thought i'd post some pics too...

can you believe it....2 posts in one day? please dont forget to read the one below!
eamon and i checked out some tourist sights these last few weeks. the mini-taj is humayan's tomb and the fort, is well, the red fort !

a joyful reminder

some days we get all wrapped up in the day to day. the minute to minute. even here, halfway around the world, we have those days. (i promise to move away from the doogie howser, md. closing scene style)....but truly, we do.
today, i met laura in the canteen for a quick 'samosa tuesday.' we hurried through the scrumptousness because we had to go to the republic day assembly. i'm sure we debated going at some point, thinking about how much we could really use this time to, blah blah blah...but as we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised with what was before our eyes.
saturday was republic day here. a few of us newbies went to the parade, honoring the 59th year of the republic, which was pretty fascinating. no, no pictures here. you couldn't even bring a pen onto the parade grounds. in fact, i got my boobs touched on the way in, just to make sure i wasn't hiding any pens, phones, or any other electronics. so all that remains of the parade lies deep in my memory. ok, so back to the school assembly.
because of the independence day there are many dance 'troupes' in town, of course, what else would they entertain french president sarcozy with....well, our indian studies teacher is a fabulously connected woman, and somehow, she gets these groups to come and dance at school every year.
it was an hour of pure bliss and amazement. there was representation from 5 of India's 28 states, all presenting their own dances, dress and music. it was just brilliant. i realized that maybe i should start exploring more of these types of things rather than bitch about delhi not having any decent coffee shops.

so, as i left the assembly, i felt a renewed vitality for my life in delhi. hey, we may not have good coffee shops, but we have some ridiculously rich culture to explore.

happy india.

i said what what

oh delhi.
everyone seems to be hating on delhi. don't get me wrong. i am one of the biggest haters sometimes. i think it comes with the seasons. but really, this is winter? you've gotta be kidding me. it's beautiful. especially (and almost exclusively) when the wind is blowing, so all the funky fire junk gets blown out of dodge. otherwise it's almost temperatureless because all you focus on is not breathing while your outside. it's like poison floating through the air.
i've managed to keep my healthy constitution since i have been back. meaning, i think the lactose intolerance i picked up at home left me when i got back. and my stomach has been pleasantly calm. i haven't picked back up that nasty cough that lingers in the lungs for like 2 months...i think that's why i am not on the hater side, today at least.
what i have picked up is some noisy neighborhood dogs who are HATING life most mornings. lots and lots of barking. i am pretty sure i hear monkeys too. the other morning a monkey was sitting at my window while i was dressing. what the? the monkeys have seen me naked...who ever thought i would say that. oh yes, and the cows are still roaming. i saw my friendly (joking) humpback buddy walking down the street today.
school is busy. i spend my middle school prep periods watching my mentor teacher teach, which blows that 85 minutes. i am learning a lot though, which is good. i am coaching the girl;s soccer club at the middle school. that's a whole new bag of worms.
ok, well i am back to AMERICAN IDOL. you bet. it's here too. and i am fondly getting addicted. it comes in at a close second to season 3 of the OC. omg. how did i miss that one in the states? it plays nightly. i am blessed!

well. i'll post a few more pics from my trip home....much love
b

so, how was your break?

2008
new year, new delhi....
got back to delhi early monday morning. was able to grab a few hours of sleep before getting right back into the swing of things. i'm feeling it today. 3 nights of waking up in the middle of the night wondering which way is up, what part of the world is my bed in, and is my alarm set has left me pretty haggered.

the talk around school is all the same. so, how was your break? where did you go? some amazing travel tales told at the lunch room table these last few days. but, with winter break, also come resignations. i came back to find out that 4 of my favorite people at school are moving on to greener pastures (that couldnt be more literal). the only way to look at it is to think of my world getting smaller, more people in between the other people that are already quite far away.
the vacations were awesome. home was fabulous, albeit quite cold. going home is a challenge within itself though. i can imagine it's as strange for others as it is for me. so, how is india?
mke highlights:
ian and el
christmas time with the fam
quality time with friends.
consumerism


after mke i went to amsterdam for four nights with eamon. we had a blast. roaming the streets, having pints here and there, and taking it all in.


Cheers to a new year!!!

All my love,
b