Alice and Rumi

Something interesting I forgot to mention last week was that I met my language partner for the first time the week before. Her name is Fereshte and she's a medical doctor for Iran. She's beautiful and pleasant. Hannah and I went to pick her up at her house and she served us chocolate milk on a platter--very hospitable. Hannah and Erin had their Indian language partners over (all of whom speak perfect English--they've been taught it in school since they were five) and I had Fereshte over for chili one Tuesday night. We had a lovely time together. Fereshte told me to look up the poetry of Rumi and I did--it's delightful! Here's a favorite:

I wrote a poem that made my love angry
At me, or at the measure of my verse.
"Tell me then," I said, "What should I write?"
"Tell me", said she, "What poem could contain me?"

And another:

The face she shows me is a little sour,
Though sugar has never tasted sweeter.
Sugar would be bored by its own sweetness
If it ever came to know that sour flavor.

http://www.iranian.com/Arts/rumi.html Check this out for more

Exciting news! Alice is back from Australia/India! We had a family party for her Monday night. It was so nice having all the sisters together again for the first time in half a year. With plans for Leah's wedding, that might be happening more often (I hope so!). Some of my favorite memories of growing up with five sisters are when all of us end up in someone's room, gathered together around and on someone's bed, talking about all sorts of things--the family, each other, guys, etc. That happened the other night. I wish I'd tape recorded it--lots of laughs going on. Those moments are priceless :). Alice drove me back to school Tuesday morning and it was great having one-on-one time with her in the car for an hour. She's grown up so much! She's not my baby sister anymore! She loved Indian and Australia, and California, where she's been for the past week or so. And, when I say she took me back to school, I'm implying that I'll no longer have a car at Clemson, which kind of makes me sad. But my bike still works. It'll be fun, just kind of limiting :).

Today Rebekah and John leave for Prague, Czech Republic. I'm going to miss those kids! I didn't mention this already, but I think the word's out by now: they're having a baby! In September! I'm praying about moving to Prague to teach English with them next year or going ahead and getting PA school pre-requesites out of the way this fall, then traveling in the Spring. Whatever I decide to do in the next six months--it's weird--will definitely put me in a different place in the next twenty years. I mean, the next few months could determine the rest of my life. That's scary, but kind of exciting! I've always liked open-endedness: having multiple options, then deciding something at the last minute. Maybe it's time to not do that? :) To just decide the fate of my life? Pray for me, if you're reading this.

Other really exciting things have been happening lately: good stories to tell at my next story party. You should come.