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Posted by kjb1908 | Filed under Inspiration from life in Incredible India
25 Saturday May 2013
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Posted by kjb1908 | Filed under Inspiration from life in Incredible India
22 Wednesday May 2013
Posted "Eat, Pray, Love, and Teach"
inVirtual Experience
Eat & Exercise
I wanted a quick way to list the food I enjoyed while Incredible India was my home. While doing this research I came across Vahrehvah’s site: so, for all of you who wanted a little taste from my host country, cook away. Now to my request, oops list (just in case anyone is taking notes):
Butter Chicken
Naan (Buttered and with garlic to be specific)
Samosas
Palak paneer
And with all of these a sweet lime soda with extra ice as the temperatures are resting comfortably with averages of 110+!
Favorites around Delhi included brunches at The Imperial and Shiro. If you are ever in this neck of the woods definitely reserve a table and wear something that can expand. 🙂 Other weekday favorites included Setz, Indian Accent, and the many restaurants of India’s Georgetown, ‘Hauz Khas Village’, which I have made sure to visit before I leave.
As for exercise, I so loved the fact that one of my BFF’s and fellow Charlie’s Angel Nancy is a Zumba instructor extraordinaire. Although I would glare at her during parts of the routine, I can’t think of a better way to exercise and have fun while burning calories. Perhaps I can Facetime at 6 in the morning and get a little workout in before heading out the door next year… I also dabbled in two types of Yoga: formal and whateva. 🙂 I will say that both instructors were fabulous and I have videos, a book, and an app not to mention two mats in hopes that I will be inspired to continue. I must master “criss cross applesauce” without having my knees act as shoulder rests! Other exercise regiments included bi-weekly walks with my neighbor Skye and we even ventured out when air quality was poor and temperatures were hot, wait sizzling. Unfortunately our traveling, wait traveling for work (for those of you who have thought I have been vacationing) schedules prohibited us from spending more time on the streets of Anand Niketan and West End but we are trying to finish with a bang. For a while I also had bouts of delusion that I could keep up with my friends who are in Crossfit and my muscles the morning after were just that with me, cross. All in all it was fun (thanks for the laughs Becky of iBeck) not to mention a great workout. I will be interested to see how long that part of my regiment lasts…
Pray
My heart, my mind, and especially my soul can say with confidence, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” Psalms 27:13
Many of you know the events in life that caused me to know God, not based on what I have been taught but based on witnessing through my faith His saving grace and peace that surpasses all understanding. I have spent most of my life striving to be the person others wanted me to be or what I perceived as the version of Katrina people wanted, instead of being who God created me to be – a person who lives every aspect of life abundantly. As crazy as it may sound I had to lose myself to find the true me – the me that does not wear public masks to hide private pain. I needed to find the me that wasn’t afraid to cry, need help, laugh, or dare I say it, love. I still have a ways to go in this journey but I go now looking through the lens of color, which in my black and white world translates to faith. With God, all things are possible.
As for what’s next, I stand on the words penned in 1 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV), “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
Love
One of my shero educators Susan Young said it best after the tribute she received from our school last week, “I have been so enriched by the everyday encounters with you while here in India. I am truly blessed for the many ways you have touched my life. I believe I have received so much more than I could ever possibly have given.” I apply that sentiment not only to the time I have spent overseas but also to all of the many blessings for which I have been honored to receive. I am thankful for and humbled by the abounding love of my family and friends. I could have never made this journey without all of your prayers and words of enlightenment and encouragement. I love you.
Teach
The other Charlie’s Angel Delhi style is none other than Sharon Dent of dentsadventures.com. She is one of the most knowledgeable, funny, and energetic women I know. Many adventures were due to her encouragement and research so next year I will live vicariously through her and Nancy’s travels and try to figure out a way to Photoshop myself in photos. 🙂
I read a quote last week that said something along the lines that life cannot be lived in black and white. Do you know how hard that is for someone who is Type capital, bold, italics, neon lights flashing A? No really?… One thing is for sure, life in India has taught me that anything is possible and the perseverance of the people and their spirit has taught me to live life in color. India provides a shock to one’s senses and it is an experience of a lifetime. One that my soul needed and spirit desired. I couldn’t find the exact quote that I read, but like this one just the same and believe it captures what I have been able to live these last two years thanks to my extended family of AES and to my host country of India:
Hold your head up. Take an unplanned road trip. Be thankful. Try everything once. color outside the lines. Fall in love. Embrace change. Trust in yourself. Do what you love. Dance when everyone is looking. Eat dessert first. Be nice to everyone. Send thank you cards. Be the change you wish to see in the world. Play in the rain. Break the rules once in while. Do random acts of kindness. Forgive even when it’s hard. Make time for family. Don’t count the minutes count the laughs.
