I am actually going to try to use YouTube to post videos, so I took the videos off of my blog, as it just slowed down the loading time here in India, and I thought maybe it might do the same elsewhere in the world, but maybe I have just been here too long, and see things in a more chaotic and unpredictable way, and am assuming that the whole world works this way?   I do have a few good days where I am cool with the hectic craziness, and the other days I just do not want to get out of bed and face it.  Today was a good day.  I left the hotel thanks to my driver, Santosh, who called around 12:30 to see if I needed the car this afternoon.  I had been thinking about calling him, but kept putting it off.  He knows my schedule pretty well, and most Thursdays I do run errands, but I was considering skipping it and taking a tennis lesson.  But, when he called, I decided to go out and brave it by myself and pick up the things I need for this coming weekend.  It was fine.  I do tend to get overly stimulated which has been an issue since the brain surgery, but India will overstimulate anyone--even those who have all of their brains.  ;-)  

I am going to post pictures of some places that we have eaten recently.  We have become more and more adventurous (or maybe a better word would be irresponsible) with our eating.  I'm really not sure if we are being overly confident or not.  This week, I have backed down with trying new things at new places, as I really, really do not want any of us to become violently sick.  So far, so good, but it feels a bit like Russian Roulette. 

Roasted Peanut Vendor in Mahabelshwar

Fresh cabbage

Vada Pav made by our driver's wife and sister

Where our driver's family eats

Our driver had us over to his home last Sunday to watch his wife and sister make Vada Pav.  Vada Pav is a famous dish in our state, Maharashtra.  It is made up of a potatoes and  freshly ground chilies formed into a patty and dipped in a chick pea batter, deep fried, and served in a bun with more fried chilies.  The girls and Andrew thought it was crazy hot, but I seem to have lost my heat sensor and thoroughly enjoyed 3 vada pavs, but I paid for it dearly with headaches.  Was it worth it?  Yes!!! 

Restaurant in the country

Sugar cane juicer

Sugar cane juice

Produce vendor

Mahabelshwar strawberries

Grilled corn with lemon and a chili mixture

This corn is everywhere and is wonderful

Roasting chick peas

Seasoned chickpeas

Fresh honey--we did not buy this ;-)

Utapam and fresh pomegranate juice

Paper dosa

Famous vada pav stop outside of Pune

Wonderful restaurant in the country about an hour from Pune

Happy New Year! We had a wonderful holiday, and thoroughly enjoyed spending our days with no obligations and nowhere in particular to go. We did not venture out too much around town, we mostly just stayed here at the hotel. We had no desire to be busy. Andrew and I would sit in the lounge daily after our breakfast until 12:30 or 1:00 talking. I with my jasmine green tea and Andrew with his cappuccino. The girls would take their scooters out to the walking path for awhile, play at the park with the kids, or fly their helicopters with their sweet friend Neeha while Andrew and I chatted. It was LOVELY. It's too bad that it had to come to an end.

It's the girls' tradition to sleep by the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve

Since Tuesday, we have been back on our work/school schedule. For English class, one part of it is blogging. I do not take the time to read their posts before they publish them, as this is their journal, and I do not believe in grading or correcting journals. I just let them write whatever they want, and as fast and furiously at they can get their thoughts down. It is very cathartic for them to share what they are experiencing with their friends and family. You can find them here :  www.frombraziltoindia.blogspot.com   unordinarylife-sam.blogspot.com

I talked Andrew into taking me to the Pune Train Station today.  It was over stimulation on every level--a mix of excitement and deep sadness.  The smells are horrid, it's loud, dusty, crowded, and there are destitute people all around.  The girl below was one of many begging for money.  We do not give them money (even though I ache to), as the poverty is organized, and we do not want to aid their "pimp." We do give them food, but we did not have any treats for children with us today, so I took this little ones picture and showed it to her which produced a gigantic smile.  I wish I could have captured her joy at that simple thing.  I wonder where she is sleeping tonight.  My heart breaks at the mistreatment of children, women, and the street dogs.  It is devestating to see life treated as something disposable--meaningless.     

When we returned from the train station, there was a wedding procession about to start.  The men and boys in their handsome black suits were having  rich colored turbans wrapped around their heads. 

I hope your 2012 is filled with peace and joy. 

Leigh and her paper dosa--notice the guys behind us  ;-)

The perfect bite: dosa wrapped around seasoned potatoes, with coconut and tomato chutney on top

Sugar cane with a baby sleeping on top of the pile

A sugar cane train

Inside the 100 year old Mukti orphanage church

Some of the ex-pat ladies at the Thanksgiving Dinner

Here are some snapshots of the past couple of weeks.  I was sick last week, so all of our plans were put on hold while I rested in bed.  I do not have any pictures of the orphanage children, but will take some this Thursday.  The girls have blogged about the orphanage, and everything they said is true.  It's definitely a God thing.  It is the cleanest place in India that I have visited thus far, and the children and the adults who work there are genuinely happy and sweet.  We are looking forward to spending our Thursday afternoons there.

