Election Day

Elections here are held in waves. It takes about a month to arrange for a billion people to vote. Different cities and regions vote on different days. Today my city is voting. This means that the foreigners get to stay home while the nationals have to brave the heat to cast their ballots.

What am I doing this Election Day?

I started by sleeping in and then I got up and made some chocolate chip pancakes. Yep, I found chocolate chips in the market yesterday along with some other goodies. As I enjoyed my pancakes I watched a new movie I purchased yesterday. It was thought provoking and provocative as expected for a Deepa Mehta film. I’ve seen her film Water which I highly recommend. Yesterday I bought her films Earth and Fire. This morning I watched Fire.

After the movie I was strangely inspired to shave my legs. If you know me well then you know that I hate doing this usually. Now I have smooth sexy legs. Too bad no one will ever see them. At least I will enjoy them. I guess that’s the point.

I found a recipe for microwave gooey banana bread. Our bananas are going bad so I thought I’d try it. It turned out pretty good for microwave bread. I snacked on some Pringles (sour cream and onion) and warmed up some left over Chinese food. Now I am typing this blog.

Later I will try my hand at making some potato soup (a recipe submitted for my contest). I will end the day by making chocolate cake in a mug. That’s right. It was another creative idea from my contest. Cocoa was another goodie I found in the market yesterday. You mix all the ingredients in a mug and then cook it in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Last night I purchased some vanilla ice cream to go with it. I will probably enjoy eating it while watching American Idol tonight.

Right now I’m going to pop in another movie and pop some microwave popcorn. I am definitely indulging myself in tastes from home. I wish Election Day back home was this relaxing and exciting.

Party Time

I went to my language helper's younger brother's birthday party last night. It was very typical of other parties I've been to....

I arrived when asked (which meant I was early). My language helper's house was being used for doing all the cooking. The guests were seated in the uncle's house directly behind.

I was offered chai and water. I took water and then was brought chai. Others came in over the next hour. Then we were ushered outside to dance. Imagine loud Bollywood music and a bunch of kids busting out dance moves just like you see in Bollywood films. The guests are encouraged to dance. Nani (grandmother) joins in as well as all the other single people in the family.

After we have danced to the point that we are drenched in sweat we are taken back into the uncle's house and it's cake time. The candles are lit along with a plastic rose which has sparklers in the middle and plays the birthday song when lit. The candles are blown out and then we sing. A balloon of confetti is popped. The birthday boy takes the first piece of cake and all the guests are to take a bite from it. Then each of us received a plate with our own piece of cake, chips, cookies and a piece of candy. We eat. Then wait for everything to be cleaned and the floor cleared.

The "table" (a plastic table cloth spread out on the floor) is set and we are seated (women on one side and men on the other). The raita is set out (yogurt based dish). Then the chicken byriani is served (chicken and rice dish). We lucked out and got to serve ourselves (which rarely happens) so we served ourselves small portions because we knew what would happen. Before we could finish our first serving our host was taking our plates and piling it up with seconds. We ate until we were stuffed. By that time I have to excuse myself to head home.

The Easy Picture Post

Sorry for cheating but this was easier than putting them in two places. If you want to see pics from my weekend excursion then click on the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2242568&id=9219468&l=4355a2b187
or cut and paste if it doesn't work=)

More excitement than I wanted last night....

I need to start this entry by being thankful for the A/C room I’m sitting in. Let’s go back 24hours to review how I got here.

Saturday afternoon I went out to one of my new favorite places. I enjoyed a great meal and did some reading. I went home for a short nap before I headed to a small group meeting. Toward the end of the meeting I started to feel uneasy in my stomach. I was a bit gassy. I went home and went to bed in hopes of checking a new place out Sunday morning. I was woken up by sharp pains in my stomach. This could be two things: my IBS reacting to the foods I’ve been eating or I had eaten something bad at the restaurant the late Saturday afternoon.

The stream of fluid that came instead of poop when I went to the restroom let me know that it was definitely something I ate. I went back to bed to quickly return to the restroom. After about four rounds I felt safe to go back to bed. I slept for several hours before waking up to the urge to find the toilet again. After this round I went to get something to drink to insure that I wouldn’t start dehydrating.

I went to the kitchen to make this lemon drink that we drink to boost our electrolytes. As I lifting the bottle of lemon juice from the fridge the top fell off and the bottle went crashing to the floor. Now I have lemon juice and glass all over my bare feet and kitchen floor. After semi-successfully cleaning up the mess I went and stood under a cold shower to rinse the lemon juice and glass off my feet. I promptly went back to bed.

Several hours later I was up visiting the toilet again. Then I went and found some cracker/cookie like things. The crackers here are too buttery to eat when sick. They don’t have saltines. The best option are these semi-sweet biscuits that remind me of teething biscuits. I broke down and drank my Dr Pepper that my roommate found for me. It really helped settle my stomach. I went and crashed again.

I woke up in time for the inauguration of our A/C. I decided to get online and set up a skype date with my sisters and nieces. In the process I connected with a friend on facebook. Chatting with her made my day. We chatted for a while when I got a surprise group call from two of my friends. As I was letting my facebook friend go and answered the skype call the power went out. SUCK!

I was hoping it would come back on soon. I especially didn’t want to miss chatting with my sisters and nieces. I wanted to make closer with my friends so they didn’t think I punked on them. I also was expecting a late skype call from a friend who I hadn’t been able to talk to for almost a month.

Alas, upon examining things our entire power box was blown. We thankfully were able to call a friend and head over to spend the night in her well A/C flat. It might be a few days before we get power back. Different markets are closed on different days. Our market is closed today. We are trying to find an electrician in another part of town that would be willing to come to our part of town to check everything out and see if he can fix it.

I’m feeling much better. I ate toast for breakfast. I think I’m going to rest today and not go to my language helper. I start my language camp tomorrow and I will need to be well rested. I’m typing this and other emails and will have to wait to post/send. I can’t get the Wifi to work at my friend’s house.

Wifi is working now. Good news! The issue was the main wire to our power box had come loose. That’s why we’ve been having so many outages lately. It’s fixed. I will be going home to an A/C home in a couple of hours. YEAH!!!!

Language Learning is like...

A friend of mine emailed me a story about trying out her Spanish on her gardener. She had wanted the gardener to trim her honeysuckle tree. After trying to explain this and thinking he understood she headed to the store. When she returned her tree had become a shrub.

That's language learning for you. You start with a tree and end up with something completely different...completely butchered and over pruned. The hope is that it will grow back into a full and lush honeysuckle tree. The reality is it will take a few years.

