Not just one, but two. I received a passport stamp for Germany (and got to visit my first au pair Nastja) and my very first stamp for India. Pretty exciting, if you ask me. A few other nice things happened this month, like a birthday party for my mom's mom's mom's sister's 90th birthday, a visit to the pumpkin patch, dressing up as a cute bear for Halloween, yummy food celebrated with family and friends for Divali, and a party for everyone from the birth class (we are all growing up!). But the bulk of the experiences were in the place where I am an overseas citizen - India!
The trip was really cool. You will notice, if you take a peek at the photos at the end, my surprising lack of hair now. Or not surprising if you were following my blog earlier (or are an Indian familiar with the ancient tradition of not cutting the hair until after a year old and then shaving it). This event - my head being shaved at Appa's family temple in Madurai - was the centerpiece of the trip. It was surrounded by visits and gatherings with about a million friends and relatives who assembled from places as near as the town we were in to far-away places like New Zealand (by the way, I don't actually know how to count that high yet, but there were a lot).
We went to south India: Bangalore (in the state of Karnataka), and Madurai and Chennai (in the state of Tamil Nadu). Throughout, my senses were stimulated.
My ears heard new sounds. Many many beeps when we were driving around, ringing bells, chants, and water flowing from never ending natural springs, but mostly the rich sounds of the Tamil language. Mom was thinking that she sometimes felt like me because she didn't understand Tamil. Hopefully we can work on that.
My mouth tasted a variety of foods. Dosas and idlis. Chutney from coconut and spicy sambhar (good as long as it wasn't too spicy). Chat and home-made yogurt (a favorite). Curries. Bitter vegetables. Lentils in many forms (as a curry, and especially good in little fried cakes). Custard apples (yum!). Kamala oranges with the green skin (the best!). Little bananas from their place of origin. Guava. Panipuri. And, of course, rice.
My eyes saw many new sights. Bright and beautiful colors that the women wore daily, decorated and painted temples and the statues and candles inside, many many people in the chaotic streets busy buying things for Divali, busloads of people who would wave at me, lush mountains surrounding Madurai. Water in the river - this is quite unusual in southern India where water is so precious; Appa says that Ayamma says that there hasn't been water in the river since Appa was a child, so it was a good sign.
My nose smelled new scents. Sandalwood, ah sandalwood (mom also loves this one). Jasmine flowers in the women's hair and on my garland after my head shaving. Sweet other flowers in the backyard in Bangalore and in Madurai.
My hands felt a variety of things. Cold and smooth granite tile on the floor, bumpy oranges the size of my hand, hard keys that I used to try to unlock all kinds of things (including walls), soft silk of saris, prickly mustaches, squishy idlis, the cool crank of a coconut grinder (this thing is pretty cool).
And my heart grew. I loved meeting and playing with friends and family. I know many new aunties and uncles, great grandmothers, cousins. And all of these can be mixed up as well, you know. Friends are aunties and uncles. Cousins are sisters. Great great aunts are great grandmothers. I have a cool whistling great uncle, a bell-ringing great aunt, and another great aunt who is a good cook (especially that dish with eggplant and whole, creamy garlic cloves). And while Ayappa is no longer here, I learned that when I stand holding my hands behind my back (looking like a gentleman), I look like Ayappa because he used to do this as a baby as well, so I know part of him.
Beyond this, I actually grew during the trip! Taller by a bit, but in many more ways. I learned how to play around with my tongue more (great aunties helped me with this). I worked on learning how to unlock things (like all of those locks on wardrobes, though for now, unlocking an orange is what I am good at). I became faster at walking and can basically do a little run now. Plus I do this super cute little foot stamp thing that mom likes. When I taste something I really like I stretch out my arms straight with little fists like I am saying "Yes!" I dance a lot more now to all kinds of music and singing. I can knock on the door, especially if I want to go in. I really love that in India all of the wall switches are my height - this means I can figure out which switch controls the overhead fans, turn it on, and then go whish whish while moving my hands around and doing a little dance.
