Departure: January 2nd, 2008

It has been a busy couple of weeks around here and I would like to share with you some of what has been going on. First I should let you know that we have a departure date! Finally!!! We are leaving on January 2nd. That is a week from tomorrow. Are we ready? Nope -not even. But we are making progress and I am not too stressed out about it - yet. But we have had some lovely gatherings.
Some of my dear Homeschool friends had a going a way party for me and it was really lovely to see all of them, many of whom I do not get the opportunity to see much these days. We also had the Open House/Bon Voyage party during which we were able to catch up with old friends. Here is Conner now as tall as the two Bills!

So we have our passports with visas and are fairly set to go, I think I even have the cat thing figured out, I just need to make sure that all of the paperwork for bringing them with us is done properly. The bureaucracy is killing me. This form, that form, copy this... I really hate this kind of stuff. Somehow I get the feeling that this is good training for dealing with things in India though.

We still don't know for sure about the house. although we are a little suspicious that we don't have it. We keep hearing things like, "Haven't been able to get ahold of the owners", or phone calls not returned, etc... which makes us suspect this is the Indian version of "It is not available" We'll see. I am actually, miraculously, not too worried about it. I would prefer to know where we will be, but I feel fairly confident that we will be able to find something that we like.


We have all been packing and cleaning and have appreciated VERY much all of the help we have received. Really, a large part of the job is getting rid of all of the junk that we collect on a daily basis that makes it impossible for us to see what we actually have! As I have been packing I have found a different sort of stash... chocolate! I didn't realize I had quite so much! I open a drawer and there is a bar of dark chocolate. I clear a bookshelf and hiding behind the books is more dark chocolate. I have been finding it everywhere! Very funny. I hide it from my kids and then can't find it myself..




Now, before I get too far, I also need to send a HUGE, HUGE thank you to Denise!!!!She sent me this lovely yarn and- check out the card! I didn't realize that she makes these!!!! She has a whole line of them. Dang. They are cool! I hope some of my favorite LYS owners will see this and get her cards or something... And the yarn? Well, see for yourself, but it is lovely. The colors are jewel like and some of my favorites. Yum!

Fleece Artist Merino 2/6

Now, on to the knitting. Yes! I have been knitting! It has actually been really nice to have a project that I can turn to when I need to relax and unwind. It is just challenging enough to distract me, but it doesn't contribute to my stresses. So, enter Cookie and her test knitting project. Wanna peek? I knew you would!

Nice, no?

All of the gatherings really remind me of how fortunate I am to
have so many beautiful, wonderful and loving people in my life. I am so grateful that we have things like blogs, Google chat and Skype to keep in touch! It will help me feel like I am still surrounded by all of those that I love.



I am going to miss all of my homeschool friends. I am going to miss all of my knitting friends (how can I replace Bobaknitters?!) I am going to miss all of my favorite yarn stores with their vast palettes of yarns... Rowan, Malabrigo, Blue Moon, Regia, Crystal Palace, Cascade... We are so spoiled here!


I am going to miss having family a close drive away. Family that laugh at jokes that no one else gets. Family that love you regardless of your flaws and weird tendencies (like bringing knitting with you to every family gathering!) I am going to miss watching the younger ones hang out and enjoy each others company and the loving teasing that goes back and forth between us all. I am going to miss the hugs and the love...



This last week is going to be very hard in many ways. There is A LOT of work to do yet, boxes to pack and things to move. There are quite a few things that remain on our to-do list, but hardest of all are the many goodbyes that need to happen. I am hoping to get to see all of you who are close by before I leave, but if I don't... rest assured that you are being thought of and I look forward to our next meeting, whenever and wherever it may be. Thank you to all who have helped, to all who have come by to visit or send a card, an e-mail or leave a kind comment here. It is much appreciated!!!


I guess that is it for now. I'm not sure that I will have a chance to post again before we leave on the 2nd but I do want to wish all of you a Happy Solstice, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!!


I'll catch you on the flipside of the world- Bangalore!

Knitters in the news...

In case you haven't seen this, the Wall Street Journal printed a story about Sock Wars yesterday and mentioned Ravelry as well! How cool is that?!

I have a lot more to post, but it will have to wait till tomorrow.

In the meantime, if you are so inclined, you can go look at Lisa's blog and enter her contest- you have until midnight on the 19th!!!

Need a Little Christmas...

Boy, I feel like I have more unfinished business than a shy cat with constipation.

Okay- sorry - that might be a strange image.

Anyway, I am trying to feel Christmas-y and my mother brought over a little tree.


A really little tree.

But somehow it is very sweet and it has endeared itself to me. (Now I just need to remember to water it!)

