Happy Easter! It's still Easter week, so I guess I can still say that. What a week it has been, too!
Last Wednesday, S. Mary Jane Berger, one of my volunteer directors, came to visit for the holiday. We had so much fun talking and enjoying the beautiful spring weather together. It was really wonderful to have company for a holiday - I felt like I wasn't the only one new to things, and I had a companion for the down times. We enjoyed holy silence with my St. Placid sisters and it really was my favorite holiday I've celebrated here in Washington. Each day of the Triduum was special and unique, and Easter morning was our big celebration with food and guests and dyed eggs. I was hardly homesick at all!
Mary Jane left on Tuesday morning, and since then it's been a mad rush to the finish line of the school year. S. Anamaria presented her thesis on Tuesday afternoon - she did such a wonderful job and ended with the simple but profound wisdom she brings to everything: "Children learn when they are happy." We spent Tuesday evening and all of Wednesday studying for a final exam, and since then we've been working on her other 3 final projects. S. Redempta also turned in a first full draft of her master's thesis today - about 150 pages. Needless to say, I've been busy! The best part about it has been that the sisters are willing to take breaks because they're working so hard - on Wednesday night, after the final, we had Tanzanian food (ugali, made from kasava root flour and water, and venison with tomatoes, onions, and "hot pepper") and we listened to Swahili and other traditional African music. We even danced a little bit! I've been picking up a little more Swahili lately - I can now say Good night, see you tomorrow, sweetheart, hello, how are you, I love you, banana, thank you, and numbers up to 19. Redempta told one of the sisters, "She speaks a lot of Swahili!" I wouldn't say a lot, but it's been fun to learn.
This weekend starts some lasts, too: It's Stephanie's last day of work tomorrow, and I'm hosting my last party, for my birthday, on Sunday night. We'll have puppy chow, dance, and play Bananagrams - my signature additions to community life. I can't believe how fast the time has gone!
I've now registered for classes at the University of South Dakota for this fall. I'm working on housing and getting really excited to start school again! It will be a totally different pace of life than I have lived this year, but I feel refreshed and ready for it after this time of peace and calmness.
I think I wrote this last week, but every day I'm here, I know this was the place I was meant to spend this year of my life. Each sister and friend of the community has taught me something I will take with me and benefit from for the rest of my life: S. Anamaria's philosophy, S. Redempta's verbal reactions (especially GO-OSH! and her laugh), S. Sharon's wisdom, S. Monika's boundless energy, S. Damaris's endless projects, S. Mary's diligence and enthusiasm, S. Nathalie's gratitude, S. Margaret Ann's connectedness to the outside community, S. Rosemarie's love for the bluejays, S. Dorothy's gentle movements, S. Lucy's determination to learn new things, the Knitters and Spinners' delight in sharing their work, and so many others. I have truly been blessed by living here, and I will be sad to leave in three short weeks. But until then, I will enjoy each day and each person here.
Peace and love!
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