I ATEN'T DEAD

Hey, people!

I'm sorry I haven't been able to post for the last three days, but something is FUBAR (messed up) with my computer and I can't connect to the Internet at all. I'll have to get it looked at when I get back to the U.S.

I'm typing on Raja's computer right now, and hopefully I can retype in all of my blog posts (yes, I've still been blogging: I've been saving them in Word) when he's not busy. It's going to take a while, but I promise I'll get it up soon. I'm hoping for a little sightseeing today, and I have to begin getting my things together. We're going to Mysore and Bangalore this weekend, and our whole schedule is full until we leave. Have to make up for the downtime when the M.C. was sick and Raja was out of town on business.

More later. Be good.

Chennai: Day Eleven

Monday, August 23, 2010, Chennai

7:43 p.m. India time

I can't tell you how difficult-yet-delightful it is to type with a child's head on your lap. :)

Today was a lovely day. At last, we have a little relief from all the rain, and it's back to hot, muggy, sunny weather. The rain has had long-reaching consequences, however, as many houses in the lowlands of the city have been flooded. Aunty's cook and other domestic helpers had flooding and couldn't come to work today. 

The ladies who help Aunty are very nice. Because they have good jobs, they are able to have a lot of modern conveniences, despite their "status" in life (working as domestic help.) Still, the housing they get is not as good as others who may have been born to more money or a higher social status. It's very complicated, and not necessarily something I fully understand, nor can I adequately explain it in this blog.

So I cleaned my room today, all by myself (oh, poor me.) However, that was at the end of the day, so I'll go back a bit to the beginning. 

I couldn't sleep last night, as I was restless and had some poems in me, and so this morning I slept in a bit. Aunty and I were supposed to get up very early because Raja was going to go with Man Cub to the doctor to get hs blood test results. The guys got up at 6:30 a.m., but by the time they were ready to leave, Raja came in to tell me that Aunty had a migraine. Now, I don't get migraines, but my mom and several other people I care about do, and I know for a fact that they hurt a lot. Sometimes they make people throw up because the pain is so bad. So I was more than willing to let Aunty rest.  I got up a bit later and messed around a bit on the computer. I had my morning coffee (I swear, I *never* drink this much coffee at home!), put on my clothes and make up, and Uncle went out to get some idli for breakfast.  After breakfast, Aunty was feeling much better. The driver came (when Aunty goes out she hires a car) and we got in the car to go to Pothys, the last big clothing store on my list. First, though, we went to check on Raja and M.C.'s progress. Just as we got there, they were coming out. I noticed that M.C. was wearing my shoes. He must have been tired this morning!

Aunty and I had a very nice talk in the car, about how kids today (including her own) lack patience. :) I tried to explain that it's the fast pace of American culture and expectations and pressures to keep up the pace...I also told her that Raja is chronically early for everything; how he gets to movies one hour early, and how we were an hour early for my brother's wedding (the first ones there) and how the bride was an hour late! I told her that my family likes Raja very much, and how my sister-in-law refused to shake his hand goodbye when she first met him. She hugged him instead! I also told Aunty how lucky I was to have such wonderful sisters-in-law. I got very lucky.

Anyway, we went back home and Raja decided to come shopping with me and let Aunty care for MC. This was probably a good thing, as I did some Power Shopping today.  

Before we went to shop, Raja and I stopped at a smaller temple, and gave our regards to Vishnu, the Preserver, who is one of the main gods of Hinduism (the other most commonly worshiped is Shiva.) I honor Vishnu most commonly in his incarnation as Krishna. (Hindu gods incarnate and reincarnate in many forms, called avatars, over time.) We offered him a flower garland that Raja bought from a woman outside. He also gave money to another beggar woman. He is a huge sucker. I mean, of course they are hungry and poor, but it is a very complex issue. He is just so compassionate and generous; he can't see a woman or baby in need and not want to do something. In fact he gave money to three beggars today (although I think it was really only two and he gave money to one of them twice.) I removed my shoes and went inside the temple.  Raja had just left his shoes in the car. Upon entering, we stood in front of a rail where a priest was honoring the god, draping the flower offerings over the statue of Vishnu. We put some money offerings into the slot provided, and received some tulsi (Holy Basil.) We ate some and took the rest home for Aunty's puja cabinet. After this, we went through a door to gaze upon a statue of Vishnu reclining on a giant, multi-headed serpent on the milky ocean.  Vishnu is described as being very handsome and strong, and having dark blue skin. After honoring Vishnu, we bought laddoos, which are the most delicious things ever. They are always better as prasad (food offered to and blessed by god) because blessed food always tastes better!

After leaving the temple, we went to Pothys, which has 6 floors. Seven, including the basement. I wanted to take pictures, but it was crowded (we forgot that today was a holiday) and there were guards everywhere, and I didn't want to look too conspicuous. I did take a few snapshots.  We went to the Women's Readymades and saw some absolutely beautiful salwar suits. We then went to the kids section. Boys in India wear almost exclusively western clothes except on special occasions. I did see a little boy in a sherwani. He must have just come from temple or something. The kids' floor was absolutely crazy, adults and kids swarming everywhere. I can't imagine shopping there with children in tow. 

