Faith or Bust: India

A defense (a mirror post from sirhair.blogspot.com)

2009-02-02T21:25:00.003+05:30

A very good friend of mine pointed out that I should qualify my excitement over the excommunications being lifted, especially in light of the Antisemitism that exists amongst some of the group. So I wrote a short defense to him, which I think would be good to post.
-----

My excitement stems not from their ultraconservative nature or Bishop Williamson. In fact I find ultraconservativism quite distasteful. My excitement is the same that a brother would have, if his father finally told his crazy extremist brother, after several years, that he could come back. A divided family hurts. And it takes humility for the extremist brother to return, and stay home this time.

Plus not all the schismatic Lefebrites are crazy extremists. At least a few are just misguided souls who really could care less about idiocies like Williamson's statement. And there are numerous examples of God saving or being willing to save a whole group of people just for the sake of one just soul.

A third point is that salvation does not depend upon a view of human history. And I don't believe that there's a mandated excommunication in the Church Law books for an ignorant view of history.

And for the most part there will be no difference in the Church, as we already have an almost identical group inside the church called the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. And I doubt any major concessions can ever be made to the Society of St. Pius X, aside from the recent lifting of excommunication. And the excommunication only ever pertained to those four Bishops due to their ordination without the Pope's consent. The rest of the SSPX have never been explicitly excommunicated, and if anyone was implicitly excommunicated, it was most likely only the priests and not the laity.

For me this is a matter of family mercy. Sometimes you put up with your stupid brother just because he's your stupid brother.

Bishop Fellay responds!

2009-01-25T06:10:00.002+05:30

Bishop Fellay salutes 'benevolent and courageous' Pope Benedict

Posted: 24 Jan 2009 05:11 AM PST

Bishop Bernard Fellay, head of the Society of St Pius X and, as of today, no longer excommunicated, has responded to the Pope's gesture in the following letter. In it, he describes Benedict XVI as "benevolent" and "courageous". I'm beginning to think that the Pope's gamble will pay off.

Praise the Lord and our Pontiff's merciful pastoring! The first steps have been made, pray that within the year the Bishops of SSPX will fully unify with Mother Church.

AMAZING NEWS!

2009-01-25T05:35:00.002+05:30

Pope Benedict lifts excommunication of bishops ordained by Lefebvre

Posted: 24 Jan 2009 01:20 AM PST

Pope Benedict XVI has lifted the excommunication of the four bishops from the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) ordained by Marcel Lefebvre in 1988 in a decision he hopes will lead to "real and final unity."

So this is AMAZING NEWS, because it leads the way to reunification with the ultra-conservative Schismatic SSPX... Now if only they return the favour and realise the amazing grace that this is!

Motherhouse and vows

2008-12-25T09:37:00.000+05:30

315pm
Motherhouse and vows

on the 8th, I was healthy enough and I headed to Motherhouse.
Where I noticed for the first time that there is a statue of Mary on the front.

When I arrived, I was told about the Sister's final vows. But as the time was late I headed up to the chapel to pray. A few minutes later the sister at the door came up and grabbed me. Apparently another volunteer wanted to go to the vows, so we gathered a group of three, and took a taxi.

we were delayed by a fire in a large building.

And I got to see the Indian fire department lose control of their hose momentarially.

Before they were able to start putting it out.

We eventually arrived at the Cathedral.

Which is actually a church I've never been to, but which was quite nice.

The ceremony was beautiful, even though we only made the tail end.

It was after the ceremony that Joe and I bumped into each other and connected.

He brought a group of 8, which by now should be in their respective homes.

Joe, 2 girls from his group and I headed back to the Motherhouse. Where we got to participate in the reception. Which included samosas, jabeeleis (I don't know how to spell that) and a drink.

It's always nice to celebrate with the sisters.

And to rejoice in their happiness.
In the picture, the ones with the blue and silver garlands are the ones who made final vows.

Blessings,
Edward
325pm

Kolkata arrival

2008-12-25T01:37:00.000+05:30

258pm
23.12.8
Kolkata arrival
I arrived in Kolkata on the 5th (I think). And headed straight for Peter Cats. Which is also known as my "send off" place.

I ordered the "Peter Cat" cooler, which was a nice drink.

And I had Harem's or Afghani chicken (I can never remember which is which).

And my two Swedish train buddies enjoyed one of their last meals in India, Before heading to Thailand.

And I enjoyed helping two travelers wrap up their trip.

The next day for breakfast, I headeed to my ol' stand by (Fresh and Juicy) and had some mango cornflakes and fried eggs on toast with cheese.

It was a nice return meal, back into the grind.

It also just so happened that my first full day back was the first day of the new branch of the internet place. So I was the first laptop customer to enjoy the new digs. And as I mentioned earlier... I was the esspresso tester.

The next day I changed rooms from Paragon to Maria and then had breakfast at JoJo's. On my way back the 20 feet or so to my hotel, I realised I was too weak to head to work.

That night I headed out for dinner and stopped by Kathleen's confectionary. Where I saw some nice pastries.

Which promptly reminded me that pastries in India, do not taste as good as they look. Though they do taste pleasant, nonetheless.

Anni and I then met up and had a real dinner at Khasala... where it appeared some hungry people had been before us.

And where, I continued to delight in my new found friend of Chili Chicken.

I love that I now crave Indian foods.
312pm

Home!

2008-12-24T23:47:00.001+05:30

I'm back in the US, and now engaged to a beautiful and holy woman.
A more in depth post is pending.

Goodbyes

2008-12-24T17:36:00.000+05:30

631pm
22.12.8
Goodbyes

Sunday Morning I headed to Shishu to pick up my paints/brushes and to talk to sister about the painting. I explained to her how it would take about a week to dry, and then how the girls would cleanit, varnish it and apply the photos.

(Where it will sit for a week)
I did some research on varnishing and it seems that since I'm doing it so soon, the varnish will actually merge a little with the paint. Which is okay, since this is not a piece of work that I expect to be in a museum, or ever of interests to the field of art restoration.

After talking to her, I headed to where Van suggested she needed help.

And I found myself dealing in the blue market of powdered milk.

Along with some other "workars".

A German and Britisher...

Van (an american from Penn but living in Boston).

And of course Sister who was a French Swiss, but whose name I'm at a loss for. Sister graced us with her vocation story, which was funny, fun and quite beautiful. She had run for so long from Calcutta and Mother Teresa, that when she finally came to Calcutta, she ended up in a jail (for sleeping on the street). And then Mother came to pick her up. The cops placed her in Mother's care until her flight back to Europe, and Mother put three sisters on the job to keep her from running away. Something she still tried to do repeatedly. And this Mother did, because, as she told the three sisters, "this one has a vocation, but doesn't know it yet, so don't let her get away!"

Another cute aside was that when she met Mother for the first time, she dodged Mother's blessing, and was a little rude to her. Which Mother reminded her about, when the two were flying to Africa together after she became a sister.

After helping to bag 600 milks, I headed to have lunch with Sharlot. Who is a Calcutta friend from my first trip, and who is actually (it turns out) a Muslim convert.

We ate lunch at Mocambo, and had the fish steak sizzler.

Which also came with the exact same (aside from the restaurant name in the lower right had corner) placemat as Peter Cat's.

But the sizzler was much much better than Peter Cats, and I think I'm in love with Bekti fish.

Today, I went to Mother house for the volunteer breakfast, and then to Shishu to talk to the girls and ensure they knew what was up. Then I came back to Motherhouse and did my morning prayer. As I went downstairs to the tomb to say goodbye to Mother, I discovered a priest who was preparing for mass. I asked if I could join, and he said yes! So got to receive Jesus for my trip! Viaticum! Only not for my final journey (hopefully).

When I returned to sudder street, I saw that the hostel was still not done with it's Christmas preparations.

Which makes me wonder how decked out they'll be.

After my final lunch with Anni, I said bye to a few friends. Including Sunelal, who is an Indian friend from my first trip, and who promised me that he would get to 400 push ups (in a few hours) a few days before I left. (He was at 300 about a week ago when he promised.)

Not only did he do 400, but he made like 435! With two days to spare!

I also got to say goodbye to Hano, a friend/dormmate of Michelle and I, from the August.

And then I said good bye to Sudder street. Which was remarkably similar to not saying goodbye.
656pm

Christ-Mitch time.

2008-12-24T09:35:00.000+05:30

605pm
22.12.8
Christ-Mitch time.

So India apparently thinks the time to put up Christmas decorations is within a week of the day.

Which I accept as a very nice accomodation to Christians.

Though I'm of the opinion that the best time (in Christian countries) to have Christmas stuff up is from the first week of Advent to the last day of Christmas. But I also didn't expect an extreme minority to receive such a public acknowledgement. It would be akin to American Christians putting up Chaunnukah decorations. Which would be sort of a nice acknowledgement of our elder brother faith.

Sunday night, I attended Tia and Mitch's final wedding party. Which was the Bengali wedding reception.

It had fantastic Bengali food.

And for my second time, I had pan.

This time I liked it alot better and actually figured out how to enjoy it. I think the key is to chew a little, tuck it aside in your cheek, suck a little, and when it's run out of flavour, repeat. At the end, you just chew up the leaves and insides and swallow the remnant. The pan at the party was tricky though... they were inside of banana leaf pouches... which lucky for me, Mitch found out first when he bit into it and thought it was unpleasant pan. Relatives eventually explained that it was inside of a banana leaf. Thanks to his pioneering, I didn't have the chance to make the same mistake.

It was nice to be one of three (non-immediate family) people to participate in both the US and Indian segments. One was a professor at Washington Univ, who is a friend of Tia's dad, and the third was a friend of Mitch.

An interesting story about the party:
After eating, I was given a comment card which asked me to rate three things (one was food, one was service and I think the third was environment). I put very good on all, but in the comment box I put a note.
"The desert seemed to be not very good, but only average".
As I was filling out the form, it was obvious that the staff was watching me and waiting to see the results. And once I finished, they took the card ten feet away in visible distance and two people immediately read it. While reading, I could tell they were a bit disturbed and confused, as they were looking periodically at me and at the desert and were discussing amongst themselves. A few minutes later, I was walking around and they came up to me. They asked me about my comments and I explained, I had never had the deserts before so I wrote "seemed" not very good, since I had no reference. To which they explained that that's the way the deserts were supposed to be made (blandly).

I'm happy I was still around to clarify my comments, as I could see how they would be confused. But I also find it a very good example of cultural differences. In India, privacy is not honored above understanding. This is something I admire in many of it's various forms, but also something that is very very very alien to an American.
630pm

Closin' on up

2008-12-24T01:34:00.000+05:30

529pm
22.12.8
Closin' on up

Friday, I headed to the tailors to pick up my "item". Afterwards, since I was in the area, I met up with Tia and Mitch and we headed to dinner. I think the place was named Tandoor, and it was on Sarat Bose road. It was a bit swanky and had good food. It was recommended by Tia's aunt as "hygenic".

We had a nice complimentary cup of butter milk with pepper, chilies and some spices.

It's decor was on par with nice restaurants in the US. Including an abnormal (for India) amount of beautiful wood.

The speciality of the restaurant was South Indian, and each of the dishes in the menu had the location it came from listed. I started with a fish and chili item that was nice and delicious.

And Tia started with a veg Item of potatoes and chili, cooked in what Mitch and I agreed, must have been a white wine sauce. I think her veg item was quite fantastic.

My main course was a chicken dish, that ordered with "little" hotness. And for once I was actually understood! It was quite tasty, and I actually wished it had been a pinch hotter!

Apparently, December is Wedding season. And at various points in time you end up stumbling across a random one or two. And each time it's fun to hear the drums and see the costumes.

It also coincidentally is Puppy/kitten season...

And you constantly find puppys everywhere... the kittens however have demonstrated to me why we say "'fraidy cat".

Everytime they see you come near, they run away into a hole... like rats. Ironic.

I had my last tender coconut on saturday. Boy am I going to miss them. They're perfect to calm down your mouth after a spicy meal.

I'm also going to miss my new favourite fruit, chicku. But I will not miss the weekly pasttime of the communists...

Strikes! Raise the Red flag! Three day weekend!

I feel like the communists are akin to this lobster... and I wish they were more akin to the ice cream.

Scoop by the way, though it claims to be an ice cream parlour, only had four types of "ice cream" on the menu, and only one of them did they actually have. The four types were four types of sundaes. They didn't ever list their individual flavours any where... but the creative thing was that their menus were seasonal, and the ice cream sundaes all had christmas/new years themes... I wanted Jingle something (it had mint chocolate chip), but all they had was the new years one.

Oh, how I will not miss menus that only have a few real items on them.

But I will of course miss India. But I think in an odd way.

Blessings,
Edward
600pm

Travellin' time

2008-12-23T18:02:00.001+05:30

545pm
23.12.8
Travellin' time

I left Kolkata yesterday, and I took a new route to the train station... ferry.

It was nice, quick, and peaceful. As opposed to the traffic stuffed and stopped up bridge route.

When I boarded my train, I found myself in the middle of a Punjabi wedding migration...

And though one of the reasons I took this train, was to have peace, quiet and space... I found it quickly crowded, noise and busy.

Luckily one Punjabi wanted my seat, so he traded with me. His seat was less crowded and noisy, but still had the same migratory party around. But it was nice, I was even able to put my luggage somewhere instead of my bed. Which wasn't possible in the previous seat.
As always the food was nice and plentiful on the Radj train. Starting with afternoon tea.

Dinner soup course and dinner (no pic of dinner).

Breakfast tea (I didn't take) and breakfast.

Then I arrived in my second least favourite city in the world.
I had a top floor room, and I've rested, and typed up stuff. And watched recess at the school next door.

After my nap I headed out for dinner. And I was constantly reminded why I hate this city. Every two steps someone is talking to you, "friend, what do you want?" "Friend why are you going away?" etc. etc. etc. It's a good training for virtue. Focus on the goal and let nothing distract you. None of these people are up to any good... they all want to use you for commission or just to plain scalp you or just trick you. Almost all will lie to you, and there's really no reason to talk to them. I'm so happy I'm only in this city for 14 hours.

Because once you show weakness they will pounce.

I've learned that there is no reason to talk to any non-tourists on the streets in Delhi. Other places, yes. Delhi, NO. Just keep on walking and let their words pass you by, remaining undisturbed.

I bought some Chiku as a going away present to myself, and as a photo op for you.

They look like potatoes... but taste oh so nice.

I returned to a place I've eaten before, for my final Indian Meal...

Which was a "Special" Thali.

which came with Naan.

And papad.

I was surprised that I could eat the whole thing, and then three chickus. But I'm slowly catching on to the whole Indian eating customs of stuffing yourself. :-)

Soon I'll be in the USA...
Here's my last goodbye from/to India.

Scheduled posts to follow!

Blessings,
Edward
558pm

Nice thing to read as I prepare to leave...

2008-12-23T16:53:00.000+05:30

December 19, 2008

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens that there is a high threat of terrorism throughout India, and advises U.S. citizens traveling to or already in India to maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness, especially during the end-of-year holidays until India’s Republic Day, January 26. This Travel Alert expires on January 31, 2009 and replaces that issued on December 4 to provide updated information regarding the security situation.

The November 26 terrorist attack in Mumbai was carried out at venues frequented by Americans. That attack killed 170 persons (including six Americans and 16 other non-Indians) and injured 300. Future attacks may also target public places frequented by Westerners, including in large cities and tourist areas. India press reports that the State government in Goa has warned against beach parties and large gatherings on beaches and “open spaces” between December 23 and January 5.

The U.S. Mission is concerned that increased political tension between Pakistan and India may further complicate travel in areas near their already-sensitive border. In addition, the Department of Defense has increased its security requirements for all its employees visiting India.

Because of the number and diversity of terror attacks in India during the past two years, Americans in India should be vigilant about security at all times. They should monitor local news, vary their routes and times, and consider the level of security when visiting public places, such as religious sites, hotels, restaurants, or entertainment and recreation venues. U.S. citizens should keep a low profile, avoid crowds and demonstrations, and maintain valid travel documents. Finally, travelers should plan on added time to account for increased security, especially at hotels and airports.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Americans are also encouraged to read the Country Specific Information for India, available on the Embassy's website at http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov, and also at http://travel.state.gov.

-- The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai (Bombay) is located at Lincoln House, 78 Bhulabhai Desai Road, 400026, telephone +91-22-2363-3611; fax +91-22-2363-0350. The Internet home page address is http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov.

-- The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai (Madras) is at 220 Anna Salai, Gemini Circle, 600006, telephone +91-44-2857-4000; fax +91-44-2811-2027. The Internet home page address is http://chennai.usconsulate.gov.

-- The U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata (Calcutta) is at 5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, 700071; telephone +91-33-3984-2400; fax +91-33-2282-2335. The Internet home page address is http://kolkata.usconsulate.gov.

Bye bye Kolkata, for now.

2008-12-22T13:13:00.000+05:30

1258pm
22.12.8
Bye bye Kolkata, for now.

So I'm leaving Calcutta in about 4 hours...
I've finished my painting.

Where I got by the night of the 19th.

Morning the 20th (sat).

And finished Sat night. (Biggest change is a new layer of red paint on the heart, and less obvious is depth for the flowers, flames and vines, etc.)

I packed up my bed today...

and left my dorm.

Leaving Anni with a small pharmacy.

And finally mailing off photo Cds to Fr. Arul (sorry!).

And now, I'm chillin at Hotline internet, eating pastries and waiting for my goodbye lunch.

I'll be scheduling some posts, if I get time. And if nothing else, I'll be writting posts on my train ride to Delhi. (Which will be posted there).

Today at mother house, everyone sang for me.

It turned out... JUST for me. No one else's last day was today. Talk about a little awkward.

After taking this picture, I was informed the rules for photos in the volunteer den had changed... so I couldn't take any more.

Leave for two years and things happen.

Volunteering this year was nice, even if I was sick for most of my volunteer time. And now next time I come back, Sister Andrea (a German sister at Shishu) has a new job for me lined up... which is exciting to be utilised for a skill that I have (even if it be a skill that is not well developed).

Blessings,
Edward
107pm

New Discoveries

2008-12-19T14:55:00.000+05:30

207pm
19.12.8
New Discoveries
(14 Dec-16 Dec)

Some of the new discoveries I've made this year are a number of new restaurants in the area. Some good, some decent.

When I was sick, I dreamed one night of KFC. But being too sick to go so far (15 mins by foot), I decided to try the SUPER FRIED CHICKEN on Sudder st.

It was nice atmosphere,

and nice people (Naoki and Anni).

And the fried chicken (80rps for 2 pcs) had the possibility of being really good as they seem to have a tandoori paste applied before frying.

But the price and the discovery of not quite so well cooked meat, put this as a place I probably will not revisit. Luckily, I did not get sick from the food this time.

That night was the leaving of Doris, another Italian friend.

I've also discovered lately, that my guy friends tend to just disappear, where as girls gather small going away parties. Today I came back to the empty bed of a dorm mate. He never told us he was leaving!

I've also rediscovered a Chinese place with some friends, Hung Fong.

The food there is tastey and the Chicken Wantons were a nice compliment to my hot and sour soup. We've gone a few times, and though I don't often crave Chinese, if I did, this would be a good place to start.

I also revisited the old Sudder Standby, Blue Sky Cafe.

I like the place, don't get me wrong, but I'm a bit tired of Sudder street tourist cafes... they're all a bit too greasy and not nearly as tastey as the Indian homecooking I've been blessed to have. Which brings me to another revelation: I actually like Indian food. In fact, I crave having Indian meals now... not just Indian dishes. Definitely a blessing, considering that after last trip, I didn't eat Indian until almost two years were past, due to my revulsion over Tourist Indian food.

I've also tried a few Aruyvedic medicines (holistic/natural/etc. medicines.)

