>>With a sigh, he found the English start
of it...<<

I think I once had someone comment that I write Arabic backwards. Technically, I'm copying it, so I could write it upside-down if I wanted!

>>Kshanti looked alarmed, so Ahzan
hastened to explain...<<

Yeah, odd miscommunications like that happen sometimes. I think the funniest I've gotten are accidentally being propositioned, and an instance of my clarifying question freaking out a bystander.

>>"Man, that is harsh," Kshanti said,
draping a gentle arm around him.<<

Is anyone in town having problems with cultural differences in personal space / cuddling? I don't recall it being mentioned much, but I'd expect that to come up occasionally...

>>"Let me know if you wanna talk.<<

I hope they've got EFA training and suppourt for the helpers... you're never really prepared for the first time someone, very calmly sits you down and explains the horrible things they survived. Or very casually mentions a traumatic even as an aside/context in a conversation about something else.