Jet-lagged

It is a beautiful sunny day here in Holland, Michigan.   The thermometer in our house is hovering at a gentle 70 F.   We left for the US exactly a week ago and cannot believe in some ways that it has only been a week since we boarded the Paris bound Air France flight.    

I know a lot of you have wondered how we fared in our trip.   Our flight from Bangalore to Paris was the longest leg of the journey.  This was also, coincidentally, the most problematic flight for Leila on our way TO India.   I was a little nervous but Leila did sleep for about 5-6 hours on this flight (this was a 10 hour flight).  I was quite relieved to arrive in Paris.  We were hopeful about the shorter (6 hours) flight to NYC.   However, that hope vanished in a couple of hours.  It was a noisy flight.  We had a baby that wasn’t sure what was day and what was night.   Needless to say, I walked the aisles of the airplane for almost 3 hours.  Now, I must preface all this by stating first that Leila was a really good girl.  She just did not sleep.  In over 36 hours of travel, our little wonder got maybe 7 hours of sleep TOTAL.   That began to wear on her and exponentially began to wear on us.  

We landed at the JFK International in New York City.  We found out at this time that while all our luggage made it, our stroller did not.   This was a pretty big blow because now we had to negotiate 7 hours at JFK with 7 suitcases, 3 carry-ons AND a baby.  For as great a city as New York City is…JFK leaves a LOT to be desired.   We had to switch over to the domestic terminal which reminded me of a crowded bus station in India.   The only difference being that we were hauling a lot of luggage on a rickety little trolley up and down elevators and over floors that were carpeted heavily.  (Note:  Katy and I try to avoid O’hare Airport in Chicago and Heathrow in London.   After this trip, I have sworn to not make fun of those fine cities ever again).  Our journey was, however, not over at JFK.  We had to catch our connection (2 hours) to Detroit.   In all honesty, the passengers (well…one loud mouth and his friend) on this flight were probably the most inhospitable to new parents and a baby.   That made the 2 hours extra long.    

We were so glad to see Katy’s parents waiting for us at the Detroit Airport at 9:30 PM on Monday night!   We spent the night with Katy’s brother Ben, his wife Heather and Leila’s cousin Eleanor.   Best sleep we had in a while.   Sometime on Tuesday, we loaded up the car again and began the three hour ride to Holland.   Leila did well in her car seat.  

Anyway, we are still battling jetlag.  Our stuff still lies strewn about in the living room as we unpack, do laundry, and get things back in order.   Thank you for your prayers.   We are glad that the travel went well.   How did we fare?  I’d say that I’d give the trip back to the US a B-.  

Leila is slowly beginning to behave like the Leila we know.   We are excited and happy about that.  For a little 7 month old she sure is quite the traveler!   

We hope to update more now that we are settling in.

And we are back!

After a week of roaming the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, we are all finally back in Bangalore. Our boss was in town, so we took the entire staff of WCOI (including those from our two other offices in India) down south with us to participate in a distribution and then a retreat, something we had been praying would happen for a long time now. This was an unprecedented event. Following the distribution in Tamil Nadu, we crossed state boundaries into the beautiful state of Kerala. We were there to take some time off together as a team and enjoy the beauty of the land. We were treated to some unparalled sights but the real beauty came in our sessions together as one big family. We have a very special team here at WCOI, and it showed. Leila again proved to everyone just how hardy she is as a traveler. In six months on earth, she has traveled more than most people do in a lifetime. I am a proud papa, but she is a tough cookie too. I must admit, though, that even Leila was glad to finally be home.

On the train again

Lining up to receive audio Scripture kits

Leila meeting Pastor Hallelujah at the Distribution

Retreat Time

The group out for some sight-seeing

Tea Plantations

This week back has been a long week. We’ve had board meetings and other official meet and greets. And of course, the phone line to our home got “cut” and took with it our DSL line. So needless to say, it took us more than four days to get the line patched up, modem hooked up, modem reset, modem exchanged, modem reset again, and other modem related oddities– BUT we are now up and running. That always makes me happy.