No Doubt It's Summer!

I was lying in bed the other night trying to fall asleep when the power went out. With the electricity went the fans and the mosquito repellent nightlights. Immediately I could feel sweat start to run down my face, legs, and arms. My already sweaty back turned into a pool. My hair was drenched with sweat. With my great fragrance of sweat came the mosquitoes. I was so thankful that the outage was short and the fans were running again within an hour. The air from the fan felt really nice against by sweat drenched body.

I bought foam for my bed to help my back problems. Foam is an insulator. Now I'm trying to figure out how to keep the foam but stop it from making my back feel like it's on fire. I might take one of the coir mattresses and put on top of the foam or buy an thin cotton mattress. I need a buffer or I'm going to roast.

My roommate did tell me the A/C man is coming Sunday to maintenance the A/C. That should help a lot. The heat doesn't bother me during the day. I'm use to running around doing errands in the heat. I'm from southeast TX. I'm not use to sleeping in the heat.

It's been in the 100s this week during the day and the low 80s at night. Honestly, it feels cooler outside than inside most of the time. I think it's about circulation. We definitely need to do something because it's just going to keep getting hotter. I've read that it can reach 115-120 F but people have told me it can on rare occasions get up to 130 F. I'm not sure who to believe. I just know it will hot here for the next 5 to 6 months.

Weekend Excursion

I took a short four day trip to the city of Lucknow. It’s an amazing place full of history and rich culture ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucknow ). We took an express train early Thursday morning which put us in Lucknow just after lunch. We found our hotel and settled in. Then we ate a light lunch and took a nap. After our little rest we headed out to explore the newest part of the city.

The newest part of the city is very modern. It has malls and grocery stores and all sorts of things you wouldn’t expect…things we don’t even have where I live. In one of the mall areas we found a restaurant called Barbeque Nation. It uses the traditional Indian style type BBQ but with a variety of meats and veggies from around the world (minus beef and pork). The ambience was very nice with low lighting and a live band. The way the restaurant was sectioned off it felt like you had your own private dining area.

First, they serve some veggies with special dipping sauces and take your drink orders. They had some nice fruity drinks and flavored ice tea which I enjoyed. Then they explained the menu. I wrote it down to share with you.

Here are the Starters/Appetizers…

Veg
Peking Mustard Zucchini and Bell Pepper***
Tahina Mushroom with chili & garlic sauce
Thai Corn Cake with sweet chili sauce
Paneer ke Souley
Sweet & Spicy Topica
Rajma ki Galawat

Non-Veg
Yoh Mani Caribbean BBQ Chicken
Egyptian Lamb Kofta
Peshawari Tangri
Hot & Spicy Fish Cake***
Chermoula Prawns***
Shikhampuri Kebab

Then they remove the middle wooden section of the table and insert the BBQ pit. The starters start coming after that. They are partially cooked before they come and then finish cooking at your table. There are special glazes and sauces you can put on them if you wish.

***My favorite was the prawns and fish patties. I also really enjoy the veggies (minus the mushrooms and cauliflower). Honestly, we made ourselves so full on the starters that we skipped the buffet and went straight to dessert.

You’ll have to check out the website to see what I passed up on the Indian buffet.
For dessert I enjoyed some ice cream, chocolate mousse, and strawberry cake.
The price of this luxurious meal (with drinks)…around $10! http://www.barbeque-nation.com/
*Not all locations have all items shown on website menu*

The next day we spent the morning at the hotel and then went to my roommate’s friend’s house. We enjoyed the day talking and resting. They served us the best Matter Paneer that I’ve ever eaten. Mattar are simple green peas. Paneer is a type of cheese usually served in cubes and has the texture and constancy of tofu. The peas and cheese are cooked in this tomato based gravy/sauce. The cook actually fried the paneer before she put it in the dish. I like the taste of paneer much better when it has been fried. The Mattar Paneer was served with puris. They are puffed up bread that tastes delicious. The remind me of sopapillas. We also enjoyed some fresh kakri (long melon) which is a cucumber like vegetable. For dessert we had a sweet rice dish.

Mattar Paneer

Puris

Later that evening we met up with the team my roommate was hosting. I had the spiciest chow mein ever. I couldn’t even finish it because it was too hot if that tells you anything. We got the team to the hotel and crashed.

The next morning we went sightseeing. The first stop was the Residency. It was a cool place to check out. It’s where the British representative lived when India was still apart of Britain. Lucknow was also the sight of the Munity of 1857. The Residency turned into a fort to protect the British during that event. You can read more by checking out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Lucknow

Lunch was our next stop. From there we went to the Imambara. It’s a Shia shrine. The tomb is actually a labyrinth. You must have a guide take you through the tomb’s twisting and turning stairways and corridors. We also visited the Water Palace but run out of time to see the Chota Mosque. You can check out more on this wonderful and sacred place by clicking on this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bara_Imambara

The best part of the weekend came next. I have a friend who lives in Lucknow. She was a visiting professor at the university where I did my graduate studies. I had tried to contact her before coming but for some reason she never received me email. My roommate’s friend knows my friend and was able to connect us. While the team went shopping I went for tea at my friend’s house. It was so good to sit with someone who knows me. It was great to catch up on life. I finally got to meet her family. She and her husband are both professors. They have invited me to come speak at their schools in the fall about the American school system. I’m excited about the opportunity and the chance to go back and see them.

After tea with my friend I joined the others for dinner at BBQ Nation (of course)! I was able to just eat the things I loved. I skipped the buffet again and went straight to dessert.
Sunday the team, my roommate and I went to my roommate’s friend’s church. It was a good service. Afterwards we had to have a quick lunch and then headed to the train station. Out short trip had come to an end. It was good to get away and good to be back home.

Note: Of course I forgot my camera but I did borrow my roommate's. When I get them from her I will post them.

Recipe Contest Update

I tried the first recipe submitted for the contest and it was really good. Tonight I'm trying another one. Keep them coming!

I went to a market where they have tons of spice shops. I took a chart of spices which had both the English and Hindi names for them. I started a conversation with a spice seller. I got a great lesson on spices and Hindi. I found out I can get just about any spice you can imagine or at least a sufficient substitute.

I did find out that I can get couscous. In the summer I can get avacados. I'll have to wait for them.

A Day That Worked...

I have a list of things that I need to get done and I’ve slowly been checking them off my list. It’s been the status quo for most days never to go right and nothing much gets accomplished. It’s taken me about 3 weeks to get about 5 things done. There are still a few more things left to do.

