Well, folks, we're excited. We have a business meeting to attend in Thailand and we cannot wait to go. We leave tomorrow night on an overnight train. Then it's boarding a plane to Bangkok. The kids are looking forward to hamburgers and J and I are giddy about the nice hotel in which we get to stay for awhile. It has unlimited AC and a bathtub, and words can't adequately express what these things mean to us these days.
I'm not sure what the Internet situation will look like there, but we'll take plenty of pictures (since I'm an obsessive wannabe photographer) and hopefully post them soon. Take care. I'll 'see' you soon.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
An Indian Wedding
I know you think we make this stuff up. But I promise you, it's too hot here for clever lies. We can't even exaggerate. If we get up the energy to talk at all, the truth just comes drawling out. So on to my true story:
We watched an Indian wedding video tonight. It was colorful and bold and full of celebration. The women wore gorgeous saris and the men bright kurtas. The wedding tent looked big enough to hold a circus. In fact, the whole thing kind-of reminded us of a circus--without the juggling bears, of course.
The bit we weren't expecting, though, was the mosh pit of Indians dancing their jubilant hearts out...y'all, I promise...to Play That Funky Music White Boy.
Even in this oppressive heat we got the joke.
We watched an Indian wedding video tonight. It was colorful and bold and full of celebration. The women wore gorgeous saris and the men bright kurtas. The wedding tent looked big enough to hold a circus. In fact, the whole thing kind-of reminded us of a circus--without the juggling bears, of course.
The bit we weren't expecting, though, was the mosh pit of Indians dancing their jubilant hearts out...y'all, I promise...to Play That Funky Music White Boy.
Even in this oppressive heat we got the joke.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day
To our dads (who have at times been our backbones, and at other times a soft place to land), Happy Father's Day. We love you so much and thank God we had you when we were growing up, and that we have you now.
And to the dad of our kids: I couldn't do any of this parenting stuff without you. But then you know that. I love you, babe.
And to the dad of our kids: I couldn't do any of this parenting stuff without you. But then you know that. I love you, babe.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Grateful
Although I've spent most of my life running from suffering (and what American hasn't?), I find that I cannot keep it up anymore. My breath is ragged and my legs are so tired. People here walk down dusty roads, quietly sharing their path with death. They don't hold its hand, of course, but they don't shoo it away either. And it's everywhere--this inevitability, this end to our short time here.
And if not death, exactly, then slow, simmering life. People who lose babies and go on living (like my cousins in the U.S.). People here who live eye-level with my knees on streets packed with refuse. Kids who pick through trash, unaware of the picture they paint. Legs like brittle sticks, eyes that know too much.
And then more "ordinary" griefs--like the one I crashed into today. I looked into the eyes of a mother who had lost her only son in a car accident in America. I had never met her before. But as I looked into her wild brown eyes--sweet, awkward relief--I was able to cry from my heart for her pain. She, wordless and searching, and I, small and negligible in this sea of humans. We were tied together.
And I was given the strange gift of seeing that my little offering of a crumpled face and streaming tears--without so much as an embrace--lifted a cloud off of her for a moment. She was glad someone else could see in for a minute, I guess.
Maybe God is giving me a ministry of tears. I've cried often enough during my time in India. I don't know. It's a painful thing, this life. But I'm finding out that pressing into it, and into the One who can heal it, is better than running after all.
And if not death, exactly, then slow, simmering life. People who lose babies and go on living (like my cousins in the U.S.). People here who live eye-level with my knees on streets packed with refuse. Kids who pick through trash, unaware of the picture they paint. Legs like brittle sticks, eyes that know too much.
And then more "ordinary" griefs--like the one I crashed into today. I looked into the eyes of a mother who had lost her only son in a car accident in America. I had never met her before. But as I looked into her wild brown eyes--sweet, awkward relief--I was able to cry from my heart for her pain. She, wordless and searching, and I, small and negligible in this sea of humans. We were tied together.
And I was given the strange gift of seeing that my little offering of a crumpled face and streaming tears--without so much as an embrace--lifted a cloud off of her for a moment. She was glad someone else could see in for a minute, I guess.
Maybe God is giving me a ministry of tears. I've cried often enough during my time in India. I don't know. It's a painful thing, this life. But I'm finding out that pressing into it, and into the One who can heal it, is better than running after all.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Dude
As I've mentioned before, J and I watch a lot of Hindi movies. Sometimes they're heart-warming. Sometimes they're goofy, and sometimes just plain weird. We accept all kinds mostly because they help us with our Hindi.
So last night we were watching a Bollywood movie about two young lovers, replete with improbable costume changes and dubbed singing. The inevitable marriage proposal scene was upon us in no time. It took place in a garden, with more singing, of course. None of that surprised us in the least. What did cause us fits of capillary-bursting laughter was the following dialogue:
Man (in Hindi): Darling, you look so beautiful. There's something I've wanted to ask you...
Woman (in Hindi): Yes. You're wonderful too. I'm listening...
Man (in English all of a sudden): Look, dude. I want to grow old with you. Will you marry me?
Woman (in English): Yes, oh yes!
Now we've been here long enough to stop snickering when people say they're feeling pressurized or stressy. But may we never stay so long that we find the above scene cool. And if we do, just somebody tell us we're drifting, k?
P.S. We shared this little movie moment with our kamwalli, D. She listened, paused for a moment, and simply said, "Oh." Never cracked a smile.
