Saera

Hi Everyone,

Daniel had to work Christmas Day, but I had a wonderful time. My dear friend, Emi, who introduced Daniel and me to Buddhism, came out from Boston on Christmas Eve. We spent the day at some friends' house in the Berkshires, where we got to walk a two month old calf and later feed her. We ate delicious food and visited and played Cosmic Wimp Out. On New Year's Eve, Daniel and I went contra dancing. We had not been in over a year, and we were both delighted to return to this delightful, social, energetic activity. New Year's Day is one of the biggest SGI holidays. We have a New Year's World Peace Prayer Meeting, which is always a special event. Daniel helped coordinate a skit, in which he played a 78 year old version of himself rather hilariously. I shared my experience about overcoming various obstacles to study abroad. He had to go to work immediately afterward, but I enjoyed the following potluck and social time.

I have been mostly either having whirlwind bursts to prepare for India or slacker days around the house. I am glad that my friends have been returning from winter break. I missed them. My brother James arrived on Friday for a ten day visit and to look at colleges. We'll start on that tomorrow. It is really nice to have him around. He is the first relative to visit me here in Massachusetts, but it looks as if 2011 is shaping up to be the year that people visit!

I'll be leaving 1/23 to study in Northern India for the semester. I return 5/12, and I'll be graduating with a BA in Anthropology that weekend! I'm delighted that my parents will be coming for that. If you'd like to keep up with me while I'm in India, check out my blogs at http://www.surajmukhiya.wordpress.com or http://www.surajmukhiya.blogspot.com.

Happy New Year
--
Saera Hanlon
Student
University of Massachusetts Amherst