Hey there, friends. It's been a while. I suppose we're due for an update. Here's what's going on.
We leave for India in just over a month! Our apartment has been successfully subleased, my scooter has been sold, and we are trying to eat our way through our freezer and noodle cabinet. Also, we have all been vaccinated for polio, hep. A and B, tetanus, typhoid, and a few other things. That was quite a cocktail-- we all felt a bit wonky for a few days, but at least we hopefully can now avoid some of the major plagues.
The plan is to leave the day after Christmas. But not for India.
For Paris!
For 5 days!
Then, we fly to Finland for a four hour layover, and then it's on to Delhi.
From Delhi, we take the train to Chandigarh. Then, hopefully, by then, hopefully hopefully hopefully, the program will have our housing worked out, and we will taxi [or something] to our new home.
One of the best things that has happened, just in the last few days, is that we have gotten in touch with the wife of one of the professors here. She has gone on the study trip with her husband, their children, and the class a few times before (but is not going this year). Just emailing back and forth with her a few times has really helped give us more of a sense of what it really is going to be like in Chandigarh with a toddler. Diapers, she says, are available in the city (although, a bit pricey for India standards), and she gave us a whole list of good places to shop and fun outings to go on. Also other random stuff-- like info about indoor heating, and she recommended that we definitely bring some sort of bed for Violet. Her mother-in-law in India has a car seat we can use, as well as a high chair-- these things are golden! Yes, we could live for 10 weeks holding Violet on our lap at every meal, but having a highchair represents more than just a place for her to eat--- it means that I can put her in it and wash dishes, read a book, type an email, paint a picture, anything at all non-baby related for at least 10 minutes while she's munching.
We've learned a bit about the weather: It's going to be cold and foggy when we first arrive (seeming very cold due to little or no indoor central heating), but it's supposed to start warming up by February. By March it should be quite lovely! With that in mind, we are only just barely starting to think of what kind of clothing to pack. I think we're probably going to plan on packing winter-type clothing, and then look forward to buying more warm-weather stuff as needed (oh my goodness -- how adorable is Violet going to be in her Indian attire!?!! sorry, just had to throw that in!)
There is still a lot to process.... but I think things are slowly slowly slowly coming together.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Diaper update
We have started using cloth diapers with Violet and it is going fabulously well! We went to a few used kids-clothing stores and bought about 8 pre-folds (that's the fancy name for the soft white cotton towel-like things that you fold to go directly against the baby's bum), and then we bought (for near to nothing compared to what they cost new) two outer diaper wraps (these go over the pre-folds, and are a bit rubbery and water proof; they protect her pants from getting wet and soiled). Also, we bought a handy little contraption called a Snappi that you use instead of diaper pins. You can read about it here . She is still wearing a disposable diaper at night, and anytime we have a major event or outing I tend to put her in a disposable simply because I'm still figuring out how long she can go in a cloth diaper before having to be changed, but for the most part we are using all cloth and it is going very well. The hardest part so far seems to be coming up with a good system for this whole thing--- I think we now have enough cloth diapers where we will only have to do laundry every 3 days or so-- but figuring out what to do with the dirty diapers while they wait to be laundered has taken some thought. Letting them soak in a bucket of water with mild soap seems to work pretty well, as long as I remember to change the water every night :)
The most amazing part of this whole diaper experiment is realizing how flexible and adaptable Violet really is. She does seem to know the difference between cloth and disposable diapers, and has put up a protest a few times when we try to put her in a cloth one (I think they do feel a little strange to her; she is not completely used to them yet)... but basically as long as Tyler and I have everything on our end figured out, she is fine adapting to the situation.
While this concept may seem fairly simple, it is actually, I think, pretty huge.
