Only in India #4

Only in India does a woman bring out three glasses of water, serve the first three people, and then when they are finished take their glasses, pour more water in, and serve the next three people. 

Family's Favorite Park

While looking through some pictures of the family we're staying with I noticed a beautiful park they had visited. They told me it was here in the city and that they wanted to take me to see it. So, the next morning at 6am the family, aunt and two kids, and myself piled into the car to head to the park. It was so pleasant being out that early and seeing all the families out playing together. The park had so much grass...gosh I loved it. I miss seeing grass!

Here's two video's of a blindfolded tag game the kids and aunt played.

After the park we went to the dad's brother's house. I (Kristen) got to meet two of the brothers and their wives. We were of course served some water, snacks, and then a fruit drink. We got to go see the new house one of the brothers is building down the street. It was a beautiful three story house with three bedrooms on each level and big balconies. They said they would live in the bottom and rent the two levels above them, which is very common here. I was thankful to spend the time with the family and have the opportunity to meet more of the extended family.

Only in India #3

Only in India do security guards stand in front of the railway crossing gate to make sure that only motorcycles, bicycles, and people cross the railroad while a train is coming and no cars.

Only in India #2

Only in India does everything get delivered from bags of rice, to couches, to plasma TVs on a 60 cent bicycle rickshaw ride.

Only in India #1

Only in India do you find cars, buses, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, rickshaws, people pushing carts, elephants, horses with a cart full or people, water buffalo pulling a cart loading with stuff, and cows doing whatever they want all on the roads together.

This is the first of many "On in India" posts. I'm aware that not everything I post only happens in India. There are probably many other countries in the world where some of these things happen. However, these things DO NOT happen in America, and since I live in India it seems as if they only happen here, and thus the title of the post.  

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day weekend was spent in Delhi and it was a great mini vacation. Although a lot of our time was spent shopping for our new apartment, which was fun and tiring, it was still refreshing. We got to do many things that we enjoy - eat at Italian restaurants, eat at Chili's, get some great Costa coffee, hang out with friends at the mall and for a game night where we used to live, go swimming, sleep in a super comfy bed and even Elijah had his own comfy bed with a little comforter and pillow, and best of all stay in a room with AC, which delighted all of us. Elijah slept better during the weekend than he has since we've lived here. I (Kristen) was so thankful for good rest for him.

 Elijah absolutely loved sitting and playing on the bed. Whenever we'd come back to the room we'd throw him on the bed and he'd just laugh and get really excited. 

On the actual day of Mother's Day I got my nose pierced. I've noticed and been told by my Indian friends that here the way a woman signifies she is married is by her nose ring. They don't exchange rings at the ceremony, the woman just gets a stud in her nose a couple of days before the wedding. So, Neal and I decided I should show India that I'm married too. I went with two friends to a shop that does piercings and tattoos. This shop is the only one in Delhi that any of us know about that actually cleans the stub before sticking it through your nose, which is something very desirous. I was really nervous before getting it done, and the guy just laughed, then he went to work. First, the guy put a blue dot on my nose where the hole needed to go and then gave me a mirror to look and make sure that's what I wanted. Then he stuck the clean wire attached to the diamond through my nose. Next he took some needle nose pliers, stuck them up my nose to bend and cut the wire. Then he stuck his finger in there to make sure things were okay. My left eye started crying during all this (as did my friend's who also got her nose pierced), but it was over and my nose had some bling:) The pain wasn't as bad as I anticipated.

When we got back to the room there were a dozen roses waiting for me. Neal said he talked with the people at the hotel while I was in the shower and asked them to get some placed in the room. They were beautiful and it was so sweet of Neal!

 That night we went to eat with a couple friends at the Big Chill, which is an Italian restaurant. One of our guy friends always wants to hold Elijah like he's his buddy. He even fed Elijah and put him to sleep while we were eating.

Our last night we took Elijah swimming for the first time. He didn't know what to think at first. I was hoping he'd start kicking his legs, but instead he just pulled them up as high as he could. Elijah and I  pretended we were on a motor boat by making the noises together while zooming around in the hot tub, which isn't actually hot (you don't need hot in 105 degrees). 

 To end our last evening we ordered room service. Neal got a burger, which he was thrilled about (he craves burgers often) and a coke. I got a pizza, and some tiramisu with some decaf coffee...it was so good! What a great Mother's Day weekend!

Train Ride to Delhi

We woke up at 4:30 in the morning the Friday of Mother's Day weekend in order to catch the train to Delhi. Our language helper borrowed a car from a friend to pick us up at 5 am so that we could be to the station a little early. He knew it was our first time, so he wanted to show us around the station and where exactly we should go. We were appreciative of his kindness. 

We met a very sweet couple while waiting for the train to come. We enjoyed speaking to them in Hindi and learning about their family. When our train arrived the number on our ticket was not the same as the number on the train, so the family helped us identify which train we should get on. When the train arrived our car was on the far end of the station, so the man ran with us to show us which train car to get on. There are so many kind people here! 

(This video is of one of the trains flying by our station - they go so fast!)

Once on the train we realized our beds (we were on the AC sleeper car) were not in the same compartment. We both had top beds that were less than two feet from the ceiling, which meant you couldn't even sit up completely. The great thing about leaving so early in the morning though was that Elijah was ready to sleep again once we started going. 

Right before arriving in Delhi Elijah met another little boy who was a little over a month younger than him. It was so cute watching them interact.