september stuff

It's been a crazy few weeks! Fall is my crazy time. As trip leader for our Week withOut Walls adventure, Team 6 leader, and a member of 3 different musical groups, it seems crazy that I'd also add half marathon training to the mix. But yes, I have. It's been such a fulfilling month. From trips to some Delhi landmarks, to incredible classroom work, I'm totally pleased.

For those of you not on facebook, ask if you'd like to see some pics....haven't quite gotten to that.

I got pulled over last week (not a highlight), which has always been one of my biggest fears of driving in a seemingly lawless city. I was talking on my cell phone, and I suppose I don't know if that really is illegal or not. THe cops here are usually on motorbikes, so they just risk their lives by tapping on your window and pulling in front of you, using there very delhi hand signal of pull over. I WAS FREAKED. Most things in Delhi I have under control, this I did not. I have heard many a horror story about emptying wallets and unsatisfied police officers. I tried to get smart and force them to come with me to the embassy. The policeman was having none of it, or understanding none of it, not quite sure. Eventually he just wabbled his head and said matter of factly "money, " followed with a smile and "now." Um yeah, there aren't many fabulous times to be a white girl in delhi, and this wasn't winning any first time awards. I was able to win a small battle of getting him to back up off my car, which he was leaning into with a creepy grin on his face, while I got my money out. 500 INR was a fine exchange for letting me continue to drive, somewhat lawlessly, on the Indian roads.

I've also started another blog...a professional one with my kids, if you're interested, check it out
http://rgalvan.msblogs.aes.ac.in - my kids are doing AWESOME and inspirational things with it. Very exciting.

What else? I'm in a band. This is pretty much a dream come true gone blues. While I never dreamed of singing the blues, I'm loving the opportunity to sing and perform, it's definitely taking me outside of my comfort zone, which is a welcome adventure. On Friday we'll have our first gig. Ha, a GIG! Love it!

Lots of trips and adventures coming my way this next month. Stay tuned!
LOTS OF LOVE, and drop a comment!

Tea with Gandhi's Granddaughter

Tara was only 14 when her grandfather died, but when she spoke of him, you would never know that over 50 years had passed. Her stories of him and with him are so vivid and clearly hold great importance to her. She actually called herself the most illiterate of the family, because rather than study other people's interpretations of Gandhiji, she uses her memories of him to make sense of who he was and how he thought.

When talking about the separation, what Gandhi above all strived to achieve although he did not agree with partition ,
she shared that eventually he agreed that there was going to be more bloodshed without it. But then she spoke of the terrorism that was present in pre-independent India and how it ensued post-independence. The terror she spoke of, though, wasn't the terrorism we think of. It was the terror of going to sleep hungry, having hungry children, or the terror of being lonely.

I only had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Bhattercharjee for a short time, but her presence was generous and full of love. We all speak the same language, the language of heart.

back.

i'm back. it's the same, yet different.

year 4 brings more comfort than year 3, so where is all this discomfort coming from ?

i arrived 2 weeks ago to the deceivingly fabulous new indira gandhi airport. after waiting for an hour for my bags, i pushed my cart excitedly out the door of the airport. hot. humid. slippery. chaos. welcome back to india.

my house had seemingly stood still, my plants continued growing, and life had carried on without me for 3 months. the hole next to my house is still there, and the house across the street appears to be finished. my car sat waiting for me in the school parking lot, as did the broken side-view and a/c and the newly broken passenger side door and window.

i find it fascinating how different my school life and summer lives are, and moreover how seamless the transition might appear from the outside. i'm experiencing the emotional transition more than usual this year. or is it just that the mundane has hit hard or that i'm more cynical than ever? not sure. it only took 1 drive home to get the road rage back, an appointment-less salon to get the tears flowing, all the while the voice in my head saying 'why did you come back again?'

schools started monday and it was glorious. the reunions with friends have been extraordinary. life is comfortable, too comfortable? i'm looking forward to learning more about myself and delhi this year, try to leave the nah-saying behind and step out into every day as if it were my last (in new delhi).

is this what it means to be a runner?

short post, but needed something short to get me back on here.
last weekend i decided i was a runner....these are my findings.