The tonsure day itself was exciting and executed smoothly. The celebrations started with a large breakfast held outside on this land next to a canal where there were coconut trees (it is best to avoid them when any fronds are coming down). The place was about an hour north of Madurai, quite close to the temple. I got to meet a lot of family. Some thought it was funny that I would go to other men more easily than the women, but eventually I would let everyone hold me. One 'uncle' even ran around quickly with me, which I found fun. And another one washed my hands. Appa's sister's husband held me for the head shaving itself, and I think I did pretty well - I didn't cry one bit (and this is unusual)! It happened very fast (my entire head of hair was gone in 1 minute, 50 seconds flat). When my hair was gone, it was much cooler, though I did feel around for my hair and wonder where it had gone. After that there was a shower and sandalwood on my head, then my new beautiful clothes that Ayamma and other family made, new shoes, a garland of jasmine flowers doubled up, and my super colorful umbrella to protect my head from the sun. We walked through the Beautiful Temple next (though I admit I did fall asleep for part of it), and then we traveled up the hill to drink the spring water, and see a smaller temple. On the way there were some monkeys, and even some bats up in the trees. The events of the day concluded with a big group lunch back in Madurai proper.
The other traditional thing that I did in India was to get my ears pierced, though if it was up to me I might have skipped this one because it hurt a little. Appa and mom said the earrings looked good on me, but in a bit we will take them out.
Finally, a bit about traveling long distances. Happily (especially for mom and Appa), everything went pretty smoothly! I did well on the planes (especially once they learned that I need more liquids and bottles on the long, dry, cross-oceanic flights). I adjusted to the ~12 hour time difference in a few days (after a few long afternoon naps). I stayed healthy (aside from some diaper rash in the moist environment and a small cold at the very end of the trip). Singapore Airlines gets an A+ for travel - they were super nice to me, picked me up and played with me, gave me a stuffed toy for each of three legs, helped mom when she needed to make bottles for me, fed us before everyone else and in stages so mom or Appa could hold me while the other ate, let me cruise up and down the aisles (I loved this), let me go up and down the stairs (yes it was a very big plane) a bunch of times when everyone else was sleeping, and the biggest perk...they gave my my very own bassinet to sleep in (which mom and Appa especially liked).
The world is a big place. But family and loved ones can be found everywhere. Thank you God for mom and Appa and family hugs.
The trip was really cool. You will notice, if you take a peek at the photos at the end, my surprising lack of hair now. Or not surprising if you were following my blog earlier (or are an Indian familiar with the ancient tradition of not cutting the hair until after a year old and then shaving it). This event - my head being shaved at Appa's family temple in Madurai - was the centerpiece of the trip. It was surrounded by visits and gatherings with about a million friends and relatives who assembled from places as near as the town we were in to far-away places like New Zealand (by the way, I don't actually know how to count that high yet, but there were a lot).
We went to south India: Bangalore (in the state of Karnataka), and Madurai and Chennai (in the state of Tamil Nadu). Throughout, my senses were stimulated.
My ears heard new sounds. Many many beeps when we were driving around, ringing bells, chants, and water flowing from never ending natural springs, but mostly the rich sounds of the Tamil language. Mom was thinking that she sometimes felt like me because she didn't understand Tamil. Hopefully we can work on that.
My mouth tasted a variety of foods. Dosas and idlis. Chutney from coconut and spicy sambhar (good as long as it wasn't too spicy). Chat and home-made yogurt (a favorite). Curries. Bitter vegetables. Lentils in many forms (as a curry, and especially good in little fried cakes). Custard apples (yum!). Kamala oranges with the green skin (the best!). Little bananas from their place of origin. Guava. Panipuri. And, of course, rice.
My eyes saw many new sights. Bright and beautiful colors that the women wore daily, decorated and painted temples and the statues and candles inside, many many people in the chaotic streets busy buying things for Divali, busloads of people who would wave at me, lush mountains surrounding Madurai. Water in the river - this is quite unusual in southern India where water is so precious; Appa says that Ayamma says that there hasn't been water in the river since Appa was a child, so it was a good sign.
