I Am Thankful!!

This time of the year we are reminded that we have many things in our lives to be thankful for. Truthfully, being thankful on Thanksgiving was a fleeting thought between gorging myself on delicious food. I have never completely realized this until recently, and I feel ashamed for this realization. I think as people of comfort and good fortune (yes, everyone of you has a comfortable and fortunate life) we forget how fortunate and blessed we truly are to live the lives we do. It is easy to forget that much of the world lives with much less comfort and fortune (not just monetary) than we do. I am not pointing fingers, I am as much to blame as anyone else. Until we take ourselves out of our comfort zone can we truly reflect on how good we have it. I self-inflicted a trip outside my comfort zone this past July when I left for India. And I can truly say, in retrospect, that I am lucky to be born Christopher Alan Gehard. This realization is two fold. First, because my life has been wonderful up to this point and I miss many things from my life in the western world. Family, friends, loved ones, the touch of a beautiful loving woman, foods; my list could go on. The band Cinderella said it best "You don't know what ya got till it's gone..." insert cheesy hair metal riff. Second, I have seen everyday how many of the inhabitants of this world live, believe me it is not comfortable from a westerners point of view. While they don't know any different, so to them it is not an especially uncomfortable life. But put a westerner in their place and 98% of the time that person would not be happy. I guess the bottom line is I am thankful for everything I have in my life, and I vow to never take it for granted again.

Now I want to lighten things up a little and tell you what I am thankful for...

Family

I have the best most loving family there is. Parents who have supported me through all of my crazy adventures, schemes and ideas. Brothers, who I look up to for their wonderful and inspiring lives. And everyone else who has touched my life in a loving way.

Friends and loved ones, old and new. I truly have some of the greatest friends in this world. You know who you are. I love you guys, without you this world would be a lonely, boring place. I miss you all!!!

My health, I have enjoyed a life mostly free of bad health (knock on wood)!

This amazing world full of wonder and all the joy it has brought me over the years.

I could continue my list all night but I have bored you long enough. Thanks for listening to me. I love you all. Have a great Thanksgiving, be thankful today, cause you have so much to be thankful for.

I WANT TURKEY!!!

Not much fun, new or interesting been going on lately. We are all just trying to get the semester wrapped up, in less than 4 weeks I will be done for the semester and off on another amazing adventure, you have to stay tuned to find out what that adventure is. Anyway, I will try to squeeze out a half way interesting blog. I don't want to lose my wonderful audience. Without you guys I would be sad! So lets hear some more comments, show me some love!!

Happy Holidays to my friends and family in the U.S. I envy you, do you know that. For many reasons actually, but today I envy you because in 4 days you will be consuming all the delightful culinary treasures that come with the celebration of Thanksgiving. Lucky Dogs!!!! Obviously Thanksgiving is not celebrated in India, however, I work with enough people from the U.S. who might like to partake is a Thanksgiving celebration. Except, I think Turkey is hard if not impossible to come by here in India, I guess chicken will have to do. Speaking of foodstuff I've been missing. As an avid carnivore, 4 months without a morsel of beef leaves one with cravings. Obviously beef is impossible to get in this part of India, cows are sacred and all. However, there is a beef substitute that is fair game in this part of India, water buffalo!!I bought myself 2 kg of buffalo meat yesterday. I proceeded to make myself a pot roast, came out alright, a bit tough but very beef like.

I love to learn new skills that can benefit me now or later in life. Because this place is boring and I have lots of free time on my hands I have been engaging in many things that I have always wanted to do or learn. Earlier this semester I learned to throw pottery (thats what they call it). You know put some clay on a wheel, spin it around and make a bowl or something. So far I have made 2 bowls, a cup and a plate. They were fired a few weeks ago, they are ugly as hell but they are mine. They looked a lot better unglazed, the glazing is the hard part.