It's huge because for quite some time now I have been thinking of this India trip as something that is going to be really hard on Violet simply because a lot of things are unknown, and inevitably a lot of things will be different, and that will be a stress on her. But I am realizing more and more that beside the main difference of not being at home in a familiar place, she probably won't notice or be affected too much by many of these differences. Most of the stresses will be on Tyler and myself (i.e. we'll have to boil all the water, we'll have to thoroughly cook all of the fruits and vegetables, we'll have to make sure we have mosquito nets, we'll have to make sure she has diapers of some kind that are clean and safe, etc....) Really, as long as we can figure out some way to create a safe and comfortable daily life for her, she will be fine.
The stress is on us, as the parents. And I believe in us, as parents.
We may not have much, but we do seem to have an ability to make what we do have work for us, and make the situation appealing and normal for our child. Violet isn't going to have to be the one to make certain things, (like cloth diapers) work--- it's really up to us as her parents to figure out how to do things so that they work for her.
And that, my friends, I think.... I hope..... I'm pretty sure.... we can do.
-Rachel
The most amazing part of this whole diaper experiment is realizing how flexible and adaptable Violet really is. She does seem to know the difference between cloth and disposable diapers, and has put up a protest a few times when we try to put her in a cloth one (I think they do feel a little strange to her; she is not completely used to them yet)... but basically as long as Tyler and I have everything on our end figured out, she is fine adapting to the situation.
While this concept may seem fairly simple, it is actually, I think, pretty huge.
It's huge because for quite some time now I have been thinking of this India trip as something that is going to be really hard on Violet simply because a lot of things are unknown, and inevitably a lot of things will be different, and that will be a stress on her. But I am realizing more and more that beside the main difference of not being at home in a familiar place, she probably won't notice or be affected too much by many of these differences. Most of the stresses will be on Tyler and myself (i.e. we'll have to boil all the water, we'll have to thoroughly cook all of the fruits and vegetables, we'll have to make sure we have mosquito nets, we'll have to make sure she has diapers of some kind that are clean and safe, etc....) Really, as long as we can figure out some way to create a safe and comfortable daily life for her, she will be fine.
The stress is on us, as the parents. And I believe in us, as parents.
We may not have much, but we do seem to have an ability to make what we do have work for us, and make the situation appealing and normal for our child. Violet isn't going to have to be the one to make certain things, (like cloth diapers) work--- it's really up to us as her parents to figure out how to do things so that they work for her.
And that, my friends, I think.... I hope..... I'm pretty sure.... we can do.
-Rachel
Monday, September 13, 2010
Diapers
So.... I'm thinking of doing cloth diapers with Violet while we're in India. From everyone I've talked with, it's really the way its done there. Laundry is sent out, and there isn't much of this wall-to-wall carpet action, so children are potty trained at a much earlier age and accidents are wiped up off the floor. Also, my sources tell me that disposable diapers are a bit hard to find, and a bit pricy.... So, cotton-bottom here we come!
Do what is done in India.
Simple. right?
Well, actually, it's taken me about 4 months to feel fine about this decision. I'm just so used to doing things the way I do them. It's not easy to figure out a routine when you are a first time parent, and so once you have one down, I think it's really hard to sway away from it. We buy our horrible disposable diapers at Costco. They are easy in every way. And they have zebras on them. When one is soiled, we roll it into a little ball, put it in the diaper genie, and off it goes. No smell. No effort. And it goes away so easily and quickly that even the guilt of using disposable diapers is [almost] completely taken care of.
Funny-- I never ever ever ever thought I would use disposable diapers on my kid-- but now that I'm a mom, I get it. Cloth diapers = more laundry, more fuss, more thought, more up-front money-- all things to be avoided in every day life when you're a first-time mommy, if possible.
But India is challenging me to rethink all of this a little. America is one thing, but if the norm in India is to use cloth diapers, and if the whole point of going on this trip is to experience India, why should I try to force this issue? I have had several suggestions from other moms-- have diapers shipped half way through, have any visitors form the states bring some with them when they come, or even just pack three suitcases full and hope they'll last....
