Celebrations and Congratulations; India style

We have only lived here a short while, but have been lucky enough to develop some lasting friendships. The news of our engagement was a joyous occasion for many and a perfect excuse for a celebration. The parents of my students surprised Seth and I with a party in the class. Sixteen of the seventeen mothers attended. There was cake, gifts, and cards. Pretty special.

Dorcy, bless her heart, took it upon herself to organize a fantastic event to be held outside of school hours, on the rooftop of our apartment building. Over 60 people attended. There was plenty of alcohol, tasty food, and dancing. Our good friend, Priya, also took it upon herself to do a bit of organizing of her own. The Indian attire in the photos is Priya’s influence; something I can’t thank her enough for. We never would have dressed the part without her enthusiasm and navigational skills; a must when shopping in India.

A few weeks prior to the event, we made friends with a local photographer. For a small fee he was hired to take photos. It’s amazing what a skilled photographer can capture when equipped with a functioning camera and a quality lens. I am sure you will feel the same after viewing the Smilebox.

The next day I went to my scheduled appointment with the endodontist to have oral surgery and remove the infection around the root of my front tooth. Thank God the medical world here operates NOthing like the rest of the country. I was in good hands. The infection was removed and a bone graft performed. I left stitched up, swollen and feeling nauseated. Some people can handle the dentist. I’m not one of them. I may have been numbed up, but my hearing was superb. Not only did I have to listen to the play-by-play of what was happening (yes, in English), but I also heard the grinding, cutting, drilling and whatever else. Blech.

As I type this, it’s been 3 days after the party, Monday, and I am home from school. I made a gallant attempt to attend work, but one look at my swollen face had people questioning, “What happened? Why are you here? You need to go home.” Somehow I needed to hear this from my colleagues. For all those teachers out there reading this, you will know exactly what I mean!