It is a bit hard for me to believe, but our visit home is starting to wind down and in a few days we will be heading back to our Bangalore home. It has been a strange visit in a way. Hard to see people in terms of arranging the time, hard to see people in terms of not knowing when I will see them again when we part, hard to see people in terms of making priorities and such. I still have so much to do, things to purchase and yet I just want to go up to the hills, find a rock or a tree log, take a seat and breathe. It is so beautiful here. I really had forgotten how close nature is. The fresh air, the green hills and trees everywhere are gorgeous and refreshing. I used to complain that is was hard to get to when we lived here, now I appreciate it far more. Bangalore feels almost strangled in comparison. But this is the way it is.
I have enjoyed many things about our visit. Hanging out with friends and family in particular. We joke around that we have given a boost to the US economy while here with all of our stocking up and such. I have enjoyed being in a hotel with a Mexican restaurant next door!
This is the one cuisine that we cannot find in Bangalore and if you have grown up in California is is practically your native cuisine and culture. Friday was Brenton's birthday. Brenton is an Australia expat living in Bangalore with his family, and his family came along to California with us for our holiday here. Brenton is quite friendly with my eldest daughter. Anyway, on his birthday we decided to go to Los Charros, the Mexican place for some Mariachi and Margaritas. He was serenaded. It was beautiful!
Customers singing Mexican BalladsI am having a hard time being very expressive about our stay here. I think that part of that is that I feel a bit confused about my feelings. It is good to be here but in a sense a bit uncomfortable. The economic downturn is apparent, we have heard and overheard many talking about salary cuts and lay-offs. Businesses that have been part of the local landscape my entire life are closing their doors. And yet in Bangalore we are isolated from all of that. We still live in the Golden Bubble. We have a driver, a housekeeper, and live what can only be called a privileged life. We know it. It is a bit hard to imagine that the global economy will enable us to return home for good anytime soon. This definitely makes our stay bittersweet. We are the migrant workers of the 21st Century. Visiting our house was odd as well. There are several young men renting it and it felt the same but so empty. No chaos of stuff everywhere. No blaring music competing from opposite sides of the house. No kids arguing or joking around. Just didn't feel like home. weird.
So we move on. Life is a transient experience after all. We are surfers. We catch a wave and ride until it is time to hop off, paying close attention so that we don't get dumped too hard. We want to be able to walk away with our board in hand and our head held high. Grateful for the experience and looking forward to the next ride.
Eduardo the dancing waiterWishing you and yours a very Happy New Year filled with joy, love and prosperity!