After you cough for a week, you begin to try anything, and considering that the "medicines" are mostly fruits,honey and pepper type things, I didn't suspect I'd die from them. Note the nice piece of edible silver in the medicine above... use? who knows.

Another evolution this time around is my lack of dependance upon Fresh and Juicy as my personal kitchen.

Again, I love the place, but my stomach has been branching out and has been remarkably stable over the last few months. And Fresh and Juicy is definitely still my first preference of Sudder Food.

So the first time I came to Calcutta, I was supposed to work at this place... this education place where you teach street kids. It was called the Gandhi Welfare center. But eventually after hearing repeatedly that it would open up "next week", and then finally hearing that it was closed for the season, I believed that the place was really a mythical fairy palace.

Then a few days ago I stumbled across it as I was wondering home from the train ticket office...

(the little black sign has "Missionaries of Charity: Gandhi welfare center" on it)

On the same walk, I finally located the missing Khadi store that I love. The clothes I bought from them are the most sturdy clothes I've ever bought here. And they were rather cheap on the price. Plus Khadi is the Homespun cotton that Gandhi promoted as a way of employing domestically and reducing dependance upon imports.

As you can tell it's highly visible from the street.
It's name is Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan. And it's convieniently located at:

The north east exit of Chandi Chowk metro station.
Just head towards "Air India" when you look at the direction signs inside the station, and then take the right exit, and you will endup at the store.

After I returned from my lunch time trip o'discovery, I found that there would be a special event at Shishu after work...

The Daya Dan Kids came to Shishu to sing Carols, and it was adorable, and peaceful to rest and listen to these beautiful kids. I have a video of "drummer boy" which I'll try to upload.

After the music, we (the Spanish and I) headed to a yogurt place that Hide' had recommended when he visited NYC. Apparently some of the Spanish make it a regular visit.

So we picked up mixins for the yogurt:puffed corn and molasses balls and banannas.

And had the best yogurt I've had in quite a while. The "mixed" was a nice balance between the "sweet" and "plain".

A more recent discovery was that I've never eaten Bengali food, despite my time here! And then last night... I discovered that I love Bengali food!
The dishes we had were mostly fish and mustard based, which I must say reminded me of French food a little.

fish steamed in banana leaf, with mustard.

Fish in mustard sauce

And for desert, I tried a Tia recommended Bengali treat: Ras Malai.

Ah, delicious!

Blessings,
Edward
247pm

Oh! Calcutta.

2008-12-19T08:59:00.003+05:30

651pm
18.12.8
Oh! Calcutta.

So Cal/Kol is one place that I always seem flaberghasted by. And this year is no different.

The GOAT is gone... it's been magically transformed into a Bangles shop... which I've mentioned before. So that episode of our communal life is over... but...

Upon my first night back in Cal, with my Swedish friends, we stumbled past a very odd entity...

A "Masonic Montessori" school... I'm not quite sure how to wrap my head around that one. Or how to explain the dog that was standing vigil, as if to protect the world from the inhabitants of the gates.

On the Human side of things, I was witness to a social experiment (no doubt beer induced), where one guy (who talked alot apparently) was quiet for 24 hours and the other guy was blind for 24 hours (He's the one pictured with tape over his eyes, the silent guy was behind him).

It was definitely interesting to see the two try to communicate/live.

I also discovered lately that goats sleep standing up, preferably in doorways.

And this is the creme de la creme...

And because of it, I've given it a four picture spread...

The goat loved getting it's picture taken. That's right, the goat loved it. And when I left, he wanted more.

Rockstar goats. Who would've known.
~blessings,
Edward
659pm

Hollish Diamonds

2008-12-19T01:45:00.000+05:30

603pm
Yesterday was my "Hollish" (Dutch) friend, Evelyn's last day. In honor of it, she was a Chai waitress at lunch...

After lunch, I discovered it was also my Japanese friend Naoki's last day as well!

And after my fitting at the tailor, I stopped by a fruit stand an a Bengali sweets shop for some Chiku (a really nice indian sweet) and rosagolla (a cheese soaked in rose water, I think).

Sweets shops in India have tons of sweets... most along one of three lines (from my very limited experience).

Flour/milk sweets that are in bar forms and are pleasant, but sweet and have a nice texture that we don't have in the west.

Ball sweets, which vary from flour to cheese base, and are soaked in liquid (or were soaked).
And uber sweet milk sweets that are along the lines of caramel. And a fourth type (just thought of it) is something akin to cotton candy, but it doesn't disolve in your hands and it's more densely packed, though still fluffyish.

For Evelyn and Naoki's going away, I grabbed a jar of rosagolla and a small assortment of some others.

I also discovered that two more were leaving in the group that gathered on the rooftop... so it was general farewell party, mixed with French and English speakers.

After the French were kicked out by management (it was too late) the English speakers (myself included) sang "Sweet Caroline" to our neighbours in the Paragon hotel...

Today, I went to Shishu Bahvan and worked on our painting.

Last evening I had completed this:

Today I'm up to here...

I hate to admit it, but I'm actually liking the oil paints... GAH! I'm a traitor.

While I was painting away, a Christmas give away was happening below me...

About 250 Rickshaw "wallahs" had been found over the last few weeks and given an invitation in exchange for their names, rickshaw number and a warning that they had to be at shishu between certain set times, with their rickshaw and the invitation to receive the presents.

It seemed to go quite well.

Kolkata is getting a bit cold, today required a sweatshirt for most of it and I need two blankets to be nice and toasty while I sleep. Do keep in mind most people are still wearing sandals, so it's not that cold yet.

And for some reason "fog" as the Indian press is calling what I suspect is really SMOG (Possibly another example of sly propaganda). I suspect this, due to the heavy dusting that everything seems to form so quickly these days.

(this is two days worth of grime)

And due to the visibility at high noon looking like this:

Tonight, I go for some Bengali food for the first time... I've finally realised, that despite my time in Kolkata, I've still not had a respectable Bengali meal.

Oh and the Post office is on Strike... two days, three days, who knows...

West Bengal tends to have frequent strikes. It seems at LEAST once a month a vital public sector is affected.

Eh. What to do?
Blessings,
Edward
630pm

Cha-cha-changes

2008-12-18T17:34:00.002+05:30

5:17pm
18.12.8
Cha-cha-changes

6 days left till Christmas Eve and my entry into Reeducation Camp (for those who "remember" communism)

So Kolkata is changing... I noticed this in August, but it seems to be changing rapidly around Sudder street. (Aka. Tourist Ghetto)

The first change I noticed began upon my first revisit to Raj's Famous Internet Emporium (Aka. Saree Palace/"That Internet place in the alley", etc.). Raj's has always been the nicest place in town and only 15rps for a fast connection! The last time I was in India, they openned up a Clothing store, and this time, a coffee shop (making it a full-fledged internet cafe).

In fact, I was the "official espresso tester". And though the first two were good, the third one (in an hour, mind you) was by far the fullest flavour this side of Italy. And as I don't drink so much coffee... I was jittery for the next 12 hours...

I was also a consultant on sandwiches... and I tested one a few days ago... quite delicious. The bread actually tastes like... well bread. Which is a huge accomplishment considering that most Indian bread tastes worst than the paste we call "white/wonder/slice bread".

And upon my suggestion, he's branched into baguette sandwiches!

And on the coffee theme, pastries!

The place is nice and comfy... with nice pillows for your back and long pillows that you sit on, on the ground; with small tables at just the right height for your computer.

Another big change is the loss of a great hostel... Salvation Army was supposed to close for renovations... but "renovations" became...

Reconstruction. :-(
And rumor has it that it will no longer be the hosteliers' favourite hang out, but a mid-range hotel type place.

Blessings,
Edward
533pm
(scheduled posts following)

Kolkata the last few days

2008-12-13T22:32:00.000+05:30

1010pm 13.12.8

So I've been in Kolkata... and like usual, I've been more sick than healthy. But I've had a few great days of remeeting and meeting friends.

Anni, from Finland is a friend from the 2006 trip. We've kept in contact, and had a nice remeet at the Internet shop. Turns out that we also stay in the same dorm.

Cristophe, the ever elegant frenchman, looks more dapper now than before. I think it's the long hair and the fact that he's gained some weight... yes, it doesn't look like it, but he actually has!

The my new Italian friend, Guadia headed home...

And I got to remeet my goat friends who love to travel in gangs down any street they wish, showing their mutton muscles.

At Shishu Bahvan, I'm working on repainting this heart (it's in process above, getting sanded and stripped from it's previous life.)

And this guy saved the day, when I was looking for a small piece of wood to use as a sanding block, he gave it to me free. :-)

Then later yesterday, Tia and I went out to eat at Peter Cats.

I had the "Non-veg anything" which turned out to be a nice chicken soup

and a chicken sizzler.

Then after dinner, I did something I've never done before and will probably never ever ever do again...

Yes, I bought a GQ. I'm getting a certain article of clothing made here that will come in use repeatedly in the US, especially over the next few months. (Which Tia and her dad were kind enough to help me today to get tailored).

After dinner we went to Barista (read Indian Starbucks) and chatted about India and our experiences.

Then this morning on my way to Shishu, I saw a COW IN A RICKSHAW!

Well, it was in pieces, but it was still a Cow, in a rickshaw.

Funny, I don't yet have a picture of Tia.
1025pm

Back in the USSR

2008-12-06T18:30:00.003+05:30

I'm back to my most beloved communist state, West Bengal.

Kolkata hasn't changed too much since I left, but there are a few new stores hanging around.
I'll post more soon.

btw, my train was delayed 10 hours after a reroute, and my phone is very low, which I hope to solve soon. I'll be on my Kolkata number.

Oh and I've discovered the reason that Kolkata isn't terrorized... I'll discuss later.

Return home soon

2008-12-06T00:01:00.004+05:30

Hello my dearest Edward,

As of today you will be arriving in the U.S. in 19 days. I am so anxious to see you again, as you know. May the Lord continue to bless you on your journey as you return safely home and may you take all that he has for you. I think I have kept my promises pretty well.

Love you,
Michelle

US Dept of State warning #2 -- Mumbai

2008-12-02T21:02:00.000+05:30

November 29, 2008

There are heightened security concerns in India following the November 26 terrorist attacks on hotels, a Jewish community center, a railway station, restaurant, hospital, and other locations in Mumbai frequented by westerners. Over 195 persons are believed to have been killed and hundreds more injured. While terrorist attacks are not new to India, the November 26 Mumbai terrorist attacks in part targeted American citizens and other westerners for the first time and tragically demonstrate that even in five-star luxury hotels, security is not equipped to deter such attacks. U.S. citizens should take into account this new reality and exercise caution when visiting India. Prudent security measures include maintaining a high level of vigilance, avoiding crowds and demonstrations and keeping a low profile by not calling attention to one’s nationality.

The Department of State advises Americans planning to travel to Mumbai in the aftermath of the November 26 terrorist attacks to recognize that it may be some time before all public infrastructure and services return to normal. Emotions are running high and there are possibilities of demonstrations which could turn violent.

Americans throughout India should be vigilant about security at all times. The Embassy and Consulates are actively assessing the countrywide security environment. Americans are advised to monitor local news reports, vary their routes and times in carrying out daily activities, and consider the level of security present when visiting public places, including religious sites, or hotels, restaurants, entertainment and recreation venues. If unattended packages are spotted, American citizens should immediately exit the area and report the packages to authorities.

U.S. citizens may contact the American Citizens Services Unit of the Embassy or the Consulates General for further information:
-- The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi is located at Shanti Path, Chanakya Puri 110021; telephone +91-11-2419-8000; fax +91-11-2419-8407. The Embassy's Internet home page address ishttp://newdelhi.usembassy.gov.
-- The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai (Bombay) is located at Lincoln House, 78 Bhulabhai Desai Road, 400026, telephone +91-22-2363-3611; fax +91-22-2363-0350. The Internet home page address is http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov.
-- The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai (Madras) is at 220 Anna Salai, Gemini Circle, 600006, telephone +91-44-2857-4000; fax +91-44-2811-2027. The Internet home page address is http://chennai.usconsulate.gov.
-- The U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata (Calcutta) is at 5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, 700071; telephone +91-33-3984-2400; fax +91-33-2282-2335. The Internet home page address ishttp://kolkata.usconsulate.gov.

Yo momma!

2008-12-01T10:25:00.000+05:30

331am
29.11.8
Yo momma!

Oh! and one last thing about Goa... while in Bangalore, I discovered that Myron is more American than he looks, and he loves a good "yo momma" joke. But while in Goa, we discovered a tv show on VH1 that is a "Yo momma" joke competition.

But I also discovered, that even though I find great comfort in a traditional American art form, and I enjoy it's performance and wittiness, I also find it lacks an edifying element.

So one night after watching the show, which demonstrated some very clever talent, I was praying and was inspired to use this art form to edify others instead of insult them.

So I wrote some Catholic "yo momma" jokes.

Why can't we claim non-Christian art forms like the early Christians did, and evangelise and edify with them?
----
Your Momma's so sweet, that if she was named Marah (hebrew for bitter) They'd change it's meaning.

Your Momma's so beautiful that she makes the Venus Di Milo look like sin!

Your Momma's so holy that the Bible crosses itself when she picks it up!

Your Momma trusts so much in the Lord's Mercy that she makes St. Faustina (Divine Mercy) look like a Fire and Brimstone Preacher!

Your Momma's so loving, that God uses her as an example when He convert's sinners.

Your Momma's so diligent that she makes Ruth look like Rip van Winkle!

Your Momma's so prayerful, that the Pope calls her with his prayer requests!

I know they lack the "sting" of the traditional Yo momma's, but I'm trying to start a new art form, and it's always rough in the beginning. Anyone else want to join the revolution?

337am

Bye Goa!

2008-12-01T02:24:00.000+05:30

306am
29.11.8
Bye Goa!

So on the 12th, we left Myron's house...

(Anto, Cecilia and Myron)

And by we I mean pretty much all of us... except perhaps the rug.

Myron and Sylvia left first, to head to their silent retreat.

Anto left next. Notice the luggage configuration, it's amazing what Indians will carry on the back of a motorcycle.

And I was last. (Cecilia left a day or so later to go back to Mumbai).

I first headed to Madgaon or Margao (depending upon which you prefer). Where I had a nice beef dish and beer.

It was followed up by a tender coconut souffle.

The restaurant was Longuinhos, which I recommend.

And for my fellow travellers, I also recommend Galmic Travels, which can arrange bus/trains, etc. from Goa. The owner is one of Myron's cousins, and is a nice guy (he even watch my bag while I went to dinner). And it's conveniently located opposite of the Bank of India in Margao (phone numbers: 2736074 and 2715238).

330am

Dateline: Nov 12-- Goa

2008-11-30T18:23:00.000+05:30

133am
29.11.8
Nov 12-- Goa

So this is probably going to freak out a lot of people... and perhaps the following pictures should not be viewed by the weak hearted or women or children...

But, Yes. I did the unthinkable in Goa... I went to an Indian Dentist!

Doesn't she look scary?

Okay, okay, actually the whole thing was quite fun and nice! Amber, is a Dentist you see, and she offered to do our teeth for free... which, upon my very brief reflection, I quickly said SWEET! The last time I had my teeth checked out was a bit ago... because I don't have dental insurance in the states.

Plus I trust Amber, she's a great gal.

Myron however, is more like a politician... always ready for the photo op. ;-)

The first to get checked was Sylvia...

The next was Myron (who hammed it up).

And the last was me... as you can see they tortured me for this picture.

Luckily I don't have any cavities, and now my teeth are recently cleaned. So I'm all set for my next 5 year visit!

OH and she did me a big favour... ever since I chipped off the bottom right quarter of my front tooth, the replacement plaster has been bothering me. So she smoothed it out so that it's now flush with my tooth, instead of being a snag point.

The cleaning procedure was different than in the US. She didn't use the infamous dentists' picking tools we use, only the plugged in tools. But it seems to have been quite equivalent to a US Dentist (minus the standard x-rays in the US). I'd do it again.

143am

29.11.8 Silent retreat in Goa and Definitely not silent Dinners

2008-11-30T10:22:00.000+05:30

1:11 am
29.11.8
Silent retreat in Goa and Definitely not silent Dinners.

From the morning of the 5th to the afternoon of the 9th I was on a silent retreat. At Pedro Arrupe center in Amboda, Goa.

It was a nice time, most of which was spent resting... I didn't realise how tired I was. And how sickness added to that. The first two days I pretty much slept and ate. The next few days I increasingly became active. On the last day I was feeling mostly back to normal, minus the congestion that was lingering from the Flu.

Other than that, it barely felt like a silent retreat, and I actually felt overly busy, even though the schedule was only like 3 activities a day aside from meals. But I enjoyed the opportunity for prayer, and to be guided in "Indian" style meditations.

When I returned to Myron's house, I was treated to a local Cough/congestion concoction... which was sugar and Fenir (a cashew based liquor that is about 90% alcohol). The mixture was set on fire, let burn for a little bit and then blown out and drunk.

I don't know how much it helped, but it was worth a try and was a fun taste of local culture.

The next day we had a really nice dinner that was alot of fun!

It all started with "everyone" (aka, me) dedicating "YMCA" to Myron.

(the "Y")

It started a fun night of laughing dancing and general merry making.

(Myron's parent's Cecilia and Anto)

(Amber and another of Myron's cousins)

(Sylvia and I)

(One of Myron's Mumbai friends and Myron)

The fun thing about this group and night was that we were the only one's making fools of ourselves, and we had fun. Whereas often, I'm intimidated by "dancers" who have to dance to impress others or who have expectations, everyone was just having fun. And it helped that it was basically us (and the two Brits in the next picture) that were dancing and egging each other on.

I think I'm doing some Goan dance...

The place... it had good food too... but due to our dancing the food was lukewarm when we finally settled down to eat.

The crew and the DJ. He was fun, and took requests from us and the Brits and then worked in similar songs.

All in all, I had a great time with My-Rone and the crew dancing. Which made me wonder why I like dancing with them, versus the wedding. I think it was a few factors... first, it was with friends who were carefree. Second, it was a small group. Third, it was informal. Fourth, the music was nice. (The DJ didn't feel the need to play 12 songs at once... only one). And I'm sure there are other reasons...

Anyhow, Blessings,
Edward
1:31am

Eureka!

2008-11-30T02:21:00.000+05:30

143am
27.11.8

I finally understand!

I had a discussion last night with a friend, and after a bit of mulling it around, and by the profound grace of God, I finally understand the uniqueness of Christianity amongst all other religions.

(The following is from a letter to my friend, explaining this new knowledge.)

IN all other religions, FIRST you work and sacrifice, THEN you become like Gods.

But the amazing thing about Christianity is that it is the REVERSE!

FIRST, you become a child of God ("become like Gods"), THEN you work and sacrifice out of LOVE.

For us, we realise we can never be perfect, and thus we can NEVER earn "being God like". And God in His Fatherly Love, sent Jesus, His only Son, to become man and then to offer a perfect sacrifice for us (since we can never do so). And now, because of this sacrifice, we are the Father's ADOPTED sons and daughters. And we can here and now, "be like God", because He has given us His own spirit to dwell within us.

THIS IS A FREE GIFT for all of us. And none of us can earn it, because of our imperfection and sin.

God is so Merciful that even while we rejected Him and fought against Him, He has give us the RIGHT to be His sons and daughters and to THEREFORE be "God-like"

For a Christian, once we are baptised, we are made perfect by God. And it is THEN that we become His Children. And even when we sin afterwards or make ourselves imperfect, so long as we GENUINELY acknowledge our wrong and beg for His Mercy, God will grant us UNLIMITED MERCY. And by the merits of HIS sacrifice we are once again made perfect.

In thanksgiving for this, we LOVE God more and more. And that love causes us to work on ourselves so we can love Him more and hurt Him less (Sin is a rejection of God, and just like when we reject our parents, we hurt them, sin hurts God).