Yesterday (April Fools' Day of all days) everything just worked out and I got things done. I had planned on doing other things on my list and was heading out the door when my roommate arrived back home from a morning meeting. She said that if I had time she could show me where I could buy the MP3 player with voice recorder I needed for my new language program. I quickly changed my plans and we headed to Nehru Place.

Nehru Place is like electronics central here. If you need anything electronic that’s the place to go. I had been there on my own and went to multiple places to see if they had an MP3 Player with voice recorder but never found one. If you can imagine a large mall and all the stores sell electronics but it’s not clear which shop sells what…that’s Nehru Place. My roommate took me to 3 different shops. One didn’t have it. The other two did! The one wanted a thousand more rupees for theirs. It was an easy decision. I was able to buy an 8GB MP3 Player with voice recorder for about $70. Not too bad. While we were there we went to the print shop which gives good deals if you need to print a large job. I have been needing to print out some material for my language learning projects but hadn’t found a printer that was reasonable in price. That was two things off my list in one day.

After that we stopped in and bought some nice fresh bread and then parted ways. I needed to grab a quick bite to eat and head to another market. I went to Khan Market. It’s your local market with a bit of everything. I usually go there for their cafes, butcher, fruit and veggies, and some more western type items such as toilet paper. Yesterday I needed meat for dinner. While I was there I bought some flowers. Beautiful!

I went home and made dinner. It turned out great. It’s the best success I’ve had in cooking since I’ve been here. All the credit goes to my friend Melanie who submitted a recipe for the contest. The rest of you have to be really good to beat her recipe. It was wonderful and my roommate really enjoyed it. Thanks Mel! I’ll be sharing all the recipes I try when I announce the winner on Memorial Day. Keep sending those recipes in. Tonight I'm making my friend Alisha's chicken and lychees.

In the process of traveling to and fro yesterday I had fair auto drivers who even used the meter! It turned out to be a very good day. I almost forgot. I had my first lesson with my new language helper.

With the help of a friend, I arranged it so that I went to the language helper’s house. That way I didn’t have to depend on her to show up. It was great. I learned so much. It was encouraging. It was also a great cultural experience. They live in the busty near my neighborhood. Let me try to explain what a busty is like.

Another word for busty is slum. The one my language helper lives in isn’t the extreme slum where the houses are made of whatever you can find. It is more established and was originally a village that the city grew up around. It's a maze of twisting alley ways that make finding the house an adventure in itself.

My language lives in a one room building with a concrete slab and plywood walls. They have a light and a small ceiling fan. They don’t have any running water. She lives in this one room with her 2 brothers, mother, and grandmother. It’s about a 15 minute walk and sits just off the freeway behind the crematorium across the nulla (big open drainage ditch).

Everything went really well. Her aunti and grandmother were there and half-way through our lesson one of her brothers arrived. He was a big help (his English is much better). Our lesson ended with the call to prayer. It’s a neighborhood where I need to wear a full salwar suit and cover my head. It’s a great place to learn language and culture. I get to help this family out both financially and honoring them by learning from them.

I had my first really good day.

Recipe Contest

I started receiving recipes. Thank you all for your lovely creations. I can't wait to start trying them on Monday. Some of you have emailed about ingredients not listed.

Yes, I can get

• peanut butter
• vinegar (white and balsamic)
• soy sauce (but it's soy based so I really shouldn't use it---note allergies)
• an assortment of lentils...but not so much beans (I only know of one kind and I'm not a big fan)

I'm not sure I can get...

• couscous
• chili powder ( I can make but not sure if they sell it in powder form)
• cayenne pepper
• avocado

but I will look and see. Still exploring the markets.

I can't use any form of alcohol.

If it's not on the list, please don't assume I can get it. Please ask. It might be that I just haven't come across it or it's way too expensive. I also must confess that I'm not a seasoned chef. Please don't assume I know things. Proportions are very helpful and measurements when possible are appreciated.

Thanks for your hard work and keep those recipes coming. I'll update this post with any changes depending on what I can find.

Your mission if you choose to accept it....

Your mission if you choose to accept it is to create recipes for me to try. I will announce a winning recipe and there will be a prize!

Here are the guidelines:

Ingredients need to be found here locally. Below are common everyday items I can find in the market:

Veggies and other Staples:
Green Beans, Broccoli, Zucchini, Baby Sweet Corn, Corn on the Cob, Carrots, Lettuce, Tomato, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Bell Pepper, Onion, Sweet Potato, Regular Potato, Rice, Eggs, Milk, Cucumber, Okra, Pumpkin (small), lime, lemon, butter, cheese, basic pasta (spaghetti, bow tie, penne).


Fruits:
Bananas, Coconuts, Mango, Papaya, Strawberries, Oranges, Apples, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Lychee, Pears

Below are everyday spices that are cheap and easy to find:
Ginger, Garlic, Curry Leaves, Curry Powder, Mustard Seed, Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Coriander, Cardamom, Bay Leaf, Caraway, Sage, Saffron, Basil, Clove, Sesame, Tamarind, Turmeric, Thyme, Mint, Chili peppers, Masala

A few reminders…
I don’t have an oven (or a Crockpot) I’m talking basic stove top cooking.
Serving size 2 (or 4 and we can have leftovers)
I do have a microwave.
If you include meat it’s got to be chicken or mutton.
Remember that everything is raw and nothing is processed (for example, if I use coconut it's a whole coconut that I must break, drain, remove the flesh, and then grate---it’s not sweetened).
I’m looking for simple and easy recipes.
I’m not looking for Indian recipes but a taste of home.

Allergies: soy

I’m also looking for recipes for homemade salsa, dips (like creamy j), BBQ sauce, sour cream, maple syrup, icing, whip cream, anything from scratch that doesn’t use pre-packaged stuff or mixes. Non-bake dessert ideas would be helpful as well.

I will be accepting recipes through May 1st. I will announce the winner on Memorial Day. I have to have time to try out the recipes!

Please email recipes to bluebonnets4jasmine@gmail.com

Have fun!

My Diagnosis Was Correct!

I went to the doctor today. I was expecting it to be a bit more adventuresome. Alas, it was pretty routine. I was able to find my way there pretty easily (getting back home was a bit more difficult and strange...that's another story). I have Dyshidrotic Dermatitis.

The doctor gave me 2 creams. One cream I have to put on the effected areas after I shower in the morning. The other cream I apply in the afternoon and then again in the evening. The doctor also gave me allergy tablets to take once a day with dinner. I have to use a special soap. I'm suppose to avoid all other soaps and detergents. I have to wear gloves when I do the wash and if I wash dishes. Now I just have to find some.

