We were just flipping through some pictures from when we were in Paris, and of course it feels like it was about 3 years ago that we were there, instead of just 3 weeks. I cannot tell you what I would give now to have an enormous gyro full of all kinds of [safe] raw lettuce and tomatoes, slowed cooked meat, and french fries. I would say that we finally have learned how to eat here--- it's more complicated than I ever could have imagined. There is the constant having to remind yourself that foods we normally eat might not be completely safe here (mostly raw fruits and vegetables). Then, well, we have a man in the house who cooks dinner every night--- which is lovely--- (we didn't have that the first week and a half we were here)-- but even just adjusting to his food has been a bit hard on the system. Every night it is some combination of lentils, carrots, peas, cauliflower, and rice-- all very wonderful, but the lack of fat and meat protein has been quite a big adjustment. Also, the complete change of diet had started to give us a few tummy troubles... Anyway, by the end of week two, we were happy to have food, but realizing that we needed to allow ourselves to cheat just a little, and buy a very few of the expensive imported foods (a jar of peanut butter, some Kraft-style cheese, pasta, frozen chicken sausages, even potato chips)-- just to supplement our diet with a few more calories and fat to keep us going through the day. It has helped, a lot, just switching to a mind frame of it's ok to allow ourselves a few splurges from home. We are not trying to prove anything to anyone, and we are learning that it is a bit too hard and unrealistic for us to try to completely throw off everything American with a toddler; there is a good middle ground, somewhere, that we fall on and off of.
In other news, Tyler is not going to Bangalore on Friday with his class for a week, as was originally planned. I am not sure how much of the details I can relay to you-- so I may leave that up to him-- but it has to do with a student having emergency surgery three days ago, and the program needing someone here to watch over her as she recovers. The three of us (well, four) will remain in Chandigarh, and keep everything very low key, which we are always up for.
Also, over the weekend, my friend Jeanie (a fellow artist), and her friend, Angel, who just happened to be in India traveling about, paid us a visit. It was so incredibly lovely to see some friends (old and new) from home. We had a lovely lunch at Sindhi Sweets and were able to laugh and cry a little over some of the joys and hardships of being in this fabulously wonderful and crazy country. I was definitely surprised by my own sudden small pride in the city (is pride the right word?) There were things I wanted to show off, such as Sindhi Sweets, and the neighborhood surrounding her school, and the samosas from the chaat place near our house, and the rock garden (even though we haven't been there yet), and the lake with the geese and ducks....
It was sad to see them go.
As for Violet, she has completely and utterly entered (possibly prematurely) her 2-year phase of life.... She is tons of fun, when she decides to be-- but she has also become very opinionated about everything. She wants mama to give her a sip of water (not dad), she won't go down for her nap in the middle of the day until we have done every little bedtime ritual we have at least 3 times and every inch of the blanket is in the exact right position, and G-raff has to be on the left side of her not the right (or sometimes, for no reason, it's the opposite). She loves bananas but absolutely will not take a bite unless she is actually holding it, she doesn't want her diaper changed (or asks to have it done every time she feels a little bit of "poop-gas"....) the list goes on and on..... And these wants or not-wants are each accompanied by extreme demands or fits of crying. And her 2-year old birthday is still 2 months away.... yikes.
I think a toddler is a toddler anywhere you go. We would be going through all of this with her even if we were in Seattle. Although being in India does make everything a bit more complicated. If she is angry about something, she tries to do things that she knows she is not supposed to do. At home, this would just be standing on the couch. Here, however, the list is miles long and includes exponentially more dangerous things such as actually pulling the outlets off of the walls, refusing to hold hands or be carried on the busy streets that have zero sidewalks, getting too close to our one rickety old heater, eating the biting ants off the floor of the sunroom, etc....... the list goes on and on and on.
As for Tyler's class-- I will have to leave all of that to his telling. But our little school continues to open its doors to Violet every day, although I think she is distracting some of the students more than the teachers would like. Today we were sent to the park across the street with all of the 8-year old boys [who really find Violet annoying more than anything] while the girls stayed behind to do their studies. They want me to leave Violet with the other teachers on Monday for two hours while I teach a little watercolor class to the older students--- which I am happy to do--- except I am, of course, very nervous and concerned about Violet. I know that the teachers (and kids) will watch after her, but she requires so very very much attention-- constant attention-- just to insure that she doesn't fall or pull every book off of every shelf, or simply wander off (let's remember, she still is only one and some-monts old). I'm not sure I'm totally ready to be completely away from her... although, again, this would probably be the same (almost) if we were still in Seattle. Also, she hasn't wanted to be more than 10 feet from me at any moment of any day lately, so we'll see how the whole thing goes. It will be nice if it actually works, to get a break and do a little painting with the kids (although I have been told that technique is not something that they like to teach.... which kind of irks me, and leaves me wondering what they want me to do... but maybe that is an entirely different blog post.... )
Anyway, life rolls on here 13.5 hours ahead of anyone who is reading this. We love you all and miss you and hope you aren't forgetting about us (haha!)