This is the difference of Christianity. Being like God is a free gift. And nothing we can do can ever EARN it. And because of this we love God and try to show Him our love by becoming better people.

(me trying to become a better dancer, via practice).

THAT'S IT!
~Edward
159am

Middle Pondy

2008-11-29T18:19:00.000+05:30

532am
29.11.8
Pondicherry
(I arrived in Pondy on the 18th, and this post covers from the 21st to the 26th)

Okay, so first... lets look at this picture.

Notice the white netting? That's my portable mosquito net that's treated with deltamethrin (a mosquito repelant). Notice that black dot? That's a mosquito.

Notice a problem? Yes, that's right, the mosquito is dancing, yes DANCING on my mosquito repelant mosquito net. I think we need to import some American mosquitos to teach these arrogant Indian mosquitos some humility. I mean, leave me in my illusion that my mosquito net will repel you at least. And do you have to dance ON IT?

One of the primary reasons I came to Pondicherry was as a stop over on the way to Chennai, so I could get some western food.

It has turned out to be 11 days!

The majority of my time in Pondy has been spent either in my room or in restaurants, as venturing forth has been mostly out of the question, due to health concerns.

One cafe where I've spent some good time is the Coffee.com internet cafe, which serves up some nice drinks and has WIFI! Praise the Lord!

The drink pictured above is one of my favourites (Mazagrand: coffee, cream and cocoa I think). Though I do love the western feel of the place, I do have to say it's a bit pricey. (40 rps an hour internet, and 120 rps for the large drink pictured).

On the night of the 21st, I tried out a restaurant recommended by the Lonely Planet (aka. "the bible" for travelers). The place was Satsanga. And it has a promising courtyard atmosphere (if I were to go back, I'd ask to sit ACROSS the courtyard in the more ambianced area).

The menu looked promising, but the food was mostly mediocre (except for the main, which was quite good).

I ordered the Tsaziki and bread and a tomato basil soup to start.

The Tsaziki was decent, but the bread that it came with was quite lacking in flavour and texture (it was like eating your basic store bought loaf white bread).

I think it would have been much better if they had used a nice crusty baguette. Or even Pita bread, *gasp*!

And the tomato basil soup was nice, but a bit watery, and the basil was very faint.

The steak however surprised me!

I ordered the steak "au Roquefort" (a type of bleu cheese). And though I was expecting a pungent (and delicious) experience of bleu cheese, I actually got a surprise of a pleasant quality. The sauce was mildly Roquefort, but smooth and tastey, and really made the quite beautifuly cooked steak one of my best steak experiences in India. They actually cooked it MEDIUM! Oh and I also forgot until this night, that European scales and American scales are different for meat. I think that the american scale is one notch longer cooked than the European scale. E.g, a medium done American steak is equivalent to a medium/well done European steak. So a medium rare American is a medium European. I believe this is how it works out. But in any case, this is how the Indians seem to cook steak.

My only problem with the main, was that the potatoes being so white and the Roquefort sauce being so white, made my plate look quite bland. So on plating marks, I give the main a 1 out of 5. The potatoes were good and ample, I just wish there were veggies in exchange for half the potatoes.

(mass time! be back.)
559am
730am
For Dinner the next day, I decided to go "off book". And try a place that wasn't listed in the LP... Cafe 41. The menu wasn't so spectacular, and seemed like your average Indian place that was trying to cater to Tourists. The first disappointment was the only French thing on the menu was out of stock, as well as a few other continental meals. So I went with the roasted chicken.

If you can't tell, that's a meager portion. It was tasty, but instead of ordering something to supliment it, I decided to finish up, and then head out.

I headed to Coffee.com's new sister store Trufiluko (or something of the sort) that's right next to Cafe 41, Rendezvous (the good French restaurant) and Au feu bois (the tasty pizza place).

I grabbed a nice pot of tea (80 rps).

And a nice large (probably about a foot or longer in length) chicken, cheese, and garlic butter Baguette.

The baguette was nice (the garlic butter/cheese combo was a bit hard to finish, by the end). If I was to get it again, I'd split it with someone (or pocket half for later), and enjoy it as it was meant to be, a snack.

The internet at Trufi is actually more expensive that coffee.com 60rps an hour. But it also has wifi. The atmosphere is not yet there (it's on a soft openning while they work more on it), but I have hopes that it'll be a quite comfy place when finished. It already is a very nice place with a beautiful wood bar and nice trimmings, but it reminds me a bit of the Shinning's bar... "Here's Johnny!"

The next day I decided to eat dinner at Hot Breads, but while walking there, I noticed that Daily Bread actually looked like a restaurant. It's on the second floor of the building, so I was always a bit hesitant to go up there. So I decided to try out Daily Bread (as there seemed to be a large amout of people eating there, and nobody eating dinner at Hot Breads).

This is when I wrote the post about eating foreign foods... so if you were wondering what I ended up eating...

Beef Boulandaise (or something of the sort). It was tasty, though I doubt it was anything like the real version. The meal was filling and well made and I could actually tell that there was an effort at not over cooking all the stuff in the gravy, which is often the case in most restaurants in India. And this nice effort made the onion's cooked, but not limp, somewhere right around perfect.

For desert, I decided to stick with my original choice and head downstairs to Hot Breads.

A croissant chocolat

and a black forest cake.

With an okay cappuccino. (The best in town are at coffee.com).

The desert was delicious. Especially the croissant!

In between meals, me and my favourite bottle would have discussions on the merits of health.

RexCof. It's by far my favourite cough syrup in the world. (It works wonders.) And I've even got Myron and Sylvia on the band wagon (we all were sick at the same time).

It's composed of two things:
Chloropheniramine Maleate (what ever that is)
and
Codeine phosphate.

I bless the doctor that perscribed it to me.

On the 25th for dinner, I went to Au feu bois for pizza. And I met a cool German guy. We ate together and then went to the 24 hour coffee shop on the beach and chatted.

It was so nice to talk to a westerner who has been in India for a good amount of time, and who has similar interests! We talked about India and it's politics, and it was refreshing to have someone who could view it similarly to the way I do. He may not have agreed completely with my assessments, but we were able to hold an actual discussion, where we would make points and counter points. And eventually both come out with a better knowledge. He also agreed that Indians are propagandized (and they don't even know it). Now, I know I'm not insane! Luckily, the propaganda that Indian's receive is mostly benign. Though some of it sounds similar to the propagandas that happened in the west in the early 1900s... the Greater Germany, Italy, and Russia movements...

The next day, I went back to Daily Bread and had (I think) the chicken Cordon bleu. One of my favourites.

Luckily I wasn't disappointed, as I already had an idea of what I was going to get, from the previous meal there. It (obviously) isn't a western cordon bleu, but it was tasty and nice.

That night I decided to try their deserts... A chocolate Eclair

and a pretty nice cup o coffee.

They were nice finishes to the meal.

The next morning I came back and tried breakfast. Originally I was going to go to kyassha ai ashaa (or whatever) that was listed in the LP... but it doesn't exist anymore... so I went to satsanga... which wasn't serving breakfast... so I came back to DB.

I grabbed a chocolate pancake (closer to a crepe).

And a spanish omlette with a fresh sweet lime juice.

It was a very nice breakfast.

And now that's done.

Blessings!
~edward
809am

Leaving Las Pondas.

2008-11-29T10:17:00.000+05:30

437am
29.11.8
So today is the day that I leave Pondicherry, and if my suspicions are right, today is going to be the first fully beautiful day in Pondicherry since I arrived. You see, since I've been here, Pondicherry has been hammered by rains and Cyclone Nisha. And to make my point of how dreary it has been check out this photo.

So for those of you who don't know... that's the constellation Orion. (Perhaps the most identified constellation). And the point is this, until last night the sky has been overcast the whole time I've been here. In what has been called by locals, the worst rains since they've been here.

Pondicherry (short hand: Pondy) has one major canal (aka. Drainage ditch) in the middle of town, going north south. Which usually does a great job at keeping the city dry. But it has been raining so much that a few days ago (the 26th) the rain filled the canal (about four feet deep). Notice how close it it is to the bridge.

And even then the winds at that time were bad enough to sheer branches off of trees. And the branches were often, surprisingly, young and green and not old.

Yesterday, morning on the way to mass, I noticed even more distruction.

I commented to Michelle on the phone that I feel like Jesus entering Jerusalem, because of all the branches and leaves that are layed upon the streets before me.

But it wasn't only branches and trees, but also a very many trees have been felled by the storm... from the young

To the Old.

The problem, as I see it, is the ground is completely oversaturated with water, and the roots are beginning to rot due to such constant drowning. So when the heavy winds came, trees would fall.

I didn't get a look at the canal this past morning, though I imagine it was higher than the other day, due to the volume of rain we got the night before. I also imagine that it was higher, due to the fact the waters were so high that the drainage system became springs.

I actually kind of like having gone through a cyclone. I mean, it was a once in a life time experience for the Pondy residents, and I got to share it with them. Even though I didn't really know it was a cyclone until the day before it finished. God loves to give me little fun gifts like this. And I love to get them!

Blessings,
Edward
456am
Edit: 1018am I'm leaving within the hour... pray for me!

US Government citizens abroad notice.

2008-11-29T10:10:00.001+05:30

Edit: according to my mom, the state department updated this notice to say US citizens are not to travel to Mumbai for the next 5 days.

November 28, 2008

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens about heightened security concerns in India, and advises U.S. citizens traveling to or already in India to maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. This Travel Alert expires on December 31, 2008.

There are heightened security concerns in India following the November 26 terrorist attacks on hotels, a railway station, restaurant, hospital, and other locations in Mumbai frequented by Westerners. Over 100 persons are believed to have been killed, and hundreds injured. Casualties include both Indian and foreign nationals. Americans appear to have been among those specifically targeted. U.S. citizens should exercise caution and take prudent security measures, including maintaining a high level of vigilance, avoiding crowds and demonstrations, keeping a low profile, varying times and routes for all travel, and ensuring travel documents are current.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, the Department of State urged Americans to defer travel to Mumbai for at least 48-72 hours. American citizens in need of assistance related to the terrorist attacks should call the Department of State or the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai.

U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/ so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. For additional information, please refer to "A Safe Trip Abroad" found at http://travel.state.gov.
U.S. citizens may contact the American Citizens Services Unit of the Embassy or the Consulates General for further information:

-- The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi is located at Shanti Path, Chanakya Puri 110021; telephone +91-11-2419-8000; fax +91-11-2419-8407. The Embassy's Internet home page address is http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov.

-- The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai (Bombay) is located at Lincoln House, 78 Bhulabhai Desai Road, 400026, telephone +91-22-2363-3611; fax +91-22-2363-0350. The Internet home page address is http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov.

-- The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai (Madras) is at 220 Anna Salai, Gemini Circle, 600006, telephone +91-44-2857-4000; fax +91-44-2811-2027. The Internet home page address is http://chennai.usconsulate.gov.

-- The U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata (Calcutta) is at 5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, 700071; telephone +91-33-3984-2400; fax +91-33-2282-2335. The Internet home page address is http://kolkata.usconsulate.gov

Color blind

2008-11-27T11:18:00.000+05:30

26.11.8
1237pm

have you ever thought about something, and then thought about it more, and then more yet?

There was this game we played during one part of the school... it was a pretty simple game composed of four teams. Your team chose one of two colors, red or green. And the dynamics of the game were this: If everyone chose green, everyone got a point. If everyone chose red, everyone lost a point. But here is where it got tricky... if three teams chose red, and one team chose green, the three teams would gain three points, and the one team would lose three. And if it was two and two, the two RED would gain two points, and the two green would lose two. (table below; +g and +r are the points that teams that chose g or r respectively earn)


1234 +g|+r
==========
gggg +1|+0
rrrr +0|-1
rrrg -3|+3
rrgg -2|+2

now. From the start I realised that red was the best choice, (I was appointed leader by my team), but a few on the team wanted to go green, so we did. Then after discussing and seeing how it worked against us, we decided to go red. As did everyone else. On the third round (or so) I realised the futility of everyone always choosing red, so I asked if the team leaders could conference. On the next round, we were granted a conference. During the conference, we made a pact to all choose green. But when we went back to our groups we found that one of the four did not stick to the pact. Which brought up a case that is not listed above. One red, three greens, which meant no one gained or lost points (at the very beginning of the game, the session leader quickly and non-chalantly mentioned that "there is one case that is not listed, and thats because it's worth zero for both".) For the next round we were not granted a conference, so my group went with green again, sticking to our word and hoping others would stand strong.

But we ended up with -3 again, and since this was a bonus round where all points were multiplied (i think by 10 or something) we lost all our points and went negative, and everyone else ended up going positive.

Then we had a discussion.

And basically the discussion focused on ethics and cooperation. And our group was lauded by the session leader for both, and held as an example of what Christian ministries should be like... trying for the common good, coordinating with other groups instead of competing, etc. (my group knew we couldn't win by coordinating, but we wanted everyone to benefit instead of only a few benefit, and a few lose)

But as I reflected on it, I realised that we didn't do the right thing once our team understood the game.

I feel like we should have always chosen green.

First, green is the optomistic color, because by choosing green, you can't hurt anyone else, and you're hoping for cooperation.

Second, green is the self sacrificial color, by choosing green, points are always awarded to someone, and if it's not awarded to everyone, then at least others benefited more than we lost.

Just now I was reminded of this analysis of mine, by a book I'm reading called "Sayings from the Desert Fathers" by Nouwen and Nomura. In the book is this saying:

"An old man said: I never wanted work that was useful to me but loss to my brother. For I have this expectation, that what helps my brother is fruitful for me."

And that's the eloquent and elegant way of saying what I had come to realise. Why should I ever gain from hurting others? Do we not as Christians realise that by hurting another, we are hurting ourselves? Because all are part of Christ? And not only are we hurting ourselves, but are we not hurting our greatest loved one? Jesus, Himself?
116pm

Lights, Camera, Action.

2008-11-27T03:17:00.000+05:30

1034pm
25.11.8

So something I forgot to mention about the day between Bangalore and Goa...

We went to the Movies!

And I made sure we didn't go to a Bollywood film (I promised Michelle that the first Bollywood film I would see, would be with her on a date).

We saw some Hollywood film, which was interesting but not overly so, as I can now not tell you the name of it.

But what was AMAZING about the film was the Theatre itself. It was a basic stadium seating with nice comfy chairs. But the SEATS WERE ASSIGNED! And apparently you could by more or less expensive seats based off of where they were located.

AND! you ordered drinks/etc before you entered, told them when to bring them, and they brought them to your seat! In addition there was an INTERMISSION! Aka. much appreciated potty break.

So movies (at least in some theatres in India) are quite posh!
~blessings
Edward
1038pm

The art of Ordering food.

2008-11-26T19:15:00.000+05:30

23.11.8
651pm

There's an art to ordering food foreign to the country you are ordering it in. First off, avoid your favourites... They NEVER taste right. And the disappointment is greater where the expectation is higher. Second, decide how risky you want to be with your life. If you look around notice rats and are unfased by the sight... You can and probably have eaten just about anything anywhere without flinching. If on the other hand, you are me, I'd simply avoid the meats. I'd rather not risk eating my furry friends, nor their disease.
Third, try to survey other people's plates. If they look pretty much the same, then I doubt the extra five minutes you spend deciding between the fetuccini and spaghetti will really make much of a difference. Heck, chances are, the time you spend deciding between fish and beef might not matter.

Fourth, be surprised and enjoy your meal when it comes out. Accept it for what it is, and don't expect it to live up to your ordering expectation. It is (hopefully) a newly born meal and insults can make them malformed adult meals. I read that somewhere in "Psychology USA". Fifthly, don't be shocked when it comes out too soon, to late or in the wrong direction. Most foreign foods haven't learned to behave themselves in American Gastro-intestinal tracts. And you can't blame the food for the impoverished education system it grew up on.

Here's to eating...(dinner's a coming)
Edward.

708pm

Oldy but moldy

2008-11-26T18:30:00.000+05:30

An old and now obviously optomistic post from when I left Bangalore...
1225am 15.11.8

So I'm finally on my way back to kolkata. And I've had a great time in the south. So many good friends and connections, both of which will be fruitful relationships. My plan for returning is to head to valankini in south tamil nandu, then to pondicherry, then to chennai each for a day. With an extra day or two planned for leeway/rest. From there I go back home to calcutta.

I have so much to write. This past month has been busy and amazing. And I will try to write it all up on the bus. But I've discovered it's hard to find time alone when u travel alone in india. Indians love to talk and meet new people. It's their friendly and hositable nature.

Anyhow, we just dropped off cecilia to the bangalore airport. And I'm tired. To you all, with love and prayers, from a jostling jeep;
edward
1237am

Goin to Goa.

2008-11-24T12:20:00.000+05:30

301pm
23.11.8
Goin to Goa.
2.11-4.11
We arrived in Goa on the Second (overnight bus). And were treated to one of the many seemingly random, but always pleasurable, Indian makeshift parades.

As well as a very large spread of Goan(Go-an) food.

The food was delicious.

And the Indians thought it was funny that I was eating with my hands like them... so they took a picture. (also note the "super Indian" t-shirt that Myron equipped me with... he thought that was funny too.)

We actually had the very odd experience of going to a friend of the family's funeral on All-Saint's day. Which included the treat of seeing all the graves decorated for the day.

The people I prayed for most where those whose graves weren't decorated, which I suspect means they no longer have anyone to pray for them.

While in Goa, my guardian Angel, would wake me early in the morning and insist that I went to mass.

Which meant I got to see beautiful sunrises.

And even more beautiful Sonrises.

On the Third, we went to Old Goa. Where I spent a lot of time praying, as I had seen most of the place before.

(Peep hole in a door at Basilica Bom Jesus)

And when the Indian's were grabbing a Lemon soda off the street, I risked it, and had one too.

Mind you, they come in two basic varieties, sweet and salty... this one was salty... I like mine sweet.

We also got to go to one of the churches I had missed on my first trip, St. Catjen, which is a replica of the original St. Peters.

Then we headed down to an old fort/lighthouse that the Portugese and then Indians used. It was interesting to see how it was planned on the heights protecting the harbor (where Miramar is) to the left and the resupply area below.

(the wall of the lighthouse with miscreants in front)

Then we headed across the harbor to the partner fort (that defended the south part of the entrance to the harbor). And watched the sun set.

Then we headed to dinner with Myron's family, and I chose to sit with the two kids... they tend to be the best dinner company.

And we headed home in the back of a Rickshaw truck. :-)

On the Fourth, we headed to southern Goa to visit Burtrand and Patricia at their home.

Burtrand's family runs an autoshop of sorts. And their houses are all close by.

After meeting the family, and having some snacks (I think it is impossible to visit an Indian house and not have snacks and Chai), we headed to the beach!

Yes that's right the beach in the middle of winter! And yes it IS winter in India (it's completely in the northern hemisphere). The beach was nice, circa 90s outside and the water was neither cold nor hot, but perfect, so that upon entering you had no reason to turn back.

And what better way to end any day, than ice cream?

After the beach we headed back and cleaned ourselves up. And prepared for Burtrand's friend's wedding.

Which was fun, but reminded me that I don't like to dance around huge crowds, with loud music. Keep that in mind, MT!
359pm

School's out!

2008-11-24T04:19:00.000+05:30

235pm
23.11.8
School's out!
24.10-1.11
So I have a month to catch up on... it's funny to think its been that long... and that I've been sick that long! But my sinuses seem promising that in the next few days I'll be back 100%.

During the last week of the school, we visited various Catholic schools, from grade schools, to universities and seminaries. The people were all very nice and happy to have us as guests.

And the kids, especially were adorable. I forgot hwo much it feels like being a rockstar, when you work with kids. A few times we had to sign autographs! Oh the innocence of kids, who look up and willingly see the good in anyone.

