It's a wrap

So ladies, I apologize for not blogging since my last post. The internet connection has been unbearable and my adventure spirit started to rapidly wear off somewhere between weeks two and three lol. I think it was after Paul took us to the Travancore Heritage Resort which was a wonderful and exotic break from the bugs, filth, and heat. We were greeted with sandalwood oil on our foreheads and fresh coconut juice straight from the coconut. The staff at the resort treated us like royalty and it felt amazing after some of our previous adventures! : )

Our friends Annie and Abby Abraham joined us there for a day which was wonderful. Sophia was reunited with one of her new best friends Mercy Abraham who she had met and befriended at the conference. : )

 

Of course we had a lovely time and we experienced three days of paradise. Like I said earlier, my adventure spirit started to disappear after the resort and I found myself very tempted to complain. Some notable experiences included the time I went for an Ayurvedic massage and a bird pooped on my head on the way out. Also the real appetite killer came when I popped the toast down at Paul's Mom and Dad's house and a gecko jumped out onto my hand. By that point on our trip, my appetite had already disappeared but the gecko really tipped me over the scale to complete nausia. On a more positive note, I have managed to lose a few pounds lol. There is so much to write about my trip to India but it is truly difficult to express in words. There is such a raw beauty about the land that draws you in but the filth pushes you away. It's like seeing something so beautiful that it's ugly or so ugly that it's beautiful. I love India in some ways but I love the US in so many more ways. I will be really happy to get home! : )

The Kerala countryside

So after our very eventful train ride, we spent a few days visiting Paul's Grandpa who lives a few hours from Trivandrum. We arrived at his house in the evening and were all very tired. Paul's Grandpa was so happy to see us and it was neat to see the look in his eyes when we arrived. He had been waiting all day for us to get there.

After visiting for a while, I decided to lay down. Within a few minutes I noticed that there were ants on my pillow. After having been in India for a few weeks I had slowly gotten use to seeing ants inside the house but ants on my pillow felt like an invasion. It was really almost more than I could take and I was in tears. Paul and his Mom tried to pacify me as they changed the bed and I reluctantly gave up the idea of making Paul take me to a hotel. lol In the morning Paul took me and the kids on a hike and taught us all about the plants and trees native to his homeland. He was right in his element as he is very comfortable and happy to be a teacher.

He was delighted to have some very interested students as he pointed out several beautiful trees and plants including: Coffee trees, Cocoa trees, Bamboo trees, Cashew trees, Pineapple plants, Coconut trees etc.

A Pineapple plant

We walked along side the river next to his Grandpa's home and witnessed a man taking a bath and a woman washing her clothes in the river. We saw another man carrying a bag of cocoa beans that he had collected on his shoulders.

The kids were delighted to see a cow grazing by the river and they attempted to feed the cow. After we left his grandpa's house, we travelled for several hours through the countryside and visited many people. Driving through the countryside here is much like driving through a zoo so naturally the kids had a blast. We saw cows, chickens, goats, dogs, and even saw an elephant that was tied to a tree.

The kids were so excited to see the elephant and one of the locals told us that the elephant had gone mad which is why it was tied up. We had a very interesting and long discussion with the kids about the elephant  who was having bad behavior and who was now in time out lol. Another interesting thing about the culture here is that when someone comes home for a visit, they are expected to visit almost anyone who had an impact on their life in childhood and beyond. Needless to say, we have visited many people who have all been very kind and happy to see us. Paul borrowed someone's bike and took me for a ride 'Indian style' which was fun. : )

The unforgettable train ride!

So after we left the conference center, we spent an evening at Brother Gabriel's house which was lovely. We had a nice time of fellowship and brother Gabriel's drove us to the train station. Of course we are an object here because there are no white people here much less mixed couples. The train station was full of people, mostly men, who had no problem staring with their mouths open at me and the kids. Maybe I was not in the best spirits on that day but it was hot and we were all sweaty and tired.