After this, we went to the Men's section, then to the top floor for jewelry and sparklies. On our way down we paid for and picked up all of our packages, then went on down to the basement to look at scarves (About a *million* times cheaper than at the mall!) I lugged out all my bags (I can't tell you exactly what I bought, because it might ruin the surprises for some of my readers, but I promise I'll post pictures after I get home and lay everything out) and went outside to wait for our driver; it was hotter than ever! I saw a couple go by holding hands and clinging tightly to one another. I saw that the woman's hands were covered with intricate mehendi (henna tattoos) and wondered if maybe they were newlyweds. A man came by with these gorgeous peacock feather fans, and I wanted to buy one, but we were moving towards our car. The guy kept following me, lowering the price. LOL. I wish I had bought one. If I see them again, I will. They were really, really gorgeous. 

We got into the car and headed to lunch. Indian food, of course. I had murgha tikka (tandoori chicken) and some chinese soup and fried rice and naan. Chinese/Indian fusion food is all the rage here. The food was delicious. In retrospect, we should have probably eaten veg, as we had gone to temple, but I'm a new Hindu, and he's a rebellious one, so I'm not sure who's to blame for this indiscretion. We ordered bottled water, but it wasn't a recognized brand so we joked that it was probably just tap water. We drank it anyway. I thought it was funny that they called chop suey "chopsy." Also, the silverware was a little sketchy, so we ate the Tamilian way, with our fingers! It's going to take me a while to get used to eating all "proper" again when I get home. 

After eating all the yummy food I could handle, we were off to a handicrafts store Raja had told me about. He wanted me to look for other Durgas, but she's not very popular around here, so I couldn't find one. I am definitely going back to Spencer Plaza. I'm ready to bargain with the guys there to see how well they'll treat me. I did buy a whole bunch more gifts, and a little statue of Saraswati (the goddess of knowledge, music, and the arts) to put behind my desk. In some places in India, students bring their books and school supplies to be blessed by Saraswati at the start of the school year. I won't make my students do that, but it's certainly a nice thought! I am amassing quite a little collection of elephants. Some day I want to go to one of the Ganesha temples where a live elephant will bless you by laying its foot or trunk on you (and hopefully not squashing your head.)

After spending a total of 11,353 rupees ( a one-day record!) I was exhausted. 

Luckily, I only have a few things left on my shopping list:

a few more specific gifts and books

some traditional embroidered/beaded slippers

Durga

one specific color of bangles I wasn't able to find

sweets (ohhhhhhh. Indian sweets.....soooooooo....gooood)

Two new, much larger suitcases!

Got home and all of my treasures were making a mess of my room! I had stuffed so much stuff under the bed that it was coming out the other side. I reorganized all of my stuff and put it away. Now the ladies will have an easier time cleaning the room. I played a little DSi (I actually finished the entire game, with over 5,000,000 points!) and ate a little dinner. Cuddled a bit with the MC, took a bath and sat down to write this. A couple hours later, and I'm finally ready to say "Good Night." Or actually, good morning! Most of you are likely at school by now or otherwise beginning your day. I am going to call my mom and hit the hay. I'll try for another photo post tomorrow.

Until then, be good!

Day Ten: Chennai

August 22, 2010, Chennai
8:26 p.m. India time.

Well,  the M.C. is obviously feeling better, because he came into my room this morning and said so. He had an I.V. and some blood tests at the hospital, and they made him drink this nasty salty stuff: two whole glasses. The blood tests came back and said everything was normal, but he had very low potassium. That makes sense because when you don't have enough potassium you will have bad cramps.  He took it easy today and is subsisting mostly on liquids, as everything just went through him yesterday, and he needs to be nice to his insides.

Anyway, we have postponed our trip to Bangalore. I was half asleep when Raja and I spoke this morning, mostly because I was "helping" Monkey play a game on his DSi and then he fell asleep so I kept playing it almost all night long. It was really addictive.  At first I couldn't remember what game it was, but Monkey told me it's called "The Amazing Adventures of the Forgotten Ruins." I've helped Monkey get up to over 4,000,000,000 points, so he's happy to let me play. Raja still has to go to Bangalore overnight for business (he'll leave tomorrow) but he and I will go back by train for the weekend. We'll go alone, as the kids are flying to Pune to see their mom's family. It will be kind of romantic, and a nice way to celebrate our 1-year anniversary of dating, which is today.

After Raja took a nap (he was tired from staying up all night at the hospital) and I had some breakfast (my favorite: do you remember what that is?) we went out shopping. First we went to the oldest bookstore in Chennai (and the oldest existing bookstore in India) Higginbothams. It was opened in 1844! It's a really big bookstore with all kinds of books. I bought books on Hinduism, Tamil language, and Indian cooking, plus an Indian joke book. I don't get all of the jokes, but a lot of them had me LOL.

After Higginbothams, we went to Spencer Plaza, which is a huge mall. We had heard a rumor that the electricity had gone out, but the lights were on when we got there. As we rode in the auto, I saw a guy on a motorcycle give me the once-over twice. There really aren't very many women here who are light-skinned, much less as pale as I am.

It has been unseasonably rainy here. Raja says he has never seen this much rain in August. This is more like what monsoon season is like. Everything is absolutely sopping wet. The roofs in the mall leak, and the marble floors of the shops are muddy and wet. I've been accused of bringing the rain with me. I just shrug my shoulders and say, "Maaaaaaayyyybe."

