the candle!

My contribution was a Brussels sprouts salad that turned out to be a great hit. Here's how to make it:

• Start with this recipe.
• Replace the broccoli with Brussels sprouts, quartered and steamed.
• Double the bacon
• Add
• Shallots, thinly sliced, coated with flour, and fried in oil (cool on paper towel first)
• shredded Parmesan cheese
• toasted pine nuts 
• Soak the steamed sprouts for an hour or two in the dressing, then add all the other stuff.  

Got to see Maria and Jeff, their family, and their new house! How great to have some of my side of the family down south as well!

We also spent a nice day at Myakka state park, got some medical stuff done for the job, and, since it's Florida, I got to go swimming in December!

After Bradenton, we spent a couple of days at Universal Studios in Orlando for a last dose of America, before getting on the plane. Now we're recovering in Dubai for two nights before heading home. We'll be working on keeping positive and looking forward to Doha as the countdown begins for our last 5 months in Lahore.
Peace and love,
Jon