I am also setting another trend here. This is the first time I have typed up an entire blog on my iPod Touch. I make no apologies for being a geek. Got to love wifi!:).

A few weeks back, JP being a major GEEK with his "twin," Divya

Bangalore is beginning to cool down and the evening breezes make walks around the neighborhood absolutely delightful. Hard to believe we are only here for a few more days. Hope you are all well wherever in the world you find yourself tonight.

Porulkatchi

Last night I got a little carried away in reflective mode, and did not end up posting the original thoughts that I had been having about Tulip Time.  So, here we go– round two…

JP and I were happy to learn that this year our travel dates coincided with those of the Porulkatchi, or the fair.  I was able to go to the fair once a few years back, and I loved it.  It was the year that Teresa was living here, and so we went first with Teresa.  That year my mom and dad also came to visit and explore India, and we figured the fair was a pretty good way to explore some of the nitty gritty of Indian lifestyle.  The fair isn’t typically geared toward foreign guests, and hence is a perfect place to live large with the locals.  (Just don’t plan to blend in!!)  We have many fond memories from these two prior trips to the fair, and so it was with eagerness that we piled into the Tavera with Tata and Ava and drove the short distance to the Porulkatchi grounds.  Leila even got strapped in the Baby Bjorn for this one.

 

at the bazaar: bed sheets, table cloths, and the like

Upon entering the fairgrounds, you go through a large bazaar area where vendors are selling everything from washing machines to jewelry, from dried fruits and nuts to tortilla makers (used to make chapatis).  The bazaar area is probably my favorite part of the fair.  There is so much to see, and there are so many unique items at great discount prices.   Plus, there is this one guy who hands out the most amazing samples of spiced cashew nuts.  We definitely bought a packet of those!!  Once you make your way through all of the booths, you’ve reach the rides and the fair food, which is JP’s favorite part– the food, that is.  :)  This is what got me thinking about Tulip Time.  It is so fun to see all of the Indian fair food options.  At the top of our list of favorites is definitely the Chaat Stall.  Chaat comes in many varieties, and is usually a mixture of fresh chopped items like tomatoes, onions, and cilantro mixed with different kind of crunchy savory and spicy items.  Some chaats involve broth, some are more like buns with a spicy marinara sauce, some resemble chips and salsa with fresh pico, some are like rice krispies…  It is a long and delectable list.  Perhaps some day I will be able to write a more helpful chaat entry, but for now, hopefully a few photos will suffice.  

 

Pani Puri Chaat (this is what JP ordered)

Samosa Chaat (this is what I ordered)

After the chaat stall, we headed for the fresh sugar cane juice.  Sugar cane juice is sweet and also lime-y.  Very refreshing, and it is oh-so-enjoyable to watch the squeezing process.

 

Making Sugar Cane Juice

 

one for JP, one for mom, one for dad

So many kinds of goodies, just like 8th street and Tulip Time.  There were fried rice and noddle booths, cotton candy, spicy versions of our elephant ears, and bhajis, which are deep fried, batter-coated bananas, peppers, potaotes, and the like.  Check out our banana bhajis below.

 

Bhaji

The other thing that always happens when we go to the fair is that it rains just as we begin making our way through the food area, and we have to make a sprint toward home.  This year was no different.  My photo-taking and eating spree came to a quick close, but it was probably for the best as Leila was ready to head home for a nap.  Good times were had at the Porulkatchi this year.  If ever you get the chance to to meander through a Porulkatchi yourself, I highly recommend it.  And for those of you who enjoy Tulip Time, it just might seem familiar… minus the tulips, of course. 