We went to a few shops, including a restaurant for chaat (snacks) and FabIndia, a very expensive shop that sells Indian/western hybrid clothes. I bought a skirt and a kurti (top) there, and some gifts for friends. I also went to a couple of jewelry stores because oooooooh....shiny. I bought some stuff, and Raja was looking for a few things, a Star of David an an Om ring. Raja is really interested in religions, and like most Hindus, doesn't have a problem with mix and match. He wears a Ganesha/Lakshmi necklace and a cross at the same time, for example. The guy tried to sell him a pentacle, but I pointed put that he was looking for a six-pointed, not a five-pointed star. That is, unless he wanted to be Wiccan, too! We looked at suitcases (I still need to buy two or so to bring back all of my stuff) and I went into a handicrafts store. I saw the most beautiful Durga statue ever. I wanted her, and the guy was even going to sell it to me for 1200 rupees less than it was marked, but he told me to wait and see (I need to comparison shop.) However, I got the guy's card because I am in love with her, and will be coming back unless I find something much better, and I don't know if I will.

After the mall, we took an auto to Pothys, the last fabric/clothing shop on my list, but it was such a terrible crush that we could barely get in. We decided to leave and come back tomorrow. No one should be there, as it's a work day, and I'll be able to get some service and take my time looking at all the fabrics (and I hope I can take some photos for my friend Ruth, too. She loves fabric!)

We left Pothys and walked on foot for what felt like forever. Not only did we have to dodge autos, bikes, and cars, but we had to avoid muddy puddles that went way over our ankles. The air was a little cooler due to the rain, but it was still hot enough that the moisture on my drink (I had bought a "Virginia Mojito" from KFC at the mall) was coming off my cup as steam. We walked and walked and walked, past beggars and little children and fruit stands where the cut fruit smelled soooo tempting (though I know better than to eat anything from the roadside) and guys hawking umbrellas (I bet they did well today), walking and walking until we reached our destination: a housewares store. Five floors of kitchen stuff, appliances, and, of course, religious paraphernalia.  I know people who would go crazy, absolutely crazy, in there.  I bought some gifts, including some for myself: an idli steamer (non-stick) and an insulated tiffin. A tiffin is a lunchbox, with two to four stainless steel partitions inside so that you can put hot food inside and take it to work for your lunch. I can't wait to use it, although Raja made fun of me because kids take them to school. I told him that I go to school every day, and I have a Simpson's lunchbox, and if I can carry that around without embarrassment, I can certainly handle a tiffin.

By now I was so tired and wet and hot, that I was d-o-n-e: done. Time to go home. My shoulder was aching from the 50 or so pounds of books in my messenger bag. My FabIndia paper bag had fallen apart and I'd had to beg an extra bag at the housewares store. I was moist from head to toe. I had spent almost 10,000 rupees. Yeah, you heard me right.  (It doesn't seem like quite so much once you translate it into dollars. Try it and see.) By the time I got home I had to change clothes, turn on the AC and lie down. This meant I changed, turned on the AC, and lay down and played "The Amazing Adventures of the Forgotten Ruins" until dinner time.

For the second night in a row we had pizza. I thought it was just a fluke from yesterday, but it seems that in India, pizza comes with corn on it. Weird. It's good, but of course, I had never heard of corn on pizza before.

Before I sign off, I'll respond to a question my friend asked me:

1. Does it unnerve you to be on the left side of the road?
No, not as long as I'm not driving. What unnerves me is that half the time, I'm on the right side of the road, and usually, I'm in the middle, driving right on the line.

She also made some observations about Uncle and Aunty's house:
- there is a decided lack of wall art.
True, They make up for it on the inside of their puja cabinet. I'll ask Aunty if I can take a picture of it. They also have photos and things inside cabinets. I don't know if it's because they haven't lived here long, if they prefer a simpler look, or because they don't have central air, and the art might be suceptible to damage from the moisture in the air.
- the cabinets look like they're from an IKEA store.
I think most furniture here is linear and practical, unless you have family legacy pieces or are wealthy.
- the refrigerator appears to be similar to the European, high-efficiency kind.
I'm not sure, but it sure would be a good idea!
- it's very spare and brightly clean, which seems to be a remarkable contrast to what's outside.
I know I'd find that soothing. I think the spare nature of the flat makes it easier to keep clean. Also, Uncle has limited vision, which might make it dangerous to live in too cluttered a space. 
- the gash on your nose is almost healed. :-) 
Why yes, it is. I'm wondering if it might turn into a rakish scar.


It is hot and, although I really should pay bills tonight, I think I am going to take a bath and go to bed instead. (NOT playing DSi this time.) Tomorrow, another try at Pothys, and perhaps a photo post.  Have a nice Sunday, and I'll talk to you soon. 


Until then, be good!

Man Cub Update

The Man Cub continues to feel super-yucky. We're cancelling our morning trip, and in fact, they took him to the hospital tonight. Part of the problem is that he simply won't drink enough fluids, so his body is continuing to cramp and the medicine isn't working very fast. He has a viral infection and is already on all kinds of medicine.

He was so sad when we left him even for a few hours (to go to the spa) that Raja is concerned about leaving town at all. However, he has to go to Bangalore for business, so he and I may just go for overnight Tues-Weds. I really want to go, seeing as I may be living there some day, and I'd like to check it out just a little. Of course, taking care of the kids always comes first. That's the way it should be.

Still, I think that tomorrow Raja and I will sneak out for an hour or two and go to the temple. First to pray for the Man Cub, and second, because it's our one-year anniversary, and I want to ask Sri Krishna's blessings.

So, if you have some good thoughts to send, send them this way so that we all get/remain healthy and get done what we need to do!

In turn, I hope the same for you. I'll write more tomorrow.

Until then, be good.

Photo Post Five: Chennai

Some people have shown interest in Uncle and Aunty's house, and what it's like to live in India. I will tell you, I haven't been in many houses here...okay, one. And I've only been in 5 star hotels, which are very fancy, like fancy hotels in the U.S.

