If you haven't heard yet...

...you clearly don't know my sister Neda! :)



I'm getting married.

My fiancé is Anis Mungapen, from Mauritius; a half-bred Persian on his mother's side, like me!

This photo-- taken Tuesday night in Nahariyya (a town North of Akka) where we went to celebrate our friend Mona D.'s birthday-- is part of an ongoing series of photos we have taken in aim of having a few nice, smiling ones to send to family and friends who keep demanding "when are we gonna get pictures of the happy couple?"

To follow, as soon as I get my act together and-- between all the planning, coordinating and arguing lovingly over the invitations, programs, menu, etc.-- find time to upload the Kodak moments I have on my camera, you will see the crazy expressions we've managed to capture!

"Ginous has met someone"

I'm going to break this news gently.......

A courtesy I wasn't able to bestow on many of my friends and family!

For Baba on his birthday: Part II

Back to the topic of how full my dad's stay in Haifa was:

besides taking care of me in the hospital and when I was at home resting, he had the privilege of volunteering his language skills to the Institution of Huququllah. I couldn't have picked a better service for him to do! :)

To conserve water during the summer months, the gardeners remove nearly 70% of the grass on the Baha'i properties, which meant my dad could walk where the grass once was to pick for his co-workers petals that had fallen from the trees in the gardens surrounding Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum's resting place. They were the same petals that his co-workers gave him his first day of volunteering.

For my Baba on his birthday

This post is all about my dad's visit to the Holy Land. My fellow staff members here at the Baha'i World Centre, who enjoyed my father's presence here for 28 days as much as I did, agree with me that never has a family visitor had such a full experience here!

During Baba's first week here, my grandmother and aunt were also visiting. We traveled to Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, the River Jordan and the Dead Sea among other sites to see in Israel. While the three ladies were content to be hitchhikers, my Baba drove all of the nearly 1500 kilometers, in just in four days! Well, I navigated, which was difficult for the first hour or so, until my dad all of a sudden figured out how to read Arabic and Hebrew!

Baba had the opportunity to meet Anis and give us his consent in person! :)


We were able to visit places that during our pilgrimage six years ago we hadn't been able to because of time restraints or the opportunities weren't available then.

For example we visited the Baha'i cemetery near the Sea of Galilee where Baha'u'llah's faithful half-brother, Mirza Muhammad Quli, is buried with his family.

This was our amazing view from the kitchen and bedroom where we stayed. On the other side there was a marvelous view of Haifa Bay from the living room windows.

Long-awaited Bahji post I promised

The Bahji Day program combines two or three of the most recent orientation groups and provides a fun-filled and spiritual day that reminds the staff members of the bounty and privilege we have to be serving in the Holy Land.

OK, maybe that isn't the explicit purpose, maybe the House of Justice simply thought it would be enjoyable to organize an excursion for 50-60 new staff members to visit the Ridvan Garden, the Mansion in Mazraih and the Shrine of Baha'u'llah in Bahji together, but I know I was reminded of my purpose for being here.

Abi, Anis and Ginous

Filming peacock in a tree in the Ridvan Garden,

My surgery

Part of my excuse for not blogging for the past century is my bout in the hospital. I was rushed to the ER and everything with severe abdominal pain. Turns out I had two large cysts on my ovary, which had to be removed by laparoscopy (basically surgery where they only have to make three small cuts; one for a video camera, one for the laser and one for air!)

Feeling the effects of Valium before the procedure!

I was so blessed that my father happened to be visiting at the time and took good care of me for the five days I was in the hospital and for the week that I rested at home and for the week that I tried to be tough and get back to work and full activity!!!

Aaaaahahahaha! They hadn't even put me under anesthesia yet!