New Year's Celebrations

Picture Denotations (top down):

1. As the guest, it's absolutely undeniably mandatory that I am the first to cut the cake. (from left: cousin, paternal aunt, me, and mom)

2. Turkmens love posed pics! (from left: mom, brother holding cousin, me holding another cousin who's older sister to the aforementioned cousin, neighbor, neighbor's son, and my extremely tall brother)

3. As the foreign guest, I am always dressed up in traditional dresses/get-ups. I oblige smilingly.

4. I give my parents a small package of Lindor chocolate truffles courtesy of America for the New Year's...and was forced to pose forever for this picture to be taken.

5. Our happy family and the feast (the one on the right end is a neighbor. She was an early widow and lives alone, so we include her in all our family happenings. She's super duper.)

6. My hospital staff's home-cooked cake for our small celebration; it costs 180000 manats, which is $12, pretty pricey for a cake! It made me miss the fruit-topped cakes from home.

7. As the guest, I have to have the biggest piece of cake. I felt like the fat kid in Matilda's: I eventually ate the whole thing.

8. Me and one of my favorite nurses. She's really sweet.

9. My staff and me, made up of doctors and nurses. The supervisor, head doctor, is taking this picture.