I also just recently started doing origami. Rather than sit at my desk and surf the Internet while bored at night I needed a hobby that engaged my mind and hands. I have always thought it was so cool when someone whipped out a piece of paper and folded it into a swan or something, so I got a book form the library and started it up. I can now make a box with a lid, a butterfly, a leaf and a flower from memory, and I almost have perfected the butterfly ring. I even made a nice decorative box for a friends b-day present. Her husband said no gifts, but they bought me something nice for my b-day so I have to break the rules. How nice and practical is that, a little box with a butterfly on it. Sweet huh? I am going to make a good wife someday ;) Anyway, here are a few of my creations.

One place I feel my new skill will be very appreciated is in the small villages around here. When you visit a village the children are absolutely enthralled by these different looking people. Depending on their age they might have never even seen a white dude before. I like giving them something, they have so little so even a balloon gives them a happiness that is so pure and true, it is hard to explain. You just have to see their eyes, then you would know what I am talking about. But this new found skill gives me the ability to create something right in front of them that they will love and appreciate. I can't wait to see their reactions as I create a butterfly, or flower for them.

Hope everyone is well!!! Eat some turkey for me.

Diwali - Festival of Light (ers)

Diwali is a festival of great importance in India. It could be compared to Christmas in the western world; and like Christmas it holds religious, cultural and social importance. In a general sense Diwali is a celebration of good over evil and light over darkness. Also, Diwali is a celebration to give thanks for an abundant autumn harvest and the gracious nature of various gods and goddesses. It started in the North Indian kingdom of Avadha to celebrate the last day of Lord Rama's long exile of fourteen years. As the citizens of Ayodhya eagerly awaited their beloved prince's return, they lit thousands of lamps to guide his flying vimana to their city. The tradition of lighting lamps continues and nearly every resident of our hillside town have beautiful clay oil lamps lit in front of their homes and businesses. It gives the town a beautiful warm glow.
Diwali also celebrates the gracious nature of the three goddesses, Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati. Dhanteras (two days before Diwali) is dedicated to Lakshmi, whose blessings are essential for a prosperous, fruitful and peaceful life. Kali-Chudash (the day before Diwali) is dedicated to Maha Kali whose strength we seek to maintain the wealth we have. Strength, physical, mental and spiritual, is essential for all of us to lead a happy life. Diwali itself is dedicated to goddess Saraswati. Knowledge is the ultimate wealth, for it cannot be stolen from you; it is also the ultimate strength, for it often defeats brute force.

My boys back home are going to love this! Diwali is also a festival of gambling. On Diwali many men gamble. The reasons for this are as important religiously as they are socially. It is said that in playing cards, the goddess of wealth smiles upon the player and ensures her goodwill. A popular saying states that one who does not gamble on this day will be reborn as a donkey in his next birth. Sounds like a good enough reason to me to play a little hold em'.

We went out for the smaller of the Diwali celebrations last night and the town was hopping. Some fireworks, but it was just a warm up for tonight. They say the fireworks display that can be witnessed on the larger of the Diwali celebrations rivals anything you see in the states. Our vantage point on top of the hillside gives us a view of many kilometers around, I look forward to the show. I bought a few fireworks myself, my favorite are those snapper things you throw on the ground and they make a little bang. Except they are not those little wimpy ones like back home. You can buy them here as large as a golf ball. They make a HUGE bang, but they also make you a bit nervous carrying them around in your hand.

No grand festival is complete without fireworks and some drunken debauchery, I expect nothing less from tonight's festivities. Tonight is the big night, we're going into town to check it out till about 8ish then going up to a big party in Sister’s Bazaar, should be fun. Full report with pictures by the end of the weekend.

Part Two-

Not much new to report. I went into town a tad late and most people were at home with their families doing the Puja. So I decided to go see the fireworks show that the senoirs were doing at the dorms. All I have to say is that I am glad I had my riding goggles. It was the craziest redneck fireworks display I have ever seen. It was mayhem, we are lucky that no one got their eyes put out. There was rockets shooting into the crowd, multi-shot mortar round boxes falling over on their sides and shooting into the crowd. All this and no one was wearing saftey goggles. They had 20,000 rupees worth of fireworks, over $500. You can imagine how many fireworks that will buy in India. Boxes upon boxes.

Also, I forgot to bring my camera. So no pictures. I know blog posts are boring without pictures. I will do better next time.