November 7, 2011

Agreed to host Caroline, Peter and Corrie, who was turning 30 today, at my apartment just so I didn’t have to go anywhere. Cooked lentil soup with beef, white rice and flat bread. Peter brought juices and what they labeled “baklava” here, but wasn’t more than a cookie. I had two different cakes from the Eid celebration yesterday and made a big pot of tea.While we were eating, we felt the table starting to shake, and since Corrie is from California, she quickly jumped from her chair and stood under the kitchen archway. Caroline was on the telephone, but felt it nonetheless. We had no way of confirming the magnitude of the temblor. The talk then turned to our different posts and the challenges therein. Corrie is just getting started at the School of Journalism. Peter suggested we try to get a visa to travel to Iran during our winter break even though none of us knows exactly when it begins or ends. I’m all for it if we can get the embassy’s approval and we can travel as a group. My neighbor from the third floor just knocked on my door to bring me sweets to celebrate Eid. How gracious of her!

I hear rain falling on the rooftop again.