It is Violet's bedtime, and so now I am off to put her into her snuggle bed.
xoxo rachel
In other news, Tyler is not going to Bangalore on Friday with his class for a week, as was originally planned. I am not sure how much of the details I can relay to you-- so I may leave that up to him-- but it has to do with a student having emergency surgery three days ago, and the program needing someone here to watch over her as she recovers. The three of us (well, four) will remain in Chandigarh, and keep everything very low key, which we are always up for.
Also, over the weekend, my friend Jeanie (a fellow artist), and her friend, Angel, who just happened to be in India traveling about, paid us a visit. It was so incredibly lovely to see some friends (old and new) from home. We had a lovely lunch at Sindhi Sweets and were able to laugh and cry a little over some of the joys and hardships of being in this fabulously wonderful and crazy country. I was definitely surprised by my own sudden small pride in the city (is pride the right word?) There were things I wanted to show off, such as Sindhi Sweets, and the neighborhood surrounding her school, and the samosas from the chaat place near our house, and the rock garden (even though we haven't been there yet), and the lake with the geese and ducks....
It was sad to see them go.
As for Violet, she has completely and utterly entered (possibly prematurely) her 2-year phase of life.... She is tons of fun, when she decides to be-- but she has also become very opinionated about everything. She wants mama to give her a sip of water (not dad), she won't go down for her nap in the middle of the day until we have done every little bedtime ritual we have at least 3 times and every inch of the blanket is in the exact right position, and G-raff has to be on the left side of her not the right (or sometimes, for no reason, it's the opposite). She loves bananas but absolutely will not take a bite unless she is actually holding it, she doesn't want her diaper changed (or asks to have it done every time she feels a little bit of "poop-gas"....) the list goes on and on..... And these wants or not-wants are each accompanied by extreme demands or fits of crying. And her 2-year old birthday is still 2 months away.... yikes.
I think a toddler is a toddler anywhere you go. We would be going through all of this with her even if we were in Seattle. Although being in India does make everything a bit more complicated. If she is angry about something, she tries to do things that she knows she is not supposed to do. At home, this would just be standing on the couch. Here, however, the list is miles long and includes exponentially more dangerous things such as actually pulling the outlets off of the walls, refusing to hold hands or be carried on the busy streets that have zero sidewalks, getting too close to our one rickety old heater, eating the biting ants off the floor of the sunroom, etc....... the list goes on and on and on.
As for Tyler's class-- I will have to leave all of that to his telling. But our little school continues to open its doors to Violet every day, although I think she is distracting some of the students more than the teachers would like. Today we were sent to the park across the street with all of the 8-year old boys [who really find Violet annoying more than anything] while the girls stayed behind to do their studies. They want me to leave Violet with the other teachers on Monday for two hours while I teach a little watercolor class to the older students--- which I am happy to do--- except I am, of course, very nervous and concerned about Violet. I know that the teachers (and kids) will watch after her, but she requires so very very much attention-- constant attention-- just to insure that she doesn't fall or pull every book off of every shelf, or simply wander off (let's remember, she still is only one and some-monts old). I'm not sure I'm totally ready to be completely away from her... although, again, this would probably be the same (almost) if we were still in Seattle. Also, she hasn't wanted to be more than 10 feet from me at any moment of any day lately, so we'll see how the whole thing goes. It will be nice if it actually works, to get a break and do a little painting with the kids (although I have been told that technique is not something that they like to teach.... which kind of irks me, and leaves me wondering what they want me to do... but maybe that is an entirely different blog post.... )
Anyway, life rolls on here 13.5 hours ahead of anyone who is reading this. We love you all and miss you and hope you aren't forgetting about us (haha!)
It is Violet's bedtime, and so now I am off to put her into her snuggle bed.
xoxo rachel
Hi Guys! What adventures! Your tales of Violet's twos hitting early sound so much like things here with Amir. He is the same about naps. We have two blankets that he uses and they must be "on" then "off" a certain number of times and he goes through his routine a few times before falling asleep. And, like Violet, sometimes it is the opposite. The dangers make toddler-dom more challenging but it is fun that she gets to do such off limits things as eating ants ... way more fun than standing on the couch. Thinking of you and missing you, too! Enjoy yourselves!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Stacey & Amir
So nice to hear from you Stacey! Thanks for tuning in. I miss all of my mom friends so much, it will be great to get back and catch up. Man, I can tell that this 2-year old thing is going to be a bit rough. It makes me feel better to hear that Amir is doing some of the same sorts of strange things. I am facing resistance at every corner-- with food, with naps, with putting on shoes. Phew! It's tiring. We'll get through it though, I know.
ReplyDeleteMuch love to you and Amir too!
Rachel