The doctor confirmed that it's genetic---thanks mom! It's also chronic. It will come back and I need to observe when it comes back in order to avoid the triggers (at least the ones I can control).

The story about coming home...

The rickshaw driver agrees to take me for a somewhat reasonable price. Then he just pulls over about a third of the way there. He waits for another driver to come along. Apparently he didn't know where he was going. He has me get out and the other guy takes me home. He wants a ridiculous amount which isn't decided until we're almost to my flat. As we turn into my neighborhood we get run off the rode into a pile of dirt and almost get stuck. It messes up his auto (poor guy) and we can't go but at a snails pace from there (I could have walked faster). I bear with him and pay him his ridiculous rate b/c he's going to need it to fix his auto.

Something to ponder...

What does it say about a culture when they don't have a word for maintenance?

Hindi Alphabet

People have been asking what the Hindi script looks like...here you go. This is my alphabet chart with words and pictures to help me associate the letter and sound with a word that I hopefully know.

Where I Live...

Here's where I live. My flat is on the first floor (2nd in American terms). Go up the stairs and go to the left.

Here's the view as seen from our balcony.

This is what you see when you enter the flat.

Here's the side profiles.

That's our living and dinning room. Spacious!

Here's the view from the other side of the living/dining room. That's our comfy chair. It's a great place to curl up with a book or relax and watch a movie.

Here's the kitchen...it's one of those great hole in the wall places=)


Here's our typical marble sink. Be careful the drain doesn't get clogged. When you unclog it you might have a flood at your feet (especially if the lower drain is clogged). Make sure you scrap your plate clean!


Here's our lovely cabinets!

Our three range stove which runs off of propane (usually delivered by a man on a bicycle)

If you look at the top right hand corner you can see our stove. It doesn't work at the moment but we'll have it fixed soon. We do have a microwave hiding in the left hand corner!


Here's our very rare fridge with freezer. I was definitely not expecting this. Especially one this big. Beside it is our supply of water which we must use for anything that goes into our mouths (cooking, drinking, brushing teeth, etc.) We can only use the water from the tap to wash dishes, clothes, and ourselves.

Here's my bedroom....





My side of the room and the guest bed.


This is my bedroom window. It's great for keeping the heat out but I guess the view lacks something to be desired.


Here's where I keep my clothes and other things (mine's the one on the right).




Here's my bathroom.....


Here's half of my bathroom. Yeah! for a western toilet. I was expecting a squatty. The white bucket with the cup on the floor is what I use to take a bath when I don't use the shower in my roommate's bathroom.

Here's the other half of my bathroom. This is why I don't have a proper shower in my bathroom.


Here's the lovely view from my bathroom window...



Here's the shower in my roommate's bathroom. I included the famous geyser (which is pronounced geezer) which allows us to have hot water for our shower.

The bottom & top pics fit together (sort of)

That's my flat. I hope you enjoyed the tour.

Dyshidrotic Dermatitis

Dyshidrotic Dermatitis is what I’m pretty sure I have developed on my feet and hands. It actually started back home in May. Yes, 10 months ago. My doctor thought it was a fungus infection but after four rounds of antibiotics, salt soaks, and a steroid anti-fungal cream nothing much has changed. I did some research and talked to my mom (who has a form of dermatitis) and have come to the conclusion that I have inherited this from her. My older sister has it and my mom’s older sister has it as well. It has to do with chemical reactions in our bodies.

Basically, I develop small blisters on my hands and feet. They itch really bad and spread quickly if I don’t pop them. I did find out that you are supposed to pop the blisters to keep it from spreading. It’s not contagious. The blisters are under the skin and make the area feel tender and sore. After the blisters are drained the skin dries, flakes, and then falls off.

It’s a chemical reaction. Various things irritate it. Most soaps, detergents or fragrances make it flare up. Cutting up acidic fruits or veggies and even raw meat can cause blisters to form. Exposure to nickel such as in money, computer keyboards, cocoa/chocolate, whole grains, and nuts can aggravate it. Changes in the seasons can either help clear it up or make it worse. Certain medicines (one which I take) can prolong it. As always stress is a factor.

Some people get it once and it goes away forever. Other people have it on and off for their entire life. It can get extreme enough to where one can’t use their hands or feet. So far I have a mild case and am going to the doctor to see what they suggest for treatment here.

Some treatments are simple creams and/or powders. Others are oral medications. For extreme cases they have UV Light therapy. The key is to keep your hands and feet dry and away from irritants. I might end up taking an allergy test. I’m hopeful that there will be something that will help me take care of my hands and feet and prevent infection.

If you are interested in more info, here are two websites I found:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyshidrotic_dermatitis
http://www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/dyshidrotic_dermatitis.html

Out of the Mouth of Babes!

I chatted with my mom the other night when she informed me that I live in heaven. Here’s the story....

My mom was driving with my two nieces (ages 7 & almost 4) in the car when she overheard one of them say, “Christy’s in heaven.” My mom was in shock and asked, “What do you mean?” My youngest niece explained, “Christy is going away for a long time and we can’t see here. She’s in heaven.”

Then when I skyped them my youngest niece said, “Christy’s calling from heaven.” Good to know these things. I’m sure India will be reflected in heaven but I’m pretty sure India itself is not heaven. It’s got its own charm and beauty but I’m hoping for a lot better than this.

Cooking 101

You would think that if you took the same ingredients that you use at home to make a dish then it would come out the same here, right? NO! Tomato puree tastes different here than in the States so one needs to season it differently. In fact, tomato puree is better left not used for any recipe from home. But what do you use instead?

I think my answers have been solved. I was given a cookbook today filled with recipes from the States but using local ingredients. The substitutes and variations on measurements are there. It includes everything from fun drinks like Orange Julius to main dishes like enchiladas and desserts and sides and dips. It’s wonderful. I will no longer have to just make stir fried veggies with some sort of meat. The cook book also gives spice info including the Hindi name.

In addition to the cookbook I have been able to watch my friend cook all week which has given me helpful hints on easy preparation of a variety of Indian dishes. She’s also given me nifty ideas for snacks, lunch, and breakfast. A lot of thinking outside the box and trying new combinations.

It’s been good to hear the struggles of her first year here. It apparently takes 3 to 6 months to really learn how to cook. No wonder so many people higher cooks!