Today I am feeling like the tide has shifted. My car is listed for sale on Craigslist. We are getting calls from the movers. I am making appointments to get things fixed around the house and we even have renters. All of the little things that need to get taken care of in India are starting to happen and as my husband said the other night, "This is really happening."

We are having a Bon Voyage/ Holiday open house on Saturday and I know that when I picked that date it was because I thought that by then things would be winding down. :) Silly, silly me. Oh well. It shall be as it shall be. I am looking forward to getting to see people before we take off but the "goodbyes" have already begun. Saw Cookie this weekend and had to give her a goodbye because she is going to be leaving soon, and by the time she returns we should be in India. If you are local and would like to come and somehow did NOT receive an invitation through other means, just drop me a line. All are welcome.

I did have one nice bit of knitting related news over the weekend. One of my blogfriends, Denise, had a contest on her blog in celebration of her blogiversary and I won a large skein of Fleece Artist yarn!!! I shall make something nice and Indian-ish with it.

Oh - and Jeni had her pattern published in Knitty! W00t!

I am still knitting on things I can't show you and am doing some test knitting that I am not sure I can blog about (forgot to ask about that) - yeah. Test knitting. Because I need more to do. Really. (okay, actually I find that it is relaxing and helps me focus a little better when I am working on other things- honest!)

So this is probably one of the most dis-jointed blog posts I've ever made. But this is it for the moment and now- back to that unfinished business...

A few things...

You know you have been e-mailing a lot about India when you see this at the top of your Gmail page:

हवाई टिकटे - MakeMyTrip.com - भारत जाइए 559 मे ओनलाइन बुक कीजिए
I'm pretty sure that's Hindi. (Hey- at least I know it isn't Kannada!)

Benny update: He has been diagnosed with probable early stage heart disease but has been cleared for travel! Yay!!

Yesterday I was at home sorting papers at the dining room table and looked up to see a stray Pit Bull* in our backyard with Benny in his mouth, tossing/shaking him back and forth. I ran outside and chased off the dog who thankfully dropped Benny right away and I then managed to get Benny inside. I took him to the vet later but he was miraculously okay. Amazing. If I hadn't been there?...
My mom had arrived just after this had happened and said that if he could survive something like that, he ought to be fine with an airplane trip! Love my mom.
*I have nothing against Pit Bulls. We used to have a lovely Pit Bull named Bandit and she was one of the most wonderful pets we ever had. But after having her I am also very aware of how incredibly strong they are and how much damage they can do.

I am continuing to sort, give away, donate, pack and throw away STUFF. So much stuff. How does this happen?! But I must say that while there is still a lot to do, I am seeing a difference and it looks a little (okay, minuscule) bit better every day.


Ugh.

Got Yarn?

Check it out. I made yarn!

2-ply Blue Face Leicester

We had a wonderful spinning day at Margit's yesterday. Mary, Lori, Rachel, and Sheetal were all there as well. They were incredibly supportive and encouraging and after a lot of humming and hawing on my part I plied and skeined my first yarn! I couldn't be prouder!

2 skeins, about 340 yards!

No, it's not perfect. I still have much to learn to be a good spinner. But I did it and I got over the intimidation factor. (Totally weird, I almost didn't go because I was scared to ply!)

Then, after celebrating with a little champagne I got to work again and starting spinning up some pencil roving that I had picked up. It will also be pretty!

Here's to spinners!


* A special thanks to Margit who took all of the pictures here. I had forgotten my camera!!!!!

I Love This World

Why? Well I think we need to start with Freecycle.

What is Freecycle? Well, it allows people to post things that they would like to give away, or receive for FREE. Why is it great? Well, lets take today for example. I was looking at the latest local Freecycle list, I have it set to daily digest at present, and I saw that someone is looking for a couple of twin sized mattresses. Well, it just so happens that I have a couple of twin sized mattresses that we need to get rid of! They are perfectly usable, but no one is going to be using them for the next few years and I would rather not pay to store them. So. instead I get to pass them on to someone who desperately needs them and is incredibly grateful. We are both happy. Win win.

Now a couple of weeks ago I had posted a big long list of things that I had available for pick up for Freecyclers. I received many replies and was stunned by how quickly everything had been promised to others. So, one of the first to reply on a number of items came to pick things up and asked "Where are you moving to?" She was floored when I said Bangalore because that is her home town! How weird is that? We spoke for some time about the city and then later she e-mailed me asking if I would like to borrow from her a movie called Outsourced. I had actually heard about this movie and had it on my Netflix list, only they didn't have it in stock yet because it had just been released on DVD. Anyway, she lent us the movie and it is absolutely hysterical. If you have any connection to India you will die laughing and will enjoy even if you don't! But it is not just a funny movie, it also offers a lot of poignant truths about both India and America. Really, I cannot recommend it highly enough! Here is a preview that you can enjoy if you are so inclined.