As the school ended, we planned a surprise. We had a cake made, we made a card, and we prepared a skit.

The cake came out beautifully, and the Baker added a few extra nice things to my original drawing.

Unfortunately, I came down sick two days before the end, and ended up spending alot of time sleeping.

We all had to say goodbye, but due to being sick, I was so busy on the last day packing that I didn't say goodbye to everyone. But such is life, and I will see them again. Either here or, I pray, at Home.

My small group me, Matthew, and Martin, with Ajit and Fritz missing.

The staff holding the famous "Gods' will. nothing more, nothing less, nothing else." sign.

I moved from Ashrivad, to the ICPE community house, where I was treated to a very nice room with a queen sized bed. (Which I made good use of). And the next day we headed off to Goa, but luckily not before Michelle's missing letter arrived in the mail.

A bit openned, but at least it finally arrived weeks after my birthday.
256pm

National unity

2008-11-23T20:09:00.000+05:30

22.11.8
12:19am
Pondicherry
National unity.

"[The] champion of national unity will preside over one of the most divisive periods in American history. "

I am posting this segment from The Coming Kulturkampf due to the very real nature of (and the soon to be very obvious) division in American society. I've never felt like we [Americans] were terribly passionate about anything other than superbowl Sunday, but very shortly the world will likely see an America that is at war with its self. I like to hope that this is a counter-revolution to the sixties, but it very well could turn out to be a Kristalnacht for Christians. And I find it likely that Christians across the world will feel the results of this American war, for better or worse.

I urge you to speak out, now. Because later may just be too late.

===
The focus is on FOCA, the Freedom of Choice Act, that Obama says he wants to sign on his first day in office. This act would eliminate the very modest restraints and regulations established by states, provide government funding for abortions, and in its present form, require religiously sponsored hospitals and clinics to perpetrate abortions or go out of business.

The aggressor in the opening phases of this Kulturkampf is the Obama administration. The initial response to the aggression was evident in the meeting of Catholic bishops this week in Baltimore. There were refreshingly bold statements by bishops, and by Francis Cardinal George, president of the conference, on the imperative to protect the integrity of the Church’s teaching and to employ every legitimate means to resist the further advance of what John Paul the Great taught us to understand as the culture of death. Some bishops even invoked the venerable tradition of martyrdom, sounding very much like the successors to the apostles that they are.

The Christ against culture model does not come naturally to Catholics. The Church is much more disposed toward conversion, providing moral guidance, and the transformation of culture. The Christ against culture model is never chosen, but sometimes there is no choice. Pushed to the wall by the Obama aggression, it seems evident that most of the Catholic bishops are, in the words of Paul to Timothy, prepared to “fight the good fight.”

In this contest of coming months and years, it seems certain that cooperation between Catholics and evangelical Protestants will be greatly strengthened. And their efforts will enlist the support of many other Americans who are only now awakening to the fact that the unlimited abortion license imposed by Roe v. Wade and its proposed expansion by its hardcore supporters is indeed unlimited. If President-elect Obama does what he says he wants to do, this champion of national unity will preside over one of the most divisive periods in American history.

1231am

Crudites!

2008-11-22T16:09:00.000+05:30

1207am
21.11.08
Pondicherry

I’ve been sick lately, so I’m eating as best I can. I still have a sinus infection and a mild fever (circa 99-99.5). Tonight I went to Hotel Aristo on Nehru avenue. It was a nice rooftop atmosphere

I started with the best salad I've had in India, and one I wouldn't mind having in the us. "Salade de Crudites"

Followed by a Steak with a shallot sauce "L'onglet avec chalottes" (or something like that).

And finishing with a Creme Brulee and "South Indian Coffee"

My breakfast/lunch was a vegetable quiche (that could have been better), an orange soda, and a pan chocolat (cocolate filled pastry bread) with a cappuccino.

And I had it around 430 pm, because I woke around 230... and I barely made it there due to weakness from being sick. Though I suspect the worst of it is over, and that soon I'll be in full health.

To my great saddness, I've been too tired to get to mass in the morning (I suspect it's at 6am or 7am, but there are no times posted outside of either church nearby). I hope soon I can recieve Him again.
Blessings,
edward
1216am

Po people in Da house!

2008-11-22T08:08:00.000+05:30

1102pm
20.11.8
Pondicherry
Poverty.

Let’s return to a subject that is close to the heart of anyone who has visited India with any compassion. Even the unexpected compassion of a high flying tourist whose tour company has carefully planned the itinerary to exclude any unwanted "distractions", but couldn’t anticipate that young girl; that young girl who now haunts the tourist’s memory.

Her body was lying in the middle of the street, an expanding pool of crimson meeting the ever present saffron dust of India. Quickly, crowds of people gathered as if a Bollywood star had been slain. She was “no one” and yet truly, a precious one had indeed been slain. But the driver cold to the scene, found it only an obstacle to the next destination. He used the mass of the Jeep to push people out of the way, and once past, sped away.

Almost every traveler to India or to any Third-World/Developing (choose your terminology) country, has to wrestle with poverty. And any one seriously interested in the problem, will tell you that handouts are not the answer. Two sayings come to mind: “don’t put a band-aid on a gaping wound” and “if you give a man a fish, he can eat for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.”

Putting band-aids always makes us feel better. But it doesn’t help, and in practice it actually hurts development.

So what can we do?

1. Let yourself feel compassion. This doesn’t mean you have to “show” your feelings of compassion as you walk down the street. This might prevent you from getting anywhere, and might attract a mob. But it does mean, take time to reflect each day and be touched by the poverty.

2. Try to understand what Poverty means. Is a person in poverty if their net worth less than yours? Is a person in poverty if they don’t live in a house? Is a person in poverty if they don’t have three meals a day? Is a person in poverty if they make less than the government’s poverty line? Or some arbitrary international line? Etc.

3. Recognize your ignorance. Recognize that you can’t differentiate the poor from the relatively well-to-do lower middle class. Recognize that you don’t know what it means to be poor in x country. And recognize that you can’t solve the problem, but may just increase the problem.

4. In the humility of this recognition, act on your compassion. First, give of yourself. Work with NGOs and poverty groups at home and abroad that have a first hand knowledge of the country they exist in, and that have solutions appropriate to their country. Second, get others involved. Third, give of your resources.

For me, I don’t consider poverty to be someone who’s net worth is less than mine (my net worth is less than most of the poor here, due to my incredible access to credit, and school loans, and the ensuing debts.). I don’t consider all beggars poor. It’s a tourist industry. Often they make more than shop keepers or other workers. For example: a basic salary is somewhere between 3000-5000 INR a month. That means that a person gets between 100-200 INR a day. If you give a beggar 50 INR for five minutes of begging, how much do you think he made in a day? Lets call it a bad day… only 50 INR an hour… for 12 hours (they’re there all day) that’s 600 INR. Over a Month, that’s 18000, which is 3-6 times more than a starting salary. This is why I NEVER give to beggars in tourist areas or areas of high traffic. I also never give money. If you give anything, give food (opened packages only) and nothing else, not even medicines. There are so many NGOs that offer free medicines to the poor, and medicines can easily be returned for cash.

Even food, I only give to beggars that I assess as truly poor. There’s a certain dirtiness of the truly distressed, or depressed. They don’t take care of themselves, because to them it doesn’t matter. If a beggar comes up to you, with new Nike shoes, a clean shirt, or nicely pressed pants… you can bet he’s a con-artist, or at the very least, not what an Indian would call poor.

The problem with this tourist begging industry is how financially rewarding it is (as I’ve already shown). Because it’s financially rewarding, families from one generation to the next find no reason to seek education, when they get paid just as well or better begging.

So in conclusion, if you want to help poverty, don’t give to beggars, we foreigners are not wise enough to discern those in need and those not in need. And if you think you are, then either you’ve lived here for over a year and worked closely with poverty, or you’re deluding yourself. Instead give to an NGO that supports education for street kids, or that gives free medical care, or the like. This way you know that the money and time you give will go to solve the problem, not to worsen it.

Some charities that I have ties with:
The Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s sisters)
Roshni (http://www.roshniindia.com), a new NGO in Bangalore and Karnataka working on sustainable solutions to poverty.

If you want to donate to either, contact me and I will send information on how to donate to them directly.

May the Lord let His face shine upon us all!
1158pm

Homies of a homeless man.

2008-11-22T00:06:00.000+05:30

20.11.8
Pondicherry

There is nothing that so disturbs my peace than talking history or world politics with a particular brand of Indians. This is probably no fault of theirs or mine, but mostly a matter of our education and our respective Government's propagandas. The thing that I find so difficult is that their History of the World is at times completely at odds with what seems to be not only the US's version of History but even the entire western world's.

Now this obviously leads one to the question of what really was history? In
the western tradition, "History" needs to be collaborated by various countries, populaces, etc. and needs to be documented and supported by various other forms of testimony. The degree to which these criteria are fulfilled, determines the degree of veracity that we give an event or person. (I would like to note at this point I am NOT a western Historian, so my rudimentary knowledge of this area is based soley upon two things, my history and politics lessons, and my logical/philosophical background.)

Case in point: Most Indians seem to argue this: Pakistan belongs to India.

The rest of world from a geopolitical standpoint would point out this:

India and Pakistan became countries on the exact same day. Neither owned the other.

Rebuttal from an India: Pakistan has always been India, even before Independence.

Rebuttal from world: India has never been fully "unified". It was at various times and various places under various local and foreign emperors. Prior to Independence from the British, it was in fact a coalition of principalities that were forced to work together by the British. These principalities gave up their rights and joined "INDIA" or "PAKISTAN" either under diplomatic agreements or under threat of arms by "India" or "Pakistan".

The next rebuttal from an Indian would point to their shared cultural history.

And the next rebuttal from the world would be to point out their disparate cultural history.

And so on.

But surprisingly, this at times dramatic difference in history is not the point of this post.

The point of this post is to ask the question: "Who cares?"
Granted "History" is and has always been one of many ways to war. The old "I claim my Ancestor's Kingdom, which should have come to me by right of Birth" line. And this is a line being used today by India... but aside from Indians, and aside from countries who have agreed to buy into India's history for x, y or z political favour/reason, the world isn't fooled. The point is, countries will always play politics with History, and promote their version as subtle forms of propaganda.

How much propaganda have I swallowed? Who knows. And though I do believe that a transparent propaganda free history should be promoted, I find it nearly impossible to create, by the very nature of national self-interest. And lets be realisitic, countries only report and write history that either is beneficial (or can be spun as beneficial) or if negative, was forced to be written. No one really wants to know the dirty secrets of their goverments.

So back to my point: "Who cares?" Well I do, because I have a great love for my country. But I also strive to not care. Because I have a greater love for my true Patria. My true Fatherland, from whence the Son of God came to bring mercy and forgiveness to all. And to Unite all to Himself.

The point of love of country is to remind us of this Love of God's Presence. And we should always keep our eyes on this goal, the Resurrection. And to that point, if my brother tells me what seems to be absurd in my world-view, then why do I need to argue? When instead I should direct his and my love of country to our mutual love of the destination of our Pilgrimage?

God Himself.

We are all but pilgrims on the way home, to our true Homeland, our eternal resurrection in the presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Where we will all dance and sing, hand in hand, and arm in arm, to the Glory of God.

Blessings to all my fellow pilgrims,
Edward.
915pm.

For Starters, I'll have the Sinus infection...

2008-11-21T16:04:00.001+05:30

1130pm
19.11.08
so lets start with recent things first... I'm in Pondicherry. I arrived yesterday (the 18th) just before dinner. I'm sick (again).

The first thing I did, was to find a room... which turned out easy once I figured out the area code of Pondicherry.

Then I set out for dinner at Rendezvous, which is a well respected french style restaurant here. And also a restaurant owned by Deena's Aunt (a friend from the School). But unfortunately it was closed yesterday. So I went across the street to a pizza place that was also in the guide book. Au Feu de Bois. And to my surprise it actually lived up to it's name...

a wood fired pizza oven ("Au feu de bois"=="Woodfire")!

And it actually had really nice pizza. It was even better than most New York "Pizza"... but then again there are only a few good places in New York.

Today, I slept in, trying to get healthier. Then I walked to rendezvous and had a nice Quiche Lorraine for lunch. With a nice lime soda. Lime soda is made in India, by squeezing a fresh lime into a cup, adding soda water, and then either a sugary or salty "masala" (spice mix). The nice thing about this soda, was that you had the lime already squeezed, and the sugar juice and soda were not yet added. So you could add as much of one or the other you liked.

Then I came home and napped... yes, I AM sick, so I DO have a good reason to sleep so much. Speaking of which, I went to the Doctor the other day, and though the medicines he gave have helped out alot, I've still got a mild fever, congestion, coughing, etc. Between this sickness and my last one I had two day's vacation. Which were two really nice days. I'll be making a point to visit a doctor tomorrow. Docs here are pretty good for the most part. Though they often seem to treat the effects more than the cause, as they don't have as much diagnostic equipment available as Western Doctors have. It's sort of rare to get a diagnosis from a doctor here, but you get medicines that help. And doctors are cheap 40 or so ruppees (1$) for most consults, and around a 100rps (2$) for the pills you need.

I definitely no longer have a fear of Indian Doctors. I find them all quite competent. But stick with the western style doctors is my suggestion. If the homeopathic doctors are anything like the people they treat, they have varied and contradictory opinions on what cures what, and are more than happy to experiment on you.

(the "beach")

Before dinner I walked down the "beach" which is a nice way of saying storm wall. But the storm wall was made up of granite rocks and at the very top, was laid a wide strip of sand that you could walk along, and have a sense of being on a beach.

It was quite beautiful.

For dinner I went back to Rendezvous and had french onion soup, BBQ ribs, a red wine, water, fruit salad with ice cream and a coffee.

And now I'm home and about to checkout for the night.
God Bless and Keep you all!
12:12am 20.11.8

How we do this posting thing.

2008-11-21T16:02:00.000+05:30

127am
21.11.08
Pondicherry
So I've decided to automatically release posts every 8 hours. This is so that you don't get overwhelmed reading every catch up post at once.

so here's a picture of me.

It's from when I got caught in a heavy rainstorm after my first lunch (quiche) in Pondicherry (next post). So I found refuge under a clothing merchant's awning, and read a book for about an hour before the rain slowed enough for me to head on. That is one of the nice thing about merchants in India, they are usually quite friendly and helpful. And they're the best and ONLY strangers I ask for directions. They're also good to get approximate cab/rickshaw fare or which bus/subway to take; though due to their generally limited english, I find these questions are best answered by the hostel/hotel clerks or my friends.
136am.

Silly fed ex requirement

2008-11-15T14:20:00.002+05:30

So I'm trying to mail a package to the us... and fedex requires that I give myself permission to use my account... why not have a passport requirement and a signature?
====

I, Edward Alonzo, give permission to myself, Edward Alonzo, to use my own US based FedEx account in India, for the purposes of mailing package(s) to the United States of America.
Account Number:
etc...

Retraction

2008-11-10T14:42:00.001+05:30

I've come to realise that my statements were written out of frustration and hurt with the impotence of the Government of Orissa (etc.) and the violence supported by the BJP (and cronies) against Christians, in addition to the everyday hassels that make me feel more like a wallet for people to steal out of than as a person. I've also come to realise that the issue is more complex and my perceiving of it as a Hinduism issue was the result of it partly being an economic issue that is best described by the Caste system and its attempts to force bonded labor.

Some people use caste and religion to make others do their bidding and to profit off of them unjustly. They take advantage of and encourage the ignorance of others.

Though I do have a limited number of Hindu friends here, those that I do have are acutally quite respectable and indeed put many Christians in the states to shame on the scales of virtue and morality.

Rant

2008-10-22T13:32:00.003+05:30

Rant
Circa 11pm 18.10.2008
I’ve come to believe, and it’s not just me, it’s also educated Indians who care about their country, that India’s democracy is really an oligarchy of the recently rich. And I say RECENTLY rich, as they are usually freshly bribed out from oblivion to be the puppet of x, y or z company or h, i, or j person. The puppet master(s) also then ensures that the puppet is supplied with a very large and well bribed constituency.

Why so critical? Because I love India, and I’m tired of all this crap.

What can prove my love?

(Michelle made me a cookie cake for my birthday, and it took 3 or so weeks to get to me, but it was still good. She also made an identical one for herself, and we ate our cookies together, after she sang happy birthday, and I blew out the unlit candles.)

Well, for starters, I came back after catching TB last time I was here. After being constantly sick last time, and after suffering the most constant pain I had up to that point suffered in a 3 month period.

Secondly, I brought people with me this time, and I’ve assisted several known and unknown people in their trips to India (as a testimony for the unknown, I have an anonymous comment thanking me, a while ago). I love India so much, I wanted other people to go through the SAME PURGATORY that I went through last time, because I knew they would LOVE it too.

Thirdly, I’m STILL here. If you’ve been following me up to this point, you know how sick I’ve been and that I’ve ended up in a hospital because of an unknown sickness. You know that when in Kolkata I was constantly sick in bed and that I’ve had NUMEROUS bouts of bed bugs, of which you also know I’m highly allergic to. You also know that there is a violent rampage happening in India that has made at least 40, 000 people homeless, Hundreds to thousands injured from being beaten, and decades raped and murdered. You probably don’t know that they’re all living in the forests, or in refugee camps. Refugee camps, which are so well secured, by the farcical Indian Interior Defense forces, that, oh, SEVERAL bombs were found inside of them (luckily before they were detonated from my information).

And if that’s not enough to prove my love, then FOURTHLY, I have come to India to live four months away from the woman that I so very much wish was already my bride. I love her, and I think of her every day, but my love for God and India is so great, that there is no where else that I’d rather be than here. Even if it every bit of my body wishes it was next to my future bride.

India is farcical.

Last time I was here, I noted that the metal detectors, the police and the military were more for show than for security. Unless of course, that security was their own.

But this time, my eyes are more and more aware of the deep ugliness that is common AND accepted in the Indian culture.

But Ed, it’s not accepted and we want to weed out those rare bad eggs!

(I got my election ballot the other day!)

Be quite you Liar. It is accepted, and you are doing little to nothing. For example, corruption in government, if you were trying to weed out the bad eggs would be decreasing, but by the unanimous testimony of Indians I’ve met, corruption in Government is increasing and not decreasing. Increasing SO MUCH, that in the state of Karnataka, bribes are no longer considered bribes, but are considered part of the understood fees. And each level (and there are many) that such and such paperwork goes through requires a specific bribe. Oh lets see, today that building permit is on the local approval list, and tomorrow it’s on the regional list… let me see, oh here it is under hors d’ourvres , that’s 1000 and 5000 respectively… 6000 rps is my total bill this week.

Every where I look, theft, bribery, lying and pretty much anything to get a buck (they call rupees “bucks” just as we do to dollars) is accepted AND viewed as perfectly legit and moral.

(My birthday presents from Michelle consisted mostly of Gatorade!)

Take almost any street vendor or vendor in a tourist area, or (guessing) a quarter of them otherwise, they know the fair price, and they won’t give it to you. Foreigners are expected to pay at least 2-3 TIMES the fair price.

Take the post office, which is really the direction of my most recent anger at the cultural weakness of India. I received two things today from Ajit that had been mailed to him.

One was my voting ballot and the other was my birthday present from Michelle. My voting ballot was obviously opened by a person. And the most likely reason was they were looking for money. They have this nice scam where they look for money and if they find a check, they go to their friend at the bank and open up an account in YOUR name, cash the check, withdraw ALL the money and then close the account. But don’t they need ID to open an account. Yes, but you forget it’s their friend and he also gets a cut.