Paul was not able to get us seats on the AC train so only God knew what I was getting myself into lol. At the train station, I had an older man come up to me and say, "In India we have many states and many languages, but we are one family." I smiled at him and said, "I can see that." lol The problem with trains here is that the train doesn't stop for long to pick you up. You have to fight your way through the masses to get on to the train, much less get a seat. As the train came to a stop, Paul immediately started instructing us to hurry up and get on the train because "You don't know how these trains work Leah!" I fought my way through the masses with both kids as Paul tried to make a space for us to step on. Once we got safely on the train, I was relieved to be done with that ordeal but now to find a seat for all four of us. I looked into the coach compartment and there were no seats so we just stood up for a while. The train was filthy but there was a nice older woman who made room for the three of us while Paul stood up and watched the luggage. After the train had stopped a few times and let some people out, there was finally room for all four of us in the middle of three Indian men. Relieved, we sat down. Within a few minutes they started poking the kids and playing with them. I tried to be a good sport and accept that the culture is different here and that touch is not a taboo. I was cringing inside as one of them was playing a spider game up Sophia's arm and she was laughing. I thought I had taught her not to talk to strangers and that she was in control of her body. I guess she knew that  didn't apply in India. The other man was busy giving us parenting advice due to Rohan's misbehavior. I was tryng to stay cool as they all touched my children until a different man came up to where we were sitting and took Sophia's seat. Before I knew it, she was standing up wondering what had happened to her spot.  To make matters worse, he  was patting his lap and making kissing noises for her to sit on his lap!!! Ugh...what was I to do? I just gave him a dirty look and Paul was just ignoring him. The kids were fighting quite a bit and Rohan Kenneth was being very difficult. The icing on the cake for me was when the same man who took Sophia's seat gave Rohan a little spank/pat for misbehaving. Well it was really more of a pat but he looked at Rohan with stern eyes and I was very upset that a complete stranger would spank my child. It was all I could do to grab my son and take him out of that compartment and go stand up in a different location. In my mind I was thinking about what would Jesus do. Should I go give him a piece of my mind and tell him to "Never touch my son again?!!!" I thought Jesus would be a peacemaker but maybe he would have given that man something to think about. Rohan and I held eachother with dirty blanket and nana and calmed eachother down while we watched the Indian countryside go by. Later on, Rohan and I sat down next to the nice older woman who had made room for us earlier. I think she saw what had happened and felt sorry for us. Then Rohan did something most unexpected. He took his shoe off and simply threw it out the train window. I looked at him shocked and told Paul what he had done. Paul said, "Well, let's throw the other one out because there is no use keeping just one." Paul got up, took Rohan's other shoe off, and threw it out the window so that someone could use Rohan's shoes. Dear God please help me to survive this journey I prayed. In the end, we all survived and learned one thing. Never go in the coach compartment again!!! : ) On a more pleasant note, I am now enjoying a wonderful vacation with Paul and kids at a top notch exotic resort! : )

Opening feast

So this past weekend we went to the opening feast. We travelled by train to get there from Paul's parent's house which was interesting to say the least. I will share more about Indian trains later . : ) As we drove up to the conference center I was really shocked at how developed and beautiful the grounds are at ACC. The meeting hall and eating hall are beautiful and there is a really flashy play set which the kids spotted out right away. Paul is a legend in India so as soon as people saw me, they asked if I was Paul Chacko's wife and shared stories about Paul lol. They have all heard about me and how Paul fell in love with my while I was playing piano at victory lol. The friends in India are so warm and several older kids just took my kids under their wings and took care of them.

 It was really sweet. : ) One thing I have noticed about Indian children is that they are really good with younger kids. This is a value that they are taught. I've noticed with my in-laws that the older children are expected to take care of the younger ones. They are taught to care for the younger ones instead of doing what they want all the time which I don't think is such a bad thing. In any case, it was really nice for me at the conference : ) We arrived at the grounds right in time for the ribbon cutting.

They let off a bunch of balloons which Rohan was disappointed about because he wanted one lol.

There were several government officials there and it was sort of a ceremony I guess. The feast was later and Kara opened the feast meeting about the great cloud of witnesses which was really neat. He said they are following along very closely with us and that they are really interested in how it is going for us. He said they watch us through tv and that the technology is much more advanced in heaven. I really felt my Dad's presence in that meeting which was really neat. He also talked about how God is not preferential to people who come from high profile families. He said it doesn't matter if you have spent all of your life in prisons. It was a really encouraging and uplifting message about the work God will do in us if we are whole-hearted. I was in and out of the meetings with Rohan so that is all I can really remember from the feast. In the next meeting, Kara spoke a lot about pride and how he has never given in to any thoughts about how his work is meaningful to the church. Wow! That was amazing to hear from him and that must be why God has been able to use him to such a great degree. I really sensed my need to be humble and to esteem the others always above myself. He also spoke about being week in oneself so that God can do this great work of transformation in us. That was also so good to hear and a reminder to be dependent on Jesus.

The latest adventures

So after we left the airport, I experienced driving in India for the first time. His dad had hired a driver who must have been highly skilled because believe me, it takes SKILL to drive in India. The only word I have  to describe the streets of India is Chaos! There are cars and motor bikes going in every direction and there is constant honking. People in India use their horns to prevent accidents and to let people know of their existence on the streets. Driving in India is very stressful and is a headache trigger unless of course you are use to it.

