Missing You

We received another email from each of my parents this morning again.

Mum's:

Hello again, Sorry to hear you're sick Michelle but hopefully everyone will be all better by the time you move. Your Dad has turned into a shopping machine, yesterday he bought a cabinet that he now has to lug around! He seems to be managing the Delhi Belly Ok but his meds are half done! I also got that bladder infection again! Not fun!!!!! This is our last morning at this site. By lunch time we will have a taxi for the rest of the day for some final site seeing/shopping and then the train at 8:30 tonight, which we are warned will most likely be late! It has been very comfortable here. The breakfasts are fabulous so usually we eat only twice a day. I do miss home more than usual. I was really overwhelmed the first 2 or 3 days. Too many open sewers, and poor, but yesterday we found a place that was green and fresh and we had a blast negotiating tut-tut fares. Every one is very friendly and as curious about us as we might be of them. At a craft museum yesterday just one girl of about ten mustered up enough courage to greet me and shake my hand then the whole school followed suit - I think your Dad got it on video, you'll see it later. I've often thought of Craig on this trip I think he'd be agast at the sights! So far we've had great success with the food very tasty. Our next stop will be even more difficult since it will be on the Ganges where there are funeral pyres. Not looking forward to this place and it will be difficult to leave our hosts which have guided us so well here. Well must go since Dad wants his turn. Say hi to Shaun. I tear up when I think of him, miss him so much, and Ian must be a pro at sitting on his own now! Love u Mom


Dad's:

Namaste to all!
Another glorious sunny day here in Delhi, which I have to throw in because the Hindustani Times says that the weather in NE States is terrible, some without power for a week. Got to gloat a little. And of course, power is never far from my mind. We're just waiting for the taxi to take us to our next stop - 12 hour overnight train trip to Varanasi. A little scary and exciting at the same time.
I'm getting used to the assault on the senses here - visual, olfactoral (real word?) and sensual - yes sensual. Everywhere you go, if you're not touching someone, you're not close enough. In the line at the bank I found that if you're not touching the guy in front and if the guy in back is not touching you, someone will assume you must not be in line. A six inch space is big enough for a rickshaw to squeeze, never mind a skinny Indian. All the sights that at first seemed so unreal (the tent cities, the filthy shops, the traffic) and that I tried to obsessively photograph are everywhere. No use rushing to get a picture, you'll see that crowded, dirty little store a hundred times before the week is out. But once you get used to it you start to see past it and you wonder what might be of interest inside. Before long it 'disappears' and you find yourself talking to them and trying to buy what's inside. The whole poverty thing is so complicated. There are so many levels of poverty here and I've spent a lot of time thinking about it and trying to understand it.
I'll have lots to say about it when I get back home so get the scotch ready. Most important is the question whether they or we are happier. The comraderie we see, especially among men, is so unusual, it really gives me pause for thought. Anyway, as you can see, Mum and I are writing separately and I have no idea what she has written so if there is duplication, it is what it is. Have thought a lot about your babies while we're here, especially because so many of the naked children we see are smaller even than Shaun - look forward to seeing them when we get back. We'll check in again to let you know we're alive. Love to all, Dad


I find it interesting that I miss my parents so much. It's not like I see them any more than every 3 or 4 weeks but just knowing that I can't even call them makes it feel like it's been longer. It's been hard trying to explain to Shaun why he can't call Gramma and talk to her. He tells people she's in India with Grampa and will be home in February but he told me last night that he's going to steal the keys for the van and drive to go see them. And then they're going to ride on scooters all the way home. My brother has an orange scooter and his wife has a blue one (I think it's blue, correct me if I'm wrong Tamrah!) and Shaun just loves them. His favourite mode of transportation lately is by scooter. Probably because he just saw Steve and Tamrah a couple of weeks ago and it jogged his memory. Anyway, back to the parents. Two more weeks can't pass soon enough. I can't wait to hear they're home safe from the airport and have them over to our new house for a long chat over a big bottle of scotch.