Then a few days ago I received in my e-mail an 8 page document that my Freecycle friend had typed out that told about all of the different areas of Bangalore, where to shop for what, nice neighborhoods to live and shop in, what to be careful of, etc... WOW! Awesome. This is exactly why I am looking forward to experiencing India. Geetha, you are wonderful!

But I also love bloggers!

I have had a couple of other synchronistic exchanges in the last couple of weeks around blogging. First, a couple of weeks ago I was trying to sort of track down a "blog friend" who hadn't posted anything in some time. I sent messages to other bloggers who had a connection to her and in so doing started an interchange with Lynne during which I discovered that Lynne will be moving to this area in about a month. And I mean really this area. More "weird" huh? So we have been exchanging messages and I am going to make sure that she knows about all of the local knitting groups and LYS's. I will hook her up! Hear that Lynne? You are in like Flynn! (omg- that totally rhymes!)

I also received a comment from a woman, Debbie Ann, yesterday who is from San Francisco and she and her partner are currently living in Bangalore! We are already planning on getting together once we arrive (and she even indicated a possible interest in learning how to knit- muahh ha ha haaaah!) and, well, again- I was just marveling over how this sort of thing would not have been possible just ten short years ago (maybe not even 5 years ago!)

Oh yeah- final thing. I came to a sudden realization yesterday as I was looking at all of my yarn and trying to figure out how much space it would take up, where I would stuff it, etc.... And then, I realized that I could totally fit all of my yarn in one of our large suitcases. Who cares about clothes! Those I can buy there and I don't really need that many clothes... I am bringing my yarn. Hear that world? I am bringing my yarn!!!!!!!

Oh, oh oh!!!!! Check this out! I just saw this. That pic? That is Bangalore. Did you see? He is wearing a KNIT hat and a KNIT sweater! Knitting! Bangalore! Oh, I am happy!

My Buddy Benny

So, where were we? Knitless blogging and packing I think, right? Well, we'll start there anyway.

Knitting update? Not a lot. Strictly a little Christmas knitting that I can't show ya. Nothing too ambitious though, I assure you.

Mostly I have been working on getting things set up for our move. We have a pretty-much-empty storage space now as well as a hasn't-yet-been-used private mail box. Now I just need to get things moved to their respective receptacles. Bleah. Not fun work.

I have also been looking into what needs to be done to be able to take our cats with us to India and was thrilled that it looks like it can be done! Then yesterday as a part of that I took the cats to the vet to get all of their vaccinations up to date and to have them micro-chipped. When we arrived home the vet called me to let me know that Benny has a heart murmur (why didn't she tell me when we were there?!) At first I thought, "Oh! Poor thing!" and then as she went on and explained some of the possible causes and such it occurred to me that this might make it so that he cannot go with us. I cried. Then I felt ridiculous because I cried. Then I realized how often Benny keeps me company and I cried some more. Somehow I never realized how much I care for this silly cat. Dang, now I'm crying again.


He follows me around the house when he wants attention or just wants to know I am there. If he is out in the backyard and I call him or whistle, he comes running. When Bryan is out of town he usually knows and comes to sleep with me. He always knows when I need a little extra love and is there for me. What am I going to do if I don't have Benny? And then there is Ashley. Ashley is Benny's sister and they have always been together. If Benny can't go would it be right to take Ashley? Am I going to have to find a home for the two of them? I can't think about this right now. I will just have to take this one step at a time.

I took him back to the vet today to have some more tests done to determine the cause and severity of said heart murmur, but now I am concerned that the stress of a 20+ hour flight would not be so good for him. Benny is my buddy. I would really miss him.

In which Snid knits slick, slippery silk...

(How's that for a tongue twister?)

I know, I know- I promised you knitting and the problem is that I don't have a lot of knitting to share. The little bit of knitting I have done is Christmas related and other than that- I got nothin' for ya. No, wait- that's not quite true. Remember this? My 25 Rupee, 50 gram cone of silk from Bangalore? Well I tried it out.

I knit a sample swatch using my size 1 Addi lace circulars (actually more like 1 1/2, or 2.5 mm). It was a bit stiff when I first knit it, it obviously has some sort of sizing or something on it. It is also slick as - well I'll keep it clean and say it is slick. So slick that after I cast off the last row, pulled the yarn through the last stitch and cut it (leaving about my usual 3-4" length) it wasn't long before I noticed that this length had somehow slipped back through and was coming undone and dropping stitches! I quickly put a safety pin through what loops I could find, deciding that if it was that slick then ripping back and picking up stitches would be no fun, if not impossible. (It's a swatch not a garment!) I washed the swatch and it's drape and usability improved dramatically. I think this has potential!


Yay! I am planning on skeining and washing the rest of the yarn before I use it- I think it will be much easier to work with and hopefully won't be quite as slippery.

