news from the front.

mom and dad were here this past weekend!*

lots of yummy food consumed. g. buchenwald traditional german cakes, laugencroissants, excellent japanese, flammenkuchen, and even my very own ritter-sport creation! yes my favorite chocolate company of all time opened up a SCHOKOWELT in the centre of berlin where you can have desserts made from the chocolate bars, and then make your very own with your very own mix-ins. glorious i say. glorious.

jonsi was went to, and dude. whoa whoa dang. on par with when i saw all of sigur ros together years ago. my goodness there is something about those icelandics and the music they create and the way it overwhelms me (in a good way)! incredibly moving. oh! so beautiful. if you have any chance to see him - go i say! go!

and now i'm in the unenviable position of waiting on TENTERHOOKS for my passport to return to me in time for my departure for southern africa: as of this morning it is in the clutches of the indian embassy on wichmannstraße, wherein they are (hopefully) granting me a visa that apparently takes 5-7 days to process. i must have it in hand to leave for zambia in 9 days. 7 working days exactly. heavens!

right! yes! i'm going to india as well (i know, really!**): you see this ashoka fellowship deal-y also includes a trip to new delhi at the end of august for a global summit on maternal health. YES i know that puts me in a SUPER ENVIABLE position, and let it be known that i am STOKED. just not stoked that i have to wait anxiously while they decide to grant me a visa before i have to fly to lusaka. you see? stoked/not stoked simultaneously. LOVE IT.

*(forgive me for not taking pictures of the 'rents visit to post. my camera is heavy. it's my only defense.)
**(i am counting my blessings daily, hourly, minute-ly. life has not always been so lover-ly, but i am truly reveling in the lover-liness of these days!)