One of the Cuban coordinators I worked with when I went to Cuba came to my institution here to give a talk about collaboration between the US and Cuba regarding research and higher education. It was weird to see him outside of a Cuban context, but it was great. A lot of the kids who were also in the program as well as the Cuba program director and I got to spend time with him this week. It felt like a family reunion. The coordinator told me that I was the most popular girl at the research center we were paired with in Havana and everyone asked about me and if he were going to see me. I couldn't send him back to Cuba empty-handed. Before I left for Cuba this summer, a friend of mine who had previously studied there gave me a little package to give to one of his friends in Havana. And now I'm sending stuff to friends in Cuba via another friend, too. It's the Cuban way. Yolanda, la nieta de Yolanda, Daysi, Rogelio, Héctor y Rodrigo, tengo regalitos para Uds. que Henry les trae.
One of my colleagues created this FB group for everyone in the Romance Languages program. It's useful and hilarious, because sometimes you want to post something that is only relevant to people in the program or something that would only make sense or be funny to people in the program. We had a departmental potluck last night, but beforehand, I was trying to decide which one of my tried and trues I should bring—quiche or zucchini bread—when the solution suddenly came to me. So, like a dork I posted: "I was having an existential crisis over whether to bring a quiche or zucchini bread to the potluck tomorrow when the solution flashed into my mind like a lightning bolt: A zucchini quiche!" Thank God it turned out okay because then at the potluck people were like, "I read about your zucchini quiche, so I wanted to make sure to try some. It was great!" What if it had been revolting? Then everyone would have known who made the nasty zucchini quiche.
Sometimes I do quiet, weird little things for my own entertainment. I'm reading for comps and one of the things I was reading I know is related to what a colleague is interested in as well. So, I made another copy of a related article I found and just put it in his box with no note or explanation. An anonymous benefactor. I wasn't going to give myself away, either. No coyly asking, "Hey, did you get something in your box?" I wanted him to wonder. I mean, I knew he would probably suspect me, but the fact is, he didn't know for sure. And for some reason, that idea was so amusing to me. I ran into him yesterday and he finally brought it up. When I finally admitted it was me, and he was like, "Of course it was you! Who else?" it made me smile even more because it was obvious to me that he really wasn't sure. I'd like to think that maybe he thought it was me, or maybe even wanted it to be me, but was afraid to be wrong.
So, I've found myself as a part of a group christened Saturday Ladies. I don't know why or how, exactly, but sometimes personalities sort of seek each other out and something clicks. Our inaugural meeting was at a new French bakery in town. I actually don't have a whole lot in common with the other Saturday Ladies, but I guess we jibe as a group because we're accepting and are interested by the fact that each of us are interested in specific, interesting things. Our second unofficial meeting is today at a popular vegetarian spot.
I'm following God down this path that can be pretty lonely, but it doesn't have to be. He's always there, and He's leading me somewhere.
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