We’ve also had great conversations about the struggles of the first year. It takes time to adjust and it’s a “job” in itself. Other than adjusting and learning Hindi my support system is really encouraging me not to get anxious about “doing” anything. I think I’m starting to embrace this more and more. It really does a number on your identity. I’m definitely not competent at much here. It all makes you reevaluate your values and priorities.

It’s just good to know it’s all normal and one day I will be able to function as well as my friend and her family. I must give it to them. All of them have dietary restrictions. This week with me thrown in none of us could all eat the same thing but we still ate very well.

I discovered that my friend and I both have IBS. This can be a challenge to manage back home but change your entire diet and see what it does to you. She was able to give me some very helpful local remedies. One of them I’ve used back home (peppermint oil) and it helps. In certain circumstances I need something more powerful. That’s where Psyllium Husk comes in. It worked magic on me. I haven’t been this regular since before my IBS meds were taken off the market. I had been able to manage it with peppermint oil and special yogurt in the States but the yogurt doesn’t seem to be working here. Psyllium Husk is basically a type of fiber. You just put a couple of teaspoons in some water or juice and drink it. It’s peppermint oil in the morning and psyllium husk at night

Holi: The Festival of Colors

Holi is the festival that marks the beginning of “spring.” What it really marks is the beginning of the HOT season. Indians will tell you they really only has three seasons: Hot, Wet, & Cold (at least where I live). We are transitioning into the Hot season.

Holi lasts for two days. The legend behind Holi is as follows (from what I understand):

Legend says that there once was an evil king whose name was Hiranyakshyap. He had forbidden anyone to worship anyone else but him. His son, Prahlad, went against his father and worshiped Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakshyap had a sister named Holika. She was given a boon not to be harmed by fire. Hiranyakshyap convinced (or demanded) his sister to take Prahlad into a bonfire. (Another version says that Prahlad was asked to put Lord Vishnu to a test and willing sat in the fire with his aunt.) Lord Vishnu saved Prahlad and allowed Holika to die in the fire. One the first day of Holi, people recreate the bonfire and burn large Holika figures in honor of Lord Vishnu saving Prahlad.

On the second day of Holi, people spend the day throwing colored powder and water at each other. It’s supposed to ward off sickness caused by the weather change and commemorate the colors of spring. Lots of children start throwing the colored powdered several days before the actual festival.

In reality, Holi is also the time when people let loose and forget social rules. They party, drink, and get a bit wild. I’ll have to tell you what that looks like later.

From Life Sucks to "Light Bulb" Moments

You know those life experiences that you know are going to be hard…moving out on your own for the first time, marriage, having kids, retiring…any transition really. It doesn’t matter how prepared you are intellectually for these events or what wisdom those who have gone before you have given you nothing but experience can really tell what that hard feels like. And it sucks. I’m sorry, I didn’t get that quite right…IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That basically describes my life Thursday through Monday. No details necessary. Some things are best left unsaid/untold. Today was quite opposite of the suckiness. It was a “light bulb” day. It was one of those days where things just sort of clicked. Hindi class seemed easier (manageable). I met with my language helper for the first time and I think it’s going to be a good thing. I explored a new market. I encountered a store which I call heaven. I knew it would be wonderful because it’s where we get our cheddar cheese. Things really just clicked today. I felt successful and was actually thriving instead of just trying to survive the day or next task. Sometimes it does feel like I’m on the show The Amazing Race or Mission Impossible…”your mission today if you choose to accept it…”

I can’t wait till Friday. Next week is a holiday here. My boss and his wife have invited me to come spend it with them. I will go there Friday. It’s about an hour from my house just outside the city. I’m just so excited to be with a family. They have two kids-a seven year old son and a nine year old daughter. I’ll get some kid time and adult time and girl time. I’m not sure what I’ll do with myself. It will also help me avoid a bad experience of being in the city during the Festival. I hear it gets pretty crazy. It will be much calmer at their place so I might actually get to participate in some of the fun. I’ll have another entry explaining the festival in a few days.

One Month/One Week

I’ve officially hit my one month mark. So far so good. I had an interesting week with a bunch of randomness. Let me try to make sense of it for you.


Monday I skipped class. I just wasn’t ready to face it again. I watched the Oscars instead and then went to check out a place we call CP. It’s basically this huge roundabout. It has shops in rings going out from it. I haven’t had a chance to check out what’s all there. It was good timing because my roomie could show me how to get to the nearest metro stop and I could get my rechargeable metro card before my mini-trip on Thursday. I was truly impressed. It’s as nice and efficient as any public transportation in Germany.


CP was okay. I didn’t enjoy walking around much. I’m not much of a shopper and I didn’t have anything I was looking for so I lost interest pretty quickly. I also seemed to be getting stared down more intensely and by more people than usual. I slipped into a coffee shop and read a book while my roomie met with a friend.


After her meeting, my roomie took me to the foam shop. I am so thankful for this foam. I was able to sleep through the night and wake up without back pain for the first time since I arrived.
Tuesday I went shopping for our weekly veggies and fruits. I found a café that served pancakes so I could celebrate Fat Tuesday. I studied Hindi and prepared for Ash Wednesday.


Wednesday was a very typical day. I went to class and came home. I studied Hindi, read and watched some mindless TV. I did get to chat with a friend who I haven’t talked to since June. She is among the few of my friends that ended up in KY somehow. They all live very near each other. It definitely makes KY a place I want to visit when I come back to the States.


Thursday was a little adventure for me. I was invited by an associate to have lunch. She lives over an hour away. I took the metro literally from one end to the other (maybe minus 2 stops). It was nice to be in a home and get to know someone new. I left there to go meet my roomie for dinner at a friend’s house.


This was when the drama began. I’ve only been to this friend’s house once in the day time coming from my place. This time I was coming from another part of town in the dark. I had a very stubborn auto driver. When we reached her neighborhood he wasn’t willing to listen to my directions. He wouldn’t go far enough down the street and kept turning around. Then he would stop and ask others on the street for directions. It just got a bit ridiculous. We finally reached the street where the friend lives and I asked the driver to stop. He wouldn’t because the entrance to the street states “no entry.” You can see the house from the entry and I just needed out and I could walk down the street. But he wouldn’t stop and kept driving into other neighborhoods to find a back way into this place. At one point (in a very shady spot) he almost kicked me out but this man convinced him that if he just followed the directions given we would find the house. I finally convinced him to get back on the main road and just drop me off and I walked to the house (which was right across the street).


After a very nice dinner we returned home exhausted. I crashed and forgot to turn my alarm on even though I set it. Luckily I got up in time for class.


