November update

Another month gone by, its now 6 months since we returned. It already seems like ages, and our stint in the US is settling into very pleasant memories.

Took in another trip to Bangalore between my last post and this one. The kids' pediatrician asked me if I go to Blr every weekend . I will freely acknowledge that if I could, I would go every other weekend at least!

Went to Mysore from Bangalore to attend my cousin Teju's wedding. Ani thoroughly enjoyed his first wedding, and bonded tremendously with my posse of teenage cousins. The twins were kissed and cuddled and loved to death. It was a good trip on the whole.

However, 3 days after we got back to Blr, my grandfather passed away. This was a tremendous shock to all of us. Coming on the heels of Deepak's grandmom passing away, two grandparents left us in a month. My grandad was doing fine, his death was very sudden and swift. I was in the ER when they tried to revive him. I won't go into details, but suffice to say that my current opinion of medical processes and systems in India is not high at all.

In happier news, the "handsome twins" turned a year old today - hurray me! :D They were born on Thanksgiving day last year. We're planning on two birthday bashes, one in Hyd next month and one in Blr early next year. Two bashes for two boys seems somewhat appropriate!

Quite a few people (including my parents) have asked us recently if we're happy after 6 months back in India. Led me (and D) to think about it. We're happy to report that on the whole, we're happy ;). In the tradition of Dave Letterman, I'll attempt a list of the top 10 things I'm happy about, and also another of the top 10 I'm not.

And, drumroll please, Paul, here goes -

Top 10 things Paddy likes about her return to India (purely subjective, off the hat, compiled at 1 am list) -

10. The food! Can't beat fresh Indian veggies, fruits and South Indian food for anything in the world.
9. Did I mention the trips to Bangalore in previous posts ? ;=D
8. Ani bonding so well with all our relatives.
7. Ani speaks fluent Kannada now.
6. No winter! (Yes, yes, I know, I used to live in CA and not Detroit or Minneapolis, but winters were cold enough in CA for the kids to keep falling sick..)
5. Did I mention the food? Its a veggie foodie's paradise out here - especially, of course, Bangalore!
4. Calling my mom is no longer an international call - its just an STD or long distance call. Does not make the phone bills smaller, but still
3. I'm finally using all my salwar kameez and sarees.
2. Am enjoying the festivals.
1. Kids have bonded so well with grandparents, parenting here is so much easier. We finally have a support structure!

There's all the other unrealised potential pluses of being in India - like being able to do something on my own (instead of being a salaried rat), exploring India etc.etc., but for now, this list will do.

OK, here's my sob list of stuff I miss about the US -

10. My house! I've gone to maps.google.com and put in our house address a few times... I do miss you, 5859 Southbridge Way.
9. The familiarity - I'm sure any merchandise in the world is available here, but I don't know where. Whereas I know exactly where I can find potty seats for my twins in Target or Babies R Us.
8. The cleanliness on the streets and public areas - Don't get me started on this. As I think I've written before, I feel sad I can't take the kids out on a walk on a decent pavement, or to a park without having to drive a distance. The roads suck, the pavements are the pits, and public places are filthy. Don't think it will improve in my lifetime :( Its just getting worse.
7. The lack of privacy - I think I've written enough about this before.
6. India may be on the cutting edge of medicene and all that, but neighbourhood hospitals and clinics (even in the big cities) are just not at the same level as the US.
5. California. Good thing I don't need a visa to visit the US, because it would be a shame to have to stand in line in Chennai in order to visit Yosemite or San Francisco or Disneyland... or just that little restaurant called Chutneys at the intersection of Camino Tassajara and Crow Canyon Road in Danville. Their Gobi 65 and Mango creme brulee are to die for (and if you have not realized I'm a major foodie by now, you've not been paying attention).
4. My job. Since I'm unemployed and a SAHM right now, it seems only appropriate to (sometimes) long for that little 6 by 9 cubicle in gray in SC-3.
3. The cars - You could buy an Accord or a Beemer here, but it would be a sheer waster of money - you'd never go over 40 kmph in the city at best on these roads and in this traffic. My Santro is perfect for conditions here, but can you blame me for missing a V6 engine?
2. Friends - Most of our good friends (and most of our cousins) are in the US. We don't have a good friends' "circle" here..
1. Target - I miss this one store so much, because I am a Target addict (like others - http://www.womenswallstreet.com/columns/column.aspx?aid=428) and and suffering major withdrawal. The next time I visit the US, the first thing I want to do is rush to the nearest Tarjay store, grab one of those red carts and just loiter down the aisles slavering at all they have - and blowing a major hole in my RBI-alloted dollars..

There's a zillion things I probably miss about my life in the US. But its 1:20 in the morning and I think I'll finally hit the sack.