Aunty and Uncle live in a very nice flat. A lot of people live in these flats. I don't know about all of them, but these flats are like condos, not apartments, because the people own them instead of renting. This flat is quite luxurious for two people, as it has three bedrooms and (I checked) three bathrooms, as well. I would guess that the people who live in these flats are mostly middle class people with good jobs.

Some of the differences between this house and my place in the U.S. that I have noticed are;

1. None of the rooms in this place have carpets. There are small rugs on the floor, but the floors are smooth tile. This makes them easy to sweep and mop. Also, I think that the humidity here might cause carpets to get mold and mildew, which not only ruins the carpets (and floors) but can make people sick.

2. The kitchen does not have a range (stove/oven combination) like we have in the U.S. It has a small stove top and a "convection oven" which is a regular oven, but it sits on the counter, and it's the size of a large microwave. They also have a small microwave. Aunty and Uncle also have three (count them, three) refrigerators! Everything gets hot here, and hot things spoil more easily. I even put my gum in the fridge because it started to melt. Oh, and there's no dishwasher. Aunty and her domestic helpers wash everything by hand. I'd help, but she won't let me. Someday, when I live in India, she'll have to let me wait on her.

3. Almost all of the dishes are made of metal. Aunty has some dishes like the ones we're used to, but we eat off stainless steel plates and bowls, and drink from stainless steel cups. They are easy to clean, and won't break or wear out easily. They even use them in restaurants. Also, if they ever do wear out, they are recyclable! I think they make good sense.

4. There is a washing machine, but it isn't in the flat. The ladies who do our laundry sometimes hang it in the little nook next to the open window to dry in the breeze. A lot of people hang their laundry outside on their roofs, as you've seen in my other photos and videos.

5. I already posted about the toilets and the buckets (for baths) in the bathrooms. You can see photos in my first photo post.

So, here is the flat. I think it's lovely.

This is a view of the dining area. That cabinet to the right is the prayer area. When the cabinet is open, you can see all the statues and pictures of god and all of the other things Aunty and Uncle use when they pray. All the way in the back is the kitchen. Aunty wouldn't let me take picures of it until it was clean. If you look close, you can see a Monkey eating Cocoa Puffs.

This is the living area. They have a T.V. and a blu-ray player. That door is the front door and leads out into the hallway. They live on the 6th floor, and there is an elevator immediately to the left of the flat. 

Cabinets for dry food.

Here you can see two of the three refrigerators. You can also see where the three bedrooms are. One right by the refrigerator, one with the red towel, and one with the yellow curtains. Each bedroom has its own bathroom. When I was growing up there were eight people in my family and only two bathrooms!

Here is the toilet. It looks pretty much like a regular toilet, but the bowl is more shallow, and the hole is deeper. 

Here's a picture of the bucket bath. I really like this method of bathing. It's amazing how little water you need to really get clean. I use about 4/5 of a bucket, but I could probably get clean with 2/3 of a bucket.

The kitchen. This is the stove top where frying and boiling is done.

Here's where the ladies wash the dishes.

That small black box is the convection oven. 

And, just because, here is a picture of me after my facial. Don't I look 10 years younger?

That's it for now. Be good!

Weird Dreams

So I guess that Melarone, my anti-malaria pill, can give people weird dreams. It seems to have finally caught up with me because last night I had this funky dream where my tooth fell out. It was green, like a banana leaf, and I peeled the green part off and on the inside it was all soft, pulpy and fibrous, like some kind of fruit.

Today while I was getting my facial, I must have fallen asleep for a minute, because I swear I dreamt that I looked into the toilet and there was a white rabbit with red eyes stuck, botom first, in the toilet.

I love crazy dreams.

Video: The Sound of the City

You may have to turn it up to hear it, but this is what I'll miss when I come home. I'm a bit afraid that the world will suddenly seem too quiet.

Watch The Sound of the City

Day Nine: Chennai

Saturday, August 21, 2010, Chennai
4:45 p.m., India time

As I wrote this morning, today was another rather mellow day, as MC is still sick. His fever is much milder and comes and goes, but he still has stomach issues and his joints hurt. I spent quite a bit of time this afternoon petting his head, rubbing his legs and feet, and giving him Gatorade. He and I (and Raja) are big babies when we are sick, and like to be pampered a lot.  He is returning to the doctor in a few minutes in hopes that he can give him something to make him well enough to travel tomorrow.

I spent a good part of the day watching T.V. (Harry Potter 3) eating delicious food, caring for the Man Cub, and looking out the window. I discovered that there are actually three different cute guys who come out onto the roof below mine. One of them spent a long time picking his nose this morning.

This afternoon, Raja took the Monkey and me to a spa.

We took an auto there, and it was raining, so we got a little damp. We stopped briefly at a pharmacy and bought a digital thermometer to take M.C.'s temperature more easily. On the way I saw a cow, a goat, and several stray dogs. We also passed a cemetery. Cemeteries are not very common in India because most Indians are Hindus, and Hindus do not bury their dead, they cremate them. (That means they burn their bodies in a big fire.) This cemetery was for Muslims, who do not believe in cremation, and hence, they bury their dead.

The boys went to get their hair done, and Raja said "you get something done, too." I got a facial. This is an amazing thing. I was going to get the regular facial, but since I'm all wrinkly and old and my skin is sensitive and dry, they talked me into getting the super-special facial. It was totally worth it.