My classes today were not good, great, and much improved. It apparently helped to have talked to the assistant director on Wednesday. My conversation partner is a sweet woman and a new teacher. I have great sympathy for new teachers. I lost it and instead of getting mad I cried. People here don’t know what to do with that. I tried to explain my dilemma.


I know I have gaps. A great part of that is missing the first 4 weeks of class (yeah, I figured out it was 4 not 3 weeks). I’m not sure what my gaps are. I know one is I haven’t learned what they call the matra which is like the alphabet song. There are random letters I still have difficulty recognizing and reading. I can split my vocab into three basic categories. Ones that I know/can produce/read, ones that I know/may or may not be able to produce/but can’t read, then the ones that I don’t know at all even if I can read them. I have studied the chapters multiple times. There are things that they have covered that are not in the textbook. Even if I studied the textbook it doesn’t mean that I understand it (even if I think I do). Today was a perfect example. (read further)


At the end of this conversation with my conversation partner asked, “Weren’t you here from the beginning.” Talk about gaps. Her solution was to go back to the first dialogue and read through the chapters. Ugh. Her assignment was for me to teach myself the matra by Monday. I think I’m going to need help with that which isn’t scheduled till Tuesday.


My grammar class was much better. I felt like I got a lot out of it. I recognized one of the things that I thought I understood but have really misunderstood. The concept has really been throwing other things off. I was able to talk to my grammar teacher about it during private tutoring. Tutoring was therefore more effective.


I went and talked to the head director. She understood my circumstance. She was also surprised about the level at which the other students are at but admitted there wasn’t much she could do. They only have one beginner class each semester. She did offer to give some new material to my conversation partner which if she covers will hopefully fill in some gaps. The first thing on the agenda is the matra. It’s really true that everything you need to know you learned in kindergarten=)


I went to my after school café, had lunch, and took a break to read my book. I realized I didn’t put the name of the book on my other post. It’s the City of Djinns. If you want to know about where I live you should check it out. It’s proving to be very insightful and is helping me understand my context within history.


Now I’m watching American Idol which was ruined by facebook posts. I just finished skyping with a very dear friend. I miss her and her family so much. Thank you Sesame Street and nap time for providing down time for a mommy to chat with a friend. Speaking of skype, I have an appointment to talk to my family pretty early in the morning. I should say good night.

Miracles Happen

I tried to sleep in this morning but I was up a 4:30am. I ended up falling back to sleep around 6:30ish and getting up at 9am. Not too bad. I got up and got ready for the day. I watched Annie while eating breakfast---that will put a smile on anyone’s face. I have several new places to go to this next week so I spent some time looking at the city map. Still getting my bearings. The map helps me match what I’m seeing to the larger layout of the city. Today was the first time I had the sense that I actually knew where I was. I’ve only been to this market once before. It was a great feeling. Much needed after yesterday.

The biggest surprise was the price I paid to get there. I waved down an auto driver and told him where I wanted to go. Then comes the usual question of ‘how much?’ and the haggling begins. But not today. The driver quoted the standard metered fare to this particular market. I clarified the price three times before I got in. I was so stunned that I almost couldn’t move. I was so happy I could have kissed the man. In my best broken Hindi-English I tried to tell him as I paid the fare that he was the first driver to not cheat me and I was very thankful.

Then I found a wonderful book store (yes, my greatest weakness). I only bought two books. One is a classic here (Tagore’s Gora) and the other is a book my roommate recommended to me. She says that if I’m going to live in this city that I must read this book. She’s right. I read the first two chapters and it made be so excited to be here. It inspires me to go and explore this ancient city and understand her soul. I was so tickled to find the first chapter begins in my neighborhood. It put a smile on my face and made me laugh. I so needed that day.

I also enjoyed a dessert which I don’t do on a regular basis. There aren’t any words to describe this ecstasy. If salvation came in a cake, I think this might be the way. It was this date cake with toffee sauce. It was hot and had a spicy twist to it. Oh, how I love toffee. If I was in the States I would definitely have been moaning aloud. Those who know me and how much I enjoy food have experienced this.

I came home (at a reasonable price), kicked back, and took in the news from three sources (BBC via Internet, local newspaper, CNN Nightly News on the TV). It was intriguing to see the various perspectives and differences in what was (and was not) reported. Now my roomie is home and dinner is almost ready. I think we are going to veg and watch old TV shows.

Hindi

My teacher wrote a poem and translated for us. I wanted to share it with you.

Hindi, I salute you.
Hindi, I salute you.
I love you so much
That I crossed the seven seas
Whatever the cost
As soon as possible
Become my tongue

Can I get an Amen? There’s something refining about learning a language. You are put through the fire and come out with a second soul. I just keep holding on to that thought.

Many times when we ask questions in class the teacher answers, “We will learn that in lesson x.” It’s so odd being back in a rote memory class style (especially while making the transition from being a teacher to a student).

It’s also been helpful to learn expectations. I have now learned that before we come to class we should have read the next chapter, learned the vocab and grammar, and be prepared to use the grammar and vocab. Yeah, I might as well be teaching myself…oh, wait…I basically am.

Language reveals a lot about a culture. Here are some discoveries about Hindi that are helping me understand the culture.

First, there aren’t any patterns to their numbers. In English we have 1-10 then some odd numbers like 11 & 12 but then start a pattern of ----teen. Then we name the 10s and add to it like twenty, twenty-one and so on. Then we repeat this pattern and put 100 or 1000 or whatever in front of it. Yeah, in Hindi every number is special enough to have its own unique name…no patterns. (Except Ordinals) Now I know why they round and have flat rates. When the number isn’t commonly used they say it in English. I’m sure there’s more to it that I’ll discover later.

A very important discovery was the use of very specific names for family members. There is a specific word for each person in the family. (Who you are and how you relate determines a lot around here) There’s a word for mom and dad. Then there are different names for sister depending on if they are younger or older. Same for brother. Grandmother/Grandfather is different depending on if it’s your mom’s mom/dad or your dad’s mom/dad. Even uncle and aunt. This is mind blowing. There’s a name to call your uncle who is the older brother of your dad. There’s another name to call your uncle who is the younger brother of your dad. They change for your mom’s side of the family. Aunt works the same way. There are at least 4 words for uncle and 4 words for aunt. Let’s not get into in-laws.

My teacher was helping me learn just the words that apply to my family. I was so thankful for having a very simple small family. I laughed (this is for you Ryan) when we started talking about brother-in-law. I said it was my older sister’s husband. She insisted that I added the honor ending “ji” (which I don’t have any problem showing my brother-in-law respect). Then the teacher found out he’s the same age as me and decided I didn’t have to. My brother-in-law has a month on me so I don’t mind (Ryanji).

