For us, going home to our 75-square meter house normally requires that we hold a stiff upper lip, put on our big boy and big girl pants, and take the plunge.... This time, however, we were heading back home with a rather different perspective.
Once upon a time, during a trip in the country of mountains and minibuses....
"It is awfully easy to poke fun at ideas that sound like little more than backward, misinformed superstition. The first time you chuckle. The hundredth time you clinch your jaw to prevent yourself from saying what you really think." Then you stop and think about your own culture.
July 2014 We took our dusty shoes off at the open door and pulled back the fly net. The small, two-room home into which we stepped was built for one reason only: practicality. All expenses spared. The first room of the house contained a sink, some counter space above which several cabinets had been mounted, … Continue reading Places Where Flowers Bloom: Sheep Eyes, Bride-napping, and Fasting
Her phone chirped, and Laura looked down at the screen. It was 10:00 on a Saturday morning. She didn't answer. Sometime between 1:00 and 2:00, Laura was freed up enough from the chores around the house to answer the missed call. It was Gulya, a young woman who lives in the village with her two-year-old … Continue reading Just a Little Bit
Tidal waves of raw emotion wash over me as I reach back into my memory and revisit our early days in this country. To be honest, a part of me doesn't want to tell the tales. Perhaps they'll disappear if I can just keep them locked away long enough. But I know it doesn't actually … Continue reading Places Where Flowers Bloom: A Long Month
Introduction The melted snow in our yard left a mess of mud behind. Dead leaves, twigs, and apricot pits littered the ground. We were glad the snow was gone, but the brown death it had for so long covered was finally revealed. Then it began to rain. Puddles collected. The yard looked like chocolate soup. … Continue reading Places Where Flowers Bloom: Meeting the Landlady