So last night we were watching a Bollywood movie about two young lovers, replete with improbable costume changes and dubbed singing. The inevitable marriage proposal scene was upon us in no time. It took place in a garden, with more singing, of course. None of that surprised us in the least. What did cause us fits of capillary-bursting laughter was the following dialogue:
Man (in Hindi): Darling, you look so beautiful. There's something I've wanted to ask you...
Woman (in Hindi): Yes. You're wonderful too. I'm listening...
Man (in English all of a sudden): Look, dude. I want to grow old with you. Will you marry me?
Woman (in English): Yes, oh yes!
Now we've been here long enough to stop snickering when people say they're feeling pressurized or stressy. But may we never stay so long that we find the above scene cool. And if we do, just somebody tell us we're drifting, k?
P.S. We shared this little movie moment with our kamwalli, D. She listened, paused for a moment, and simply said, "Oh." Never cracked a smile.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Something Happened on the Way to Language School...
Ok, I promise I'll not do this often. But I rode to Hindi class yesterday on the back of J's scooter and I used our camera to video it. I posted the YouTube we made at the bottom of our blog. You can watch it from here. It's a little bumpy (for obvious reasons) but it'll give you a pretty accurate idea of our city's traffic and our route to language school. There's a little bit of commentary from J and me but I'm not sure how well you'll be able to hear it. Watch for cows, bicycles, and crazy motorists! Hope you enjoy.
p.s. Ignore the other videos on the 'video bar' below. I don't know how to get them off of my page, but ours is the first one on the list.
p.s. Ignore the other videos on the 'video bar' below. I don't know how to get them off of my page, but ours is the first one on the list.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Good They Warned Us...
Seen on the way to class: Beware of dogs, strictly non-vegetarian.
I love India.
I love India.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Lagaan
J and I are determined to learn Hindi. It's hard and we possess a fairly healthy streak of laziness and pure fatigue, so sometimes it feels like climbing the Himalayas would be easier than learning to speak this language.
So what do two cinemaphiles (yeah, I made that word up) who are exhausted and dull-as-powder do? They watch Bollywood films at night with no subtitles--that's what they do. And, by George, it's helping, kinda...
Now, we watch Bollywood movies for their Hindi, but last night we were delighted to discover a movie that is compelling and thoroughly enjoyable for its content and not just its language--and that's saying something, folks! The aforementioned movie is called Lagaan and it's great. In fact, BBC ranked it as number 14 of the Top 50 Films You Must See Before You Die. If you love and trust BBC like I do, you'll find that an impressive feat. If you're like my brother-in-law, who feels that BBC movies should be titled things like 'Tea at Tata's' and 'Woodland Fairies Discuss Needlepoint' then never mind.
For you boys out there, there's tons of sports and male bonding in it. The DVD cover says it's, "the story of a battle without bloodshed." But because I'm honest I must warn you that there are also tons of dance moves (which I dig), Indian singing (it's...ok), and some, well...some male sobbing as well.
All in all, it sheds a little more light on this dizzying, complex culture, and it does so with lots of color, fun, and Indian rockin'. Watch it.
So what do two cinemaphiles (yeah, I made that word up) who are exhausted and dull-as-powder do? They watch Bollywood films at night with no subtitles--that's what they do. And, by George, it's helping, kinda...
Now, we watch Bollywood movies for their Hindi, but last night we were delighted to discover a movie that is compelling and thoroughly enjoyable for its content and not just its language--and that's saying something, folks! The aforementioned movie is called Lagaan and it's great. In fact, BBC ranked it as number 14 of the Top 50 Films You Must See Before You Die. If you love and trust BBC like I do, you'll find that an impressive feat. If you're like my brother-in-law, who feels that BBC movies should be titled things like 'Tea at Tata's' and 'Woodland Fairies Discuss Needlepoint' then never mind.
For you boys out there, there's tons of sports and male bonding in it. The DVD cover says it's, "the story of a battle without bloodshed." But because I'm honest I must warn you that there are also tons of dance moves (which I dig), Indian singing (it's...ok), and some, well...some male sobbing as well.
All in all, it sheds a little more light on this dizzying, complex culture, and it does so with lots of color, fun, and Indian rockin'. Watch it.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Dog Days
It's really hot here. No. It's super-dee-duper hot here (to quote Barney--and I apologize). The days drip by like molasses. See, J and I are on a little 'language vacation' because our teachers have to be out of town for the week. What I mean by a vacation is that our lives are exactly the same as they were before, only more boring. Now it would be easy to whine and complain (and I, ahem, have...once in a while) but because it isn't fitting for someone who has been blessed as much as I have, I'm concentrating on what I have to be thankful for. Here's my (partial) list:
- our Dad's love (you know who I mean)
- tile floors
- my kamwalli
- my kids' love of reading
- new curricula
- pretty clothes
- ceiling fans
- our inverter
- our new TV (oh it's so nice!)
- hair color
- food
- my sweet and long suffering husband
- Skype
- books
- Diet Coke
- cheap mangoes
- lots of time with my family
- our sweet team
- our families back home
- care packages from those families back home
- oh! and all my bloggy friends
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
A Mommy Brag...
These King and Queen cats and their child are the creations of our barely-turned-five-year-old and I think they're quite good. I posted this picture mainly for my sister's benefit, since it was her two daughters that inspired our G to develop an obsession with drawing. Thanks, M and C. How is your pupil coming along, do you think?
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