I’ve found irony in this one word that I can never pronounce correctly. I always blank when I read it as well. The word is teacher. Yes, I can identify or say my own profession.

I did say something in class Wednesday that none of the other students knew. Why wouldn’t I know how to say Mujhe gulab jamun basant hai----I like gulab jamun (it’s a sweet here). I have to remember moments like that when I leave class feeling like a blundering idiot.

Hiding Under the Covers

It happened. I reached that point where I just had to escape. The only place I found that made the world disappear was under my covers, with the fan on, and my iPod playing in my ears.

I simply had just had it. I know it was brought on by being tired. We had a guest stay with us last night. She snored, tossed and turned, and was up and down all night. Considering her bed was just a yard away from mine---I didn’t sleep. My roommate felt so bad she let me take her treasured thermos full of coffee (she made) to class with me. Today was my long day. I never thought it was going to end. (Note: I also haven't been sleeping well in general b/c my back is acting up...hopefully that will be resolved this weekend when I go buy some foam.)

There is always noise here. The school is no exception (considering it’s located in a YMCA which runs a school for kids). Today was extra loud. First, there was this cat. It kept meowing and meowing and meowing and meowing and you get the point. I just kept thinking, “Please, kill the cat or take it out of the school.”

Then they are remodeling the school. They are literary tearing down cinder block walls with sledge hammers and jack hammers. It’s one thing when it’s three floors below you but today it was next door. I guess I’ll be more thankful when they are done with the new restrooms.

What made me just twitch and completely lose my concentration was what I think was the sweeper lady. Yes, sweeping. She was sweeping outside using a broom made of branches against concrete. The sound is much like fingernails on a chalk board.

To top it all off the smell at the construction site from a few weeks ago that made me vomit…oh yeah, it was starting to seep into our classroom from whatever they were doing from downstairs. It wasn’t as strong as the other place but it definitely was turning my stomach.

You put that on top of the stress and pressure I feel every time I go to class anyway and I was running out the door after my three classes today. What did I do? I went to the local café and finished my flash cards for the first nine chapters of my text book. Yep, that’s right. We are now on chapter 9. My grammar and individual tuition teacher keeps saying I need to catch up, know my vocab, review all the chapters, identify all the grammar I don’t get yet and ask about it when we meet on Fridays. I don't know what he thinks I'm doing, but it's obviously not good enough for him (not enough evidence yet that I've been frying my brain to catch up....it's just nine chapters in six days of class).

Do you know how many words are in 9 chapters? Almost 200 and most of them don’t overlap what I already know…what are the odds? I’m not even going to talk about the amount of grammar we’ve (sorry---they’ve) covered. But actually I found out that the original class was two couples who have studied before or have lived here for 10 years. They actually didn’t cover everything and they’ve had lessons that aren’t even in the book. Then another girl joined about a week late who also shouldn’t be in beginner Hindi. I was comforted when I found out that this other guy in my class came a bit late as well and is struggling too. He is about where I am. The others are so far ahead of us and the teacher has paced the class to their ability. Ugh. Some of them ask their questions in Hindi and I can’t even understand what they're asking. Really, we should not be in the same class. I asked about extra help and none of the teachers have any space in their schedule.

The teacher in me has flipped. THIS IS NOT HOW YOU TEACH SOMEONE TO LEARN ANOTHER LANGUAGE (at least that’s my opinion). My conversation teacher says I’m not speaking enough. (She did say I had good comprehension) I don’t think I’ve listened enough. I started working with my house help. It will be rough at the beginning (she doesn’t speak English) but I think it will be helpful in the long run.

It’s killing me not being able to do well. I’m sure I’m being harder on myself than anyone. I don’t even agree with their expectations but I have this need to perform. If I step back and think about where I truly think I should be then I’m doing ok. I say ok because there are some areas I am really slacking and some I’m doing really well.

The result of all this frustration was me needing to escape. I came home from the café and disappeared for two hours under the covers. It helped so much. I have now emerged and am writing this.

I must say there was irony to the songs that came on my iPod. It started with the soundtrack my friends made for me of my year in Germany. The first song---Somewhere Over the Rainbow. My family and close friends will understand that reference because my backyard is pretty big (right, mom?). What made me ever think this was my dream come true? Then John Lennon’s Imagine came on. I must have been a crack addict in a past life because that’s the only way this song would be comforting. I feel like a disillusioned hippie who went to India to find herself and then after arriving asked herself, “Why in the hell am I here?” I knew this was coming.

There are cycles in culture shock. The first phase is the honeymoon. Everything seems great. You’ve finally made it and it’s what you’ve always wanted. Then reality hits and you hate everything. I think I’m crossing over to that phase. I sort of missed the phase where I love everything here. Maybe I covered that in my first three trips which convinced me to live here. The part of that phase I’m not missing (and wish I was) is dealing with being an American here. That’s just something I won’t blog about. From past experiences I know this will resolve (hopefully sooner than later). I also know that it will probably get worse before it gets better. It’s a repeating cycle until you get resettled and that takes about a year or two. At least they're moments (or days) and not entire months yet=)

Faces

Something I've noticed in the short time I've been here are faces. There's something about a face. Looking at a face is like reading a story. The lines, the curves, the shadows, the wrinkles, the chubby cheeks, the thinness, the jaw line, the eyes, the lips. It all comes together to show you not only the past, but the present and future.

I'm the type of person who likes to look at people and smile as I pass them. Here it is culturally inappropriate for me to do that with men. So I have to censor who I look at. It's been an interesting challenge. I love the surprise looks I get from women and children when I make eye contact and smile. Some are terrified, others blush, and others pause for a second and smile back.

Another way I have experienced this face phenomenon is through skype. It is wonderful to hear people's voices but there's a dynamic change when you add a face. It means so much to see my nieces and not just hear them. I was able to see a good friend for the first time in about two years and I was overwhelmed to tears. Tonight I got to see my best friends and my godchildren. I could see the excitement on their faces as they talked to me. I was able to make faces at the baby and make him smile. It also helps deal with change. I remember coming back after being gone a year and my dad's hair had greyed and a bald spot had started. I was so shocked. Kids grow and change so fast. With skype I'll be able to see these changes.

I think faces are why we like pictures. I received a pic via email from a friend of a special group of people and for the past week all I've wanted is to see the faces of these people. I've replied to most emails this week with a request of pictures.

I love faces!

Sounds outside my door...

