without a hitch

[Raffi Aftandelian]

Hi all!
I just wanted to thank you all in Goa and not in Goa for your warm wishes regarding Inna and
I\'s upcoming wedding. I don\'t quite have easy internet access right now so only know was I
able to reply.

My marriage to Inna, a psychologist and manager of psychosocial rehabilitation programs for
CARE-Canada in Ingushetia/Chechnya went off without a hitch. I was very nervous because we
were not 250km from Chechnya and I feared for potential violence.

My parents flew in from the US. And it was all ok.

For one thing, I am two pieces of gold heavier now!

I had done much reiki prior to the wedding.


I was very concerned for my parents\' safety, Inna\'s relatives\' safety, for Inna.

We had an Armenian church wedding (the ceremony in a small church in Georgievsk, almost the
size of a chapel!). At one point in the ceremony (we were baptized beforehand; which as some
know I had mixed feelings about; but doing reiki helped me work thru that) the priest put
our foreheads together, and almost everyone was tearing...

Curiously, as per her traditional Armenian upbringing, the most affection we show is holding
hands. So there was no \"you may kiss the bride\". The maiden of honor was her best friend,
Kheda, who I mentioned during a closing circle at the Goa OSonOS. She is Ingush, hence
muslim. Just as the priest was about to cross her (as he\'d cross the others) Inna asked him
not to cross her, which he didn\'t! : ))

There was much good food at the wedding reception, which was 2 days long!

There is much more I could write but have to run. If anybody would like photos (once I have
them) I can email them, just let me know!


Warmly,
Raffi

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