Goodies from Home

OMG! was my first thought when I saw the package. I wasn't expecting that big of a box. Knowing the friends who sent it I knew that every cubic inch was stuffed. This is what I found once I busted the box open...


This is everything set out on the coffee table.


You can get pasta here but it is expensive. This package will last me awhile and save me lots of Rupees ($$$$$).





The vanilla and cinnamon taste very different here. I tried to make a chocolate cake which called for vanilla. It tasted ok but the vanilla here made it have a dry taste. I don't have to tell you that's not how I want my cake to taste. The cinnamon is very bitter. I think because it is raw and unprocessed. The different soil can also change the taste of things. This is easier to use than having to make powder from the sticks.



These are the other spices and mixes I found in the box. The tea and lemonade mixes cannot be bought here but they will help me drink the liters of water I need to drink to stay hydrated. I haven't seen pudding mixes but I have seen jello mixes and the price was about $5 a box. I can't wait to make some tacos or enchiladas for my friends. Of course, they will be made out of chicken or mutton. The Mongolian spice mix will be used to make some great Mongolian Chicken. Yummy! My friend remembered (or is psychic) that Mongolian B**f is one of my favorite dishes. The B-word is not used here.



This may seem silly but they don't have saltines here. I never thought I would miss something this simple but I do especially when my tummy isn't feeling well. Thanks for taking the suggestion from my Facebook status=) After the cookies I think this is the item I wanted to open and eat first....so strange but true.


My friend is a tea freak as much as I am. This is one of my favorites. Yes, if you know me you know I love the tea here. One of the reasons I loved it was because it was a nice treat. Now I drink it all the time. I have to go to specialty shops or cafes to find other types of tea. I do enjoy that but being able to enjoy it at home is a great perk.


Do I even need to explain this! It's simply about comfort (and I'm a lazy cook).

Here are some special treats that didn't quite survive the journey. The Reese's Pieces will be edible after a period in the fridge. The Cadbury Creme Eggs I think will be appreciated in thought alone. Not sure time in the fridge will make much of a difference. Thanks for trying. It will reach 127 degrees F this week. Chocolate casualties are common during this season.





This warms my heart. It might seem silly but cooking is very laborious here. There are just some days you want to make something quick and simple. These flavors would be hard to create here. They simply taste like home to me.


This is the Bomb Baby! This Rocks so much I can't even explain. I love cereal. Love it. I eat it for dinner often back in the States. I love having variety in my cereal. This is so American of me and I'm not ashamed. A small box of cereal here costs about $6.



YEAH!!!! Cheese biscuits like the ones served at Red Lobster, Blueberry Muffin Mix, and Corn Bread, Baby....That's what I'm talking about. As soon as I move into my new place I will buy an oven and start baking! Can't get berries here. Actually, you can. There's this soft served yogurt place that just opened. You get to select 2 regular fruit and one exotic fruit to go on top of your yogurt. The regular fruit is what we would call exotic back home...mangoes, kiwi, papaya, and other things like that. Exotic fruits here include blueberries and grapes. I love berries and miss them so much. I went to a couple's house this past weekend for tea. They bring dried blueberries and cranberries with them from Canada. They were able to serve me blueberry-cranberry muffins. This was considered a special and rare treat.


Other things that you might spot in the coffee table shot are cookies (Oreos, Chips Ahoy!, Nutter Butter), tuna, M&Ms (they melt in your mouth not in your hands...thank goodness for their hard candy coating=), other candies, and breakfast bars. The cookies you can get here but yet again they are imported so the price is at least doubled if not 5x more than in the States. Same for tuna and M&Ms. The other candy can't be bought here. The breakfast bars will be great for me to eat for breakfast on my early mornings (when I teach at the Japanese School).

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I know I could survive without these things but the love and care that prompted my friends to do this is what's meaningful to me. When they asked me if they could do this I never imagined all of this. I should of because of who they are.

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.