For your viewing pleasure

Sorry for the delay in posting.  The past couple weeks have been busy and now I am in the midst of traveling in Orissa.  It has been great having my friend Justin here.  He provided some welcomed help with the kids and I know Chito was happy to have another boy around.  We are having a blast experiencing and exploring India.  Take a look...

We went to a tribal festival called PARAB in Koraput.  A little bit like the state fair Indian style.  I'll put some other photos of the festival up later.  It was awesome.

  This is an old one from the Diwali festival.

We took the kids for a little picnic and saw MONKEYS in the wild!  I was thrilled. This is us feeding them biscuits and nuts.  If you weren't fast enough they would come and snatch food from your hand.  There were lots of screams and kids yelling at me to give them more biscuits as the monkeys were getting impatient.   

We took a walk in some rice fields that are ready to be harvested.  The scenery was beautiful.

                Justin and I helping the children write an essay about our monkey adventure.

                             We found some pepper and coffee plants!  Two of my favorite things.

                                           Having a little fun on our road trip to Rayagada. 

Diwali, samosas, and motorcycle rides

Within my first few days of being in India I experienced Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Traditionally a Hindu festival, it has become more secular and is celebrated all over India by lighting candles and oil lamps, decorating buildings in Christmas lights, and setting off fireworks. We went up on the roof of the house to eat cake and set off an array of small fireworks and sparklers. The kids went crazy over it. A lot like the 4th of July. In the city, fireworks went off for several hours into the night. The next morning I learned the other side of Diwali. In our district, two people died, a hundred were injured, and 60 homes were burned as a result of the festivities. This happens every year all over the country.

I continue to be immersed in the Indian culture. I've eaten my first authentic samosa, a pastry filled with a spicy potato filling, and I'm enjoying the fresh papaya grown in the backyard. Yesterday I went to pick up my new Indian clothes. Earlier in the week we went into town to buy fabric and then we took it to a tailor who actually made the clothes. The colors are great. Going into the city this time meant riding on the back of a motorcycle instead of going in the jeep. It's definitely more of a rush as you're hoping that other motorcycle, truck, or cow doesn't run into you. Also a much more authentic experience of being in the streets that attracts more stares as well. Every local we talk to wants to know who I am, where I'm from, etc. For the first time in my life I know what it's like to be the minority.

So once again I'm not able to upload photos...the internet definitely tests my patience. Hopefully one day I'll be able to show you some pictures.