But a good [Indian] friend put it best when she said: The trail of garbage is very visible in India. I know that I wouldn't feel comfortable brining 300 disposable diapers into the country knowing that they'll stay there for the rest of my life.
Really, what right do we have to bring these horrendous things into a country whose own people don't use them and whose garbage system may not even be able to handle them?
Of course, the later part of this question applies to anywhere on earth-- even Seattle. Violet's diapers will outlive her no matter where we are.
That is just the truth.
Anyway, I am doing my research, and trying to figure out the best cloth diapers to buy.
Here is some advice from a friend who, bless her soul, already uses cloth diapers on her kid (and they aren't even going to India!)
"i have a mix of bum genius and fuzzi bunz diapers. i like the snaps on the fuzzi bunz but i think the bum genius leak less. if i were buying more/again, i'd stick to the bum genius. i have 16 diapers and do laundry every other day. i also bought some inserts that are made of hemp (called superdo or something) to put in for night-time or longer stretches since the cloth probably need to be changed every 2-3 hours or they'll leak. that worked for a while at night but we recently converted to huggies overnight disposables for nighttime cuz he was still waking up covered in pee. sadly, we have to put him in disposables for daycare.
if you want to come over and check out my stash of cloth diapers, i'm happy to show them to you at some point. you can go to the diaper lady in ballard and check out pretty much any type of diaper you hear about. look at http://punkernoodlebaby.com/ if you wanted her info. i went to her house to look at stuff but i bought my diapers in bulk online from the cheapest place i could find them.
good luck!!"
Do what is done in India.
Simple. right?
Well, actually, it's taken me about 4 months to feel fine about this decision. I'm just so used to doing things the way I do them. It's not easy to figure out a routine when you are a first time parent, and so once you have one down, I think it's really hard to sway away from it. We buy our horrible disposable diapers at Costco. They are easy in every way. And they have zebras on them. When one is soiled, we roll it into a little ball, put it in the diaper genie, and off it goes. No smell. No effort. And it goes away so easily and quickly that even the guilt of using disposable diapers is [almost] completely taken care of.
Funny-- I never ever ever ever thought I would use disposable diapers on my kid-- but now that I'm a mom, I get it. Cloth diapers = more laundry, more fuss, more thought, more up-front money-- all things to be avoided in every day life when you're a first-time mommy, if possible.
But India is challenging me to rethink all of this a little. America is one thing, but if the norm in India is to use cloth diapers, and if the whole point of going on this trip is to experience India, why should I try to force this issue? I have had several suggestions from other moms-- have diapers shipped half way through, have any visitors form the states bring some with them when they come, or even just pack three suitcases full and hope they'll last....
But a good [Indian] friend put it best when she said: The trail of garbage is very visible in India. I know that I wouldn't feel comfortable brining 300 disposable diapers into the country knowing that they'll stay there for the rest of my life.
Really, what right do we have to bring these horrendous things into a country whose own people don't use them and whose garbage system may not even be able to handle them?
Of course, the later part of this question applies to anywhere on earth-- even Seattle. Violet's diapers will outlive her no matter where we are.
That is just the truth.
Anyway, I am doing my research, and trying to figure out the best cloth diapers to buy.
Here is some advice from a friend who, bless her soul, already uses cloth diapers on her kid (and they aren't even going to India!)
"i have a mix of bum genius and fuzzi bunz diapers. i like the snaps on the fuzzi bunz but i think the bum genius leak less. if i were buying more/again, i'd stick to the bum genius. i have 16 diapers and do laundry every other day. i also bought some inserts that are made of hemp (called superdo or something) to put in for night-time or longer stretches since the cloth probably need to be changed every 2-3 hours or they'll leak. that worked for a while at night but we recently converted to huggies overnight disposables for nighttime cuz he was still waking up covered in pee. sadly, we have to put him in disposables for daycare.
if you want to come over and check out my stash of cloth diapers, i'm happy to show them to you at some point. you can go to the diaper lady in ballard and check out pretty much any type of diaper you hear about. look at http://punkernoodlebaby.com/ if you wanted her info. i went to her house to look at stuff but i bought my diapers in bulk online from the cheapest place i could find them.
good luck!!"