My package

And my birthday present was proudly presented to me by Ajit. He was so happy that it hadn’t been opened! And he commented on the incredible packing job by Michelle. I immediately noticed that there was a few pieces of brown tape not very nicely applied… which seems normal on a package except not so on a USPS priority mail package that is self sealing and is then sealed by the US post office using clear and blue Logoed tape. Another thing I noticed was the condition of the box… obviously “accidentally” dropped and kicked around, hoping that it would open.

Another view of the wonderful shape.

With great hope, I started to unravel the twine that the Indian customs or post office had apparently applied to the outside of the box to prevent it from being opened. And I began to take things out. Everything looked fine (damaged from repeated “accidental” drops, but nothing was fragile.). Then I finally came to my birthday card which was conspicuously outside of the envelope. It didn’t immediately make sense to me, as Michelle is a quirky character, and I figured she did it for some reason only she could understand. But when I found the envelope I realized that the envelope had been torn open, in an attempt to find money of some sort. (They foolishly didn’t realize that a gift card is pretty close to the equivalent of cash, and thus my iTunes gift card was safe.)

The contents...

So piecing everything together, my assumption is that the following happed to my package: First, it got through US mail perfectly fine. Go ahead try to steal something in the US mail en-route; it’s possible, but exceedingly rare. Second, it came off of the airplane and was promptly dropped, kicked, dropped, kicked, drop-kicked and dropped. Thirdly the person said “oh look at this package, such a shame, it’s almost open, I should help open it, so I can then tape it back together.” Fourthly, said person then rifles through the contents and tears open my card looking for money. Fifthly, upon finding nothing, person returns the contents to the container and seals it with brown tape. Sixthly, person then passes it on to someone who wraps it in twine and then seals it with wax, or does this step themselves. Seventhly, it’s sent on it’s way, where en-route, it’s repeatedly dropped hoping beyond hope that something good will drop out, and that the previous people didn’t take everything yet. Eighthly, it arrives.

Now by no means is this universal. But it is SO COMMONLY accepted and so frequently occurs that it absolutely MUST BE cultural.

There’s a joke that I was told by an Indian that goes something like this: “A bridge expert was travelling Asia, and first came to Japan. Where the locals were excited about a new bridge, and brought the expert to see it. The expert was told by the site manager that this bridge is the longest bridge in the world, and it only cost $100,000 out of which I was paid $10,000. The expert was greatly impressed that such a marvel could be built so cheaply and efficiently. He then moves to China, where he’s shown another bridge. The site manager says: “do you see this? It’s the second longest bridge in the world” the contract was for $100,000, I kept $50,000 and used the rest to build it. The expert was impressed that the bridge was built at all, and upon inspection, wondered when it might fall down. But concluded that it was sturdy enough for a few decades or more. Then the expert came to India. Where the site manager says you see that? “See what?” replied the expert. “That site got me a $100,000 contract; I kept the money and then sold the site for $10,000. I made $110,000. With that money, I bought an election, and am now the town mayor, where I make about $20,000 a month mostly from bribes, so by year’s end I should easily make twice my investment. Aren’t you proud of me?”

So I am now firmly believing that if India wants ever to be taken seriously on the international stage, it needs a conversion.

My previously opened card.

Why Ed? Why? That sounds so unloving and so unenlightened.

Well lets see.

All "Western Countries" are Christian. And Japan, has a tradition of virtue that, though not Christian, definitely has the appearance and, from what I can tell, practice of justice and fairness that is if not comparable, exceeds that of the “western countries”. China is a threat to the world, due to it’s man power and weaponry, but ultimately it’s not viewed as a fully “fair or just” country. And it at times seems to flaunt it’s lack of justice. India however, tries to flaunt its (frequently missing) justice, fairness, and democracy.

The western countries are Christian based and Japan and China are based in Shintoism and Buddhism.

And though I have the preference of India being Christian, which I actually believe it will become due to the recent violence, I really don’t care if India becomes Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or Shinto, because in my view, any of these is better than the current state of affairs here. And any of them will provide a much better moral base that will help India be a serious contender and not a ticking time bomb ready to devour itself at any moment.
19.10.2008 1211am

Passin time --15 october

2008-10-20T17:30:00.002+05:30

So... not much has happened...

I've had some time to paint... so I've continued two paintings, which basically means I painted over two old ones...

and I copied a painting that is in the lobby for a friend (Bina), an Indian living in California.

Also, this past Sunday we had talent night... which was alot of fun.

We even had some of the ICPE community's kids do some stuff.

And a comedy Genesis play... the blue boat is Noah's first attempt at an ark... God was a bit disappointed...

Most teams took quite a long time to practice, and as you can see some even bought outfits... but well. I'm me. And I was the one with the skit idea... so we took about 30 minutes of practice time total (some teams took 6 hours or more).

But as can be expected from my NET background, this 30 minutes was more than ample. And "Matt's Magic powder" a "repeat it this way" styled skit, was a hit. People were apparently in tears laughing, and according to Matthew (our group staff member), people thought it was the funniest of the night. I did very little to make it funny, other than put Matthew and Martin in the awkward position of having to do impromptu, without really wanting to. And they were a riot.

Other than that, I'm a bit upset with the rupee slowly gaining ground on the Dollar... its now back to 48INR per Dollar, down from 49... :-( but still up from the 42 that it was in August!

And life goes on... as does learning

Birthday post and STEAK!

2008-10-15T20:06:00.001+05:30

8.10.8
446pm

So over the last week, we have learned quite a bit and had our group picture.

One thing, I unfortunately learned,as I wrote to a friend:

"The Church estimates 40,000 homeless, numerous churches damaged/descrated/destroyed, decades of people killed, thousands of people beaten. Recently it came to light that an MC (mother teresa) sister was beaten by a gang and raped in front of A POLICE STATION, where 12 POLICEMEN watched. It took OVER a month for it to become public, and only now, BECAUSE it's public, are the authorities doing anything about it. Sick. But I don't live in a transparent society where people deserve (and seek) justice, I live in a society that obfuscates universal bribery and corruption by looking the other way and saying "what to do?" (Indian for "what can you do?")

Only when "shame" comes in, do authorities act for justice. If you can publicise their unwillingness to serve justice, they'll start acting as if they always had been willing... "

On Sunday, we (the four Westerners) went to Mass at St. Patricks, where we had the great grace of a proper liturgy and one which was presided by the Bishop Emeritus.

After it, we were met by Diana (Fritz's) wife, and she took us to a place to buy some Indian clothes (a friend's shop who gave us discounts.) I got some clothes, which have recieved quite positive reactions, from both men and women... though I could would prefer if the women didn't notice.

This sign at the shop was funny to me:

Later in the day for dinner, we went out and got steaks...

I went for the most expensive on the menu.. a double filet mignon...

It was delicious, especially considering that this was my first beef meal since returning to India.

It wasn't as good as a western chef would cook (the spices for the steaks seemed the same regardless of which you got), and it was undercooked (I ordered medium rare and got medium rare/raw). But I am greatly appreciative of getting beef.

And... for the steaks, a milk shake (a milk shake in India is milk + flavour stirred vigourously.), and a sprite for... almost exactly 10$!!! (480 rps...)

Speaking of which, the Rupee is doing beautifully! When we first arrived it was circa 42... and now its 48!!! and rising!

And yesterday was my birthday! Which was very very good... and my last birthday (God willing) as a single.

Blessings!
459pm

Prayin like it matters... cause it does.

2008-09-30T14:46:00.001+05:30

28.9.8
248pm
So lets play some catch up...

After I got sick, I returned to Kutta for a few days.

(Fr's house)
And I left Kutta a few weeks ago, which I believe was 9.9.8,
as that was also the day of a Marian feast where we had mass
outside. And is the tradition of Indian Catholics, we
showered Mary with flowers.

(Flowers in the Church's Lourdes Grotto)

On my way back to Bangalore, I bumped into some friends in
Mysore from the hotel. I was hoping to buy dinner for my
friends, but instead I found out that any time I'm in
Mysore, I'll get a free room and meals.

(one of my friends... it's been so long I forgot his name...
but he was one of those that visited me in the hospital.)

(Karnataka state senate I think)

I arrived in Bangalore, early in the morning at 5:30ish (I
was originally expecting to arrive around six, but when I
was in Mysore, I discovered that the ride to Bangalore from
there was only 2 hours, so I had to sleep part of the night
in Mysore in a room provided by my friends, and then head
out in the morning.)

Ajit came and picked me up and brought me to his apartment
where I stayed until the 18th.

On one of my travels around Bangalore, Ajit took us to a
nice fish restaurant, that was actually run BY THE STATE!

(Yet again the person who I took a picture of, complained,
so I had to take another one of just him...)

The food was very good... and it was nice to have fish...
though I'm a bit scared of fish in a non-coastal city... but
apparently it takes only 6 hours to get here... still...

(my fish)

(and my fish curry)

I also learned that Indians are quite ironic... for example
take this...

The chicken and protesters were outside of KFC with signs
that said, "KFC stop torturing chickens." And all I could
think of was every chicken market in India, and I wondered
what they could possibly be considering more torturous than
that? So what if the chickens for KFC come from uber farms,
I still bet they're treated better than the basic Indian
chicken.

(a new mall)

I also got to go to one of the new malls... it was large,
and a bit disconcerting. India in just the last two years
has changed dramatically. For the first time, this year,
I've seen Indians with Digital cameras, I've seen prolific
amounts of cell phones, and I've seen the transformation of
the market from traditional bazaars to American style
superstores and grocery stores. It's nice, but it's also a
bit scary. It's nice, because I get the same price as an
Indian, it's scary because of the small shop owners that
will lose their jobs. But perhaps this is what's needed to
change the culture of India, from one where it's perfectly
okay to take advantage of another person for profit, to one
where taking advantage of another is considered taboo.

I got to see Ajit's Driver's license, which was a small
dilapidated booklet of paper... apparently each area has
different ways of making licenses, and there is no real
uniformity throughout India, or even in one state.

One of the nicest things about Ajit's house was being able
to buy and COOK my own food!

(my groceries)

(Click for a better view of the prices of things I bought on
my first trip out... it's amazing!)

It's amazing sometimes when you want to buy something, and
you look at the price and you're shocked... things that
would be dirt cheap in the US (a can of tuna) can be
amazingly more expensive ($3-4 a small can), and vice-versa.

(My first REAL breakfast in India! Cornflakes and bananas!)

Breakfast in India is perhaps the single most disappointing
meal you can have as a westerner... it's usually something
bland with something very spicy or something spicy with
something spicy or something salty or something else along
those lines.

(My first homemade lunch)

I never thought that I would once again rejoice over
Ramen... but trust me ramen and a nice chicken burger really
hits the spot sometimes.

(laundry)
It was also nice to be in one place where I could once again
do my own laundry... at Fr.'s place, I was not allowed...
his cook/maid did it for us. Which was nice, but also very
odd.

(an Electrical pole)
Do you think they could put more wires on it?

(a nice night shot.)

One of the things that Ajit is working on, with Sister Lisy,
is helping to organise the slum's needs assessment. Where Roshni will survey a part of the
population's health background, work, conditions, etc. and
then assess and ask what needs they want met. Under the
idea that if they don't want it, then it won't be a
self-sustainable program.

(a paper boat in the print shop made by the owner's niece)

We also visited Ajit's friend's coconut shop... yes. He
sells ONLY coconuts...

(chillin on the cocos)

And something that I discovered in Bangalore at Fritz's
house during my first short day visit was a custard apple...

(custard apple)

Which is an interesting and tasty fruit, though like apples
it causes my mouth to itch... it's interesting because you
open it up by tearing off the scales and then you come to
these hard black seeds that look like long polished rocks
and covered entirely by soft white flesh (the part you eat).

(inside view... bad lighting, sorry)

Eventually, I found a grocery store that sold frozen chicken
breasts and BASIL! so I bought a whole bunch for really
cheap (a large bag for something like 30 cents), bought some
tomatoes and bought some mozzarella... OH SUCH A GOOD TIME!
I offered some basil, tomato, mozz, olive oil and garlic
pasta to Ajit, which he took. Then he promptly took out the
basil, and added curry and potatoes to the whole mix!

(best dinner in India yet... steamed green beans, chicken
breast pan cooked with chili, garlic, S&P, and the pasta I
mentioned)

Bangalore is/was called the garden city of India... the
climate here is amazingly nice, and there are parks
everywhere... which due to the climate actually have
greenery.

one Sunday, Ajit convinced me to watch the Cricket fest out
in the nearby park...

And I was given a few hits between the Cricket games. First
time playing... and it's interesting, though much different
hitting style than baseball.

(learning to hit a cricket ball)

Cricket, if you don't know is the national sport of India,
but unlike the national sport of America (baseball), people
actually play it as the most popular sport.

(kids playing cricket)

After a few days of working with Sister, I had most of the
website completed (though it's
still in progress) and she said I could go to the
school, as there wasn't too much I could do
otherwise until later.

So Ajit and I went to talk with the school to see if I could
get my fees waived, and Fritz said, I could pay as much I as
could. So I'm still praying that God provides the full
amount (11,000rps and some recommended spending change of
3,000rps), but if He doesn't, then I'll know it's His will
that I make a prudential decision from my finances.

But interestingly, as we were leaving Ajit expressed to me
his interest in joining the school. You see, Ajit is a
seventh-day Adventist, and this is a Catholic school. But
he said that while he was waiting around, he really felt
like part of the family, and felt that his help was
appreciated by those who asked him to help with some
preparations. So I figured that we should talk to Fritz
that day, and let Fritz discern if Ajit should come... and
Fritz said yes! so Ajit and I left the next day from his
house to come to the school...

(My room in Ajit's apartment)

(the Kitchen)

(the living room)

This is from the first page of the newspaper the day that we
headed to the school...

(Anti-Christian violence spreading even more through my
region)

The violence has even spread to the city I'm in...
Bangalore... and it's crazy how many Eucharists and Churches
have been desecrated/damaged/destroyed by these extremists,
and how many people have been beaten, houses burned, and
people killed. And how many Americans know? How many
Europeans? I haven't seen it on CNN... And probably by now
at least 40,000 PEOPLE have been affected, at least 20,000
Christians were burned out of their homes... with numerous
deaths involved.

(my room)

But for me, God has arranged an interesting and unexpected
turn of events... coming to the retreat center to pray and
study.

(welcome gifts on my bed at the retreat center)

(the 2nd floor courtyard by American reckoning or the first
floor by European/Indian counts)

It has been a beautiful time so far of diving into prayer,
and refocusing my life on the Cross. As well as a great
time to meet new friends.

(group bonding)

One of the bonding activities was that we had to make two
outfits from newspaper and staples, in our groups...

(another group working)

(our group working)

(our group finished)

(three groups finished)

(the fourth and final group is finished)

And on the rooftop I have a nice view of a memory of New
York... the Empire State building... well not really, but it
looks very similar... though MUCH shorter and much more
cheaply designed.

(The whole group on our official school opening night, which
occurred after two days of bonding.)

(Some ants that when they see you coming prepare to
attack... they're a bit funny and scary...)

(An interesting example of Indian English on a sign... "Ask
for your BILL, else consider its FREE" I guess I'll just
not ask...)

(Another example of my fascination with dilapidation...)

And I'm done. :-)

Blessings and praise,
Edward

The dangers of radical Hinduism and Evangelicalism

2008-09-16T04:13:00.002+05:30

Yet again violence has broken out against Christians in India.

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=469377&sid=NAT

This time, it's a bit closer to where I am... it's in the same state, though the closest incident was at minimum a few hours away by bus.

This brings me to a a topic that I've mulled around a lot, The dangers of radical Hinduism and Evangelicalism. Basically the dangers are rooted in lack of wisdom on behalf of the Evangelicals, and lack of peace on behalf of the Hindus. (Please keep in mind, that I'm speaking of extremists). The evangelicals are proselytizing in manners that are highly offensive to Hindus (and others). The Hindu extremists in return are beating up or killing people, ransacking and burning churches and houses, and generally not being very nice.

Now the funny thing is this: Evangelicals generally have at least a partially negative view of the Catholic Church, and don't believe that it's The Church that Christ founded. But which church gets the majority of violence aimed at, regardless of the fact that it's not proselytizing? And which church is synonymous with Christian to almost every non-Christian? Yup that's right the answer to both is the Catholic Church.

The most recent violence is claimed to have been targeted to the particular splinter church responsible for the actions that the Hindus found offensive. Though I tend to doubt that claim.

Over 12 churches were attacked in my state... at least 20 people were killed in Orissa and 20,000+ are now homeless there... And though I haven't seen it in the news, I'm told there is anti-Christian violence in the north part of my state that is active.

Biblical reflections

2008-09-15T22:52:00.002+05:30

702pm 14.9.8
Biblical reflections
So I'm re-reading the New Testament from front to back, and discovering many things I've never noticed before. Here are three examples of things I've found powerful, one from the story of the prodigal son, one about divisions, and one about swords and cloaks.

The Prodigal Son. Lk 15:11-32

First, my bible doesn't call it the story of the prodigal son, but the story of the Merciful Father. Which I actually find more appropriate.

You know the story; two sons, one father. One son says hey daddy, give me my inheritance. Dad says, okay I’ll give you what you ask. (And if anyone is a parent or responsible for another person, they know what kind of knowledge the father had and the discernment the father went through… “My wild child wants the money that would be his if I were dead… this can only end in disaster. But I love him, and he’s an adult so I have to trust God to take care of him.”) So the son goes off and parties, fornicating, drinking and indulging in gluttony. The son then wastes his inheritance, and realizes how horrible his life is without his father’s wisdom and protection. So he returns groveling as an unworthy slave. But the father, who has been watching and waiting for the Lord to put his son in his right mind, sees his son far off, runs to him, KISSES and HUGS him as his beloved son, IGNORES his son’s attempts to beg forgiveness and mercy, ORDERS his son to be given beautiful clothes and a ring (signifying sonship and a RENEWED share of the inheritance, as rings were wealth, and used to seal important documents and identify people/families). Then he orders a HUGE party, the likes of which hadn’t been seen.

And up to this point, is the most common understanding of the story. And rightly so, as this is the most immediate lesson we need to learn. God is abundant and OVERWHELMING in his love, which anticipates repentance (the father ran and kissed and hugged BEFORE the son repented) and is so BEYOND mercy that the son must have been overwhelmed by the gifts his father gave immediately after the son’s repentance. From this story, we learn that God is waiting for our very first decision to turn back to Him, at which point he doesn’t wait until we’re good or holy, he RUNS to us.

Now comes the second level that is revealed to us in our faith lives. And the second lesson that we typically learn.

Now the other son, who was WORKING in the field (for the father) is returning home. As he returns, he hears the party and calls a servant over to him, and asks him what is going on. (Note that the father didn’t see fit to tell the “good son” about the party). The servant tells him about the brother returning and the extravagant party. Then the son REFUSES to enter HIS FATHER’S house. The father comes out, and begs his son to come in, but the son feels shafted and tells his father “you throw a party for the WILD CHILD who wasted your money on parties and whores, disrespected you, me and our family name but you never let me throw a party, even tough I’ve been a good son and done everything as you asked.” The father in reply says “My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again, he was lost and has been found.” (LK 15:31-32)

(Bitter gourd... a local vegetable)
Now from this, we learn about mercy. We learn that when we are good sons, we too need to be merciful as the father is merciful, and we too need to rejoice at the return of one who was lost. We have been given the reward we are promised, and we should be joyous when another receives their reward. And not be like the grumbling good son, who was dissatisfied with the mercy of his father. We may feel taken for granted, but why should we not accept the great gifts we have been promised? Our selfishness leads us to believe that we deserve more glory if we are good longer than someone else. We become like Pharisees who do good out of selfishness and the perceived promise of reward. Instead of realizing that our reward comes from God’s gratuitous love and is not in proportion to our works but from God’s love of us and our love of God (which naturally leads to good works).