R est-lots of it. 9:30pm has become "late" for me. i spend most friday's home by 7 or 8pm, in bed by 9pm. getting up early is pretty much my new favorite thing, 430am is a common weekend wakeup time. most running days i end up snoozing at my desk at some point. it's so hot here, running has to at least start before sunrise

I ce- YUP, lots of it too! tonight i sit with my leg propped up: frozen veggies on the foot, frozen hot dogs on the knee, and newly added ice pack to the place where the masseuse rubbed a little to hard!

Carbs-man, i eat them a lot. fuel fuel fuel

Excellant. How I feel after each and everyone, especially now that early runs are over in 3 weeks!

Madison Half in 25 days. Woop Woop!

*disclaimer-all i talk about is running these days, sorry!

lost

living abroad can feel like a different hemisphere sometimes. the highs and lows that we all feel seem like they are magnified sometimes, and the bubble that is our social scene sometimes feels to big to handle and at the same time to small to contain us all.....strangeola. if mom is reading this she's probably say "you're just tired, go to bed." which is probably true, but i haven't eaten dinner yet and just wait til you hear the options: chili (amy's not hormel) or toast. oh joy.

the past month has been another adventure i spent the first 2-3 day weekends ever at HOME, and just welcomed the relaxation and good company. things are getting tricky now with the running load on my plate. not sure how i can get in 5 and 6 miles run in some interesting indian destination. i'll have to find out soon though as the trip to tanzania is right around the corner!

if you're not on facebook you haven't seen the holi pictures floating around on my homepage, it was another incredibly fun year of holi. actually, the best year yet. i went to an awesome progressive brunch, played with the locals, and definitely did not get touched inappropriately! i did, perhaps, overindulge a bit, but that's what holidays are for, right? AND i didn't miss my 4 mile run the following day!

i have officially finished my last after school activity of the year, so i am looking forward to some more afternoon free time, but not for a few weeks. i enrolled in a SUNY grad class about the brain to get my brain going again. i don't think i'll pursue another masters, but the class is really affordable and seemed like something to get me back into academia. it's feeling good to get into the new research about the brain, it's a hot topic in my circle.

what else? it's getting hot here, and i fear that i am spending the best two weekends inside at class! it's perfectly pleasant during the day, which is really about 90. the calm before the storm indeed! i'm looking forward to spring break, and then it's really only a short time until summer.

would love to hear from you all! xoxo

becky's a runner-ish

it's official. i've signed up for the madison half marathon on may 30. i decided that it is my time, and i am up for the challenge. training officially begins tomorrow, and my mouth dropped when i looked at the impending mileage.

today i ran the first ever cansupportRUN here in delhi for cancer. there was a good crew of us, and 4 of us ran the 4 K. my friend melissa and i ran together the whole time....along with an indian man. picture this: jeans, wool sweater, backpack, cell phone, and tennies holding pace next to us. for some reason he found it necessary to run directly next to one of us at all times, and when i mean next to, i mean all i had to do was make a chicken wing with my arm to hit him. at one point i was convinced he was going to ask for my number...he must've had some important business to be carrying the cell phone...and what was in that backpack?

either way, as i plugged though those 2.4 miles i envied his ability to run in clothing that was clearly better suited for 40 degrees and not 75, nonetheless more appropriate for casual fridays.

i'll stick to my dry-fit until i start having perma b-o in them:)
xoxo

my wish list

Things I look forward to doing in 2010.

1. being more mindful, staying more in the present
2. sitting on beaches, watching sunsets and eating shrimp
3. my job. it totally rocks
4. making plans for life post-delhi
5. cooking better meals for myself
6. not worrying as much (see #1)
7. staying better connected with friends in the usa
8. appreciating and being appreciated
9. cambodia and vietnam
10. the unknown




[editor's note: both editor's note and the idea of this blog was copied from thinh, thanks bud]