The cosmetologist (that's what they call people who do beauty stuff: manicures, pedicures, waxing, facials, etc.) took me to a room upstairs and had me change into a different top which left my arms and shoulders bare. I took out my nose ring and stuck my bindi to my hand mirror. I lay down on a really comfortable padded table, and the lady went to work making me beautiful. First she washed my face with soft damp cloths with lavender oil. Lavender oil is very soothing to the skin. She made sure to wash my skin very tenderly and to get off all of the surface dirt and makeup (I don't wear much makeup, and I'm not sure now dirty my face was, but there is a lot of dust in the air, remember. ) She put several things on my face, and I'm not sure what they all were because I had my eyes closed. She put some oil on my face and massaged it, and she put a very gentle scrub on, as well. She rubbed some fragrant oil on her hands and made me inhale it with deep breaths 3 or 4 times. It smelled delicious. She then massaged my face, my shoulders and my neck for about 20 minutes, and it felt awesome. She also used a sharp thing to clean out the dirt from all my pores (my class will remember pores from when we discussed skin and how, at puberty, the pores can get dirt and oil in them, which causes pimples.) That wasn't so awesome. She took all that yucky stuff out of my skin, and it hurt a little, but she rubbed my face and made it feel better. A couple of times she put cool cream on my face. She put some cool pads on my eyes, more stuff on my face, and left me lying in the dark for about 15 minutes, then came back. At last, she smeared this crazy thick paste all over my face (by this time, Raja and Monkey were done and wanted to go, but the lady went down and told them it would be 15 more minutes.  After 15 minutes the cosmetologist came up and peeled the stuff off my face. it had turned into a solid, rubbery mask! It was really weird. She gave me a mirror to look at my face, and it looked all fresh and clean! I went downstairs, and before I left, I gave her a tip of 250 rupees. It was more than worth it.

I am looking forward to our trip to Bangalore tomorrow. I can't wait to ride the train (we are riding in the First Class A/C coach) and to see a new place. We have to be at the train station at 6 in the morning, so just as you guys are getting ready to eat your dinner. I will write and tell you all about it.

Until then, be good!

Good morning, everyone!

Saturday, August 21, 2010, Chennai
9:32 a.m. India Time

I am feeling a little moody and cranky today. It is hot, and I never know how to turn the fan on in this room. Uncle usually comes in after a time, and says, "Don't you want the fan on?" and turns it on for me.

I had parathas for breakfast today. I sure am going to miss having my food cooked and served for me. I feel a little guilty about it, but Aunty insists on it. She will barely let me take my own dishes to the sink. When I was a teenager, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents' house (especially when I wasn't getting along with my dad, which was a lot of the time.) My grandma used to make breakfast for me and serve me at the table. She made the best scrambled eggs in the world. I miss her and my grandpa so much. My grandpa Frank died when I was 18. He was my hero, and as far as I'm concerned, the best man who ever lived. He and my grandma fell in love when they were only 15 and 16. They didn't get married until they were older (like 21 and 22), but they were in love all the rest of their lives. My grandma died when I was about 22. She was a wonderful, smart lady. She was orphaned when she was 14 and was taken care of by her older sisters and brothers. She worked all her life, and in many ways was quite an independent woman, although she was also very sweet and domestic. Being with Aunty and Uncle is like being with my grandparents (although my grandparents would be 87 and 88 if they were alive today and Aunty and Uncle are much younger.) They are so caring, and love to spoil us with love and kindness.

The Man Cub is feeling a little better, but his stomach is acting up, so Raja went to get him more medicine. We're hoping he feels well enough to go to Bangalore with us. We'll decide this afternoon. Raja and I plan to go out a little bit to see more sights, as I haven't been out in a while, and there are still things on my list to see. Of course, we will likely visit again next year, so I'll have another chance, but I am getting squirrelly, and want to roam about a bit more.

Today I am wearing the other outfit I brought from home. It is actually the outfit I wore to my brother Conor's wedding: blue salwar pants with gold flowers on them (my absolutely favorite pair. Raja bought them for me last Christmas) and a bright, silky kameez that I bought on our trip to California last spring.

This morning the kids were watching "Kick [Robot]owski" on T.V. I love that Indian kids get to be exposed to the greatest facets of our American culture. NOT. Man Cub says I am very sarcastic. I don't mean to be.

Last night I read some magazines that Anni left me. Some were fashion magazines, and some were political magazines. I can't pretend to understand all of the politics of India (especially since they have totally different names for political groups, political titles, and organizations, many of which are reduced to initials...very confusing) but there were some very fascinating articles on terrorism and corruption. There has been a lot of controversy in the news regarding corporal punishment in schools (spanking, hitting, and beating children who are "bad" in school) because it is still legal here. Some children have died. Some people think it is okay because it happened to them, and they turned out okay (one person even said he enjoyed it!) but other people said they had been hurt and humiliated, or that they were beaten for no reason. I know what my opinion is, and I bet it's similar to yours! Luckily, in some schools, a teacher will be fired for hurting kids or for punishing them for no good reason. I don't think it's ever okay to harm anyone or anything (especially a child) unless your life (or the life of another helpless person) is in immediate danger. I can't tell you in which scenario it would be alright. You just have to make a decision in the moment, then live with the consequences for the rest of your life. I don't even believe in spanking, and think it's avoidable in almost every circumstance. I was spanked, but not very often. In Kindergarten, I was once spanked by a teacher!

The other day I bought 4 cds, and I am uploading them to my iTunes right now. I really love Indian music, whether classical, religious, or popular. It's very soothing to me to listen to music with words I don't understand. However, when I start learning a language, I can begin to understand the words in songs, and that's exciting, too. It's a natural way to learn a language, through songs. It's partly how I learned to talk when I was a baby learning English, and a teenager learning French. I still remember songs in French.

