Taking the level-two Tetun course

During the summer I took the level-one Tetun course (Tetun: the lingua franca in Timor-Leste) offered through Timorlink. It's an Australia-based program, but the teachers all have deep connections with Timor-Leste.

Next week I'm starting the level-two course, and--because life is stranger than fiction--my teacher is going to be none other than the inestimable Kirsty Sword Gusmão.

Life keeps thrilling me--I feel so lucky to be alive!

On the less marvelous side of the scales

I broke my toe! Falling down in my own house! How dumb is that? And when the doctor looked at the X-ray, he said he wanted to talk to a foot surgeon because of the nature of the break... and now they want to do surgery. I am NOT EAGER for that, not one bit. I thought they could just put it in a boot and it would get better. So I will talk to the surgeon tomorrow and try to get a better sense of things.

This was not in my game plan, but I guess breaking random bones, big or small, rarely is in anyone's game plan.