The girls are doing wonderfully.  There really was never an adjustment period for them.  I know it is because we are surrounded by wonderful friends here at the Oakwood.   The people here are amazing--so kind, so genuine, so helpful, so smart, so funny.   We will miss these wonderful friends all too soon.  :-(    We are blessed to be here at this time.


 

           

Our Unreal Reality

Serenading our neighbors

This week has been the best week so far as it feels that life is regaining its sense of rhythm.  We seem to have nailed down a nice routine that allows us all to do what we need to do in regard to work and school, and also to have some fun on the side.

Living here is not reality (at all).  For example, we are literally surrounded by wonderful people who have fast become friends, breakfast is unbelievably amazing with its varied options and freshness (and friends), the weather is perfection--so much so that when we asked last weekend if the girls were interested in going to see a film Sam said, "It's such a beautiful day, I'd hate to see it go to waste," and we find ourselves wondering if there will ever be a crummy, cloudy, cold day.  It is truly a happy place.  The ex-pats here are all so very friendly and down-to-earth.  It feesl like we are living an ex-pat version of the sitcom "Friends," as we are personally sharing our lives throughout the day with the other folks who live here at the Oakwood--whether it is breakfast, at the pool, chatting at the playground, eating out, riding in rickshaws together, or having tea in each others flat.  Often times I have to cloister myself in the apartment to relax and let my mind settle.  I still find myself with a headache when I socialize too much, but living here has been such a blessing for when I do fatigue the girls can keep on visiting at the hotel park where I know they are safe.

Tomorrow we are going to visit an orphanage that was started over 100 years ago for destitute women and their children.  Living here makes me feel everything a thousand times deeper--like gratefulness for example.  I am ever so grateful to be me, and I feel guilty about it.  I have experienced many losses throughout my life...but, when I see the kids on the streets, my burdens feel painfully light, like I have been weeping over carrying a humming bird's feather, while everyone else has been bearing a two ton boulder, and all of a sudden my problems and pain feel trivial and embarrassing.

Violin lessons over Skype with Mr. Henry in Iowa

Hotel lobby--flowers for the Diwali Celebration

The girls' adopted puppies that live on our street

Strings of marigolds

Sidewalk in Pune--they are not all this bad.  ;-)

Housing

Snoozing at the bus stop

Slum area a couple of blocks down

Boy who asked me to take his picture (they ask to see it after you take it)  :-)

Fresh air hair cuttery

Malaka Spice--wonderful restaurant where we went for my b-day

Sweet Samantha, who is now 13!!!

Another lady who asked me to take her picture

My gang standing under the coolest trees we have ever seen

Diwali cows

True love

13th b-day cake!!!

Elephant on the street...we heard that they love bananas, so we are going to feed the next one we see

Custard apples

Custard apples and passion fruit

The inside of a custard apple

The roadside vendor cutting a passion fruit for us.  She sprinkled some masala inside.  I was the only one who like it with the spices.

These are snapshots from the past 9 days...we did not catch the camel we saw in one of the little villages on the outskirts of Pune, but it would have been a great picture as he was covered with colorful blankets--very charming.  Notice the baby goats that the horse is carrying--sooo sweet.  The adventures we have had in the past two weeks are many and varied, so much so that I think I could write a book.  

Our plans have changed in that I am homeschooling the girls as the school that was touted as being so wonderful and challenging, was worthless in almost every aspect--except for the facilities and surroundings that are truly gorgeous, but that is what we are learning about India--you cannot expect to get what they are selling you--lying/exaggerating is just an accepted part of life here.

We are loving our time here at the Oakwood Premier.  I have coined this place "Ex-Pat Camp--India."  It is almost like being back in boarding school, as we see each other at breakfast, and the spouses who are not working here, hang out during the afternoons.  It's been great fun.   There is a beautiful swimming pool, tennis court, racket-ball room, fitness center, walking trail, and they offer classes from cooking to yoga.   Last week, one of the ex-pats asked if the hotel would be willing to put up a basketball hoop, and by the end of the day they had it installed.   So, Andrew has been enjoying playing hoops with the other men.  They are all fathers, so the kids join in as well.  ;-)  

The produce here is phenomenal--especially the fruit.  Our driver stopped last weekend at a roadside vendor to buy us some fresh figs and custard apples.  Heavenly.   The trees were just across the street from where she was selling them.  Freshness, it's a wonderful thing.   The climate here is perfect.  We are surrounded by mountains which keeps the humidity and heat at bay.  They say it will not become hot here until April, and then it will leave in June for the monsoons.