My nose smelled new scents. Sandalwood, ah sandalwood (mom also loves this one). Jasmine flowers in the women's hair and on my garland after my head shaving. Sweet other flowers in the backyard in Bangalore and in Madurai.
My hands felt a variety of things. Cold and smooth granite tile on the floor, bumpy oranges the size of my hand, hard keys that I used to try to unlock all kinds of things (including walls), soft silk of saris, prickly mustaches, squishy idlis, the cool crank of a coconut grinder (this thing is pretty cool).
And my heart grew. I loved meeting and playing with friends and family. I know many new aunties and uncles, great grandmothers, cousins. And all of these can be mixed up as well, you know. Friends are aunties and uncles. Cousins are sisters. Great great aunts are great grandmothers. I have a cool whistling great uncle, a bell-ringing great aunt, and another great aunt who is a good cook (especially that dish with eggplant and whole, creamy garlic cloves). And while Ayappa is no longer here, I learned that when I stand holding my hands behind my back (looking like a gentleman), I look like Ayappa because he used to do this as a baby as well, so I know part of him.
Beyond this, I actually grew during the trip! Taller by a bit, but in many more ways. I learned how to play around with my tongue more (great aunties helped me with this). I worked on learning how to unlock things (like all of those locks on wardrobes, though for now, unlocking an orange is what I am good at). I became faster at walking and can basically do a little run now. Plus I do this super cute little foot stamp thing that mom likes. When I taste something I really like I stretch out my arms straight with little fists like I am saying "Yes!" I dance a lot more now to all kinds of music and singing. I can knock on the door, especially if I want to go in. I really love that in India all of the wall switches are my height - this means I can figure out which switch controls the overhead fans, turn it on, and then go whish whish while moving my hands around and doing a little dance.
The tonsure day itself was exciting and executed smoothly. The celebrations started with a large breakfast held outside on this land next to a canal where there were coconut trees (it is best to avoid them when any fronds are coming down). The place was about an hour north of Madurai, quite close to the temple. I got to meet a lot of family. Some thought it was funny that I would go to other men more easily than the women, but eventually I would let everyone hold me. One 'uncle' even ran around quickly with me, which I found fun. And another one washed my hands. Appa's sister's husband held me for the head shaving itself, and I think I did pretty well - I didn't cry one bit (and this is unusual)! It happened very fast (my entire head of hair was gone in 1 minute, 50 seconds flat). When my hair was gone, it was much cooler, though I did feel around for my hair and wonder where it had gone. After that there was a shower and sandalwood on my head, then my new beautiful clothes that Ayamma and other family made, new shoes, a garland of jasmine flowers doubled up, and my super colorful umbrella to protect my head from the sun. We walked through the Beautiful Temple next (though I admit I did fall asleep for part of it), and then we traveled up the hill to drink the spring water, and see a smaller temple. On the way there were some monkeys, and even some bats up in the trees. The events of the day concluded with a big group lunch back in Madurai proper.
The other traditional thing that I did in India was to get my ears pierced, though if it was up to me I might have skipped this one because it hurt a little. Appa and mom said the earrings looked good on me, but in a bit we will take them out.
Finally, a bit about traveling long distances. Happily (especially for mom and Appa), everything went pretty smoothly! I did well on the planes (especially once they learned that I need more liquids and bottles on the long, dry, cross-oceanic flights). I adjusted to the ~12 hour time difference in a few days (after a few long afternoon naps). I stayed healthy (aside from some diaper rash in the moist environment and a small cold at the very end of the trip). Singapore Airlines gets an A+ for travel - they were super nice to me, picked me up and played with me, gave me a stuffed toy for each of three legs, helped mom when she needed to make bottles for me, fed us before everyone else and in stages so mom or Appa could hold me while the other ate, let me cruise up and down the aisles (I loved this), let me go up and down the stairs (yes it was a very big plane) a bunch of times when everyone else was sleeping, and the biggest perk...they gave my my very own bassinet to sleep in (which mom and Appa especially liked).
The world is a big place. But family and loved ones can be found everywhere. Thank you God for mom and Appa and family hugs.
