| | Plane ticket in hand, I was able to escape Pleasantville for the (extended) weekend. With wedding bells ringing for one of my cousins, I had to miss colloquium of the first mock job talk of the academic year. I wasn't able to see the end result of something that I had a small part in, but at least I got to leave home temporarily. Taking the red-eye flight, we arrived just before 6am. The flight was fine, I just couldn't sleep. For me, home is not a conducive place to work. Productivity escaped me, the readings for Prof Smiles and my other seminar were put on the back burner. The next day was the wedding in the 'burbs of the City. Maman being Maman, we were running late to the wedding ceremony. We just snuck in before the ceremony finished. The whole complex had a greenhouse-like ceiling, allowing sunlight even from a rainy day to permeate the room. The room was intimate where you can see everyone and everyone could see you. The minister, cracking jokes, proceeded and the couple was wed. Upon exiting, the wedding party followed. Then the family saw my family and then the problems of remembering who was who with what name began. Immediately after, hors d'oeurves were served next door. I remembered the bride's family (duh) and what they looked like and a few others, but everyone else either looked familiar or similar. Some of the uncles and aunties looked exactly the way I remembered them, unfortunately I could only remember a handful of their names. I had to pester one of my other cousins to ask what so-and-so's name was that I would later jumble up. They apparently remember my name, I had to go with a generic "uncle/auntie" title. Apparently, I have nephews and nieces, making me feel really old. Maman said that one of the uncles had extensive contacts in the motherland since he was a "big shot." I didn't know how to talk to him, so when the party ended, I talked to him to ask if he knew anyone back there and snuck in a business card. He was very reserved. However his wife was very open and optimistic and said yes, they knew people. Networking at a wedding, yuck. Meanwhile, Maman was looking to sneak over to the dance floor with the other aunties. The ceremony ended at 6, but saying goodbyes extended our stay at the reception. Leaving the reception in the torrential rain, sneaking out was a slow process with the flooding and the detours directed by the GPS. I'd fly out the next day, getting through security relatively fast, and eventually sneak in back to campus to quickly get back into work. Monday was fast approaching on me and little time to catch up. |
| | Posted 10/29/2009 1:37 AM - 2 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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