At any given time there are many sounds outside my door (or window). As I write this I hear the call to prayer along with a wedding band with each member playing their own tune. The veggie man is calling out "subzi" in hopes that you need some last minute veggies for dinner. Then there's the honking of horns. The small "beep, beep" of autos, the loud deafening car horns, and the ringing of the bells from cyclist trying not to get ran over and the rumbling of kamikaze buses mixed with squeals of taxi breaks. I can hear the freeway in the distance and the exhaust pipes releasing the fragrant incense that will make every sunset and sunrise glimmer in a foggy haze. There's the random chorus of dogs barking and children playing. I can ease drop into my neighbors' conversation (as they probably can and do ease drop into my conversations) and whoever is passing through the street behind my house. Then of course there's those random fireworks. There's the occasional ambulance siren. My favorite sounds are in the morning. I can hear birds (which I haven't found any reason yet to not like). It's not like the invasion of the birds where I used to live. Then sometimes I think I hear monkeys. There's the wonderful soundtrack of a Bollywood movie blaring from someone's car. It truly is a symphony to experience.

Addictions, Withdrawals, and Ramblings

This is the time of day when my brain is fried and I become stranger than normal=)
I just posted an Ode to Pepto. I love that tiny pink pill. My tummy is starting to make adjustments and my special friend is helping it transition.

I started forgetting my English. There have been several words yesterday and today that I just couldn't think of. I do know that I can read, write, and say my colors in Hindi. Very important.

I am starting to go through withdrawals...at least that's what I'm blaming my cravings on. I would love a plate of cheese enchiladas or enchiladas verde or empanadas or...you get the idea, rice, beans, chips, queso, how about some creamy j, and a Dr. Pepper. How about some Blue Bell to follow? Yeah, not happening. That's ok. I had a wonderful lunch of maggie noodles (ramen noodles) with left over tomato soup and grated cheese melted on top with toast. It is Tuesday night which means our house help made a real Indian meal. I will honestly enjoy that. Homemade rotis are a good substitute for tortillas. She made one of my favorite subzi (veggies)...okra masala. You can't have a meal without dhal (lentils). We are making some rice as well... not quite what I'd get at a Mexican restaurant but it is rice=)

Good news! I made dinner last night and it was more than edible. I made some broccoli sauteed in butter and fresh garlic, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and I cheated and ordered Afghan chicken from a local place. If you ever come to visit, you have to try this chicken. It's so good!

I woke up this morning and realized that I've been here three weeks. ONLY THREE WEEKS!?! It feels like so much longer. Then I realized that 3 weeks is almost the half-way mark of the usual time I've spent here. Reality: 3 weeks is nothing in relation to how long I will be here. It actually made me feel much more gracious toward myself. I've only been in Hindi class for a week. I'm not sure what I was thinking. I'm doing pretty good for a week of class. I start working with my house help this week. After exams her daughter is going to help me with my reading.

My roommate again reminded me of the need to celebrate the small things and important markers. We calculated the day that would mark the day after the longest time I've ever been here....March 25th....that's 8 weeks and one day. Now I just have to decide what to do.

Ode to Pepto

My special friend
small and pink
makes my tummy happy
and let's the gas pass
My special friend
small and pink
turns my tongue black
and makes me relax
My special friend
small and pink
you are welcome
at every meal
My special friend
small and pink
I love you!

Fireworks, weddings, & dogs = no sleep

It's wedding season and we live near a wedding hall. This means wedding bands most nights to all hours of the night. I also saw a horse all decorated with flowers walking down the street. For some reason the past couple of days it also has meant endless fireworks. Fireworks that sound like guns going off randomly throughout the night. Each time they go off the neighborhood dogs decide to go off as well. These past two nights have been the first nights I haven't been able to ignore the "wonderful" noises outside our flat. Just as there isn't any space here; there isn't any quiet.

My brain is mush but I feel inspired (for now)...

Monday mornings are like whiplash. I spent most of Sunday sleeping or reading. My stomach is feeling not so normal. My roommate says it’s just adjusting. That’s a nice way to put it. She also warned me that I would inevitably be getting sick sooner or later. I’m just waiting for my bonding experience with my toilet.

Back to the whiplash. My roommate made me not look at my books this weekend because she said I needed a break. You never really get a break from language learning. I did need a break from the formal book study after the first week of class. I just did some conversation and asked for the Hindi name for tons of things. Being in class this morning gave me whiplash. I think that’s going to be the routine. Mondays I’m going to feel overwhelmed and blindsided but by Friday I will feel more confident and successful.

I went to my café and studied after class and came up with a plan. Of course, my ideal plan that I had made before coming was thrown out the window because of arriving late. As one of my favorite professors likes to say, “You live in plan B while aiming for plan A.” I am trying to make the most of plan B while trying to get as much of plan A in as possible. The revised plan is ambitious. It’s not meant to be done by my next class (Wed). Hopefully, it will compensate for being behind. I feel that it’s just my confidence that is lagging now more than anything else.

The Best Valentine's Day!

Today was wonderful. I woke up early to chat with my family on skype. My oldest niece had a Valentine to show me which she will be sending me. My grandmother and uncle were also there. I got to wish my uncle a Happy Birthday since his birthday is Tuesday.

While I was talking to them a good friend called and I arranged to call her back. After I talked to the entire clan I called my friend. It was good to see a friend. This particular friend I haven’t seen in years. We have managed to stay close over email and phone calls. She is one of those rare gifts in my life. I was thrilled to talk to her. I did miss getting to “meet” her little one. We’re arranging another time so I can meet him.

After that I went back to bed. This past week wiped me out. Language learning is so draining. When I’m in class my entire thoughts shift into German and Spanish. I spoke to my house help in German on Friday. Didn’t do much good. I’m improving a little bit every day.

I woke up about one in the afternoon and got ready for a Valentine’s picnic. My roomie surprised me with a small box of heart shaped cookies with red and pink icing. She spoils me. The picnic was so much fun. It was just a bunch of my roommate’s friends. I got to meet a lot of new people. We played silly games and had tons of junk food and tea. The weather was perfect and the garden was lovely.

Now we are back home and my roommate is cooking dinner. This is always a treat because my meals still lack much to be desired. We’ve had a quiet evening at home.

This has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day but it doesn’t need its own entry. I bought my first piece of furniture. It’s a nice cane bookshelf. It helps give me much needed space in my room. We found it in a market last night. It was a new market for me. I had fun exploring and found an alphabet chart and some children’s readers. Today in another market I found readers with both Hindi and English. So exciting!