As we get ever closer to the end of this journey….I have compiled a list of what we will miss, what we will not miss, and what especially draws us to going back home. (In no particular order…AND clearly not of “equal weight”!)
What we will miss from India
Being all together - - seeing all the boys converged in a single room and planning out their lives.
Spoken Web and the opportunity to have global impact
My India Research Lab friends and colleagues
Washed and ironed clothes every day
Driver waiting outside and carrying my heavy bags
Dealing with the big and important social issues
Cultural learnings as part of daily lunchtime conversations
Mango yogurt, mango ice cream, mango tic tacs
Mithai (Indian sweets)
Daily crosswords with Amnon and Tomy
Having my hair washed and blow dried; pedi, mani, facials every week when I want
Massive repairs on my clothing for $1
Paneer and roti
Chandana, our maid
Leaving dirty dishes in the sink (even big piles on the weekend) and coming home to see WHOOSH! They have all disappeared
Fortis hospital with high quality, low cost, centralized care
Inexpensive medications
Delicious fruits and vegetables
American Embassy School
Learning Hindi
Learning Bollywood Dancing
The parks right outside our apartment for morning walks
Fresh cooked food every evening
The “IRL kids” that we tutor
Blogging….who will care about blogs from NY..?
Living an interesting and different and unconventional life
What we will not miss from India
Unbearable summer heat
The air quality (or lack-of-quality)
No driving “autonomy”
Traffic
Scamming
Walking the dog WITH a STICK to fend off the strays
Strays
Men peeing against the walls
Dilapidated shopping centers
Pushing and shoving on lines
The dirt and the filth
Mosquitoes
Food often drowning in gravy. Food that is fried; food that can give you food poisoning if it is uncooked or cold
Workers not showing up repeatedly
Appliances breaking down repeatedly
Unskilled workers
No voicemail
Kimbo eating random garbage on the street
Daily power outages (When the lights go out, I don’t startle and say “what happened?”)
Insufficient water
What we look forward to, going home
My extended family
Bet Am Shalom
Smith Avenue and knowing my neighbors
“Owning” my kitchen again; planning nice foods for my family
Neighborhood kids converging at our house and playing video games; I cook and bake for them all night
Ground floor access for Kimbo to go outside and walk or hang around
Garbage cans
Clean and paved streets; not stepping in poo
Drinking water from the faucet
Homogenized and Pasteruized milk in containers vs. filling a metal tin with milk as in “tevye the milkman”
Crossing the street
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