Last Thursday I helped celebrate my friend Lenka's birthday. It was at the same place as last year - a vegetarian restaurant called Maranatha in the BBC Centrum. This year there were two differences: firstly, I got lost, but thanks to my cell phone and a good friend near a computer, I made it an hour late; secondly, the dinner was followed by African dance.
Lenka is a very special and unique friend. She often helps get me out of my nice, familiar zone of comfortability and challenges me to try new things, yet unexplored. I have to say the African dance was a hoot! It was exhilarating to let go, to move it, to even shake it like a polaroid picture, pretending I'm Beyoncé. It is hard to believe that I've now celebrated two of Lenka's birthdays here. More and more I come to realize Prague is home.
Living overseas is not as tough as it once was. Modern technology sure helps! I'm continually grateful for Skype and Facebook. Some friends loath Facebook. Their opinion: "Why all of a sudden open yourself to high school classmates and others you fell out of touch with over the years for good reasons... because life circumstances and experiences led you down different paths?" They go on to argue that email and online chatting has resulted in the death of the letter.
While it is true I miss opening up my mail box to find letters and cards, I am glad for new and instantaneous communication venues. Viewing my cousins' kids' pictures, friends' videos of their kids, newly married friends' pictures of their travels, and colleagues' videos of their kids and/or worldly travels help me both keep and grow more connected. Admittedly, I sometimes grow a bit envious, but overall, I'm a FB fan!
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