Socializing Marathon day 1

The morning started with a cup of ginger tea courtesy of my sister in
law, followed by a walk in the exclusive club. The club has closed the
membership for many years now and suppose I should feel privileged
to be walking there. It is clean, quiet and lush green after a down pour
for 2.5 inches the day of my arrival. We did yog(a) class after the walk
and I know that there is no such thing as American Yoga, I do like the
way Leslie teaches us. But, the class was good and a good mind/body
exercise.

Cousins

Grand Nephew

Sitafal

Smart and Silly

Exclusive Walk

Yoga

This is a festival season for India. After monsoons, the rural India cleans
up, plants the new corps and enjoys the blessings of good monsoon,
which is the life line for the agricultural economy. All Gods and
Goddesses are awake. The season starts with Lord Ganesh birthday,
then it is Goddess Durga’s pooja for nine days. This is the second day
of the Durga Pooja and there is feasting and fasting all over the town.
Everyone is dancing in the town squares and most of the city is lighted
and decorated. My family says , all the places are too crowded, noisy
and chaotic for me to go there..) so instead I had lunch with Jagdish’s
side of the family at a local five star restaurant. It was a buffet but still
we were served like VIPs and food was delicious. The bill was $8.00 per
person including the tips. Food here is cheap if you earn in dollars.
After some more tea and visit, I went for dinner at another set of nieces
and nephew’s place. ( I told you this is non stop socializing). The grand
niece is in 10th grade and has to figure out what she wants to with her
life in next couple of months. She has to decide if she should take math
or biology or social science. The decision is irreversible ( or goes only
in one direction) and determines what she will be in future for rest
 grade and has to figure out what she wants to with her
of her life. She is totally confused, likes everything ( including boys,
parties and facebook) and unlike USA she has to decide now. They
were telling horror stories of the competition in the Engineering and
Medical entrance exams. ( today there was front page news about how
some group had an elaborate and clever scheme to defeat the system
and were cheat in the tests with the examiners and lots of big money
involved). The hardship and reality of life here makes people think in
a very narrow field ( doctor, engineer or lawyer) and do what ever it
takes to get there. I suggested to have them send her to USA where
there is lot less competition and more options. ( it used to be other way
around) .

Sorry if the blog is not more interesting, I am tired from talking, need to
rest my brain a little. Namaste