And this is pretty much the extent of what I’ve meditated on this story until the other day, when lightening struck. Notice the second to last thing the father says to the son: “My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.” It struck me that the FATHER did not take the SON for granted; the SON took the FATHER and his gifts for granted. The father says “everything I have is yours” if that is the case, then why did the son never take advantage of the gifts he was given, and throw a party? The fatted calf was as much his as it was his fathers, by his father’s words we know this! The good son could have, in fact, THROWN MANY PARTIES. And why should the son NOT rejoice with his own property? If the son had previously ASKED his father if he could throw a party, the father would have told him YES! “everything I have is yours”! But the son took for granted that his father was demanding, and that the father would not permit it. Not realizing that the father had already given him everything he could have asked for, all he had to do was ASK!

(Cow)
How many times in my life do I live a life surrounded by the blessings of God, but I fail to ASK to receive them? That I fail to recall that God loves me and wishes me to rejoice with him? I firmly believe that after the father would have granted the good son the party, had he asked for it, the father then would have given the son something that the bad son was not ready for yet. The father would have said to the good son, “you have asked for me to slaughter the fatted calf, and I do so willingly because all that I own I give to you, but let me give you something else that I have and that I want to be yours… let me teach you wisdom. Let me teach you how to use this fatted calf to bring home my lost son, let me teach you how to treat your brother when he comes back so that he will remain with us and he too will rejoice in my presence. Let us fatten this calf even more, and wait for the day when you brother returns, let us pray and do all we can so that when he returns, he will be overwhelmed with love and our gifts. Let us work for his salvation.” If the son had asked for a party, the father would have given him something more, lessons on wisdom, love, mercy and joy. How much would that son have rejoiced, when his brother returned! How joyous would that family have been! How much more love would the other son have felt; had both his father and brother ran to meet him with open arms!

I’ll post the other two reflections later… this one was a bit lengthy. :-)

(Coconuts)

Night and day of purgatory.

2008-09-13T08:01:00.001+05:30

Night and day of purgatory.

550pm 10.9.8

I had the most painful night of recent memory on the 4th.

For the last few days, I’d been having a really bad cough, which once had some blood in the sputum. And I determined it HIGHLY unlikely that it was from TB, as I’ve had TB, as I haven’t had time for TB to develop in India, and I’ve only had the cough in India. I was pretty sure it was an infection (see a previous post), that had developed from an allergy. The cough would wake me periodically while I slept, and making my sleep restless.

But this I had gotten used to… the new part started with bed bugs, my apparently weekly visitor. As I was sleeping I felt some bites on my feet, so I got up, and checked the bed… finding bites on my feet but no culprits, and finding culprits ON MY PILLOW and then finding bites on my face in the mirror. Not having any of my typical sleeping gear (sheets, pillow and light blanket/towel), I frantically and dazedly (mind you in the middle of the night) searched the mostly clean blanket that came with the room for bed bugs. Finding none, I folded it up and laid it on the tile floor, as far from the bed as possible (which was under the TV).

Now, I was also thinking from the time I came into my room about mosquitoes, and I’ve discovered that if you keep the windows closed and the fan on, you’re less likely to be bitten… so now without a blanket to keep me from the chill of the fan, I made the decision to keep the window closed and the fan off… making the room a bit stifling, but not overly so.

And I went to sleep.

Then I woke up to what I’m guessing were mosquito bites, though they could have been other non-bed bug-bug bites. Some thing I’ve learned lately is how a bed bug bite looks… it tends to have one small nodule surrounded by an increasingly large red bump. The bites grow for the first two days and then start dissipating over the next week for me, leaving the nodule for a week longer (unless I pop it). Mosquito bites tend to be irregularly raised shapes that go away in a day or two.

When I woke up I also began to sneeze a little, and noticed the right side of my lower lip was swelling. Assuming that I was probably sneezing from the blanket, and that my lip was going to go away eventually, I tried sleeping in a chair after calling Michelle. Michelle suggested an epipen, as my mouth by now was itching and my body was itching, but not knowing if it would help much or for long or if I really would need medical attention afterwards, I asked her to contact our allergists and find out.

She called me back and from our allergists secretary’s response, I decided that the epipen wouldn’t help much. And as the epipen was my only allergy medicine, I was pretty much left to heal in time.

At this point I forget if I was vomiting yet, but around this time I began to get incredibly dizzy, vomiting and having diarrhea. Much like what had happened in Kolkata, when I suspected it was my anti-malaria medicine. Conveniently, today happened to be a Thursday, which is the day that I take my Mefloquinonine.

Because I didn’t have many minutes, I got off the phone with Michelle, and asked her to call me back in an hour… She didn’t call me. I forget why exactly, but later that day she ended up in the ER due to sickness also.

Well, at this point, I tried to sleep in the chair… which was somewhat successful between vomiting, but which eventually caused me to lay back down, but on my dirty clothes, in case I wasn’t thorough enough with my check of the blanket for bugs.

In my delirium I was wondering why God keeps giving me bed bugs and banes to my sleep, and I decided that it was because I value sleep so much. And most people can attest to that… my college fraternity’s nickname for me was Rip Van Winkle even… and I also decided that I’ll have to work on how much I value sleep.

In the morning, I tried to call Anthony, but his cell was blocking calls… so I tried to call Father Arul, but it was mass time. By this point I had made the decision that I had to go to a doctor, though I was hoping not a hospital. So I went downstairs after I vomited (making it unlikely for me to vomit soon), and asked when was checkout, and they basically said 24 hrs from check in, so I went back upstairs and tried to sleep. Eventually Fr. called back, I told him I couldn’t come to Kutta and I needed to go to a doctor. He contacted Anthony, and eventually Anthony came, got me into an autorickshaw, and to the hospital “casualty” department (AKA. ER).

The ER was quite quick, as it took about 2 minutes for me to be seen by the first doctor (a surgeon even) and then a minute after he left by the chest doctor (I had taken this as an opportunity to check on my cough). And then I had to vomit after we agreed I had to be admitted until at least evening.

I decided that the general ward would be fine, and then I asked how many people would be there (about 3 others), and agreed again.

In the first few minutes after being wheeled into the ward on a wheelchair, I was stuck with an IV port, had blood drawn, given the MOST PAINFUL injection I recall, injected with a few things in my IV port and then connected to an IV. The painful injection felt like they were sticking the needle even further in, and when I turned to look, they nurse had obviously already administered the injection and had been done for a few seconds… It burned for thirty minutes or so.

(injection of burning sulfur)

And then still dizzy, I went to sleep. Later Anthony came back and brought some food and one of the kitchen guys. This would be the MO of Anthony throughout my visit to the hospital, of bringing someone from one of the businesses in the building of the hotel I stayed in and the hotel I ate at. (By the way, when an Indian says hotel, he can also mean restaurant).

Over my time in the hospital, it became apparent that I’d have to stay overnight as I was still very dizzy; which was the first night I’ve stayed in a hospital in my adult life.

At the end of my hospital stay, I gave away some prayer cards that were touched to mother’s tomb, and some rosaries I had received the day before from Father Bosco… which to my surprise were even popular among the Hindus. My doctor (a Hindu amidst mostly Christians at the hospital) took four!

Then it took almost 2 hours to check out, during which time I went to eat with Anthony and another hotel guy, and came back.

That’s also another thing about the hospital, you only get food if SOMEONE brings outside food to you… I suspect if you had to, you could hire one of the staff to do it for you… but this is definitely a luxury that I think all hospitals should have… FOOD. Lucky for me, Anthony took great care in providing food and making himself available if I needed anything.

(my view)

He was quite a blessing, and when I tried to give him some money for the food he bought, he refused, only allowing me to pay my hospital bills, which included and xray and several tests, and came to a total of 52ish dollars!

Crazy.
710pm

Uploaded...

2008-09-13T07:47:00.002+05:30

Just uploaded like 10 blogs, I have another that I'll upload shortly (have to put pictures in), and then a few recaps on where I am and what I've been up to... but for the most part I'm caught up!

Mysore

2008-09-13T07:46:00.000+05:30

9.9.8 802pm
I was in Mysore on the 4th of September. Fr. put me in gratis hotel room courtesy of Anthony, a Kutta parishioner, who now works there. I put my luggage down, had lunch, peeked in on the internet and then headed for a walk to the Maharaja’s palace. On my walk, I was convinced by a rickshaw driver to let him be my guide for a few hours.

The first thing he suggested was to not go to the Maharaja’s palace as it was the day after a holiday, and there would be enormous crowds (something later agreed by several other Indians).

Instead he took me up to a Hindu temple, and I opted for the 300 stair climb instead of the doorstop drop-off. I chose to do so, as it was 3pm, the hour of Mercy, and I wanted to pray a rosary and a Divine Mercy chaplet as I climbed.

On the climb up, I was meditating on the Sorrowful mysteries; Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the pillar, Crowning with thorns, Path to Calvary, and the Crucifixion.

Depressing things to think of as you’re climbing 300 stairs up a hill. But on the way up, as I was meditating and praying the rosary, a butterfly chose to grace my path and lead me for a few minutes up the stairs. And all I could think of was how joyful that simple act of encouragement must have been for Jesus as he climbed the hill. I have no doubt that while humanity was frenzied against Him, creation was standing in awe and encouraging the Son of Man in the small ways that they could.

Later, I received another experience from the Passion, and that was the guards beating him… as I was praying the rosary, mind you recall on the way to a HINDU temple, a policeman on the path caught sight of me and started yelling at me and waving his baton at me. And by at me, I mean 3 inches from my face. I was confused, and briefly scared, until I noticed the faces of his two friends, which were smiling. And though I wasn’t sure if he would let me pass, I walked by as I continued my prayer.

I also want to remind everyone about the violence against Catholics that killed several people in Orissa (near Calcutta), and has left hundreds homeless.

India, IS NOT peaceful, and I fear it never will be. Constantly there is an undercurrent of violence, whether by the police, or more commonly by the Hindu extremists. The social fabric of India is delicate even today, and at any moment could tear apart. Though I doubt it would be immediately catastrophic to the nation-state, I suspect it would be catastrophic to Indian patriotism (which is what holds the nation-state unified). Such a tear could lead to one of two things, either the individual provinces growing in power and separating more from the central government or to the redefinition of what it means to be Indian, and a new rallying cry that might bring about an even stronger and more focused country. If I had to place odds, I’d choose the first option, based off of the fragmentation of cultural groups that I see.

Anyhow, I made it to the top and viewed the temple, quite marvelous from the outside. And I decided not to enter, as I didn’t really have the money, nor did I care to. I’ve seen a few Hindu temples before, and though usually gorgeous, they fail to inspire me.

After I made it back down, the driver suggested taking me to a Kashmiri shop, to which I said okay. The shop was EXTREMELY overpriced, and basically the generic Indian trinkets you could get in any town. So I left. The driver then tried to convince me to go to an incense factory (that he’d been trying to get me to buy from), but after the Kashmiri shop, I was reconfirmed in my conviction that I’d rather not waste my time. So I asked to be taken to a market… he asked what kind of market and what I wanted to buy, and I said “It doesn’t matter where, I just need to buy soap, and you can get that anywhere” so he dropped me off in the center of the city and pointed out two roads that radiated from there with various shops.

Eventually after buying cellphone minutes (and not soap mind you), I ended up heading to the church popularly called St. Philomena’s (which apparently is more properly known as St. Joseph’s Cathedral and St. Philomena’s crypt). I was excited upon entering and finding that adoration was happening, so I joined in, and left when mass began.

I headed back for dinner and to buy soap. Both of which, I actually did. In fact I made a few friends of the staff over dinner.

They even invited me into the kitchen after I was done. I was actually impressed by how (relatively) clean it was.

It was really nice to have company while eating, just at the time when I was feeling homesick for Michelle… the guys brought my spirits up.
846pm

Jagerri

2008-09-13T07:43:00.002+05:30

710pm 9.9.8

Jagerri is a small village in Karnataka near the Tamil Nandu border. And is where I stayed for 3 days.

I was privileged to stay in the guest quarters of the parish priest here, Fr. John Bosco. The parish had a primary school, highschool, convent, girls hostel(with the convent), and a boys hostel associated with it.

They boys were fun, and were a relief for me, as I haven’t had a chance to work with kids in quite a while. I was awkward in relating to them (in part due to the language thing), though I eventually was able to teach them the finer points of slap-hands and they convinced me to sing. Of course, I chose the only song that I can pull off at a moments notice, Salve Regina (which is one of the choices for the song at night prayer).

I was really excited to be able to observe the funeral rituals of another closely related culture (Indian Catholic vs American Catholic). It’s one of those things that you can’t really ask to observe without feeling awkward, something you really wish didn’t have to happen, and something that is really a cultural experience. The funeral was very similar to an American funeral. It began with a procession to the church that was led by a band playing not quite sad, but definitely not joyous music. The mass was said, as everyone (as usual) sat on the cement church floor, with the casket in center “aisle”.

The casket was open, and draped with many traditional Indian flowers arrangements. The lid was suspended above it, by 2x2s nailed to the coffin.

After the mass a procession was made to the nearby church graveyard. Words were said, and prayers. Flowers were thrown on the casket. Then starting with the priests, everyone took some of the dirt and tossed it on the coffin in the grave, symbolically and actually burying a beloved one.

(The foil wrapped balls that are part of Indian flower arrangements, left over from the flowers being thrown on the casket)

The next day (the second full day, and the third day after the grandmother’s death), They held a memorial mass and then a prayer at the grave, which I was not a part of, but which I’m told is very important, along with the final memorial mass at 40 days.

That day, I was travelling around with Fr. Bosco, and had my first “tender coconut”. You see in India, there are two primary types of coconut, the brown ones that we know and love in the US, and then the green ones, which I’ve come to love lately.
The coconuts were cut fresh from the tree, and then a guy with a hand-scythe skillfully cut open the top, just enough that there was an inch opening, and no juice was lost.

It was an unexpected treat, but as Fr. Bosco was visiting one of the satellite parishes (what we may call a mission parish), the people felt the need to honor him, and his guest, and the two other priests who happened to show up on a visit from Tamil Nandu to one of the priest’s parents house.

(The catechism class at another satellite parish)

Later we (Fr. Bosco, Fr. Arul and I) hopped on a motorcycle and I was treated to a visit of the two local and very impressive waterfalls. Fr. Arul says it’s only rival is Niagara, and though I’ve learned to be skeptical of many Indian patriotic claims, I wouldn’t doubt this one.

(The “baby” falls)

(Three on a motorcycle)

(The left part of the “daddy” falls)

(The right part of the “daddy” falls)

I really liked the falls, though I didn’t quite like the numb thighs and butt that come with riding on a motorcycle (that was the longest motorcycle ride I’ve ever had).

The next day, after morning mass and breakfast, we left; me to Mysore, and then Fr. Arul onwards to Kutta.

(ducks)

Armstrong

2008-09-13T07:43:00.001+05:30

643pm 9.9.8

Armstrong is back????

I just saw on CNN that Lance will be racing in the 2009 TOUR!

Craziness

2008-09-13T07:42:00.002+05:30

756am tue 2.9.8

(Tobacco plants)

Things are crazy.
First, Fr. Arul and I are in his home town due to the death of his grandmother. We travelled all of yesterday after mass, riding 4 buses and an autorickshaw.

Second, my cough has officially developed into a lung infection. And by officially, I mean I'm pretty sure.

(how crowded buses can get during a holiday)

Third; as always it’s embarrassing to be western. During mass today, the parish priest noticed I was sitting on the floor like everyone else, so he told the altar servers to get me a chair. Mind you, this all happened in a foreign language. So the altar servers and the sisters get me a chair.

And I'm sitting in the front, and the only one with a chair... So not only am I genetically advantaged on height, but now also prostheticaly towering.
Oh the joys of being a guest.

(an autorickshaw with 9 people in it on the way to Jaggeri)
808

Eating

2008-09-13T07:42:00.001+05:30

853pm 31.8.8
One of the hardest things about being a pilgrim for me is eating. For someone else, it may be the loneliness or the inability to communicate basic things or the temperature, or the firmness of the beds, the coldness of the showers, or whatever. Everyone of us has things that would be difficult for us to handle on a pilgrimage.

For me, it’s eating. One thing that I value most about NET was their hospitality training. In specific, their rule that you eat whatever is given, unless it’d kill you. It’s only polite, and it also makes sense. These people prepared for you a meal they thought you’d like, why would you insult them by turning your nose up at it? The courteous thing to do is to eat, smile, and appreciate the love they put into it.

There is a problem though… You see, I’m allergic to pretty much everything. But even that doesn’t bother me, I’ll eat anything I’m allergic to (except hazelnuts and noticeable amounts of shrimp, because they could kill me). I’ll eat it, even knowing that I’ll become sick the next day, and may have a rash for a week. That’s fine with me, that’s my way of returning their hospitality.

I’m even okay with eating foods that I shouldn’t because I could get something fun, like giardia. (e.g., thin skinned fruits that you’re unsure of how they were washed).

(Coffee plants amidst trees)

Tonight for example, I sat down to a wonderful meal. It actually was very tasty, and I had mushrooms! Which was a first in India, and a treat for me by far! My problem (and I I do claim it as MY problem) is that I have always hated eating liver. And it’s not the kind of hate that’s like my hatred for eating kielbasa, because that kind of hatred is just because it’s bland and tasteless. I can get by that, and I do. My hatred of liver is perhaps one of my few hatreds of foods based off of a gag reflex. Liver tastes so much LIKE liver and like metallic rotted meat paste, that at the very taste of a hint of pure liver, my stomach tries to escape my body through my throat.

Yet my hatred of liver is something I’m working on. Why? Because it’s only polite and loving to eat what’s on your plate when you’re the guest of honor.

So tonight, forgetting that Indian cooking utilizes the WHOLE chicken, I unfortunately pulled some liver, heart, kidneys perhaps and also some white meat onto my plate. I can deal with kidneys, hearts and other organs, I don’t exactly have a taste for them, but my body can ingest them, and actually try to enjoy the fine details of their flavors. But liver, like I said already, my body just reacts at first bite. It’s not even something I can fight yet, it’s an auto reflex. Two times during dinner, I was deeply ashamed of my contorted face, and all I can hope and pray is that no one noticed. I was able to force the liver down, with the help of diluting it with the white meat and rice that remained on my plate.

(A man preparing snake repellent herbs)

It’s hard to be a pilgrim. To love another, you have to suffer. In ways that perhaps you’d prefer not to.

The family was fantastic! And the meal was overly generous, as I’ve discovered most Indians are with their guests. The highlight of my night was praying with them in their home as a family of Catholics.
924pm

Kutta

2008-09-13T07:41:00.001+05:30

253pm 31.8.8
For the last two days I’ve been in Kutta.

Where the main crop is Coffee!

(coffee beans prior to ripening)

One of the first things Fr. Arul arranged was for me to meet the chief of the local police, as a courtesy call. I’ve discovered over my time here, that Fr. Arul is very wise in matters of faith/politics interactions. And in India, that wisdom can mean the difference between life and death.

Just a few days ago, in Orissa (near Calcutta) a group Catholics were killed in a church by Hindu extremists. I believe they were burned, but they may have been hacked up. And in response the Church of India called a holiday and is having days of mourning and penance.

Fr. Arul has beautiful view of his ministry. He’s got a kind of visitation ministry, where he visits with various parishioners and other non Catholics. And it’s wonderful to be able to meet such a large swath of society, and to see how evangelization doesn’t have to be overt to work.

Yesterday morning, I was able to spend at the local water falls. Where beautiful butterflies abound, and are hard to catch.

The Church here is vibrant compared to American Churches, though perhaps with the exception of small parishes. Though the population is small, there is a large percentage of them who come to weekly mass, and a comparatively large youth group.

One thing I’ve been struggling with over the last few days/week has been an emptiness; an emptiness of emotion behind my smile, of fervor behind my actions. And though I think that it’s just God granting me the grace of ever so slight dryness, I am happy He has yet to deem me worthy of true aridity.

