Sonipat, where we live

Oh man, power just went out. Power goes out about twice a day, sometime for just a few minutes and sometimes for a few hours...

Our house is really nice, granite floors and counters, pretty nice furniture, lots of light. There are a lot of different bugs and creatures, but luckily I grew up in Florida and lived in a dingy apartment in the East Village, so I am at peace. The houses are all in a row, about eight of them on our block and eight on another block. They are plopped right in the middle of mud flats and abandoned half-built apartment buildings. There isnt much around, just water buffalo, buffalo herders and our fancy little houses.

We saw a peacock the other day while walking!

There is a village nearby with about 6000 people. At first I was worried by how remote and isolated it was, but now I appreciate how nice it is. In a country of a billlion people, lush greenery and (somewhat invasive) nature is a blessing.

We aren't really in Delhi, it takes more than two hours to get there. There is a city, Sonipat, about twenty minutes away. It has most things. There is an even larger city, Panipat, nearby that has everything else.

The thing about India is the totally overwhelming humanity. Everything is done in crowds. For instance, if say, our hot
water heater isnt working, and we call someone. The plumber comes, and so does the mechanic and the caretaker and about three other people. It is incessant.

I had mentioend earlier that we had hired a cook and househelper, but we opted not to take the cook. I just can't get used to having someone in our hosue all the time. We also asked for the maid service for just an hour each evening. I love having the help, but not at the cost of my privacy. I think Indian families are so used to having people in their house night and day (really, people in their everywhere night and day) that it must seem weird to want privacy.

The best part is the little community. It is all academics and their families. It makes for a lively community. Almost everyone is our age (a few a little younger, a few a little older). We've been going over to each other's house for coffee or tea or snacks.

Zazie and my new firend Usha's baby are the only children right now. We are in temporary housing until the faculty housing on campus is built. I think more children will come at that time. I really need to find some kids for her to
play with. She is an amazon baby here. We met the buffalo herder's children the other day and there was one little third grader. Zazie was a full head taller than her. No one can believe she is just three.

I've been cooking lots of Indian food. I found the Web site of India's most celebrated chef, Sanjeev Kapoor. It has very tasty recipes. Because it is so hard to come by non-Indian groceries, cooking Indian food seems the way to go. Still it is a little hard because I dont recognize any of the vegetables. I have mastered paneer and yogurt though.

Whee, power is back on.