My Busy Social Life

This is my first post on my NEW WIX BLOG -- Huge shout-out to Duncan who got me set up with this blog that will ultimately be EASIER and more navigable for YOU and for ME! If you would like to be on an email list to get new posts, you can hit the subscribe button.

Now for the update: People have been so welcoming! I've been invited to several social events. And I've started teaching class sessions and volunteering at an organization that works with school-aged girls (grades 4 and up).

FIRST: a luncheon for a bride-to-be. One custom in India is for close friends and family to offer a lunch for the bride and her family. My friend Triveni invited me to such a luncheon, and I will also be attending the wedding in the next week! For the lunch event, the bride's family brought gifts for Triveni and her husband Amit, and then there was an exchange of "tilak" among the close friends -- a sign of respect -- vermillion and turmeric smudged on the forehead. Triveni tells me: "Vermillion and turmeric are considered auspicious and used in all rituals, ceremonies, and traditional events."

me, chillin' on the balcony

Tilak ritual

the bride-to-be

making pooris

homemade foods

SECOND: My neighbors' (landlords') child's 5th birthday party! Families tend to do a big party for either the first, fifth, or tenth birthday. Due to Covid, the little one next door didn't have a grand event for her first, so this was a big one -- many relatives from all over, neighbors young and old, catered food. I had a great time meeting folks! I wrapped my gift of books in newspaper pictures I found at my flat. :-) I was struck by what seemed like a cultural difference to me: deep and genuine interconnections among the generations, the sheer joy of being with each other as family. No one had phones out (for the most part), none of the kids were on devices and they just PLAYED together. There was a chocolate cake and something called "moong dal sheera" or "ashoka halwa" -- a pudding-like dessert made from yellow dal (lentil), ghee, and sugar. (Clickable link.) (The next day, I was invited over to see the child's new stash of gifts, including a panda and a digger machine. :-D)

kids dancing

birthday girl w/grandparents

Kanchan & bday girl

older sister (age 9)

dessert!

my gift of books

next day showing me toys

shrine in their home

At the party, the family had also hired someone to make dosas -- very big, very thin, crepe-like pancake made of ground lentils and rice and served with a variety of possible fillings and chutneys (especially coconut chutney and sambar).

THIRD: VOLUNTEERING: My classes are off to a great start, as is my weekly volunteering at ASHA (Ashapune.com ), an amazing organization that works with girls and families from a "basti" (slum) community. (CLICK HERE for a bit more info on the specific program...) I am working with girls in grades 4th to 7th, on Monday mornings (prior to their start of their schooling hours), helping to build their English literacy skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. Because their skills are quite low, I am starting with basic picture/story books and building their vocabulary and confidence in speaking. We meet in a temple space where other people often pass through for praying and the street noises fill the space. But the girls stay focused and intent on their learning, in hopes of a strong future. The photos below show my first day with them. Of course my first book with them is Feast for Ten by my friend Cathryn Falwell, which the girls loved. I left the book for their small "library" (a closet with books, mostly in Marathi, that they can check out). I also distributed lots and lots of SOCKS that I brought from the U.S.

LASTLY: Chai on the Terrace! Kanchan and I have started to meet at evening tea-time on the terrace of the building. From there, we can watch the kids play together outside and watch the sun go down. It's been a lovely time. (Scroll through using the arrows...)