Along with this slight dryness of emotion, have come doubts; temptations for me to give up and run home. These are temptations that the Lord lets me suffer, that I might grow more reliant upon Him and less upon my own discernment. That I might become more docile to and stalwart in His designs than my own. Oh how often I feel an Alien! How often I wonder why I am here.

An interesting group of people that I have met are Koorgies. They seem to be the upper class in the area, and relatively wealthy. They all seem very well educated about things I would not suspect. Though predominantly Hindu, one was well versed in the Bible and Koran, for example. They also seem to be quite reasonable, and well mannered. And unlikely to get fired up without good cause.

(Rice fields)

The last few days I’ve had much rest… as I’ve been a bit sick, I guess, I’ve been tired. 320pm
344pm
I think it mostly was a reaction to the Bed Bugs, though because of it I’m now a bit concerned about my cough… though I doubt it’s TB, I do think it’s annoying, and something that needs to be taken care of. So I’ve started to take an antibiotic, and may consult a doctor soon… Michelle has Giardia, which may also mean that’s the cause of my periodic diarrhea (another reason I’ve decided to take an antibiotic, to eliminate a bacterial cause to diarrhea).

Soon I’ll be heading out of Koorg to Bangalore or elsewhere, as Fr. doesn’t have much for me to do around here, as I don’t speak the language. (English is rare and Hindi rarer still).

Any how, until the next post!
Blessings!
~edward
349pm

Bangalore thoughts

2008-09-13T07:40:00.002+05:30

635pm 30.8.8
On the way to Bangalore, I learned some interesting things about some Indians. First, there is definitely permission for some adults to slap other adults, without either feeling guilt or embarrassment. This occurred when one woman and several other people were threatening a crying child with a slap. The mother of the child slapped the woman, though had seemed to encourage the threats otherwise. I obviously don’t understand the language so I was unable to follow the events exactly, but the women didn’t seem fazed by it after the fact.

Also twice, I offered biscuits (we would call them cookies, butter cookies or something like sweet crackers in America) to the group, and twice I was not returned the remainder. The last person to have some simply kept them. The first time I was a bit offended, though I didn’t show it. I was offended because I gave the cookies to be shared, not to be stored for personal use later. The second time I began to appreciate, that when you give, you give. There is no expectation that if you give you’re only giving as much as others want, and not giving the remainder. It’s an innocent way of looking at giving and so simple.

This brings me to two virtues that westerners can learn from an Indian visit: Patience and long-suffering. Patience because you have to learn to do things differently and patiently, as well as, having to learn to deal with bloated bureaucratic ways of doing things official; and patience most of all because of the communication problem and slower pace. Long-suffering is something that the Indians do very well. They aren’t saddened or maddened by suffering, they simply take it as it is, and move on.
651pm

710pm
When I arrived in Bangalore, something unexpected struck me… I couldn’t read any of the signs… And few people could understand me. I felt like I was back in Eastern Europe. I didn’t think India could feel that foreign again… but it did. Luckily, I discovered that some of the signs (the ones that I needed to read) had small English print, though this wasn’t discernable at a distance.

Another innovation/annoyance of Bangalore was the bus stands… there were four or more rows of twenty or so buses… all with neat signs telling where bus number so and so went., but without knowledge of the place, you’d never know that stand 17 is where the buses to MG road were… and not many people could tell you either… I ended up running in circles until I finally found the right place.

It was on the city buses that I experienced the first of two blessings based on Indian Familial interest/responsibility of others. I was trying to find out where such and such place was, and the people I asked didn’t know English, but when the place I was looking for was close, a person behind me who had overheard my need told me to get off at this next stop, go left and you will reach it.

It turns out that the place I was looking for wasn’t even the place I wanted to be… I was looking for the Cathedral, but it turned out to be a protestant cathedral and not the Catholic one… luckily on my search for it I had stumbled into an official tourist agency, where the guy trying to help me didn’t understand me at all… which was quite funny. But another person there was saying that they knew were a Catholic Church was, but not where the Cathedral was. It turns out that the church he was referring to and the church that on the map was simply called “Patrick complex” without any reference to it being a church was actually the Catholic Cathedral.

Well after the two posts about Bangalore that I’ve already posted, I made my way down to the bus stand, to await the 1130pm bus to Kutta. Where I discovered two things… 1. bus times are not when a bus will leave, but when the bus will arrive within 20 yards of the bus stand… it still may take 40 minutes for it to reach the stand, and 20 more for it to see if anyone else is coming. 2. Buses like planes can be canceled. Which meant that the bus I was planning to take, a direct bus, was canceled. So instead I had to take a bus to Gonikopa. Which was the nearest they could get me.

On the bus I discovered another new thing that I never thought about being possible, but evidently is. Buses not only can carry lice, but can also carry BED BUGS! Luckily, I don’t believe I caught lice, but I did have a very very nasty encounter with bed bugs. I ended up moving one seat forward after the encounter (at first I couldn’t believe that it was bed bugs) and was rid of them.

When I arrived in Gonikopa, I experienced the second of two familial responsibility events. In a sleep stupor at 530 am, I stumbled out of the bus and was trying to figure out where to crash while I waited for sunlight to make the trek by foot to Kutta. While looking at the ground in front of me, a man asked me where I was going, and he said, oh that bus over there is going to Kutta. So I was able to stumble over there and jump on.

The bus was exquisite! It was a 5 SEAT per row type, like some air planes, two seats on one side of the aisle, and three on the other.

Eventually it got me to Kutta, around 7, about an hour later than the direct should have, and too late for morning mass. But Father had arranged for a friend of his to walk me to the church. I’m sure he simply had to tell him, look for the foreigner. And that brings me up to Kutta.
733pm

Bangalore first day continued

2008-09-13T07:39:00.001+05:30

956PM 28.8.8
This afternoon I was blessed yet again with further comfort. Zach (brother of clifford, whom I met at mass)took me to see Fritz, a lay Catholic evangelist. Fritz invited me into his home, and for me to treat it as my own.

So I was able to shower, rest, pray in his private oratory (where he is blessed to have the eucharist), and have dinner before my next leg.

He also invited me to join his evangelisation school coming up for six weeks. Though I informed him that God would have to surmount several obstacles in the forms of obligations, and money, before i'd be convinced it was His will.

One interesting thing I noted was that i've up to now only raised enough money for three of the five months, so I believe I could, under no obligation to my donors, do the school, since it would be directly from my money or from money donated specifically for this.

Though that is not something I really want to do... I'd rather be out serving. But God's will be done.

I do suspect that Sister lisy would have to be asked to leave bangalore for october, by her superiors, for God to really convince me. As I really want to help her out and see what's up.

Evangelisation school sounds good in theory, but I've been through similar. And I'd rather serve. And prepare the nonprofit ministry I know I'm called to right now.

New rule for india. If someone comes up and asks where you are going, reply somewhere. They understand that better than being ignored.

Also for all you interested in coming, never answer a 'tout'. These are the kids/people who come up to you and ask you questions. They're scammers, and you'll get screwed. Possibly badly.
1015

Out of Place

2008-09-13T07:38:00.002+05:30

26.8.8 925pm Old Goa

Out of Place

Sometimes I think I'm the one out of place, but then things happen that remind me that I'm not nearly as out of place as Indians think I am. For example, today I saw two things that any one would agree were completely out of place.

First, on the train from Madgaon to Old Goa, I was standing and looking outside of a door when all of a sudden... a PEACOCK. In Nature. That’s right let me repeat. A PEACOCK. IN NATURE. Everyone knows they don't belong out there... let alone in India!

Second, as I was strolling the Christian Art gallery in Old Goa, I came across something that caused me to stop, kneel and pray. A reliquary of the TRUE CROSS! IN AN ART MUSEUM! The VERA CRUX does not belong in an art museum, but in a place of high reverence! If I had the choice between what/who I should visit first, in Old Goa, it would be: The Eucharist in a tabernacle, the Vera Crux, and then Francis Xavier. And I'm sure he'd want it that way.

In the art museum I did see some craftsmanship beyond spectacular... a gorgeous silver monstrance, in the shape of a pelican upon a globe, feeding her children from her pierced breast. The symbolism is this: pelicans were believed to pierce their own breasts to feed their children, representing Christ giving birth and life to the Church with His pierced side on the cross.

(Basilica Bom Jesus, where St. Francis Xavier is entombed)

As I was leaving the art museum and after visiting the Our Lady of the Rosary church (my patroness, October 7th), I continued my prayer from earlier in the day that God would prepare a room for me. And though up to that point I had only negatives to pilgrim's housing, I prayed and kept going, with the intent of going to a hotel if nothing else. Just as I was about to round the corner to catch the bus to Panji, I noticed a Xavier sister's religious good's store... so I (after too much wavering) decided to go and ask about housing.

The sister initially didn't have anything for me, but after a few questions, she recommended me to a convent down the road (less than 2 minutes walk)... Our Lady of Angels.

Upon arriving, I followed the path that seemed right and ended up running into a novice who asked if I was here for a room. To which I said yes.

They asked if it was okay that the water was slow, to which I said it would be okay. Later I would discover that the shower didn't work, and I had to take a bucket shower... which was even more perfect.

I've been seeking comfort, and thanks be to God that I asked Him to prepare my room and not me. I need to remember the basics, and remember that comfort breeds contempt of God. It's funny because its not that God desires us to not be comfortable, but that when we are comfortable, we fail to remember our Call; we fail to remember our baptism and the mandate we were given.

(St. Francis Xavier)

After an hour nap, I was able to go to mass today, yet again in a new language... which is beautiful and also a bit difficult. Luckily the priest did say a few words in English for his homily "act justly, love gently and walk humbly before God." I'm also getting pretty good at mimicking songs... even though I can't tell you exactly what I'm singing, I do my very best to join in every song.

After mass I went to see the sea at see the sea (Miramar). It was beautiful. There is something about watching the light dim across the world as water laps across your feet, that just brings peace to my soul. It's as if God is slowly covering His children with a fuzzy blanket.

(Carnival on the way to Miramar)

I was going to go eat at a famous local restaurant that served Portuguese food (oh how I want a steak), but as I was approaching on foot, I realized I wouldn't have time to catch the bus back to Old Goa if I did... and considering that I AM a pilgrim, and a poor one at that, I decided that the rich restaurant and the taxi cab ride home, would cost too much, both in wisdom and in cash. So I took the bus home instead... which was packed like sardines (of course). And luckily found one restaurant near my home open. Where I ate fish curry, mackerel, and had a Foster's. All for about half the price of the dish I would have had at the Portuguese restaurant. And now I prepare for tomorrow, and my train and then bus ride.

Blessings to all!

Oh and one last thing, I had tried earlier in the day to make some relics of St. Francis Xavier, but I was unable to as his tomb is 20-30 feet off the ground... but luckily after mass, there was a reliquary of his, that I was able to touch my rosary and ring to!

(St. Francis Xavier)

Blessings again, and shuba ratri. (good night)
957pm

Madgaon

2008-09-13T07:38:00.001+05:30

635am 26.8.8
Madgaon

So madgaon sounds more like mad-cow-in than mauhd-go-an, except it has a g instead of a c.

(what’s the plural of Ox? Oxen. What’s the plural of Box?)

And that is where I am. In Madgoan, Goa. I thought Goa was a city. But apparently not. Its province that's actually somewhat large.

I'm waiting for my train,which is late. Unsual from my experience, but maybe he said 830 and not 630... Who knows.

trains here are remarkably on time... I travelled 38 hours and was right on time, if not a few minutes early. Amtrak... Would be at least 24 hours late on average.

Oh how i appreciate train schedules that are actually real. Even if i had to be on a train for 38 hours, at least i expected it.

On the train i was invited to come to a school in M.P., one of the provinces. And the guy even offered me the use of a car. I'll look into it more, though i suspect i may have to visit on my next trip.

The trip wasnt so bad...i met an italian girl and hungarian guy who, with a few friends are organising english book donations to india. A problem they've run into is finding schools with high enough literacy levels to actually utilise the books. As it appears that many poor schools where you'd like to donate books are so illiterate, that the books would end up as ornaments.

Strange hurdles appear anytime you try to do good.

Well, I'm excited to meet one of my heroes. St. Francis xavier was an extraordinary man who sought above all to follow the inspirations of the holy spirit. Which is likewise some thing I am trying to do better.

well it seems the train is arriving 30 minutes late. And I've got to go pee. 659am

(view on my train that arrived late… note the guy in the racks)

Moments of grace

2008-09-13T07:37:00.005+05:30

24.8.8?
Moments of grace
As the sun was setting. I saw a beauty I would normally be blind to. It was beauty disguised by what usually would be called drab.

The sun setting over india is usually something I don't appreciate... But today as I'm forced to sit and look at God's creations. I was amazed.

(this is actually a photo from the next evening's sunset... the 25.8.8 post I think has the picture from this evening's sunset)

It was the subtle strand of amazing woven into each of us. And all creation

The man of God welcomes scrutiny

2008-09-13T07:37:00.001+05:30

814am 25.8.8
The man of God welcomes scrutiny

Today for morning prayer on the feast of st. Louis I read something true and convicting. (Yes, given a choice between saints, I choose first American, then French and the rest are a toss up).

It went "the man of God welcomes the light that searches his deeds and finds them true." or in other words "the man of God welcomes scrutiny." how often do we claim we're doing good, but we aren't confident enough to let another scrutinize our actions? Let alone welcome it?

And this is not to say that the other will see the truth or the goodness in our actions, as that depends upon the state of their soul, but perhaps it is to say that welcoming scrutiny is a form of evangelisation. And a form of purification.

Its the last one that I'm most afraid of.
829am

I hope never to do anything boring.

2008-09-13T07:36:00.001+05:30

24.8.8
I hope never to do anything boring.
.....
That was my reply last night to Adam’s "don't die boring". (He keeps insisting that if I die in India that it should be something spectacular like mauled by cow. All I ask is that it be because of my faith.)

And though I intended to mean that in Christ every moment is an adventure. I've discovered God listened too exactly.

First, last night I couldn't leave an airport without incident.

And now I almost couldn't board a train without a mad rickshaw race to the RIGHT train station.

You see, there are two stations in New Delhi... And apparently i was wrong when I assumed which station it was from... so when I arrived thirty minutes early and couldn't find my train, i started a bit. Yet to m rescue was an auto rickshaw driver who made me this deal: "you board train, 250 rps." which took me a minute to agree to, since it was 4 times the normal rate, but it ultimately seemed a small price.

so after 20 minutes of high speed turns, some of which felt like we were on two wheels, and one near crash, I made it.

To which I found my seat changed... Luckily in the same train. And even in the same box... Just on the other side. And instead of a top bunk. I was given a middle bunk.

Oh the life I live. Always interesting... Rarely boring. How truly blessed i am.
412pm

CT, RI and NYC

2008-09-13T07:33:00.000+05:30

August 5th 409pm
Beginning to feel sick... So nervous. Five months in a foreign country isn't so quick. And I'm leaving friends and family.

Our journey over the last.few days has been incredibly good. Getting to spend time with Michelle's family and bumping into new and old friends.
414pm "

Mysore

2008-09-04T14:16:00.003+05:30

So I'm today in Mysore... and though I have about 10 blogs to post, I don't have my computer to upload them from.

The reason is that over the last few days I've been with Fr. Arul in Jagerri. A rather remote village near the Tamil Nadu border (Kutta is near the Kerala border). We left in a rush the other day, as Father's Grandmother passed away sometime around the 9am mass.

Please keep him, his family and his grandmother in prayer. He and his family, are understandibly suffering.

Tomorrow I'll be back in Kutta, and it may be a few more days before I'll be able to post the Goa/train posts.

But anyhow... keep me in prayer, and Michelle in prayer. I miss her so much. And I am happy/sad that I have to wait about 10 months or less to make her my wife.

A Blessed Return

2008-09-02T05:53:00.003+05:30

As I sat on the plane coming back home in between Fr. Ed and coincidentally a Missionary of Charity Sister, I was reminded on how closely the Lord had his eye on things. Which was a comforting thought especially considering my dear loved one (Edward) who I was flying so far away from.

My Mom and Stan (Step dad) had already made friends with the M.C.'s who were waiting for there sister on the other side of the gate at JFK airport. Sr. Boni who I had been traveling with was arriving to the U.S. due to her relocation to San Francisco... but one of her destinations was Bridgeport, Connecticut. She rode home with us and we dropped her off at the convent, where we were all greeted warmly.

One of the sister at the convent recognized my mother. "Didn't you ask me to pray for your daughter who was going to India," she said and we all smiled at the funny way GOD works.

The longer I was home that first day the more ill I began to feel. My family surrounded me with tons of great food. I couldn't eat anything. It turns out I had contracted an Amoeba shortly before I left India. India just didn't want to let me go I guess.

The second Miracle of my return.

I woke up Monday not sure what to do because I needed to be at work the next day in VT and I was apparently looking "very green" or like "death rolled over me" as I was later told. My Dad told me to go visit my grandmother, so I did. When I was there I asked my Aunt Rosie (real off the cuff the like) if she wanted to skip work that day and drive up with me to VT. She thought about it and before I knew it I had a whole caravan escorting me up to Burlington. Aunt Jan drove my car up and Kenny, Rosie and Amanda followed. They had a nice and quick visit. I felt very blessed!

Now I must go back to work tomorrow. I had to take the whole week off due to Ghiardia. NO Mom its not really like the chocolate!!! In the meantime I am trying to adjust and its hard.

(Once I find my cord I'll upload some pics.)

Bangalore

2008-08-28T15:20:00.002+05:30

I'm in Bangalore, with a mild diarrhea.

BUT I MET some fantastic people BECAUSE OF IT!

I was in adoration at the St. Patricks Church, when I heard mass starting, so I went, carrying my bags... but when I got to church, I started having stomach pain, so I left. A young gentleman, saw my discomfort and came out to see if I needed any medicines or help.

I just needed a bathroom at the time, but after mass I decided to give him my contact information. That's when we started talking and I found out about his family and he found about my pilgrimage/mission. And he introduced me to his brother and coworkers. WHO WERE AT MASS!

He then invited me to come to eat with him, and thinking we were going to a restaurant, I said sure! But instead I came to his work, where I got to meet a whole workplace full of CATHOLICS! Catholics who were striving to be Catholic, even!

He and one brother run half of the workplace as a software firm and his other two brothers are architects/interior designers.

All of whom are good Catholics... so I got the low down on local Catholic sites/shrines.

He has been so hospitable, that I can only thank God for answering my prayer. I prayed earlier today for Him to prepare a place of rest for me while in Bangalore, and due to several "God incidences". We connected and now I'm about to meet a local lay missionary.

Oh and the Chai here is GOOD!

Okay, and I have alot of pictures and blogs to post from the last few days, but I don't think I have time right now.

I'll see what I can do.

A fast few days

2008-08-24T12:59:00.001+05:30

So the last few days have been busy... We've left Kolkata, they have left India... and I'm about to leave Delhi.

Kolkata was, as always sad. Mother luckily has won the grace of staying permanently.

Our train ride was cold and comparatively short (compared to my last train travel to Delhi). This was because we took a "Shatabi" train which means it only had AC classes (read: it didn't have average Indian classed seats). We weren't planning to travel in such style, but the turns of events landed us in those seats.

We made an Indian friend, Mukesh, who like many Indians, was incredibly friendly, interested and talkative. The train had so much food, we weren't able to eat it all... so MUCH. And a free newspaper! It was really nice. Though the pillows and/or blankets caused me to sneeze, so I slept without the pillow.

Upon arriving in Delhi, we discovered that if Kolkata was the City of Joy, Delhi was the City of Cows. They were everywhere... SO SO SO many.

We were lucky that from Kolkata and in Delhi, Midori joined us. She's a Japanese girl born in KOBE!!! Oh how I wish I had a steak!