Anyway, Monkey comes in and says "You've been working on that for two hours!" Really, it's only been about 45 minutes, but I take it I'm being summoned. I have to pack, anyway. I'll write more later.

Until then, be good.

Morning Questions

Saturday, August 21, 2010, Chennai
About 8:00 a.m., India Time


1. Is is true that people in India are abusing Sunbears, making them dance for food?
From what I was able to discover, the Sun Bear, like any other animal, is sometimes captured and kept as a pet. In the past, many kinds of bears were taught to dance, and used for entertainment purposes. Sun Bears many be used (and abused) this way, but even worse is that the Sun Bear is often killed for its fur and its bile, which are used in Chinese medicine. 


2. What does the house you are staying at look like? Are the toilets the same as ours?
That's a very good question. I have some photos I will post. This flat is similar to U.S. apartments as it has a kitchen, dining area, living room, three bedrooms and two or three bathrooms. (I haven't been in the third bedroom, so I don't know if it has its own bathroom or not.)
The toilets in this flat are very similar to those in the U.S. (they are Western style) only they are shaped a little differently inside. They use very little water in the bowl, however, the bowl is shaped (how do I say this) so that most of the stuff that goes into the toilet goes into one area (where the water is.) then when you push the button, there is a powerful flush, and it all goes down. It uses less water than a regular American toilet, but works a lot better than the usual American "low flow" toilet. I'm sure there are different kinds of toilets in different places in India.

3. Do you like the US more or India more? 
I love India. I wish I could stay longer and explore more, however, the U.S., and specifically the Pacific Northwest, is my home. I couldn't stay away forever, I'd miss my family and friends way too much.


To the Coconut boys:  I love you guys, but I will not go to prison for you, so sorry, no coconuts.


Update: Seafood/Goldfish


Apparently, there is a huge variety of amazing seafood here, I just haven't seen much of it yet. Supposedly you can find some fine crab. Yum! Also, Anni was telling me about her cousin who loved seafood. He would eat any kind of it you put in front of him. When he was little, he wanted some seafood so bad that, when no one was looking, he stuck his hand in the fish tank, pulled out a live goldfish, and ate it whole! 


Don't do that. Be good.

Day Eight: Chennai

Friday, August 20, 2010, Chennai
6:47 p.m. India Time

It is hot. Not much exciting happened today. The M.C. has fallen sick, and has a high fever, chills, and body aches. This evening the family finally took him to the doctor and came home with some medicine.

All afternoon he mostly lay on the couch and slept. Anni, her hubby, the Monkey, and I played Monopoly. Anni had never played American Monopoly before, only British Monopoly. The kids even have an Indian version of Monopoly here, but I haven't played that one yet. A's hubby had the most money, by far. This seemed odd because he only had the four railroads, Baltic Avenue and Mediterranean Avenue. Even though those  last two are the worst properties on the board, he had a hotel on each of them, so he would make $250 everytime someone landed there. We landed there a lot.

Anni and her hubby had to head out tonight for Australia, and so we said goodbye. Before they left, they took blessings from Aunty and Uncle. They knelt down before them at the prayer cabinet, and Aunty and Uncle prayed and put the tikka on their foreheads. They also blessed Anni's thaali (wedding necklace.) It was very lovely. I hugged them both goodbye. They are both so wonderful. I am going to miss them!

I am feeling so hot and sweaty that I may take my bath early tonight. I'm also going to remember to put on bug repellent, because I was bitten by a mosquito last night, and I have a sneaking suspicion he's going to come back and bring his mosquito friends.

I am feeling sort of limp and hard to manage, like an overcooked noodle, so I'll sign off for now. I'll write more when there's something good to write. Most of you will be starting your day soon, so have a good one. I'll see you soon.

Until then, be good.

Finally: Video!

Okay. I've had it. I've been trying to upload videos to this blog for hours and hours. So I finally just uploaded them to YouTube, and added the links here. You have to go there to see them, then return. I'm so sorry, but they are worth seeing, I promise.

The first video, "Driving in Chennai" was taken in our rented car, with our driver, Balaji. I always felt safe driving with him, even in the front seat. The best things about this video are all the interesting things you see as the world passes by. There are so many kinds of vehicles, so many dangerous traffic moves, so many interesting people by the side of the road, so many stray dogs (try counting them!) Other animals by the roadside...different shops, different kinds of clothes. I could watch it over and over, and see different things every time.

This next video, "AutoMadness" makes driving with Balaji look like a kiddie ride next to a roller-coaster. Auto-rickshaw rides are thrilling, but a little dangerous. Even Anni said "OMG" when she watched this video. This was my second Auto ride, and the driver was pretty crazy, but the last ride I went on (number four) was the craziest so far. One time Aunty was in an auto accident where the auto she was riding in fell over. That is what scares me most. Luckily, she wasn't killed!

Edit: This video is not visible right now because the music I used was copyrighted (oops.) Because I lost the original footage, I would have to retrieve it from YouTube to make the changes then re-upload. It's on my To Do list.)

I hope you enjoy the videos. I'd love to hear what you thought of them, and about what things you saw that were the most interesting or that you liked the most.

Until then, be good.

Photo Post Four: Chennai

The building where Anni and Raja grew up. The part you see is an enclosed porch.
The homes inside were very nice.

I can't help but really like this sentiment.  It should be everyone's new motto.

In Anni's hotel, they have real waterlilies floating in their fountain in the lobby. Pretty!

Part of the Kapaleeswarar temple. Te whole place is covered with carvings like this...so beautiful.

