Easter

I love seeing my brother Joe smile.

In the first photo we have Vlado and Julia between my parents and me. Vlado is from the village where I'm living in Bulgaria. Vlado left for America almost eight years ago and returned home to see his family for the first time. I loved meeting him and eating food that his mom made and just hanging out. I interviewed him about studying economics at Sofia University and eventually working at Yellowstone National Park, living in Detroit and then moving to Chicago. He came in and spoke to my 8th grade class. We all talked about our dreams, successes and failures.

Vlado's girlfriend, Julia is from Uzbekistan. They met each other six years ago in Chicago and they were able to communicate because they both speak Russian. I'm enjoying studying Russian and it was fun to have Vlado translate all the Russian songs I have been listing to lately. Turns out that my favorite song is all about smiles and their power to bring people together. Here are the lyrics to the smile song.

From the smile the nasty day is lighter,
From the smile the rainbow will wake up in the sky…
Share your smile
And it will return to you many times.

And then, highly probable
Clouds will suddenly dance
And grasshopper will play the violin.
A river starts with a blue brook
And friendship starts with smile.

From one sunny smile
Even the saddest rain will stop.
Sleepy forest will tell good bye to silence
And start to clap hands.

From the smile everyone will feel lighter
Elephant and even little snail
So let's everywhere on the Earth
Smiles turn on like bulbs.