I feel for the people of Iran today. May democracy prevail and no more unnecessary blood be shed! I have met some cool Iranians in the U.S...Even without that, no citizens of any country deserve that political oppression.
Found ways to keep myself occupied all weekend with WoRLd diversity. Friday and Saturday were really fun because I hung out with people I met THAT week or that day. Oh, and if someone random stumbles upon this entry, I will say that this weekend is very ME and I somehow fall into situations like these often for someone living in the middle of Illinois. Weekend:
--Two Random Dudes pulled over to help fix my flat tire, then they took me out to dinner for some reason when i shouhld have been the one to treat them, and then we hung out til 2 am. One was from Sudan, one from Egypt, and at a nice Indian grill we joined tables with some Saudi girls who we eventually gave a ride home to in the pouring rainstorm. I hung out with my new friends (Serif and Mohammed) from 5 pm straight until 2 am with only a 20 minute stop at home. Felt at ease in their apartment and we taught each other a lot of new customs, I taught them a card game, and learned one of their social norms like don't pass what you're smoking after just one smoke. They gave me a generous goodie bag to take home in exchange for a chunky sweet portion of my great-grandma's coffee cake recipe. Oh yeah and we broke into their apartment complex with a crowbar when they both left without the key, one for cigarettes and one to meet me. Poor timing on the key thing but that crowbar came into use twice that evening.
--Saturday, after morning obligation, I hung all day from 1 pm til 2 am with a new friend studying here from India named Rekha. I just met her through one of those disappearing friends everyone has at a coffee shop last week, and after standing over their table for 45 minutes we exchanged numbers. I called her up Saturday afternoon and 30 minutes later we rode our bikes to the downtown for the "food fest." We got yummy food and iced tea to help cool us down on that sunny day. Then we sipped beer for 2 hours at the new Brewery that just opened up, sitting outside and watching cars and motorcycles pass through the downtown. I learned a lot about her; she just ended an ARRANGED MARRIAGE. We talked about other things like traveling and she invited me to come to INDIA with her next year! This is quite an opportunity and I think it'd be a fabulous next trip when I've earned some funds to justify it. Then, she cooked/reheated Indian food for dinner at her apartment and we walked/took the bus downtown Urbana for the Mhondoro concert.
--The Mhondoro show (Zimbabwean pop rhythm and dance music) was an absolute blast, as usual. It never fails to be a 100% good time and sweaty mess, everyone agreeing by show of dance with everyone there that this is good stuff here. This is a damn good local time if you're lucky enough to catch it, and when you show up, ya SHOW UP. Just DANCE. Damn...
--Cool sidenote: Was interesting when there were 3 people, incl. me, from my high school in that intimate crowd under 50, half the audience over 50, from 3 very very different social groups who would never probably be found in the same location if they didn't come from it. I had ONE class with each of them in high school, a calc class and senior English, and always thought that both were quite intriguing. Well, it was intriguing that each of us stumbled separately into that small Urbana world music and dance scene. Two of us danced our cabooties off together on the floor.
-- Then, 4 of us hitched a ride from the Tonyman and we re-situated to a bar in campustown normally frequented by athletes, where my friends never went to, whereupon I got free drinks from the bartender, who is one of my student volunteers (...), and watched as 5 dudes did a synchronized dance through the bar to an anonymous new hip hop song as a conga line. I was unfamiliar with this song and dance but it was damn entertaining to watch em. We also witnessed a true black girl bootydance right in front of our table. I continued my own dance party with Rekha a bit and made amigos with 3 puertorriquenos new to the area after I invited them to join said dance party. They did, and I believe I gave one of them my number altho I have absolutely no idea of any of their names.
--Today (Sunday), I watched a lot of CNN and wasted time on the internet after sleeping a ridiculous amount from outdoor and dancing activities. I went on a high run but it was lowly endured and mediocrely enjoyed. I said Happy Father's Day to the best dad and wished a warm welcome to my sister who just returned from South Africa tonight. They were on the way to my family BBQ at my aunt's which I was planning to attend all of last week until Friday. I'm OK with that in the end.
Moral of this entry: Befriending international friends always opens up worlds of opportunity, fun, and life enrichment...
Salaam and Shalom
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