As for the move and all of the plans related to that. Well, things are progressing, although I am conflicted as to whether I want them to move faster or slower. We are still waiting for a lot of paperwork to be generated but the offer has been approved and accepted. Yet I am also feeling like time is marching towards our departure very quickly. My 18 yo daughter moved out last week which leaves us with two children left in the house...it is almost eerie quiet at times. We have boxes everywhere along with piles of things that I am sorting through and it doesn't feel very holiday-ish at all, at all. I did get both a storage space and a mail box this week so I am feeling like the business end of things is getting done. Now we just need to sell my car and rent out our house. sigh.

Well, I hope that all of you who celebrate Thanksgiving have a beautiful holiday. Enjoy your loved ones and don't eat too much!!!

Things I'll Miss Monday- The Food

I have been pondering a series of posts in which I show you the things I will miss once we are living in India. You see, I am not just some recent Valley transplant who came here in the midst of the dot com bloom or any other such Silicon Valley growing spurt. I have lived in the Bay Area for most of my life, since I was two and the Summer of Love was on the horizon. I remember the orchards, the greenhouses, the mobile home parks and taking the bus to the end of the line and back again on lazy Summer days- just because. So, this place is home. What will I miss?

Well, let's start with the food. ;)

Admittedly, there are few establishments that have been around since I was a kid, but there are a few, like

El Faro
No, it isn't necessarily the best Mexican food in town, though it is good. The decor leaves something to be desired- but I have fond memories of going there as a child, ordering corn tortillas with butter (fresh!) and trying to outdo my dad with eating chips and as much hot sauce as we could stand, my eyes watering as I smiled and asked for more.
Marie Callendar's
We used to go to the one on El Camino on Sunnyvale and it is still there. It was a real treat for us and I always loved the napkins that said "Apple Pie without some cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze." Still haven't tried apple pie with cheese, but mom got Thanksgiving pies there for years (we now make them ourselves and they taste much better- Mom just isn't much of a baker!)
Peninsula Creamery
This place definitely still exists and the long lines on any given weekend morning will attest to its popularity. Now, with that said it is a very different place from when I was young. This was one of our favorite hang outs when I was a young punk rocker art student in high school. We would hit all of the thrift stores in downtown Palo Alto (used to be tons!!!!), peruse the used record shops and then head to the creamery for a bite to eat. It's decor was sort of a leftover mish mash of 50's, 60's and 70's with evidence of years of greasy food on the decidedly off white walls. Our favorites? Tuna sandwiches, burgers, and the best milkshakes anywhere, made with real Peninsula Creamery ice cream (Emerald Isle, yum!) The grumpy old lady waitresses who called us all "Sweetie" were the best!
Hobee's
This is another still popular spot that has evolved into a chain, but I remember going to the first Hobee's, still there on Central Expressway and Rengstorff in Mountain View and all I can say is that they also had the best burgers and milkshakes. They were sort of the health food version of the all American burger stand and really my memory can recall none that bested them! My favorite booth to sit in had the picture of the card playing dogs hanging above it. Last time I ate there they still had the picture!


Falafel Drive-In
This is a more recent discovery for me since I have moved a little further South in the last 12 years, but it has been around forever, always has a line and is just really good, simple, and inexpensive food. Best. Falafels. Banana Shakes. etc. Yum.
La Costena
This grocery store with the burrito bar in the back is just the best, best, BEST place to get a burrito. I used to work occasionally across the street and I would walk over, buy an extra large burrito for a few dollars and it would be enough food for an entire day. Have to thank Peter Kirkeby for introducing me to this, but they are still here and still cheap!
Barefoot Coffee Roasters
No, they haven't been around forever, yet. But I couldn't let a post about local food stuff go by without giving them a mention. They are quickly becoming a South Bay mainstay- why? They are simply the best coffee house ever. I have never tasted a latte as good as theirs (and if you ever get one from Monica you will consider yourself blessed!) anywhere. I will seriously miss their coffee, both roasted to take home and their drinks, best enjoyed "for here".

Latte by Ariel

Now, before I forget- again- I wanted to let you all know that my dear husband has also started a blog. Go say "Hi!" and welcome him to the blogosphere!

Next up? Knitting and other fiber-y pursuits.

A new look for a new life

Well, I decided that I wanted to have a little brighter colors around here- hence the new look.
What do you think?

I need some brighter colors! I have been dealing with jetlag for the majority of the week (yes, we are back!) and the weather has been gray and cold and not real conducive to getting much done. But today I am finally feeling somewhat normal again. Yay! So, I should be working on packing things up and getting rid of things. I did do a little of that, but then I decided I wanted to work on my blog instead. 'Cause that really needs to get done, you know? Like, now. It is imperative! (ahem)

Well, it cheers me up a little anyway.

