Newest #1 Attraction at the Hyderabad Zoo

Today, Allison, Page and I visited the zoo in Hyderabad aka the Nehru Zoological Park. The zoo is huge, laid out over almost 400 acres. So large in fact you can purchase tickets to ride through in your car. We first saw a huge tortoise and some amazing macaques, then it was off to see the cats. It was at this point we discovered the #1 attraction at the zoo.....us! Before leaving the cats, bears, and aviaries, we were asked again and again to take photos with the other zoo visitors. I am frankly amazed our driver, Khaleel, was able to contain his laughter as we started cracking jokes about being the top draw at the zoo that day. The young guys seemed especially interested in getting individual shots next to the girls.
The Safari ride was great, getting to see the animals up close and experiencing Indian driving at it's wildest.

After the zoo, we moved on to a different sort of wildlife, the cattle, water buffalo and goats that live in the city. While waiting for Allison to cash her traveler cheques, Page and I fell in love with the cutest goat. Hum mm.... Wonder what Charlie, Rev and Macy would think of sharing the loft with a bottomless pit? Oh, yeah, wait. We already have that, it's called Chase.

Indian Potluck

This blog is being posted for the sole reason to make all of my coworkers in Omaha jealous.....and hungry.  Today, the CSC KieCore Team hosted a potluck.  And while the pictures do speak for themselves, I would just like to go on record as saying......"Yum", it was delicious! 

The team spent a great hour chatting and getting to know others.  I had the pleasure of talking with the women on the CSC Team.  I can only hope their husbands never find out the source of the discussions/advice we shared.......I'm learning wives and husbands are the same the world around.

Musings After Two Weeks

The whiny side of me:

• Who knew it would take 5-10 minutes for the water to get hot.....a cold shower it was.
• After 50 mosquito bites, have I given my yearly quota of blood?
• If I repeat myself for the tenth time, will the shopkeeper understand me then?
• Why am I expected to go get cash when your store has lost electricity and you can't swipe my credit card?
• Who knew a hole in the floor was considered a toilet, made me miss the outhouse on Grandma's farm!  And we won't even discuss the lack of toilet paper.

The "in awe" side of me:

• The traffic, I just love being driven around in the traffic!
• The graciousness of the Indian people.
• The great difference between the have and have nots, and the absolute dignity all maintain.
• The shopping.........I'm almost scared to see the damage Page will do.
• Did I mention the traffic?!
• The food, my family will never believe how spicy of food I eat.  So delicious!
• The absolute beauty of this country.

Did you know?

• A power strip is call an electrical extension board with spike?
• Most tea and coffee is drank with a very healthy dose of milk.....they brew it very strong.
• Vendors won't accept currency with a tear, you have to exchange it at a bank.
• The newest song craze is "Why This Kolaveri Di", go watch it on uTube, it will be stuck in your head for days!

Final musings, not once have I regretted my decision to come to India.  Each day I look forward to learning more about India and her people.  I can't wait for each adventure ahead, this is truly the gift of a lifetime!

One Week In

So ends my first week in India and I am even more impressed with this beautiful country than when I first arrived.  So much is different and yet the same.  Posted you will find some of the typical photos and some not so typical.  We visited the Birla Mandir Temple, and while it was lovely, the moment I remember best is the young boy flying his kite on a nearby rooftop.  There was no great expanse of park, only a small rooftop from which to perform his kite tricks.  He gave me a small heartache when he lost his string and launched himself partially off the rooftop to catch it before the kite was lost. 
I move into my home next Saturday and have already met some of my neighbors.  It was my good luck that one of them is an officer of the local expat association.  Friday, I attended their weekly BBQ and met several wonderful couples from around the world.  The association is heavily into volunteer work and Page should be able to find great opportunities to keep herself busy while here.

This week begins the real work.  Ani and I will be outlining our travel schedule between the various vendor sites and establishing our ongoing meeting schedule.  In December, we will attend CSC's 2011 Technology and Business Solutions Conference.  All the vendor's have been most gracious and we look forward to our future interactions with them.

A Time for Firsts

Today begins a journey of so many "firsts".  My first cab ride; it was really quite placid as it was so late at night, though I did have a few glimpses of what to expect.  My first taste of Indian hospitality, so gracious, inquisitive and helpful.  My first viewing of Indian television, an interesting combination of US and Indian shows.  My first Indian breakfast, fresh figs and other fruits, adai (crispy lentil and rice pancake) with amazing dips, watermelon juice, and sweet lassi (yum).  I ponder to think how my taste buds will adjust to heat of Hyderabad cooking as breakfast caused me to break into a sweat. 
This week is just the start of experiencing India and all that is unique to its culture.  I can't even guess how my view of this world will be changed at end of my time here, but I look forward to every moment as this journey unfolds.

A Farewell of Gratitude

How could I have ever imagined my strongest emotion the day before I leave for India is one of gratitude.  There were so many others I would have guessed previously in thinking about this day.  But you, my family, my friends and my coworkers have made this a day where thoughts center on how amazing each of you are, how you have brought so much color and depth to my life, and how truly special you have made me feel.  While leaving you is not easy, I think about the many new friends I will find in India and wonder how we will learn and grow from each other.

So enough of being sappy, since you all know how much I hate to cry.  Onto a huge "thank you" for all of the send off gifts, luncheons, dinners, and drinks.  I would like to go on record that last night at the Moon was a stellar evening for me.  And since I am trying to maintain a "clean" site, none of you need worry about me telling any of your secrets from the get together.   And.....I would just like to go on record that for once, I did not seem to suffer any major type of calamity as is my usual mode of operation.  It was truly a night for the record books.  Mark it on the calendar, hon, it will probably be another 26 years before you get off so easy again.

Here's to my next post being overseas.  Cheers!

T - 3 and counting

Just 3 full days now before I leave Nebraska and my family behind. My luggage is out, but nothing is packed. It's almost as if I don't pack I won't have to leave them behind. And yet I want to go, it's one of my fondest dreams to travel. There is a new world, a new job, and many grand adventures awaiting me.....how could I not want to see what's behind the curtain? Dorothy and Toto are near and dear to my heart, now I will join them in Oz. I thank my family for their willingness to help me along in my journeys.

How do you pack for 6 months in a different country?

As I sit here watching Killer Mountain and am T -6 days to India, I ask myself.....what have I gotten myself in to? How awesome is it to live the dream you have had since forever? Am I as strong as I think I am? And....just how am I supposed to pack for 6 months of living in a country and culture I have never experienced. I won't even pretend to have all of the answers, but I am optimistic that even if I don't pack perfectly, I will take care of the essentials. Just hope my suitcases are big enough because my heart and curiosity are. Thank you Kiewit for giving me this opportunity. This little girl (and I don't mean that in a bad way) from Kansas, who now lives in Nebraska, is on her way to India and my life will never be the same again. India, my heart and mind are yours for the next 6 months.