Me with all the kumkum on my forehead after visiting the temple. You can see the top part of my outfit. Mirror work like this is very common in Indian clothing.  I wore the dupatta around my shoulders, because the sleeves are very short, and it wasn't quite modest enough for temple.

This is one of my very favorite outfits. It's green and purple. I love green and purple.

The Tamil plaque at Valluvar Kollam. I just love the script.
There's an English one, too.

Pigeons below my window. These two seemed particularly in love.

Valluvar Kollam. The gardens are so lovely. This is looking up at the meeting hall area. Unfortunately, the inside of the meeting hall is very shabby. The outside looks cool, though.

A closer look of the entrance.

Who doesn't love elephants? I do! These stand at the entrance to the main monument.
The huge chariot contains a statue of poet/saint Tiruvalluvar.

Here is a closeup of one of the wheels, and one corner of the monument.
The verses of the Thirukkural are shown in pictures carved into the monument.

We saw a lot of these creepy-crawlies at the Gandhi Mandapam

"White Man, go home!"

The dome of the main ampitheatre

Anni showed us how she and Raja used to pull apart these flowers and suck the nectar out
when they were kids. I used to do a similar thing as a child, myself.

Anni and the boys entering the main building.
These are the elephants on which Anni used to ride while Aunty fed her.

The auditorium. Sometimes there are performances here.

The walkway from the auditorium is filled with beautiful carvings.

The room of Tamil Freedom Fighters. At the center is a photo of the greatest fighter for Indian freedom:
the "soldier of peace," Gandhiji. Gandhi was not Tamil. He was from what is now the state of Gujarat.
Still, he had a great influence all over India...and the entire world!

A door into one of the many smaller monuments. Look at the beautiful carving!

A lot of sweethearts come here. Look at this love-tree. It was carved from top to bottom.
I wonder how many of these couples are still together?

I just thought this tree was so cool/beautiful. I have no idea what kind of tree it is.

Can you see what I was trying to photograph here? Look closely!

Amethyst Cafe. Once an old colonial bungalow. It is so gorgeous and lavish.
No doubt some British officer and his family once lived here, with tons of Indian servants.

Uh-oh! This guy was an uninvited guest at Anni's 5-Star hotel. He was later asked to leave by hotel staff.

Newly beautified toes. I also really like this outfit. :)

One of the Southern Indian restaurants where we ate amazing food.

Look at the inside of this restaurant! I feel like I'm eating in a palace.

The pristine banana leaves

The used banana leaves. Once again, I cannot begin to describe the deliciousness of the food.
Despite the presence of a fork, a lot of the food is eaten straight with the fingers. It really adds to the experience. :)

More photos will come soon, but I haven't been taking too many, as I've been sticking close to the house.   I'm sure there will be plenty more once we head to Bangalore!

Until then, be good!

While you wait...

I'm waiting for my driving videos to upload, and it's taking hooooooouuuuuuuurrrrrrsssss.

I'm looking forward to breakfast today. I asked Aunty if I could have egg dosas again, and she said yes! I can't tell you how delicious they are. I need to learn how to make them. Raja will kill me though, because they are really bad for you, and we both need to watch our weight. (Right now, with all of this delicious food, I am watching it increase...) I am not over eating, I am just eating so many delicious things, many of which are fried, or have butter or cream in them.

Yesterday, Aunty came in to my room and we had another wonderful conversation. We are going to Bangalore on Sunday, and Aunty and Uncle are coming along, mostly to spend time with the kids and babysit a little so that Raja and I can explore. Aunty grew up in Bangalore, although it's completely different now. On Monday or Tuesday (probably Monday) Raja, the boys and I are going to take a little detour to Mysore. Mysore is where Aunty lived for six years while getting her M.D. (becoming a doctor.) She told me how wonderful it was to go to school there and how much fun she had with the others in her dormitory (like apartments.) She said she was very shy and didn't talk very much, and that the other students used to write "dumb girl" (in Tamil, of course) on her books. Remember, "dumb" didn't use to mean "stupid. " It meant "not able to speak." Aunty was anything but stupid! Back in those days, it was not that common for women to get advanced degrees or become doctors. Because Aunty's grandfather was a famous doctor, he heped make it possible for women (including his granddaughter) to become a doctor.

Aunty was an excellent doctor in her own right. (I'm sure she still is, only she's retired and doesn't practice anymore)  She got to travel many places in the world, including all over Europe and the United States to practice and learn more about different kinds of medicine. She worked on developing vaccines to prevent illnesses that used to kill thousands and thousands of people. Like I wrote before, she was an incredibly intuitive diagnostician (meaning she could tell you what was wrong with you), and people would call her from all over to help diagnose illnesses. She would work very hard. Being a doctor must have come in handy with her own children. For one exampe, when Raja was little, he became very very ill. It turns out he had lead poisoning!

According to Wikipedia:
Lead poisoning  is a medical condition caused by increased levels of the heavy metal lead in the body. Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems. It interferes with the development of the nervous system and is therefore particularly toxic to children, causing potentially permanent learning and behavior disorders. Symptoms include abdominal pain, headache, anemia, irritability, and in severe cases seizures, coma, and death.

It is very fortunate that they caught this in time, don't you think? No one is completely sure how he got it, but sometimes children put things in their mouth. In the old days a lot of paint had lead in it. So did pencils. He probably put the tips of pencils in his mouth, or some paint flaked off the walls and he put it in his mouth. Who knows?

