Sadly, this is the final blog from India (however, future blogs will emanate from Japan). Here’s a look back at personal highlights in India, along with some very memorable photos.
I had been in town only a week and attended my first of many Hindu weddings. This is Mohit’s Bharat, February 2012.
Men hold hands in India. I assure you, they are just good buddies. I doubt they’ve ever seen an episode of GLEE.
My first Holi, March 2012. You have to love the festival of colors.
My source of chicken came from the “toe trimmer.” Holding the knife with his toes leaves both hands free for peak efficiency.
Qutab Minar is Delhi’s most famous landmark.
Monkeys are everywhere and can be a real nuisance. They are particular about the trash they select.
Chasing monkeys is the langur’s job, shown here commuting to work.
My family arrived in July 2012. We held a Puja ceremony in our new home to chase away the evil spirits.
This was quickly followed by a trip to the Taj Mahal, which was commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite of 3 wives. She died during delivery of their 14th child. The Taj was completed in 1643.
Kayla entered her junior year of high school while Greg started middle-school in August 2012.
Auto rickshaws are readily available, and a quick and fun source of transportation…
… which are also used for deliveries (however, I cannot confirm if this delivery was successful).
Other delivery methods include the bicycle (eggs in this case)…
… and the pedi-rickshaws. There are no limits.
Ganesha is the most common deity in Hinduism (remover of obstacles).
Buddhist Monks need ATM’s just like the rest of us.
We attended Kapil and Jaspreet’s wedding in September 2012.
This visit to Nepal in November 2012 was memorable for its architecture. Sadly, much has been ruined by the recent earthquakes.
This photo from the holy banks of the Bagmati river in Kathmandu remains a mystery (the body is being washed in preparation for cremation).
During desert camping outside of Jodhpur, Greg and I visited villages where sustenance farming is the norm (there’s no electricity or modern conveniences). These young children were amazed when Greg played back the video he recorded of them.
Later that evening, our camp host captured this time-lapse photo. That’s the north star in the center.
Back in Delhi, you can see how the old world clashes with the modern world – one tray of dirt at a time.
There is a lot of wisdom behind this smile.
15 people are featured in the photos above. There seems to be no limit how many people will fit on a 2-wheeler.
Festive season is always fun. Here, the evil 10-headed Ravana is used in car advertising.
Kayla took on the task of encouraging female empowerment through dance. Focusing on 35 girls from a local slum, she hosted a program which delivered a powerful message to the community at large.
Floating markets are common outside of Bangkok.
This tiger’s attention span was equal to the amount of milk in the bottle.
When our search for ballerinas came up dry, we hired Bollywood dancers and taught them ballet moves for our viral video.
Master Blaster, Sachin Tendulkar, provided the perfect payoff to the video.
The Ajunta Caves were a true highlight of India. Buddhist monks hand-carved the caves some 2000 years ago. Amazing.
Rafting the holiest of holy rivers, the Ganges, was a big thrill.
The crowd exuberance was overflowing on the day after Modi’s historic, landslide election victory in May 2014. I will always cherish my interactions with these elated well-wishers.
Kayla holds her high school diploma from the American Embassy School in New Delhi (May 2014).
Posing in front of India Gate is a graduation tradition. Kayla and friends added an extra dimension with a synchronized jump.
Sprinting with the tri-color to within inches of the Pakistani boarder (without getting shot) created huge cheers from the crowd.
Blending in with the locals in Amritsar was fun.
Watching rhinos at Kaziranga rates as one of our top Indian experiences.
This lunch-time scene at the Pardada Pardadi School is indelibly etched in our minds.
Thanks to the efforts of Sam Singh and his dedicated staff, the future looks bright.
As of today, May 29, Greg is a middle school graduate. Now it’s on to high school in Tokyo beginning in August.
We moved to India as a family of four, and today transition to Tokyo as a family of three (plus a dog). Kayla is spending her summer break in Germany, then Tokyo before returning for her sophomore year at Dickinson College in the U.S.
We have so many highlights, but number one by far is the people. Everyone has been so warm and welcoming – providing guidance and deep cultural immersion. We will miss everyone tremendously. Thank you all for a wonderful three years. On to Tokyo. ts
Ukrainian Tom 