The kids were so excited because they didn't have to wear seat belts. Kids don't wear seat belts here and are often seen clinging on to their parents while riding on the back of a motor bike. Yesterday I saw a small child sleeping on it's Mother's lab who was riding on the back of a motor bike. It is difficult to imagine being able to sleep on the chaotic streets of India but I guess if you are use to it then it's just normal. Wow! When we got to Paul's parents house it was something like what I had imagined. They have beautiful marble floors, granite countertops and cupboards made of Teak wood which is very expensive here. However, it did not take long to be greeted by a variety of bugs and insects that live inside the house including: ants, slugs, cockroaches, dragon flies, mosquitos etc. It feels kind of like camping. One priceless moment was a good morning greeting by a slug slivering down the kitchen wall. It was 4:00 in the morning and I made Paul wake up to remove it. He went into the other area of the kitchen and was greeted by some other creatures which set both of our days off on a different note lol. We spent the entire day cleaning out his parent's kitchen and pantry. Part of it is that his parents are old and that they do not have reliable maids but living in the middle of a hot jungle and leaving the windows open all the time is sure to bring many creatures inside the house. People don't have AC here and if they do, it is only in one room. Power is a hot commodity and every night the electricity goes out for half an hour so that there can be enough power for everyone in the town. I am doing ok with all of this but there have been moments where I really crave a clean nice bathroom and a salted caramel late : ) . There is a real raw beauty about the landscape and city here. It's beautiful and ugly in a way you have never imagined. The people are very passionate and expressive and the culture is rich and warm. It's definitely fascinating experiencing the culture firsthand and helping me to put the Paul puzzle together lol : )

Welcome to India!

So the first few days have been interesting to say the least! : ) Our last connection to Trivandrum was enlightening. The plane was full of mostly Indian men and a few women and children, of which I was the only white one. As the plane door opened after hitting the ground, there was a mad rush to get out of the plane. There was no consideration for letting the person in front of you go first as is usual in America. I wondered what all the rush was about??? Were they desperate to see their wives? lol I don't know but personal space was obviously not necessary as they were all crammed up against each other and it didn't seem to bother them in the least. I was prepared for this as Paul and I have discussed this difference between our cultures and the pros and cons of it many times. This was also apparent as we went through customs and out to baggage claim. Everyone was trying to force their way in front of anyone they could. I looked at Paul and said, "When in Rome, do as the Romans," and I started cramming my way through the masses. lol He looked at me kind of funny but went along with it. So then it was time to get our baggage and Paul approached someone about it. He showed us a few piles of luggage which of course were not ours. I was warned that we may not get our bags for a while so I didn't think it would be that easy and had made sure to spread Rohan's diapers and wipes around all of the bags. He brought back a few other men who worked at the airport and they all discussed where our bags could be. After speaking in their native language for a while they decided they did not know and asked us to wait until the right person arrived. At that point, I thought we would be there for a few hours and we were smelly and craving a shower which of course is no big deal in India. lol However, I was pleasantly surprised to find our bags had arrived after about twenty minutes. As we took our bags outside of the airport, there were hundreds of Indians lined up, some holding signs, waiting to see their loved ones. There was loud Indian music playing and I felt like I was walking down a smelly runway! : ) It was a great experience and my first Welcome to India! Of corse the kids were so excited to see Acha and Amy (Grandpa and Grandma) who we managed to find through the masses...

The trip here

Hi everyone : ) I thought I would create a blog so you all can see what I'm doing in this crazy place called India! : ) The flight over went surprisingly well. The kids slept most of the way which was great.

When we got to the Abu Dhabi, I noticed a few things. The men on this side of the world act like they have never seen a white woman before. Our good friend Abraham told me to stay close to Paul no matter what he says so I tried to do that. Also people seemed pretty warm and friendly, probably more so than in the European airports I have been in. When we got to the gate I noticed a strong smell of body odor. Paul asked if it was us and I said, "Even if I have body odor it doesn't smell like that lol. So then we decided to contemplate body odor which seems strong on this side of the world. What makes it a bad thing?? Of course to us Americans it is unpleasant but if you are use to the smell, probably after a while you wouldn't even smell it anymore. I guess a pleasant smelling environment is a luxury that we are use to.

Oh and after a long flight I found a good espresso bar which was a life savor. Paul didn't like the price tag but hey, "a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to get by in this world." In any case we were still sitting next to each other at the gate and I was contemplating how I need to be a more submissive wife lol. There were mostly Indian men at the gate and Paul said probably most of them work away from home like his Dad did when he was young. I thought about the fact that my Dad came home every night at 5:00 and how all of us kids use to go run down the road to meet him. Of course he would stop and pick us all up. : ) That definitely provided some security for me which I guess Paul never had and never missed. That is probably why he doesn't think any thing about working constantly at times. Really I have nothing to complain about when I think about the wives of those men. At least I can drive to Ohio State if we really need to see him. Paul was really attentive to the kids on the way over probably because he wasn't distracted by iphones or computers which was great to see. I'm trying to let him take over as much as he wants to with the kids and enjoying every moment of it. : ) Oh btw, the bathrooms at the airport did have toilet paper but they also had hoses to wash your but with if need be. I guess I'll save the subject of toilet paper vs. but washing for another post lol...well until we meet again...good bye