I never learned more than five words in Hindi, but translated through my experience:
Hold your head up (Lest you walk in poo). Take an unplanned road trip (Drive in India and that will be many of your road trips). Be thankful (For everyday, every moment because your worst, is someone else’s best). Try everything once (Maybe not the water, but the fried street food, sure. A little Delhi belly will help drop those stubborn last 5 pounds). Color outside the lines (Oh the colors. I am going to miss thee especially the sarees). Fall in love (I have. Incredible India you will forever hold a place in my heart). Embrace change (…And me the change you want to see – Ghandi). Trust in yourself (It’s okay to try and when you fail, try again). Do what you love (Shop until I drop? Oh the withdrawals). Dance when everyone is looking (Zumba, NUTS, roof top parties, and random moments of good music by friends in live bands and MC JC – thanks for letting me get down). Eat dessert first (A must when you go to HKV). Be nice to everyone (Including yourself). Send thank you cards (Because so many people in life do beautiful things and they don’t have to). Be the change you wish to see in the world (Ghandi, need I say more). Play in the rain (Even if you don’t plan to…Recap: Khan Market 2011 aka monsoon season). Break the rules once in while (I never drove in India but oh how I know I would. Wait, are there driving rules?). Do random acts of kindness (Which I try to do daily). Forgive even when it’s hard (…and when it hurts. This includes forgiving yourself). Make time for family (Both those you are born to and assigned). Don’t count the minutes count the laughs (For which I have many).
12 Sunday May 2013
Posted "Eat, Pray, Love, and Teach"
inVirtual Experience
Eat & Exercise
I will say on this girl’s weekend the king’s curd was the most talked about enjoyable item for our palates. We also enjoyed French, Italian, and Mexican cuisines and of course a little of the local Nepalese. One evening ended with frozen cocktails and a few of us wondered if this request would have us enjoying rapid weight loss courtesy of gigardia.
Katmandu is the hub for trekkers as evident by all of the “North Face” stores. In case you are wondering why the quotes, think of what Canal St. offers in NYC. I also heard on many occasions, “Madam are you interested in a trek?” One can imagine what facial expression that conjured up! But somehow our tour of Bhaktapur (UNESCO World Heritage Site) ended up being a hidden trek and one filled with fascination and intrigue. I will tell you about it a little more in detail below.
Pray
Katmandu was home to many temples and areas that were peaceful. When thinking about the recent events around the world, it was nice to find a space and think on the things that are important. The word in Philippians 4: 8 reads, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”
Love
Okay I will admit, I have become a little bit of a ham when it comes to posing for pictures… When in Kathmandu I was mistaken a few times for the FLOTUS and my friends played right along with it pretending they were on security detail. Oh the fun we had and oh what an honor to be mistaken!
Teach
Kathmandu is the largest urban area of Nepal and a tidbit I knew about its flag came from a Big Bang episode where Sheldon schooled his viewers informing them that it is the only flag that is not rectangular. Of course, he did it with much more flavor. I found the city area of Katmandu to be a lot like Delhi only minus the variety of street animals. They even use rupees as their money but the currency exchange for the USD is a bit higher 85:1.
Before leaving for the weekend, one of our frolleagues advised that we visit Bhaktapur, and oh what a great recommendation that was! I have been delayed in getting this post out and am thankful to the journalist skills of my dear friend Sharon Dent of dentsadventure.com. What you read below that is factual is courtesy of her research and reading of Discovering Bhaktapur – A Guide to the Historic Newar City.
“Saturday morning, we took a car about 20 kilometers to the ancient town of Bhaktapur, which was one of three independent kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley about 300 years ago. The city declined after unification in the late 1700s, and a massive earthquake in 1934 damaged or destroyed most homes and temples. Germany was instrumental in helping rebuild and revitalize Bhaktapur through a major project that tackled restoration of historic and religious monuments, the water and sewer infrastructure, health education, land development and housing, schools and more through the late 1980s. The rise in tourism has also renewed interest in conserving its unique culture, architecture and handicrafts.”
Once we arrived at Bhaktapur we purchased our tickets and then had a quick discussion as to whether or not we wanted to hire a guide. Boy oh boy, were we so glad we did! Shyam was a great guide, full of facts sprinkled with humor, not to mention a good photographer as well. Once you arrive at the main part of Bhaktapur, your eye quickly zooms in on the statue of Bhupatindra Malla. Now back to Sharon’s research…
“Facing the Golden Gate is the king who built it, Bhupatindra Malla (1696-1722), sitting atop a tall pillar. The statue was constructed in 1753 by his son, the last king of Bhaktapur. Shyam led us through a rabbit warren of alleys, where we witnessed the daily rituals of life: ladies drawing water from the wells, grannies minding toddlers and goats, workers hauling loads of timber and bricks, craftsmen carving wood and throwing pots, old men bent over a card table, children kicking around a ball or rolling a tire, vendors selling a little bit of everything. Here’s an interesting tidbit from my book:
‘The ancient route from Delhi and Kathmandu to Lhasa and Beijing went through Bhaktapur. A steady trade was maintained in salt, wool, gold dust, copper, medicinal herbs, spices and yak tails (used as royal fly whisks). Probably not much silk though. This trade peaked in the early 18th century and then declined after the national unification in 1767. A community of Newari traders has remained in Lhasa to import Nepali goods up to the present time.’
