Easter, Holi, and Family

Easter is always a weird time for me. In New Zealand, where I grew up, it’s a holiday that’s as big as Christmas, regardless of whether you’re religious or not. It’s also not as commercialized as it is in the US. I’d never seen a plastic egg before I came here. For me, Easter was always a really big family gathering, and as such, it’s generally when I miss my big extended family most of all.

This year, however, was one of the best Easters I’ve had since moving here.

I went to a church service with a McDaniel friend who graduated last year first thing. He’d told me some pretty crazy stories about his church friends, so I was a little hesitant, but the service was a nice traditional Presbyterian service. I was raised Roman Catholic, so I have that bone of me that actually really enjoys going to a service of some kind on Easter and Christmas. I haven’t seen him as much since he graduated, so it was good to spend some time with him as well.

Post-Holi

Later, I went with another two McDaniel students to Holi at the University of Maryland, College Park. Holi is the traditional Hindu festival of colours and love, and I’ve always had friends who have gone but had never had a chance to go myself, so I was really excited. We met up with a friend and got soaked in colours, though we came to the tail end of the celebration.

This is the picture my friend’s 4-year-old niece drew for us.

After, we went to my friend’s grandparents house for Easter dinner. Quite a few members of her extended family were there. I’d met a lot of them at Thanksgiving so I was excited to see them again. They’re so welcoming and make me feel completely at home, which is something I really needed for Easter.

On the way back to McDaniel, we got caught in traffic–there had been a fire that had closed the one road going out of the peninsula my friend lives on. Instead of getting back at 9PM, it was almost 1AM when we arrived, unfortunately. But it was all worth it and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I feel so incredibly lucky to have friends that are like family.