Monday, August 16, 2010
India Mike
Who is India Mike? I'm not exactly sure.
Possibly our new favorite friend.
One thing is for sure, this discussion forum is absolutely what we have been looking for....
Here is how it works: you type anything at all into the search box at the top right of the page-- for example, just now I typed in contact lens solution-- and your worried heart is instantly taken to various discussion threads containing your search words. If nothing comes up, you can post a question, and miraculously others write in telling you about their experience in India dealing with contacts, cribs, toddler dehydration, etc......
Also, you can do searches by region and city, and view pictures, discussion boards, hotels, etc... of practically any area in India.
It is becoming very clear that people generally have a lot to say about India-- and people who have been there love sharing their experiences. This, somehow, means the world to me.
Here are a couple more links about bringing kids to India....
Possibly our new favorite friend.
One thing is for sure, this discussion forum is absolutely what we have been looking for....
Here is how it works: you type anything at all into the search box at the top right of the page-- for example, just now I typed in contact lens solution-- and your worried heart is instantly taken to various discussion threads containing your search words. If nothing comes up, you can post a question, and miraculously others write in telling you about their experience in India dealing with contacts, cribs, toddler dehydration, etc......
Also, you can do searches by region and city, and view pictures, discussion boards, hotels, etc... of practically any area in India.
It is becoming very clear that people generally have a lot to say about India-- and people who have been there love sharing their experiences. This, somehow, means the world to me.
Here are a couple more links about bringing kids to India....
Rachel
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
g & g
Grandma Daisy. Grandpa John.
every. single. day. --I miss you both like mad.
There are all these rose colored memories that float around my head-- there you are sitting at your huge wooden table that is covered in everyday bed sheets and also lace from china and always colorful batiks from india.
Everyone has a little english teacup. and maybe a brownie or grapes or cookies from a dutch tin. or a swedish pancake. or a papadom.
And the stories of your travels and your life in india wander through the daily conversation. something about an elephant; something about getting lost; something about a nice couple selling fruit at the market. something about a church. something about cooking.
I wish I could sit at that table again with you and talk with you about this trip we are taking. I know you would have miles to say about everything. I know you could put my mind to rest.
Rachel
Rachel
Vikram's Book
This is the book written by the professor leading the UW trip to Chandigarh - Vikram Prakash. It is widely considered the best book on the city and its history, and is fairly easy to read. It has a great introduction to the Indian independence from British rule in 1947 as well as architectural modernism in the post-WWII era. Le Corbusier was a Swiss-French architect and planner who designed the city - he is probably the most famous architect of the 20th century (either him or Frank Lloyd Wright).
It is called "Chandigarh's Le Corbusier".
--Tyler
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Dinner time...
The more food experiences we have with anything surrounding India, the more excited I get. Last week we picked up with dishes from Trader Joe's - ready-to-eat packets of "Indian Fare." I was skeptical of their quality until I saw they were actually made in India.
They both were very good with unique flavors. The Dal (black lentils) was spicier than the Choley, and had a deep tomato-cream base that we great. I wasn't looking forward to the chickpeas ( I mainly got it because it said Punjab on the box) but they were better than I thought - it also had a tomato base. I didn't realize tomatoes were so prevalent in Indian food, but like Italian, they form the base for many sauces in a lot of different dishes. Not native to India (nor to Italy) the tomato seems to be a more successful conquerer than the British, Dutch or Portuguese!
We had these two dishes on separate nights with a marinated pork tenderloin. I used this recipe below - one day in the fridge in a ziplock bag, cooked on the grill.
I am blown away by the spice mixtures and the intensity of them all - even without heat. I also didn't realize so much coriander was used. Violet seems to enjoy it all, although we are being very careful and cautious. This house sure smells like Indian food!
--Tyler
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