Where East Meets West

Wikipedia's version of Promise Ring: A promise ring or friendship ring is a small, inexpensive ring given to a boyfriend or girlfriend, to promise to be committed in a serious relationship. These indicate that serious courting is under-way. It can be given as a symbol that a couple is not yet ready to consider engagement or marriage but are serious about each other and their relationship.

Yan and Enis finally decide to celebrate their love and they through a Promise Ring Party yesterday. Enis graduates this year with ED.D. and will kick off his new career at AIR. Yan is still working on her doctorate. Since Enis will relocate to D.C. soon, they make a decision to annuounce their relationship. I asked Yan what is the difference between promise ring and engagement ring, she does not know. My friend Oslem told me you don't have to have parents's agreement and blessing when you exchange promise ring, but you definitely need that when you engaged. Anyway, it was a fun party. Most people are either Chinese or Turkish, and one of the Turkish girl brought her mom and so she could explain the traditional way of doing this business in Turkey. None of us know about its couterparts in China, so we just enjoy the party. Yan played a slide show of their pictures, their trips together to China, to Turkey and Canada, as well as places here. They sometimes look funny but so happy together! May they stay happy forever and get engaged soon. =!