Iftar

Hello there. It has been a week since my last post, but I do not have much to post about. Not a lot going on. Just working a lot, working out (I am starting to not hate the treadmill as much), and sleeping (my goal is 9-10 hours/night on a fairly regular basis). But I am getting awfully excited about my upcoming trip to the homeland a week from Sunday. I need it. Bad.

Anyway, last night was a very special night. The CDAs I supervise (and a couple I do not but have become close with) have been bugging me for weeks about having me over for Iftar (the breaking of the fast at dusk during Ramadan). So about a week ago we agreed on last night. It had to be a night I did not have work obligations nor they have school obligations and they wanted to be able to have a enough time to prepare this special feast. Anyway, they put a lot of work into and would not let me do anything. All I had to do was show up. Works for me! And it was wonderful! It was like a real family meal (I love and miss family-style meals). We sat together, passed all the food around (which they thought could have been better but they cannot taste it until sunset (except one of them who is Christian), but I thought it was absolutely yummy), talked about all kinds of things (but mostly Cornell stuff since they all go to Cornell), and laughed a lot as usual. I know I supervise them and must maintain this dynamic, but I sort of feel like they are my family here. They accept me regardless, completely respect me for me, and look up to me (even if we come from very different cultures). I am their boss, but they sort of see me as a big sister. We are a highly efficient team and definitely get our stuff done (I would wager even more so than other teams), but then we spend a good amount of time talking about all sorts of things ranging from events going on around the world to movies to skin care to travel... They even share things with me concerning their hopes and fears that they tell very few other people. I feel so lucky, lucky to be in their lives, but also to have them in my life.