'Trick-or-Treating'

We brought a Western Autumn Tradition here to our neighborhood!! Trick-or-Treating!

It was in some ways exactly the same as 'there'..... But in some ways much different.....

Halloween is somewhat known here, not by everyone but some have heard of it. I decided I wanted my kids to have a Trick-or-Treating experience this year so I set a plan in motion. First I went to the store with my friend Lany and I bought several different kinds of treats. Some familiar to us (very few) such as M & M's, some recognizable such as lollipops and gum. When Lany asked why I was purchasing so much candy I told her for Trick-or-Treating. I said, "Would your kids like to join us?" Of course they would! So Lany got into the spirit of things and purchased a couple of treats to add to the pile. When we got to the check-out stand I noticed one of her choices for the children was small individual packages of seaweed....ok....I guess some kids will like that...not mine.

I went home and invited five families to join us for the event.

I took all the treats and divided them up into individual bags with the number of treats equalling the number of children invited. Gum in one bag.... lollipops in another....M & M's in another...seaweed in another...etc. I explained to Lany that I needed to go door to door asking for 'volunteers' (who would be home at the appointed time on Oct. 31st) to hand out one candy per child when we came to their door. I needed her to translate. She agreed to assist me.

A couple of days before Halloween we went to the top of my 12 story apartment building and with two doors per floor we began knocking. The first day we found homes for about half the bags of candy. Our 'volunteers' were excited to participate.

The next day Lany and I continued our search in one of the neighboring apartment buildings. After ascertaining the security entry code for that building's door we found homes for about four more of the bags of candy. We still needed a couple more 'homes'.... so, we went to the Security Guard at the front gate. Success! He was willing. Then we went to the Living Quarters management office. Bingo! All the bags were distributed! We were ready!

We decided to Trick-or-Treat in the afternoon because inside an apartment building you can't tell if it's dark anyway. In the afternoon all the families arrived and with costumes donned we set out....in the elevator. This presented my first unforeseen obstacle... we didn't all fit in the elevator! No problem, children went in the elevator with me (along with the itinerary of apartment numbers we were to visit and entry codes) and the children's parents took the stairs (down only... I'm kind).

OK...we hit the first door. (I am praying all the while that all my volunteers will be home) Unfortunately I had not taken into account one thing, these kids were not familiar with how to do this Trick-or-Treating thing. All I had told them was Knock, say Trick-or-Treat!, Say thank you, and get back into the elevator. So... they knocked, said Trick-or-Treat!, took off their shoes and entered this 'volunteers' apartment! They sat on their living room floor and began playing with the toys in sight. Meanwhile I am stuck in the hallway with so many children between me and the door that I can't immediately get there to usher them out, plus some of them have limited English so I can't tell them to get out. Eventually I push my way to the front, apologize to the 'volunteer' (my neighbor), and remove the shoeless children. We got back in the elevator to head to the next floor. Before the door closed I yell out to the parents in the stairwell the floor number of our next stop. In between floors I did a little training through the assistance of one of our children's translation, "We do not go into the homes, okay?"

OK...we arrive at stop number two. This home happened to have the lollipops, of which there were two different types in the bag. A detail that any adult would have never notice, but believe me the kids noticed! So, my neighbor begins to do as trained and gives one candy to each child. I see the first two children reach the door. Upon noticing the two choices of lollipops available they reject the particular lollipop given to them, retrieve it from their bag, give it back and start digging their little hands into the bag to choose the one they prefer. Back in the elevator!! More Training! "Take the candy that is handed to you, say Thank you, and get back into the elevator." "And don't any of you take off your shoes!"

OK... stop number three...my greatest fear...NO ONE is home! Back in the elevator, next floor.

Moving on... apartment building number two. The children run on ahead but I knew they wouldn't get too far ahead because I hold "the list" and more importantly I have the security code to the building door. I love power! We successfully navigate all the floors and lucky for the parents the third floor was the highest we had to go.

Then our last two stops, the front gate Guard and the LQ Office.

Finished!

And such was our Trick-or-Treating experience with our friends and neighbors!