 

a parting shot of the fairgrounds

Tulip Time

Back in Holland, I know that Hope College has just graduated the class of 2009 (CONGRATs to my beloved students!!) and Tulip Time is in full swing.  This is always a favorite time of year for JP and me.  For as long as we’ve been married, Tulip Time was a signal.  Seeing the spring rains arrive, and the tulips poking their colorful blooms into the fresh, bright world was just one reason to smile.  JP would gladly admit that Tulip Time is a favorite time because of the carnival food carts that line up along 8th Street.  (In fact, JP loves those visits to the food carts so much that he occasionally talks about organizing our trips to India so that we can be gone during the worst of Holland’s winter, but make it back in time for Tulip Time!)   And, while I admit that we both like to go for a corn dog and a fat ball– which sounds gross, but tastes like a Boston Creme donut, but better– I think we both love Tulip Time for the way that it marks a change of season, a change of attitude, a change of pace, and even a change of place for us.  Tulip Time, for me, always indicated the close of another school year, with lovely hints of sumer beginning to loom before me.  It was both the end of something, and  a sweet, blessed beginning.  It was the scramble and rush of life and work at the college giving way to hopeful piles of books to be read, walks to be dilly-dallied along, and grilled meals to be savored.  In addition to these things, Tulip Time generally pointed toward an imminent trip to India for JP and me.  Tulip Time, rain or shine, warm or cold, was a breath of life, with the heavy undertone of excitement.    

Now it is Tulip Time, but here we are, already in India.  I’ve been a bit out of sorts these last few days, and without trying to be overly dramatic about it, I think I’m rather homesick.  It was this time last year that I bid a bittersweet farewell to my beloved Hope College, and my ministry as a chaplain.  I was a little less than half way through my pregnancy, and JP and I were looking forward to an exciting, busy trip to India that included his brother’s marriage.  This was to be followed by my sister’s wedding shortly after we returned.  During this whole time period, I was also trying to grasp the details of a new profession as I joined JP as his partner in mission work.  Needless to say, this has been a year of major change for me.  I’m not sure I’ve given myself the time and space for proper reflection, but I am suddenly realizing that my heart has not forgotten to reflect.  My heart is tugging at me, reminding me of the things that have been my rhythm for so many years.  There is a quiet sorrow in me for that which is over, and I’ve found myself missing Tulip Time and all that it signaled for me in previous year.

 

my little tulip

However, to be most truthful, I must also admit that God is planting good seeds in my life right now.  In this year, God has gifted me with my precious little Leila.  She is my tulip this May.  And, God has been (and will continue) planting seeds related to my new professional life.  I trust that these seeds will grow into bright, daring blossoms, all in due time.  It will take some time for these seeds to grow, for the blossoms to emerge.  So, I say, I am grateful to be here.  Growing is good for me, and flowers are worth waiting for.

JP’s Good Night/Day

Last night was arguably one of my favorite nights so far in Bangalore.   We did not have to go out to a fancy restaurant or an exotic locale here in India.   We actually stayed home.  My cricket team, the Bangalore Royal Challengers, were playing a team from Kolkata.   It is the shorter (3 hour game) and more entertaining form of cricket.   As I began to watch, my mom asked me if I’d like to eat dosas for dinner.  Now dosas are probably my most favorite food item here in India.  I cannot leave India without eating a dosa.  And while restaurants make AMAZING dosas for 15 rupees (a little more than 25 cents), nothing compares to my mom’s hot dosas.   She had an amazing chicken curry and yummy coconut chutney as accompaniments to these crispy rice crepes.   She just kept serving up dosas to Katy and me till we could have no more…  seriously… this is the life.   My night was complete right there but this was a special night because Bangalore won their game as well!   

 

A standard dosa (courtesy of the internet)

In honor of their victory, I wore their jersey today.   I had to drop Katy off downtown so she could buy some things.  On my way there, I stopped by a gas station to fill some petrol in the scooter.  As the gas station attendant was filling the vehicle, a few of his friends joined him.  I wasn’t sure why they were all there so I took my helmet off to hear what they were talking about.  While the vehicle was almost done filling, the man asked me in halting Kannada where I got my jersey.  Then realizing that I also spoke Tamil, he switched and wanted to know ALL about it.  So here I was, in a busy gas station, with a WHITE girl, and nobody even looked twice at Katy.  All they wanted to know was about my jersey!    Now… I am not trying to gloat, but even Katy had to admit, somedays, even JP gets to be the star!   

I am not going to get used to it… but it was fun while it lasted.

 

The sweet jersey!