Soon to be in New York City, few days out. We're shuttling between families, and enjoying the winter. It's cold!!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
New York
Soon to be in New York City, few days out. We're shuttling between families, and enjoying the winter. It's cold!!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Heather's Wedding
Heather's wedding was great. She was beautiful and the ceremony and party to follow was great - congrats to her and Robby. Here are some recent pictures of us in our winter wonderland. It was right on the river in Fair Haven, once called "Clam Town" in the olden days of New Haven.
^ Snow.
^ Snow.
^ Snow.
^ Tara looking very Hyderabadi chic prior to the wedding.
^ The kids glancing at Heather as she walked in.
^ Heather looking foxy and Robby is almost surely enjoying the view of the future.
^ The exchanging of the rings.
^ The cousins.
^ Tara with her sisters and parents.
^ Snow.
^ Snow.
^ Snow.
^ Tara looking very Hyderabadi chic prior to the wedding.
^ The kids glancing at Heather as she walked in.
^ Heather looking foxy and Robby is almost surely enjoying the view of the future.
^ The exchanging of the rings.
^ The cousins.
^ Tara with her sisters and parents.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Snowed in
We are now with Tara's family and are snowed in. Yes, snow is coming down by the bushel, and we're in the midst of a vast carpet of white.
It's an interesting contrast to the Deccan plateau where we get feasted upon by misquitoes, this a mere three days ago.
Best to all, and we're hoping Christmas is settling into everyone's hearts, and we will update with pictures soon - Tara's family is computer-free, so cannot do right now.
One interesting note - in India, Christmas is a shared festival, not only for Christians. But, it is still largely a Christian observance, and virtually all of my Hindu and Muslim colleagues gave me a kind word of "Merry Christmas to you and your family" back in India.
Then we come to the US which is, at least nominally, a majority Christian nation - and people have largely negated the direct name of Christmas, replacing it with "Happy Holidays". Long standing tradition in the US, and one that, in turn, has caused a culture clash. We have never invested a great deal of emotion in it, but it is of note.
So, back in India, I asked Tara about why an environment that is as diverse and varied as India is so much quicker to acknowledge people's beliefs and traditions directly. Ramzan and Duwali overlap, but the signs say "Happy Duwali" or "Mubarak Eid" (the feast at the end of Ramzan), or both. But never a neutral "Happy Holidays".
Tara's immediate reply....
"Because this place is athentically diverse and it is all ok. The US honestly seeks to squelch true diversity in most ways. It's all bullsh*t."
Wow. I think she's on to something.
And I love how she finishes a pithy philosophical point with a swear, makes her brilliance more "earthy". ;-)
Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all..... The wedding is next.
It's an interesting contrast to the Deccan plateau where we get feasted upon by misquitoes, this a mere three days ago.
Best to all, and we're hoping Christmas is settling into everyone's hearts, and we will update with pictures soon - Tara's family is computer-free, so cannot do right now.
One interesting note - in India, Christmas is a shared festival, not only for Christians. But, it is still largely a Christian observance, and virtually all of my Hindu and Muslim colleagues gave me a kind word of "Merry Christmas to you and your family" back in India.
Then we come to the US which is, at least nominally, a majority Christian nation - and people have largely negated the direct name of Christmas, replacing it with "Happy Holidays". Long standing tradition in the US, and one that, in turn, has caused a culture clash. We have never invested a great deal of emotion in it, but it is of note.
So, back in India, I asked Tara about why an environment that is as diverse and varied as India is so much quicker to acknowledge people's beliefs and traditions directly. Ramzan and Duwali overlap, but the signs say "Happy Duwali" or "Mubarak Eid" (the feast at the end of Ramzan), or both. But never a neutral "Happy Holidays".
Tara's immediate reply....
"Because this place is athentically diverse and it is all ok. The US honestly seeks to squelch true diversity in most ways. It's all bullsh*t."
Wow. I think she's on to something.
And I love how she finishes a pithy philosophical point with a swear, makes her brilliance more "earthy". ;-)
Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all..... The wedding is next.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
In Connecticut
We are in Connecticut. It's great to be in a chilly place one week before Christmas. It makes it feel more.... Christmasy.
It's a little hard to wrap one's head around how different the US is from the world around it. Not that the part of Connecticut we are in is a good indication of what the US is like. Check this out....
^ Here is a small lean-to in which a couple migrant workers lived at the end of our old street in Hyderabad.
^ Here is a Connecticut home in the neighborhood where we are staying.
^ Here is the school that our domestic help's daughter attends.
^ Here is a Connecticut home in the neighborhood where we are staying.
^ Here is a home in Hyderabad.
^ Here is a Connecticut home in the neighborhood where we are staying.
How does the world sustain such disparities? It's just hard to imagine.... and it's very interesting to see first hand. We'll never look at things the same way again.
It's a little hard to wrap one's head around how different the US is from the world around it. Not that the part of Connecticut we are in is a good indication of what the US is like. Check this out....
^ Here is a small lean-to in which a couple migrant workers lived at the end of our old street in Hyderabad.
^ Here is a Connecticut home in the neighborhood where we are staying.
^ Here is the school that our domestic help's daughter attends.
^ Here is a Connecticut home in the neighborhood where we are staying.
^ Here is a home in Hyderabad.
^ Here is a Connecticut home in the neighborhood where we are staying.
How does the world sustain such disparities? It's just hard to imagine.... and it's very interesting to see first hand. We'll never look at things the same way again.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Next stop...
... we will be in a place that currently looks like this. Should make for interesting driving as we zip up and down I95 seeing both of our families!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Good bye
For the next six months, we will say many "good byes" which we hope are really "see you laters". The Farrands are off to KL for the next phases of their expat adventure. We wish them well.
This is a picture Tara took while walking the 5K with Richard this past weekend.
Stay in close touch, Richard and Carol.
This is a picture Tara took while walking the 5K with Richard this past weekend.
Stay in close touch, Richard and Carol.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