Tonight? Bobaknit.

Never did find any boba in Bangalore. Dang.

Wrap it up- (picture heavy post!)

The Old Guard at hip, new Java City

So there are a few more things I wold like to share about Bangalore.

First, we have heard that there is a good possibility that we will be able to get the house that we liked. Yay! Here is roof top view of the house:

House in Sanjay Nagar

Second, Anna will be attending the Mastery International School. She spent the day there on Thursday and enjoyed it immensely. This is the school:

Mastery International School Bangalore

While she was at the school and Bryan was at a meeting, I was able to attend the OWC* coffee and met many women from all over the world who are also expats living in Bangalore. Awesome.
* Overseas Women's Club

On Friday while Bryan was at another meeting Anna and I did a little shopping. She fell in love with this Sari (although we didn't buy it...):

Sari at Navrathan Silks, Bangalore

And I fell in love with this 7 Rupee (less than 20 cents) coffee!:

Coffee House on MG Road

We also caught Anna smiling about the idea of being the new girl in town! (This one is for Sensei!):

Anna at Soul Cafe on MG Road

On Saturday we went to Lal Bagh gardens/park and saw some fun sights:

Drummers practicing for a performance

"Japanees" Garden

Glass House

Our "Hello Aunty!" greeter. She was so cute!
Marched right up to us, shook our hands with the biggest cutest smile and then had her parents take a picture- so we returned the favor!

Bangalore is a city with a unique spirit and beauty. I am looking forward to our return!

The most exquisite beauty comes from the muddy waters

Desperately Seeking...

So back to the checklist.

Yarn?

Ummm, maybe I need to ask louder.

YARN?

Yeah. Well, I did actually find the yarn store. Yes, I said THE yarn store. It is the only one listed here. Wednesday afternoon after we had returned from visiting the school, I asked the driver to take me to the shop. I had the address and name from the Knit Map and I showed it to our driver, Manju. (Do contact him if you ever need a driver in Bangalore. His English is pretty good and he is fairly knowlegable about getting around the city!) Manju got sort of a concerned look on his face and said, "Why do you want to go there?" I explained that I was looking to find some yarn for knitting, actually I think I said crocheting as well thinking that he might understand that word more easily. Then he said that he couldn't drive me in there as it was too congested and that there was no parking. I said it was fine for him to drive me close by and I could walk in. He hesitantly agreed and we headed out. Now this shop is located in the Bangalore Central Market area. I guess you would say that it is more of a traditional shopping area and is absolutely packed with little shops in which you could probably find just about anything you would be looking for. Well almost, but we'll get there.

So, I am walking down the street, the only white person in sight, once again alone. But I didn't feel too uncomfortable, I just went about my business and tried to find the shop. I walked, and walked and looked for the shop. It was almost impossible to see any individual signs because there are just so many. The visual stimulation combined with the near constant "beep, beep", people passing going both ways, constantly watching where my feet were landing in hopes of preventing tripping or stepping in any potholes, mud puddles or other unpleasantness. I encountered a local who chatted me up and asked if I had had lunch yet, how about coffee? tea? I politely declined and he eventually left me on my own. But after some time of walking and noting the approaching flyover I realized that I must have passed the shop I was looking for. I spotted a Sari silk shop across the street that had actual windows and doors and so I went over in hopes of getting some help and directions. A gentleman approached and asked if I needed any help, when I showed him the name of the shop I was looking for he commented that it had the best materials and I was headed to the right place. He asked where I was from, why I was there, do I have children, what are their ages, where are they studying.... all typical Bangalore style meet and greet. He then took me outside and gave me specific directions on how to find the shop I was looking for. I eventually did find the shop after a couple of more diversions and they have:

Acrylic yarn.

Embroidery thread.

Cotton fingering/lace weight "thread"

and Silk fingering/lace weight "thread"


So I purchased a 40 g. skein of the cotton and a 50 g. cone of the silk. I will try them out and see what they are like. Total cost? 38 Rupees. That's about $1.00 US.

In which we find a school...

Let's see, where was I? Schools I think-

So, on Wednesday we visited two more schools. The first, Mallya Aditi International School I wanted to visit because it looked like they have not only a strong academic program, but a good arts program as well. They are situated on a beautiful campus with lots of established trees and good buildings and facilities. I believe that they have some connection with a nearby art and design college, but I am not sure. In any case- very nice campus. When we met with the principal he was quite concerned that there wouldn't be a good match up between the American educational system and what they offered. After I explained to him that we were more interested that she receive a well rounded education rather than just having all of her educational "ducks" lined up he was more open to considering her. Then, when I mentioned that she used to attend a Waldorf/Steiner school, he nodded his head and was much more welcoming. So we took a tour of the school and interviewed with the Upper grades coordinator, but in the end Anna just did not feel comfortable there. I think if she were younger and we were able to start at the beginning of the school year rather than right in the middle, she might have been more willing to consider it.