Anyway, Aunty told me all about her travels, and how much she enjoyed them. She also told me that many of her classmates became very well-known doctors and professors of medicine all over the world. She says that they still remain in contact with one another, and when she used to be able to travel more freely, many of them would meet every year in New York. They are like another family, and it is a very special thing to have friends like that. One of the reasons I love to travel so much is that I want to have good memories like hers to think back on when I am old.

Anni is leaving today for Australia. I'm hoping she can come by at lunch time to say goodbye. I'm going to miss her so much! The Man Cub is sick today with a little fever. The Monkey had one a few days ago, so maybe a little virus is going around. MC is in the other room watching Harry Potter. I think it's his favorite movie to watch when he's sick. It's actually one of mine, too. He's watching number Four: The Goblet of Fire.

My movie is still not loaded. I'm afraid I'm losing hope.
I'll try a photo post, and keep my fingers crossed.

Until then, be good!

Good Morning!

Friday, August 20, 2010, Chennai
8:31 a.m., India Time

Good morning, everyone! Some of you are just getting ready to go to bed right now. Maybe some of you are watching T.V. or playing your DS, or (I wish!) reading a book.

I wanted to thank you for all of your comments and questions on this blog. it makes my day when I wake up and see your posts!

I want to take a moment to respond here, and then I'll move on to the day.

Dear Caslumbia class:

I'm having an absolutely awesome time. I love every minute I spend here, and I will miss it when I come back. Still, I'll be happy to be back, and to see all of you again.  Taylor and Brandon, the tender coconut tastes different than you might expect. It's a little gooey and not too sweet. It tastes fresh, and you have to slurp it down. It's warm-ish, because it's been inside the coconut, and wet because of the coconut water. I can't really explain it right, It is really good.  I wish I could bring one back for you, but I can't. You are not allowed to bring back any plants/flowers, fruits, veggies, or animals to the U.S. from India. If I could, I'd bring my jasmine. I can't even bring my dried jasmine, because in the U.S., they have dogs who sniff all of the bags, and if they find it, I'd be in biiiiiiiiiig trouble. And they would find it, because those flower-sniffing dogs have powerful noses.

Rajasthani Man with his awesome Moonch (Mustache)

I promise I will not get blown up or marry anyone here, although I will admit that there are dozens upon dozens of good-looking men here. I see them everywhere I go. There was a very handsome one at the spa where I went to get my pedicure, and actually there is one who lives in the building next door to us, and hangs out on the roof every morning, usually without a shirt on. If Raja ever breaks up with me, I know there are many handsome men in Chennai I can marry. Of course, I haven't checked out the good looking men in Bangalore, yet, and then there's the North. Maybe I can go to Rajasthan and marry MoonchMan, the Indian Superhero that Matthew and I made up last year. He lookes a little like the guy to the right.

I don't believe any of you are racist. Also, as of now, I am disregarding everything you have said. We will never speak of it again.

(Ed: The comment above is in direct response to some of my students' comments, and is made in good fun. Please disregard everything I just said. Never speak of it again. Again.)

Snoqualmie Class:
You guys ask the most awesome questions!

1. Is it true that there are dozens of Monkeys everywhere and that they may rob houses?
I will admit that I am very disappointed that I have not seen a single monkey since I have been here. Last Christmas, a monkey came on to Aunty and Uncle's balcony while Raja and the boys were visiting, but as far as I know,  he never returned to rob the place. I guess I'll have to make do with my human Monkey.

2. How big is the region? the Country?
The city of Chennai is about 67 sqare miles, but the metropolitan area (city + outlying areas or suburbs) is about 459 square miles. It's the fourth most populous metro area in India. It is believed that St. Thomas, one of the followers of Jesus, was martyred (killed) here, and there is a memorial to him here, called St. Thomas' mount.


Tamil Nadu, the state where Chennai is located, is one of 28 states in India. It is 50, 216 square miles in area, about the size of Greece (a country in the Mediterranean Sea), and is the seventh most populous state. It is the most urbanized state in India and the 5th largest contributor to the economy. The language spoken here, Tamil, is considered a classical language, like Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit, and has been spoken and written in its current form for at least 2500 years. Tamil Nadu has an amazing history that dates back to Prehistoric times. I can't wait to learn more about it. Raja bought me some Kindergarten level reading and writing books so that I could practice.


India itself is about 1/3 the size of the U.S. (1,269,345.6 square miles total) It is broken up into 28 states. There are anywhere between 16-22 official languages in India (English being one of them), with other languages and dialects numbering somewhere between 415-1600. That's a lot of languages to learn.  It is located in Southern Asia, and like the U.S., has a variety of climates. It is estimated to have a population of around  1,150,000,000 people  (1 billion,150 million people.) In comparison, the U.S., which is three times the size, only has about 310,000,000 (310 million people.) While the U.S. has been an independent democratic republic for 234 years, India has only been an independent democratic republic for 63 years. There is still a lot of corruption in the government, and India has a lot of economic and environmental problems. In my videos and pictures, you will see how bad some of the roads are, and how dirty they are, too, with lots of garbage and litter everywhere. 


3. Does the city smell? What does it smell like?
All cities smell, I think. Chennai is a city of many contrasts. Sometimes it will smell sort of sweet and spicy and warm. This is the smell I associate most with the city. When you are walking along the street, you will smell many things, though. In one walk you might smell rain, garbage, good food cooking, pollution, and jasmine. The garbage is the worst smell, the jasmine is the best. 


I wish I could capture all the smells of India and bring them back for you. 


I am going to eat some breakfast soon, and try again to upload my movies. I was having no luck last night. (Grrrrrr...) 

Until we speak again, be good.