Abroad

The Indian 12 Days of Christmas

This is hilarious! Click below:

The Indian 12 Days of Christmas

Just in case you're having trouble with the accent...

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: twelve cricket-ball tamperers, eleven-syllable names, ten-minute yoga, nine tele-marketers, eight Bollywood films, 7-11 workers,six IT graduates,five Indian games, four Hare-Krishnas, three butter chickens, two nosy in-laws and a totally insufficient dowry.

It's not you...

It's India. 

Where have I been?  What have I been up to?  What is India like?  How is my research going?  Why haven't I posted on my blog in a month?

Things work a bit differently here, and for better or worse, things aren't "working" as smoothly as a person with a mono-cultural western upbringing would hope.  Am I complaining?  A bit.  Learning?  A ton.  Culture-shock-ing?  Definitely.  Growing?  You bet.

Now, when I say "it's India," I don't necessarily want to blame an entire country for the fact that I haven't been posting on my blog.  What I do want to do, however, is point to the ways in which occupying space in the most populated country in the world makes it tricky to meet all of the goals you set. 

The trickiness of Delhi lies mostly in the timing of Delhi.  It simply takes a bit longer to get certain things taken care of here.  Figuring out where/how to live, finding said living space, connecting with the right people for my research, locating a place to buy contact lenses and buying a toilet seat have all been a part of my first month and a half in India (among other things, let me assure you!).  While these things have taken a bit of time, you can always count on Delhi for endless amounts of delicious Indian food, multiple locations to take passport photos, quick and easy leather book-binding, markets galore and chai to die for.

In so many ways, lots of prayer has been answered for my first month and a half in Delhi.  I am blessed to be living with a great friend, we have a safe and affordable apartment, our neighbors are amazing, and the connections I've made for my research are fantastic!  I'm planning my first interviews with TCKs and those who work with TCKs for next week, and I am making many international and Indian friends.  

One of the most exciting opportunities I'll have this year is presenting on TCKs and spiritual formation at the FIGT (Families in Global Transition) Conference this March!  I am beyond excited for this experience and honored to be part of the FIGT community.  As my research becomes more focused, I hope to blog a bit more about my findings, questions and ruminations concerning TCKs and faith. 

I am thankful for the endless support of my family, friends and loved ones as I learn how to live day-by-day a world away from the place I know as home.  God has blessed me greatly with all of you, and with this opportunity!

Seeing India

When I lived in Switzerland, I had a small veranda off of the sitting room in my apartment.  If I wanted to, I could walk to the left-hand side and lean over until I was almost horizontal and my “veranda view” would include Lac Leman (Lake Geneva).  Dorothy, we’re not in Switzerland anymore. 

Like Switzerland, there is definitely a mass of housing units across from the veranda where I now sit- but they’re in need of a paint job and the alley-way connecting them is filled with potholes.  If I lean out horizontally and to the left here at the Coffin family’s flat in Ashok Vihar, Delhi- there is a garden.   In front of the garden this morning there is a man on a riksha (pronounced: rikshaw) looking hopeful for some business as the early-rising Indians begin their days.  On the opposite side of the street there are two cars parked directly under no-parking signs.  Morning walks seem popular (perhaps necessary) and kids are making their way to school via taxis, on top of which they throw their backpacks. 

The flight over was filled with no less activity.  During the first three hours a fight broke out in one of the middle rows between 5 or 6 people, and attracted a few more people to form a small crowd.  An Indian woman began yelling at a flight attendant to call 911.  The man sitting beside me who had just finished explaining his prostate issues said, “They are acting crazy!”  That was before I went to the bathroom, which included hopping over the older woman at the end of my row, who wasn’t keen on moving from her spot once when I or the man with prostate issues had to go to the bathroom. 

That being said, Air India provided an enjoyable flight.  The flight attendants wore the most beautiful saris, they provided us with bottled water, and the food was hands down the best airline food I’ve ever had.  This morning I will go with the Coffins to VDS, along with Brendan and Jeremy (two other Americans who are staying with the Coffins right now) to see and learn a bit more about the ministry they’ve been doing among Indians and internationals for the last month or so. 

I have yet to venture far off of this veranda.  As I go this morning, I carry with me the excitement that is inevitable prior to the full onset of culture shock.   As I go this morning, I desire to lean far enough outside of the culture I carry with me in order to not only see India, but to taste, touch, and hear India- and all she has to teach me.

On Leaving

I'm doing tomorrow what many people in this world never seem to stop doing...moving to a country that is foreign to me.  As I step onto the airplane tomorrow evening (EST) I will be stepping into a calling that will take me to New Delhi, India for 9 months.  I will have the privilege of teaching for a few days under the care and supervision of my friend and colleague, Amy Coffin, at the Vineyard Discipleship School in Delhi.  I will delve into discovering the life of the english-speaking church congregations in the Delhi area, and I will dive into books on sociology, anthropology and youth ministry.  In the midst of these endeavors, I hope to connect with expatriate communities in Delhi and around India, as I seek to research and study the young men and women in this world who are constantly leaving- and constantly having to re-define home.  As I embark, I ask for your prayers that this year might be filled with much learning, much reflection, fruitful connections and lasting memories.  I am thankful that God has called me to this, and that Princeton Theological Seminary has provided me with the opportunity to do this research project.  I hope to use this blog to delve a bit deeper into my research of Third Culture Kids (those young men and women who are always on the go) and to keep my loved ones and friends informed of what I'm up to!