Afterwards I called a school that I had been trying to get a hold of, Mastery International School. This is a new school in Bangalore, but isn't too far from the area we would like to live in (I cannot express how important this is in this city!). Even though I was calling at the last minute they were willing to have us come over right then and show us the school. Once we arrived Anna almost immediately felt at home there. The interesting thing is that the school, being new, is still working on the building and grounds and all I can say is that it in no way is as nice as the other schools that we have visited in terms of cosmetics. BUT, Anna likes it very much and I think they have a good mix of the American philosophy of education (which is very rarely able to be applied in US classrooms!) along with International standards. It is a very good fit and she spent the day there yesterday attending classes and trying it out. So, we found a school!

At this point I have to mention something else. You might notice that I do not have a lot of pictures. I have felt very self conscious about taking pictures here, particularly when I am on my own. I think that Sheetal made a good suggestion (see comments on my last post) that I would blend in more if I wore local clothing. I fully intend to do this, particularly since this style of clothing is far more suited to the climate here than my western jeans and t-shirts! I just need to get some time to do some shopping. So, I don't have a lot of pictures to share. I have decided that before we return I am going to have some business-Moo cards made so that I can tell people that I am a writer (a blog counts doesn't it?!) and this will give me some context for taking pictures. Particularly when I went to the market area on Wednesday to find the "yarn" store- Oh I SO wanted to take pictures!!!! But just take all of those thoughts and feelings that I described in going to Thomas Cooke and multiply it by about 10 or 100 and you might understand that I didn't want to pull out my camera. But more on that adventure later.

In the meantime here is a picture that we took from the rooftop terrace of one of the apartments that we didn't like. (The view the other direction was of a large construction project!)

More later!

Mission: Bangalore

Oh the adventures I have had!
Normally I try to avoid merely giving a day by day accounting of what I have been doing but I think in this case it might be needed. So here goes, a report:

Monday we were finally able to meet with the company representative who is going to be assisting us with everything we need to do to get ourselves here. We sat through a presentation on all that he does and does not do and we were supposed to ask any questions that we might have. Of course, I was feeling like I hadn't gotten quite enough sleep at that point, so thinking of questions was difficult at best. But, we did our best and then were met by a Real Estate agent who showed us some homes in a popular expat area of town. Now. Bryan and I are not necessarily ones who are impressed by "prestige" or bells and whistles. These communities were nothing but prestige, bells and whistles. I know, some people like that. That is fine, but me? It makes me feel uncomfortable. It does seem that many of the people we have met assume that we want to live in a gated community surrounded by other expats. Well, we would like to experience India. So these places we saw were not for us. Oh yeah, given driving times, there are also approximately 1 hour away from any of the schools that Anna would be attending. No thanks.

Now I did have a little adventure Monday afternoon though! We had some US dollars that we wanted to exchange and since Bryan had a meeting, I was on my own to take care of this. I have to admit to feeling a little uncomfortable going out on my own, but like Bryan said, if we are going to live here I am going to have to get used to this. Okay. I can do this. I grabbed our cash, my passport, my cell phone and my courage. I headed down stairs and hailed the driver. I told him, "I need to go to Thomas Cooke, on MG Road. Do you know where it is?" He shakes his head from side to side and says, "yes, okay". Then he just looks at me. So I repeat, "Thomas Cooke on MG road? Do you know it?" "Okay", he says, still nodding his head from side to side. Hmmm. Let's try a different way, "You don't know where Thomas Cooke is?" "No" he says. Aha. Okay. So, I grabbed the lobby manager from the hotel and had him explain how to get there and we were off.

