Since the last post, there have been numerous events and celebrations. With each passing day there is at least one happening or event that prompts me to think, "I need to post this as soon as I get home." As it turns out, not even good intentions can slow the speeding days down. In less than a month we have celebrated Halloween, Domenic's 8th birthday, Diwali, Tropical Cyclone Jal, and the one year passing of Benny.
Halloween in India is pretty much nonexistent and if it weren't for the fact that we are attending an American school, the holiday would have been ignored entirely. All elementary students dressed in costume in anticipation of the afternoon parade around the school. Domenic was Harry Potter, a last minute change from Elvis. What? Elvis would have been great! Instead he called Auntie Anna in NYC who was kind enough to ship her nephew his costume of choice.
Less than a week later it was Friday, November 5; Domenic's 8th birthday and a school holiday. The morning began by serving Domenic his requested birthday breakfast: french toast cut into strips with a side of warm syrup, "potatoes the way Seth makes them," and strawberry yogurt. Domenic got a bike for his birthday but he has yet to ride it. Finding a helmet for a child in India is like finding a needle in a haystack; it's probably there somewhere, but who has the patience? Not anyone here. Helmets are optional and all opt out. Auntie Anna is arriving on November 18, with a bicycle helmet....to the rescue again!
Not only was November 5, Domenic's birthday but it was also Diwali, the Hindu new year. Diwali does not fall on the same day or date each year which made this coincidence extra-special. We celebrated this holiday at our friend Priya's house, a teacher at AISC. Diwali is sometimes called the Festival of Lights but it would be more appropriate and certainly more accurate to call it, The Festival of Dynamite. The fireworks here and the freedom and ease by which they are displayed makes the Indian Reservations at home seem safe. Enough said.
The following night we had the pleasure of finally meeting the neighbors living in our apartment complex. We are the only Americans living at Sindoor Waves. The families hosted a rooftop party where we all pitched in for food and drinks. As it turns out, we live in a very liberal building....much to our liking. All of the families speak English, are well educated, have traveled abroad, and like to have a drink from time to time. The party was great fun. Adults socialized while kids ran free and at the end of the night,the party relocated to our place where we sat and played cards to the tune of good music. There are two boys living on the floor below us who are Domenic's age. They made friends immediately and have been playing since.
A week later, we got to experience our first storm; Tropical Cyclone Jal. The storm came in on Sunday and as a safety precaution all the schools in the state of Tamil were directed to close on Monday. We live a block from the beach and walked down to witness the storm. The winds were howling the waves came billowing in. I was soaked to the bone and had my first goose bumps since moving to India in July. Monday came and the weather was as calm and peaceful as could be. The sun was shining and the air felt fresh; a rarity. I think all the children and school employees across the state of Tamil were smiling. It was a great day off.
Three days later was November 11, the one year anniversary of Seth losing his youngest brother, Benny. On November 10, we stayed at Ideal Beach, a beautiful resort about 45 minutes south of Chennai. Domenic stayed the night with Dorcy and played with his new found friends. The day of the 11th was spent at the beach on the sand and in the water. Later that night, we hosted a dinner. Sixteen of our friends came to support Seth and celebrate the day. We have had very good luck meeting so many wonderful people.
My sister, Anna, will be arriving from NYC this Thursday. It will be a fast visit, but we are looking forward to our first visitor!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
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