Thursday, July 30, 2009

I arrived in Chennai one week ago today. Holly arrives tonight. It all seems so strange. I want to commit to writing at least once a week so I remember things but everything is moving so fast and simply finding time to myself when I’m not EXHAUSTED is proving difficult. And now that I have taken so long to start writing about this crazy adventure I don’t even know where to begin!

I packed out of D.C. July 7. My little sister Natalie came and was a huge help, especially with the painting! I tired the poor girl out but am hoping to make it up to her when she arrives here in India! As fast as the past few weeks have gone it is crazy thinking that she will be coming here in about ten weeks. Wow.

After packing out of D.C., I went and stayed with my mom in Cape May where my Aunt Kathy joined us for a little relaxing. Mom and I then headed to Philly and finally went to James. The meal was excellent, especially my taglietelli with duck ragu and shaved chocolate. My goddaughter turned one and there was a fantastic birthday party where I got to say good-bye to a lot of family. There was a wine tour of the Brandywine Valley where I got to once again road trip with my cousin Ryan and have an excellent time with the Carr girls and our two fine drivers. Also in Philly I got to see Ross and Allison and Eleanor and have birthday cake with Buffy (and my final Pizza Box fix!).

From Philly I headed to NYC where I did the first of my consultations with DHS. It was quite amusing to see how scared my cab driver got when I asked him to take me to the immigration office…must have been the suit. NYC was full of delights – seeing my Jennifer from Arizona, meeting Finbar, eating bone marrow, having dinner with cousins Laura, Brian, Jennifer, Jaime at Perilla’s (although everything was excellent and we absolutely dined tapas style…I was surprised to find the game hen was my favorite), seeing the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit at the Guggenheim with Maggie, getting my hair cut REALLY short (pics will be on Facebook eventually), and much more tomfoolery.

Got on the plane and left the States and realized…huh I no longer have a cell phone or computer access and very shaky plans about what I’m doing as I work my way to Chennai. I arrived in Brussels and it struck me how bizarre it was that I was about to meet the host family Natalie had a couple of years before when she was an exchange student. I worried that I would be unable to find them and unable to call them to let them know…but all was fine. Two adorable young women were waiting right after customs and after some hesitant staring we picked each other out! I got to see the Belgian Eiffel Tower (which is a huge atom…very pretty and also made for a World Expo) on Belgian National Day, had some great beers in the city and a fantastic and boozy dinner at their gorgeous home.

Then I was off to Delhi where again I wasn’t 100% sure what would happen when I landed. I got off the plane and had to take a bus from plane to terminal where I first had to get “screened” for swine flu. But I did have my first chance to go through the “Diplomats Only” line! And when I got through customs, there was a driver waiting for me with a sign. The Delhi airport is much nicer than it was just a few years ago when I was there last, a result of strong economic growth and many construction projects. Sadly, the streets had a lot less Ambassadors (the awesome Indian car, once the only car on the road) and still a lot of beggars. I stayed in a beautiful hotel on a high floor with an amazing view although all I did was order room service, drink a Kingfisher from the fridge for the novelty, watch the movie about the MIT prof who taught kids to count cards, and pass out. Well, I tried to pass out but jet lag and the strange changes in time zones caught up and I couldn’t fall asleep until after 3.

But I woke up on time and suited up and got to the embassy. Lots of meetings and then to the airport for my final flight…well after a delay in boarding due to the plane not getting in on time from its prior flight…and another delay on the tarmac due to rain…although once I was in my seat I just fell right asleep.