Now, this driver who we spent most of the day with (he was new to us this morning) was almost silent for the entire day. Occasional comments and responses to questions but that was it. Well, he was an absolute chatterbox with me! He went on and on about everything we were passing by and asked me questions. It was really something. I am thinking that perhaps there is a bit of an intimidation factor with Bryan but I am more approachable? Not sure. So, we get to MG Road and find a sign that says "Thomas Cooke" So I hopped out of the car and was to call the driver once I was done so that he could pick me up again, since there was no parking on MG Road. I walked up to the building, feeling very, well WHITE. It has to be said. We stick out. A lot. There is no blending in here. So, they were doing construction on the building and the elevator/lift was non existent, so I walked up the stairs, gingerly avoiding the wet spots from the rain on the marble steps and the disaster that could come from that, while the jackhammer from above was ringing in my ears. Two flights up and there is is Thomas Cooke! I open the door and everyone stops and stares at me, but no one moves to offer me any help. I don't see any signs anywhere that say "Foreign Exchange" so I just stand there. Alone. White. Finally one of the courageous employees approaches me and asks, "May I help you madam?" They are very polite here. Archaically so. ("What is you good name?" being a common phrase) So anyway, when I said that I was looking for the foreign exchange he informed me that I was in the wrong building- turns out the building I was looking for was two doors down. Well, sort of. It was two buildings down, through a passageway, behind the building and up the stairs. But is was there. Money was exchanged. Time to call the driver cause I am suddenly feeling very nervous carrying this wad of Rupees in my purse and being all alone and WHITE. Dang! (Actually I think I said out loud something less polite) What is the frickin' country code again? I tried and tried but I could not figure out how to make that phone call on my phone! So I walked out to the street and tried to figure out what to do. Did I know how to walk back to the Hotel from where I was? Maybe, but streets around here are a little disorienting and there are very few street signs. I wasn't panicking but I was feeling at least a tad nervous, and then- in the distance I spotted OUR CAR!!!! I was so happy! I did a little hop and scurried down there feeling incredibly grateful and lucky. I came back to the hotel and felt like I had just accomplished Mission Impossible.


Tuesday was less adventurous but we did visit one school, The Canadian International School, and we then had the opportunity to look at more housing possibilities. The first place we looked at was an "Independent Bungalow". This was actually a lovely house that we would be absolutely thrilled to have. Of course we wont be here for a little over two months yet, but "they" are going to see if it is possible. I get the impression that this particular house is well below our allotment, but was quite nice! Anna likes this room:

Split level room with view of front garden

Our Real Estate agent seemed very concerned that we find a house that was appropriate to "our status". I hope that I don't have to tell all of of you how strange this feels to me. Whatever. I do admit to wanting to find a house that I will feel comfortable in for the next two years. This is a big change. But all that said, I love Bangalore. This city's energy and friendliness are amazing. Yes, it is crazy and chaotic, but somehow people take it all with grace and a sense of humor. You get the sense they feel that we are all in this together.

I am going to leave you for now since I am having problems uploading pictures. More next time!

There's No Place Like...?

One of the reasons we have come to Bangalore is to answer the question, can we adapt to the culture here and also is the culture something we will feel comfortable with? There are things I need to have:
Coffee?
Check.

There are things that Anna needs to have:
Cheeky teenage apparel?

Check.

Now what about the city itself? Do we feel comfortable here? That is a much more interesting question. The city is what it is. It is not an American suburb, which actually I am glad for. We went for a walk earlier today up to one of the shopping areas. As we were walking we attracted numerous auto rickshaw drivers who wanted to give us a lift or a tour. When we said "no" they just followed us. Which is fine, kind of annoying, but okay, I can ignore them. But the increased exhaust from those lovely two-stroke engines I can do without. We wanted to head up to Brigade Road and so we decided to cut through a neighborhood. That was actually pleasant! Once you get off the main drags it is amazing how much quieter it is. No one pestered us and we were able to get a glimpse of people hanging out in the park or talking on a street corner. We even saw a lovely house...


We did finally make it up to Brigade Road where we found the Cafe Coffee Day and some fun sights:

I think Bangalore is getting a little self aware. As you drive around you notice these (handpainted!) signs with clever slogans

Advice for drivers of two-wheelers

or sometimes just obvious statements like,

"Keep Bangalore clean. Do not dump trash or urinate here"

Some of the more helpful signs will even let you know where the nearest public toilet is!

Traffic is something else and absolutely impossible to convey. As we went up to Forum Mall (one of the nicer malls in Bangalore) the roads were more and more packed. Inside the mall was merely a non motorized/wheeled version of this. People aren't pushy though. It is just sort of a cosmically moving stream that you have to find your way in to. You can't wait for some one to let you in, you just move into it. This is particularly true as you are trying to cross a street. You have to find your opportunity and move. Don't stop or you will be in trouble! No wonder they have so many helpful gods here! Wish I had some pics of the mall to share with you. But afterwards, needing something to eat, and finding the food court type place at the mall to be just a little too crazy (hey- I can't bear the one at Valley Fair either!) we decided to have our driver take us to some place where we could sit down and get some food that Anna would find palatable - the kid doesn't like Indian food! So, we ended up at Pizza Corner, and yes, it is on a corner. Anna had some pineapple pizza and Bryan and I shared a "Desi Pizza", Paneer Tandoori pizza. Dang! That was good! Anyway, while there I did get a nice pleasant photo of a teenager...

Oh yeah.... Pizza?

Check!

(Now I just need to find Boba...!)