During our tour of Bhaktapur, Shyam took us to the Lama Thanka Painting School. We learned about the Dalai Lama’s sand mandala design. According to the Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies,
‘Sand mandalas are one of the most magnificent types of mandala construction and are associated with the most profound and elaborate Buddhist ceremonies in Tibet. Every color, dot, and line in the mandala represents an essential part of the deity and Buddhist philosophy. Each component must be placed in exactly the same place every time the mandala is constructed.
Although sand mandalas are made on a flat surface they are, to the devout, a three dimensional palace, representing the mind of the Buddha. The person contemplating the mandala enters into it, as they would a building or an enclosure.
The mandala construction itself is the result of long and disciplined effort, but it is nonetheless a temporary work. When the monks are finished, there is a dissolution ceremony where the deity is released by the dismantling of the mandala. The sand is cast into a body of water to emphasize and highlight the impermanence of all things and the importance of nonattachment. When the sand enters the water, the kindness and compassion of the deity are disseminated into the world to benefit all beings.’
All in all it was a FAB (fabulous) & TOTES (totally awesome) weekend filled with laughter and learning – vocabulary courtesy of Shannon. 🙂 Hopefully I also burned some calories on the unplanned trekking excursion and definitely have an experience later on for Memory Lane.
04 Saturday May 2013
As a little girl I was always fascinated with the style and sophistication of my Grandma Ida. I looked forward to Sunday mornings to see what magnificent crown she would place on her golden locks that made her picture perfect. That appreciation for style never depreciated but as I became a woman my focus then shifted to her inner beauty. Ida M. Gorham – a woman of love, fortitude, perseverance, and grace and lest I forget humor. She enjoyed laughing, and lighting up the room with her Colgate smile and hazel eyes. Grandma Ida has taught me oh so much about what living means and here is my attempt to share but a few of her pearls of wisdom…
People
“People only do to you and say to you what you allow.”
“When people show you who they are, believe them.”
Jewelry
“Never spend too much money on costume jewelry because if times get hard, you won’t be able to take it to the pawn shop.”
Money
“Learn to hold a dollar til’ it hollers.”
“Don’t spend more money on the purse than you can put in the purse.”
Sickness
“When you go to the hospital make sure you look like you’re worth saving. Put a little blush on your cheeks so they won’t think you are already gone.”
Trials
“When life gets hard, square your shoulders, hold your head high and keep living.”
Men
“You can’t miss what you can’t measure.”
Shopping
“You can find a lot of good deals at the boutique (thrift store). I go in with $20 and see how much I can get. And, when someone compliments you, just say thank you (no need for them to know what a good deal you got).”
Some other soliloquies I won’t put in writing but am more than willing to share in conversation. Born in Gulf, North Carolina and raised in Washington, DC, this brunette turned blonde bombshell has lived life to its fullest. She became a blonde at the age of eighteen and vowed never to go back and she was a woman who kept her word. Another famous saying of hers, “Don’t take no tea for the fever” – meaning don’t start none, won’t be none!
I remember her preparing me on how she was going to get clearance from her heart surgeon on a cruise she wanted to take after one month from open-heart surgery. When she met him she said, “Well my, my, (with batting eyes) I didn’t know I was going to have Sidney Poitier operating on me.” There are other countless stories of her living as a socialite in the twenties and thirties and how she and her friends were able to have good clean fun without much money. The trips around the world and cruising down the Potomac are but a few. Grandma Ida was most definitely her own woman – a woman who had the likeness of a combination of the style of Dorothy Dandridge, the beauty of Lena Horne, and the feistiness of Eartha Kitt. She loved her western movies and on a warm day would enjoy a cold one. She was not your typical grandmother and that is probably what I love most about her. No topic was off limits and you would be surprised to hear some of the advice I have been given throughout the years – some of which I still have left to follow. 🙂
Grandma Ida was a woman of faith and the epitome of Proverbs 31. I could not think of an absolute song she considered her favorite, because any song with a good melody would cause her to tap her feet and bob her head. 🙂 So, the video is to the song played in her absolute favorite movie of all times which summarizes her perfectly, “Pretty Woman.”