tl;dr: I'm late! What else is new? Happy Thanksgiving! I have always had difficulties composing clear sentences, and I’m not talking about in Arabic. Many valiant college professors tried to diagnose and cure my chronic clunkiness and rampant run-ons, but it was my Dad who offered the roast for the record-books this week: "...'have I read your blog'... I mean, every sentence is a full meal deal, no? Big mouthfuls. Where you have to chew to get all the flavors. Could you do a caramel corn version, maybe? Where you can just pop in a couple at a time?” So here we go, folks, a "caramel corn" take on what I'm grateful for these days: My FolksForever grateful for how you roast me in so many necessary ways that no one else can... Thank you for your seemingly bottomless patience and support. You're my inspiration. Love you guys. EducationI don't forget for a second how lucky I am to spend another year fully immersed in learning. If you had told 14-year-old me what I'd be doing today, she'd call this merely a dream of a dream of a dream. Infinitely grateful to the teachers and professors who helped make this happen. Friends & Food; Food & FriendsI may have spent Thanksgiving away from the Salzinger Shmorgasborg, but I feel very blessed for the opportunities I've had to make and break bread with new friends in Amman. Harry PotterWhen I'm not pushing my comfort zone by reading horoscopes in Arabic, I'm still dwelling in the magical realm, nonetheless...young Jackie would not be surprised by this. Sometimes, when you're far from home, you have to retreat into the comfort-food-for-the-soul that is the Harry Potter universe. Staying in TouchI'm grateful for the technology -- Skype, smartphones, cameras -- that makes it possible for me to pretend, every once and a while, that I'm not so far away from the people I love. It's still not the same, of course. So grateful for the patience of my friends and family in working out a new normal for keeping in touch! Speaking of keeping in touch...later this month I get to see two old friends in an unexpected place. I'll be spending my winter break in India (Chennai, Jaipur, Hyderabad) and Sri Lanka! It's going to be a blend of tourist nonsense and catching up with long time pals Geetha and Shoshana. Both of them have been living in India for a while, so luckily we're not flying blind, but if you have any reading recommendations (or podcasts/movies) that you think would enrich my experience, please send them my way!! Thanks for reading! Cheers! P.S. Anticipatory gratitude for anyone who writes me a question via this form!
2 Comments
Mom
12/3/2018 10:20:11 pm
Love you too, (thanks for not posting a picture of me crying) We miss you lots but are so happy that you are doing what you love - Good luck on your finals, and have a great time with Geetha and Shoshana - don't forget to send the address of your friend who will be coming back to the states over break, and let us know if there is anything you need XXXOOO
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Dad
12/6/2018 07:00:36 pm
Love it, bite size morsels. So proud. Safe travels XO
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