Bangalore!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to put up a quick post letting you all know that we are in Bangalore! We are here for a week for our "pre-visit" and it is presently Sunday morning here. We came in late last night at about 12:10 a.m. The Bangalore airport is a small unimpressive building, but our bags were waiting for us by the time we came out and then was the adventure of finding our driver. We thought there was someone who was going to pick us up, but we weren't certain. When we asked the dashingly dressed (pressed Nehru jackets and dress slacks) "hosts" - not sure what else to call them -and they indicated that the man from our hotel had just stepped out. When he came back he did not have us on his list. Hmmm, well perhaps there is a private driver waiting for us?- we headed out the front doors of the airport and saw drivers lined up with signs all along a walkway leading to the street. There were so many signs! Easily 200, and so you walk along trying to find a name that should be familiar (after spending roughly the last 24 hours traveling and thinking that perhaps you have had a couple of hours of sleep at best!). Luckily Bryan found our driver, and luckily there WAS a driver there for us and we were in our car and driving away without too much trouble.

Driving away from the airport I quickly realized just how different it really is here. There is rubble, I'm not sure you can call it garbage, along most of the roadways. We zipped a long, passing cars, bikes, "two-wheelers" (scooters/motorbikes) and yellow motor rickshaw taxis. I have been looking at maps of Bangalore for months in an effort to get to know the layout of the city and I was pleased to know that I was able to figure out two of the roads we were on! It was something to see them in person though. So, apparently this driver is "ours" for the week, I think. We were really a little out of it when we arrived. But our driver, Shankar, is going to return to pick us up at noon today (it is currently about 9:40 am Sunday) and we are going to check out the city a bit. Anna is in the other room alternately watching Hindi music videos and cartoons, channel surfing I guess. She wants to go to a mall today and I will get some pictures to share with you our adventure-

Till next time here is a little Bangalore driving for you...At least listen to the sounds as this is what I hear through our hotel window. Beep!

Translations

20 degrees Celsius is 68 degrees Fahrenheit
30 degrees Celsius is 86 degrees Fahrenheit

86
68

I can do this!

40 degrees Celsius is 104 degrees Fahrenheit
10 degrees Celsius is 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

A little trickier, but I ought to be able to memorize that as well.


Now. Hindi and Urdu script are a totally different thing. I mean, how am I going to remember this:

A bit of Hindi

or this:

The same in Urdu

Yikes. My husband is descended from a long and distinguished line of polyglots. He majored in Slavic languages and Computer science. Two of the trickier language families in my opinion. Me? I am a sadly typical American with very little ability in this area. I took French in 7th grade and then was not able to continue when I moved since my new school didn't offer French. Then in High School I was lazy and didn't want to take a foreign language. It wasn't required for graduation then -can you believe that? So, I didn't take it. I went on to take a little Spanish in college and now the two languages are hopelessly confused in my brain. "Muy bien, garcon"

I am working on learning some Hindi though. It's interesting because the characters are so different and yet, somehow they look sort of like they should sound. Not sure how to explain that but it's true! We will be leaving to go on a pre-visit to Bangalore/Bengaluru next Friday - luckily most people speak English though!

Now, since this is a knitting blog, I will share some knitting news. I am done with the Mystery Stole! Can't show you yet since I still need to block it. But it is nice to have it done. Actually I have a couple of projects that are waiting for blocking since I am done with the main body of the Print o' the Wave Stole as well. I just haven't had the time to do a lot of work on my knitting stuff lately. Last week for example I spent three whole days dealing with getting passports and visa applications sent off. Didn't do much to help me fight off the cold that hit over the weekend. Argh. Hate that kind of thing. I am also deep in the throes of sorting through books and trying to sell all of my homeschooling books that I no longer need. That's a lot of books! Oh well. Wish me luck in keeping my sanity these next couple of months. I am trying to set a little time aside every day to work on something creative, but I'm not sure I will end up having much to show for it in the end... well- actually - if it helps me to stay balanced, that will be quite an accomplishment after all!

Oh wait! I do have something else to show you! I went to the TKGA show a couple of weeks ago! Well, I decided that I had to since I would be in India when Stitches happens! Helllloooo. These things are important you know! So I got:

Silk Laceweight

Merino and Silk laceweight

More Merino silk laceweight!

Also, while there I was a little overwhelmed trying to make a decision about what fiber to purchase, so I went out to lunch. I was sitting all by my lonesome since some people weren't able to join me, and along came someone who was obviously another TKGA attendee (the large yarn filled bag was a dead giveaway). I invited her to join me and we ended up having the most lovely conversation. She was an amazing woman who had come all the way from Vancouver Washington. Now, she had an absolutely beautiful name, I think it had an "sh" in it somewhere, but I cannot now remember her name for the life of me. If you happen to read this please comment and say "Hi!" Anyway, just another reminder that knitters (and crocheters!) are awesome people!

Oh yeah, and that fiber? I did end up making some choices. What do you think? Very nice, no?!

Yummy!