The day of arrival, I picked up my tickets to goa and to Bangalore... the first trip is 38 HOURS long on a train... but only 15$! ANd the second trip is 16 or so hours long! All in all, over the period of a week, I will spend over half of it on a Train or bus. (I have a bus ride from Bangalore to Koorg that happens the day I arrive in Bangalore).

Delhi is a lot easier to handle now that I know how to deal with con men and scam artists... if I hadn't been in India for 3 months last time, I would have been scammed when I was getting my tickets... as the beauracracy for the train system is crazy difficult to navigate. Scam artists play on this and try to confuse tourists with official looking signs and constant misdirection. There was one point when I was confused how to get to where I was going, and a person came up to me "offering" to direct me to the tourist office, and when he pointed to where it was (I didn't ask for him to, or say I needed his help)... I noticed something terribly appalling... the place he was trying to send me to had an almost identical sign to the offical ones... but as I had just come from the official place that he wanted to direct me to, I knew immediately he was a liar, and how cunning this ploy was.

While walking down the street the crowd parted in front of Michelle and me, and we both immediately jumped inside a shop when we saw why...

We all were able to go to the light show at the Red fort, which was beautiful and I thought well scripted and implemented, even though I didnt understand Hindi (730-830 Hindi, 9-10 English)... We did end up leaving early as it was a bit boring not knowin what they were saying. The coolest part of the night was seeing huge bats flying above us... they had 2 foot wingspans!

After the red fort experience (the red fort is the most impressive piece of architecture I've seen in India yet), we went out to eat... and Adam was kind enough to treat us all!

The next day we went shopping and touring with Midori. Buying spices in India is a difficult thing to do, because you are almost guarenteed that anyone who has a nice shop is going to increase their prices dramatically over not as nice shops.

While waiting for Midori to pick up some spices, I started dancing to some music that was playing in the street... and these boys started dancing inside their family's shop, with me... so I went and made friends. And their family kept offering me food. It's generous Indians like this, that remind you, that you live in a bubble as a tourist/foreigner, and that bubble can be bitter.

Random pic that I thought funny...

This time I was able to get to the India gate... as Independence day was already over with.

It was so hot, that I wanted to join these boys... and was about to when I remembered what happend to Brendan when he jumped in the ganges... Ameoba in intestines... yuck.

We also went to Jamma Masjid... the mosque that I couldnt get into last time because I was wearing shorts. It was pretty.

And interesting to see how people used it.

After the mosque, we saw Midori off... which was sad, but good.

After that, Michelle and I prayed and cried together, for our upcoming parting. And the we went to the classiest Pizza Hut ever. Where we even got to witness some coreographed dancing. Pepperoni Pizza was a welcome dinner, as was quesadillas that could have been from San Antonio, and a veg pizza. And I tried two special drinks "tangy orange" which was delicious, and Aamm Panna WHICH WAS DISgUSTINg! It was supposed to be green Mango... and that sounded good... but they didnt say it had a curry like masala in it. (Masala means spice mix from what I've gathered).

Then we headed home and to the airport... where I got in. As did a grasshopper.

Even though I got in easily, I discovered that exiting almost caused an international incident and my arrest... As I wasn't supposed to be allowed in, without a ticket confirmation. After a while, I was allowed to leave, though I had to "go now, fast." then I motioned if I could say goodbye one last time and they said "No, go. fast."

(my last pic of Michelle)

And today I started my first day with no companions, save the angels and saints.

So I went to mass, as Michelle insisted. (She's such an amazing woman).

I got to mass almost an hour early, so I walked around outside for a bit, and prayed. After mass I walked the inside of the church, and found this huge crucifix.

And now my life begins a new path, one seemingly lonely, but one I suspect to find more comfort from Him than ever before.

alt : test.mov

The Rahjdani express

2008-08-22T13:07:00.002+05:30

We have arrived in Delhi today via the Rahjdani express train. It was a fun time, lots of food, one new friend and a little bit of sleep. Our friend from Hotel Paragon is Midori (Japanese) is joining us. Will be going to the Taj Mahal tommorow and then Fr. Ed and Adam and I will depart at 1:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. We will arrive at JFK in NYC at around 6am. Very sad to be leaving Edward but very excited to see him holier when he comes back.

Hair cut

2008-08-21T14:51:00.002+05:30

Michelle cut my hair last night...

And we're off to Delhi in two hours... so this is a short post... but I thought important.

16 hour train ride here we come!

Keep us in prayers! It's a sad time for all of us.

Health Insurance

2008-08-19T23:38:00.001+05:30

Even though I don't think I have the money to do it, I just bought travel/health insurance from world nomads...

I may be fine now... but today I saw a girl who had to go to the hospital due to some random illness...

A longer review of the last days

2008-08-19T22:42:00.001+05:30

The day before I got really sick, and by really I mean bed ridden AND in need of a doctor, Adam,

Fr. Ed

And I shared a few beers at a local Indian Air conditioned bar. It was a good time of brothers talking and getting to know each other, and on of my favourite times so far on this trip. It is good for brothers to live in community.

Cows however...

Sometimes look completely pathetic in commuities of men. This cow, has arguably been dead and resurrected about 50 times in the last few days. It's almost never standing up and when it is I'm astonished (and scared of it's hind legs). And most of the time I walk by it, it's lying on the ground looking absolutely dead... with the occaisional splotch of poo on the ground behind it's rump. Michelle suggested that they're fattening it up... which seems reasonable, as it is the Muslim district, and it will probably soon be dinner.

Speaking of which... "the Goat" no longer exists... the bangle shop that I've been so fond of photographing lately, landed on it, and stole it's ruby bangles, and thus is now the new Glorious Goat of the East.

I'm always amazed of the Indian Launderers... they always get things so clean... and I basically put my clothes in soapy water, swish them around and then rinse...

Over the last few days of my sickness, we've been visited by some unwelcome/welcome guests. A few cats and a kitten... the cats are smart and when we scurry them out of the room, they leave quickly (Michelle and I are both deathly allergic to them). But the kitten is stupid.

You try to scurry it out and instead it runs further into the room... and starts playing with our sheets and our mosquito nets... which albeit is adorable, is unwanted. Sometimes I wish I wasn't allergic to kittens. :-(

Our little Kalighat... is the term that our group has given to Michelle and my dorm room (we're in a co-ed 6 person dorm). This is because out of the time we've been in India, I've been sick in Bed for the vast majority of it. (Kalighat is the house for the dying destitute).

Michelle was very mildly sick yesterday, with an upset stomach, but she's on her feet again today.

Yesterday I was so happy to be able to read, that I read two newspapers! You can't imagine how boring it is to be so dizzy that you can't get up, can't sit up, can't read, and can't do anything other than lie down and sleep.

After reading the newspaper, I was rested enough to walk a short block to the Internet place, where I sat for 2 hours catching up on stuff and resting. on our way out we were hijacked by kids again who said "One photo! One photo!"

Ten photos later I began to realise this was not going to end, but I also noticed that there is a trademark stance between two men that I can only imagine has something to do with Heroes in the Movies or (less likely) mythology. I imagine it's some sort of brotherhood thing.

Eventually I was able to say "Ek photo" and convey it was going to be the last.

Then last night while I was trying to go to sleep, I rediscovered a batch of Indian Dragons swarming around the flourescents outside...

And right now... like early afternoons every day, it's raining.

The threshing floor of God

2008-08-18T16:03:00.002+05:30

so for the last few days I've been sick again... yesterday I got so dizzy that I couldn't stand up or sit up with vomiting... and I was so dizzy that I couldn't read anything longer than a sentence without losing focus.

Let it be known that I'm not exactly a nice patient... Michelle was doing a beautiful job of trying to take care of me... and I was not very nice and irritable.

Michelle kept trying to get me to go to an Indian Doctor (I don't have insurance and I DON'T want to go to a doctor here unless I really really really have to). So I eventually suggested that she get Barbara... an Italian Doctor that I knew from the last time I was here (she's also back for her first return tour in Kolkata).

I asked Michelle to leave a message at her hotel... which she did. And around 10pm, Barbara and Luigi (another Italian Doctor) came to my rescue, giving me a shot which has stopped the vomiting and reduced dizziness to almost nothing. She also gave me some pills for diarrhea.

So today I've been able to hold down fluid, and two pieces of toast, and I hope to hold down more as the day goes on.

It's funny to to think that yesterday I had a revelation about sickness. It's not only a time for God to take our wounded humanity and heal it, but also a time where he takes our sick souls, breaks them open, and tries to heal them. I didn't cooperate fully with the healing this time, but I hope that as time goes on, I'll be much better.

I truly believe the mark of a Saint is Joy in affliction.

"India is not good, it's Great"-- quote of indian Charity organiser

2008-08-15T22:35:00.006+05:30

The last few days have been interesting; As everyday in India always seems.

Michelle and I strolled around new market the other night, as I wanted to show her the beauty of Bangles glimmering in lamplight and darkness, and we stumbled across Zombie Maniquens...

Then we went home and I go sicker (again) and had to stay in bed all of yesterday, as I was too dizzy to get up without vomitting.

So my excursion for the day fruited this beautiful pic right outside my door.

Today! however I was alive and kicking... well at least stumbling enough that I could make it to Mother House. Which was great as today was a SOlemnity AND Indian Independance day!

Which was celebrated by Cricket (The NATIONAL Sport of course).

Flags were flying everywhere... it was quite patriotic!

Even the sisters had a patriotic serenade by some of their orphans after morning mass.

These cuties, were from Shishu Bahvan, which is where I worked today! Well I didn't work with them... I was too sick, and not a girl (only girls are allowed at Shishu), but I am an artist, so I was asked to help a group of painters paint the backdrops for the Christmas plays.

After work, Michelle and I were walking home (she works at Shishu normally and is the person who voulnteered us to work as artists) and we got pulled into the Local Lions' club and peacemaker society's charity eyeglasses give away.

Here is the wondeful culprit.

Indians are very pround of their country and very excited to show you their good works. And it was exciting to be a part of it... though initially, I was a bit worried, wondering if we were being pulled into a communist anti-american rally as the "americans".

But Indian Independence day is about unity. AND that is a leson we can all learn from Ghandi and his band of brothers.

After finding a great new lunch place in new market with one of our dorm-mates, Michelle, Adam and I went to Flurry's! and yes MICHELLE ate TWO WHOLE DESERTS BY HERSELF! Well maybe one whole and one half, with me doing likewise. It was nice. But deserts in India are not quite like home, and they're hit or miss for American tastes.

One interesting thing about Independence day is that many intersections held little circles of brick that also had a flag pole in the middle. And sometimes the locals would decorate them with dioramas (the Ghandi pic above is from one) but this is my favourite... but of course its because I could Imagine playing with the toys like a little boy...

After adoration, we were walking home and I got a picture I've wanted... a Cow waiting patiently in Line at the butcher's (its the Muslim district).

And a little girl hijacked me and my camera after telling me to take a picture of her mother...

The only good picture she took was this one... she couldn't understand that her fingers should not cover the lens or the flash, despite my gentle attempts to move them away...

And that is the end folks... Blessings and praise to our Almighty God.

Oh and for all of you asking... Michelle is doing well... a bit annoyed that she has to take care of sick ol'me but she really loves the chance to nurse me back to health.

"I came here to serve the sick and dying, I just didn't think it would be you" --Michelle to me.

Kolkata Kolling (Calcutta Calling)

2008-08-13T16:05:00.005+05:30

Mother house

So for the last few days we've been in Kolkata, the first place I visited after getting our lodgings set was Mother house, and it was an great welcoming experience.

Indian building

So far I've been sick all but one day... and each day its something new... from Food poisoning the first two days, healthy the third day (save tons of bed bug bites), to Food allergies the fourth day, and now a sinus infection/cold type thing.

Chicken market

Adam and Fr. Ed have found a nice Catholic hostel near Sealdah Train station that has cheap/nice A/C rooms for about 350/person/night. Michelle and I haven't checked them out yet, as they're out of our price range, but they sound very nice.

bangles are from Bengal (Bangla is the language)

Tomorrow, when I expect to be healthy again, is a voulunteer's day off. Which sucks, as I've only had one day at Kalighat. But as Michelle mentioned earlier, I have five months in India, so it's not all lost yet.

Fr. Ed stuck in an Indian procession

Getting back into Indian mode has been a bit awkward at first, but has quickly become second nature, and comfortable (as much as it could ever be).

New market again... I hate/love the place... hate the buisness problems, love the beauty

A St. John Brother from Laredo gave Michelle and I "Imitation of Christ" books... and so far it seems quite cool... It includes reflections from recent Catholic documents.

Our hostel at night

Arrival

2008-08-07T07:49:00.001+05:30

We're here and alive in Mumbai. Transition has been quite easy so far, so that's exciting. It's humid and hot, but as its costal, it also has a slight breeze. we'll post more soon!

VISAS!

2008-07-30T08:26:00.001+05:30

Michelle and I got our 10 YEAR visas last week!

WE are so set!

Tickets

2008-07-16T08:07:00.002+05:30

We've got our tickets, are getting our visas, and are getting our reservations for Mumbai and Kolkata.

Everything is in process...

And I've got two places I'm going to visit for a month each in South India after Kolkata... working first in a rural area, and then helping to get a new society that will help youth get off the ground in Bangalore and Mysore.

And I still don't know how it's going to work out... but I trust it will... everything has been leading to this... all I have to do is take the step.

July 14th, Cutting my hair/ Michelle's 1st blog

2008-07-15T07:34:00.004+05:30

NO Ed is not cutting his hair (yet!)

Okay. I might not really cut my hair either but I surely am nervous about lice, bed bugs and any other type of grotesque thing that might find a home on my head. I couldn't even walk through a field of slugs in Vermont let alone a river of manure on the streets of Calcutta during monsoon.

Pray for me guys & gals. I need strength, maybe that's another reason why I should keep my hair long.

I was such a picky child when it came to food. My MOM used to threaten me saying "One day Michelle you'll end up some where you don't have a choices and you have to eat the same thing everyday. You'll learn then to fuss about your food." Apparently I'll be that somewhere soon. Thanks MA!
ps. Thank everyone for your prayers!

Updates

2008-07-07T21:23:00.003+05:30

Everything is getting ready... tickets are about to be purchased, visas are almost complete, and planning is almost done!!

Website looks good too!

And donation buttons are being placed...

India 2008 update

2008-06-12T08:52:00.003+05:30

Time line is online at calendar.sirhair.com

I've done more research into flights/visas/etc, and things are going well.

So far I've raised around $260 for the trip via the sell of my art work at the show (this is excluding the $5/print base that is going to covering the cost of the show).

Faith or Bust 2008

2008-05-06T06:11:00.002+05:30

Faith or Bust 2008 is under way!

if you are interested in going to Calcutta, India with us this year to help serve the sick and dying amongst the poorest of the poor, please contact me and we'll discuss it.

We are going in August, and will even HAVE A PRIEST this time!!!!

There will be various changes coming to this site, so stay tuned!

Mirror post of sirhair.blogspot.com

2006-12-18T10:25:00.000+05:30

I'm the bacon... what are you?

So... after having found out I'm the type of person to be bacon (for breakfast, are you the bacon or the eggs, the pig is committed, the chicken is just involved)... I'm bacon again...

I can't live life without giving it my all... so I've done it again.

I'm going to Europe for a month on pilgrimage... a month to find out how much the Holy Family cares about me. Some of you may recall that I've been having a crisis of faith lately... so this may seem odd, but like I said I'm the pig. I've got to give it all to find out.

And I'm giving it all to find my Mommy... Mary, if you're in Europe, I'm coming to find you.

I can't live the normal life... I dream.

Call this the first Faith or Bust pilgrimage...

"[Faith or Bust is] about living your life as if every moment was your last. As if you were bearing the magnificent cross of Christ.

Its about denying yourself, picking up your cross and following (Lk 9:23).

There will be falls, and none of us are saints yet, but we commit to picking our selves up with the grace of Christ, and being perfect as He is perfect (Mt 5:48).

We are called to be saints. And we will answer.

"Remember, Christ is calling you; the Church needs you; the Pope believes in you and he expects great things of you." John Paul the Great"

FAITH OR BUST 2007 IS A LEAVEN!

2006-12-16T05:57:00.000+05:30

So what's up with Faith or Bust?

Well... Faith or Bust 2007 is in the planning stages... Which means I'm not sure what all is going to happen or how yet to carry it all out. I do know that it's going to happen, and I'm going to plan a few meetings for the NYC area soon... I just need to figure out who's interested and what times they're available. What I can say is if YOU are interested, I suggest you gather a database of everyone you've ever known, Last year we sent out a few hundred letters asking for 5$ each, and we got all the money we needed for our trip.

The trip will occur Mid may to Mid august and will be in KOLKATA (CALCUTTA), India.

Some tentative deadlines:

Sending me an "interest" email (stating your name, address, parish affiliation how much time you want to spend in India (1 month -3 months) and why you want to go to India with Faith or Bust. Also, what gifts do you bring and anything else you want to add?)	ASAP
First Meeting NYC metro (general Info, and questions)	By end of January
Subsequent Metro area meetings	twice a month
Local area meetings	twice a week
Commitment decision	Early April or earlier if you're ready
Have all donation letters sent	Early April

Some notes...

I would like to meet everyone who wants to go, well before the first meeting, and I'm willing to travel to whereever you live (possibly even to California).
If you don't live in the NYC metro area, fear not! You can still go, we'll work it out, most things we can talk about on cell phones, email, or in person (I'll see what I can do to visit at least once).
I'm an idiot and a sinner, so bear with me and the mistakes I'm bound to make.
AND PLEASE EMAIL ME any questions you have, this will give me some things to blog about and things to gather together.
Also, the trip is limited to 12 people per month (some exceptions might be made if there are people staying longer).
The cost is probably going to be around 3000$ (regardless the length of your stay, the flight is the most expensive thing), 2/3rds or more of which you'll get by donations. I'm serious when I say you will get.
Remember: God provides, even when we doubt. Even when our own fears and darkness seem to obscure any light, His love is burning through all the emptiness.
Everyone going will have some area of responsibility (coordinating flights, things to bring, meetings, website/logo design, etc.)

God bless!

~Edward.
my email is: sirhair at gmail dot com

New Orleans

2006-12-04T13:08:00.000+05:30

We drove through 9th ward looking at devastation of blocks and blocks of neighborhood. Houses in the middle of roads, cars flipped on top of others. Sheer unadulterated devastation
"wherever you are"
"what?"
"oh?" I realised no one would understand that phrase "I was thinking about a major disaster and wondering 'where do you start' it's overwhelming. But 'where do you start?' Wherever you are." You have to. You pick up the sledgehammer, the broom. you pick up the bodybags, the fridges. You pickup the rubble that obstructs your path. You pick it up. You pick up the phone and find out how your friends are. You pick it up. You pick up your pen and write a check. Where do you start? Wherever you are.
~From my journal after the Katrina aftermath in New Orleans

Recovery

2006-08-23T20:18:00.000+05:30

No photo because I'm borrowing a computer... sorry folks :-)

Recovery has taken alot longer than I expected, I'm just plain exhausted from this summer... and not yet into a pattern of normalcy. I have many stories to tell still about the summer, that I hope to get up in the next week, though it's possible that it might take a bit longer than that. Please bear with me.

Even now I'm learning lessons from India... funny I think, that I'm no longer there.

Home I think...

2006-08-15T11:31:00.000+05:30

Just got home a few hours ago, and still a bit dazed after 34hours of travel... I'll post more tomorrow, but I thought you might enjoy these...

Yes, that's right, Mentos and Rubber Chicken... I got asked about Hettie by various governments on my travel... apparently she's a dangerous article... But more on that and other travel stories from Delhi, Paris, Amsterdam, and plane flights...

Yes I did say Paris, and no, we didn't plan that one.