"No, the internet is not an airplane"

During our afternoon tea time one of the kids asked me what I had been doing when she saw me on the computer...
"I was sending an email." Blank stares.
"An email is like a letter you send over the internet." (More blank stares.)
"Do you know what the internet is?"
"No."
"What do you think it is?"
The kids' responses : a television, a radio, an airplane, a microphone, a mobile phone, a switchboard, and finally Angela remembered a definition she had memorized in school that the internet is "many computers connected to one main computer." (However she has no idea what this means.)

The conversation was quite entertaining to say the least but also refreshing. Except for an understanding that the internet must have something to do with technology, they don't know what it is and they don't care. For them the internet does not exist and they are perfectly content playing outside all day. I've also been teaching Litu (19 years old) about how to use the internet which has been interesting. I love her description of the internet : "It's like you catch the whole world in your lap."

The wait is over...

The frustrating days of an obnoxiously slow internet connection are finally over! Today we got broadband internet. It's been a good lesson in not taking modern conveniences for granted. Apparently this has been a 6 1/2 month process. First, a land line had to be installed. For six months the telephone company refused because the telephone wire is easily stolen and we live a good distance from the center of town. But after some coaxing, bribery, and an agreement to recover costs for any stolen wire, we got a land line last week. And today the internet.

I am excited to finally share some photos. So I'm still new at blogging and as this is my first time posting pictures, the following are not in the order I wanted but you'll get the idea.


Some of the girls on an afternoon hike in the mountains.

Drying clothes. Check out the colors, and those are mango trees in the back!

Gardening in the backyard. They're in the process of planting spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, bananna trees. (I'm in the process of persuading them to let me help. They have an idea that Americans are "sensitive" and I have to continue to tell them that I can get my hands dirty and do work too.)

Meet Noel. He will be 3 at the end of December. It's a challenge to get a good picture of him. He has an adorable face, but don't let that fool you. He is quite the manipulator.

The kids in their room. (Notice the mosquito nets hanging from their beds)

Back row: Teresa (13), Snigdha or "Mama" (11) from left to right

Front: Chito (7), Karuna (9), Angela (9), Florence (8)

Hope you enjoyed! I will post more photos and stories very soon.