Power Outages

I've posted before about the daily power outages in Bangalore. I stopped complaining about it somewhere along the way b/c i figured out it doesn't fix the problem to complain:) So as I write this I'm not grumbling:) I just like to paint a realistic picture of life in developing countries for my friends and family living in the U.S. Knowing what you have that many others don't makes your blessings (like continuous power) that much sweeter.

I'm not up on the details of energy consumption in India but from our daily experience, I gather there's not enough to go around for 1 billion people, which is understandable. So each day there are multiple outages and even scheduled outages to conserve energy.

For instance, last week we had a hair appt for the boys at 12pm at a salon down our street. When we arrived the power was out...which we're all used to...so we just took a seat. They informed us that without the power they couldn't use the electric clippers for the boys hair. Most businesses and buildings (like ours) have back-up generators that bring low-voltage power back on until the main power is restored. Amazingly this popular chain salon didn't have one. So they told us to go home and they'd call us when it came back on. In about 30 minutes they called to tell us it was on so we loaded up and drove back. We got through 2 haircuts and just as they were beginning Haddon's the power went out again:( His hair requires full clippers so I should have had him go first but wasn't thinking strategically:) So we sat there and waited, about 45 minutes, and it never came back on. Finally, we went back home for naps. What usually would be about a 20 minute process took almost 2 hours. Last night we went back to finish the hair cutting project but not before I called to make sure their power was on:)

The city schedules 1 hour outages for each part of Bangalore. At our complex last week, our outages were at 6am and 6pm everyday. This week is 7am/7pm. I have to say it's better than when they were being scheduled at 2 am and 2 pm for about 2 weeks! What this means is getting out of bed to turn off the refrigerator b/c the current can't handle high voltage appliances. And unless someone switches off the fridge, the power surges on and off (meaning our ceiling fans when we are sleeping). Thankfully it doesn't wake the boys up, but for me the silence/power/silence/power is a little too much to sleep thru:) Sometimes they even throw in an extra outage at noon. Although these are not peak appliance usage times for most Indians...it translates into meal prep times for Americans 12 pm:lunch, 6pm:dinner:) Also, when the generator is on, the high voltage appliances like microwaves, washer/dryer, and water heaters don't work. So many of our laundry loads get spoiled from sitting either wet in the washer or wet in the dryer for an hour at a time:) My friend who owns a home without a generator says her daughter does her homework by candlelight in the evenings b/c of their outage schedule:) She says her daughter thinks it's fun:)

But like I said, now it's like second nature...it doesn't usually bother me. But after the salon incident it did remind me of the beauty of continuous power:) And had to share. BTW as I'm typing this right now our power went out:) 7:15-8:15pm schedule. Everyone who owns a computer also owns a UPS back-up battery to make sure the computer doesn't shut down when the lights do:D Thank goodness for those!

Out and About

Brian's Day Off
Last week we went for a family outing to Wonderla...an amusement park outside of Bangalore. We went last year for Corban's birthday but didn't ride the land rides. So this time we did the waterpark and the rides. It was great b/c school is in here so there were no lines.
4th of July
On Saturday night I was so happy to be able to get together with my friend Lisa and some of her neighbors for a Girl's Nite Out. It ended up being 5 Americans and one British girl who recently moved from Cincinnati:) I'm not often around Americans so to spend the 4th of July with so many was great. And not to mention getting to have whole conversations without any distractions or interruptions (which is normally how moms interact) was a bonus:)
Perfect Weather
I hate to rub it in to my Texas and Louisiana friends and family who are surviving sweltering heat and drought...but just incase you are curious:) Bangalore has a very mild climate. We are past the summer months, which do get hot, but only last about 2 months. Yesterday with the windows open it even felt chilly...i had to put on a jacket. So if you need a break from the heat there's always Bangalore:)

Brian's Work

I can't remember if I've posted this previously.
This video describes what Ujjivan does. This might give you a better picture of what Brian is doing and what the word microfinance means. Brian's department is responsible for processing loans and making sure these funds get smoothly into the hands of their clients.

Insignificant Thoughts

Here are some random bits that have no importance but thought I might share to further the glimpse of our life in India:)...Nugget Depletion
As I reported a month or so ago, McDonald's introduced chicken nuggets to India...apparently with much success. Although I don't care for them, the kids do and it brings along some great sentimentality of the U.S. But after a few short weeks here the supply has run out (represented by signs at each cash register in every McDonald's we've visited recently (3:). It says another batch is coming which I assume means they are being flown across the ocean. We are back to our Chicken McGrill (a spicy, orange chicken patty with green mint chutney sauce which we opt out of) happy meals. But despite any shortages I am thankful for McDonalds in India...a slice of home.Threading
After almost 2 years of living here I finally succumbed to the torturous act of having my eyebrows threaded. There is no eyebrow waxing here only the amazing art of threading. This requires the stylist to use a long loop of thread, catching your hairs in between and painfully twisting them out. Since mine were long over due I believe I got more pain than is normally required. Even though neither threading nor waxing is pain-free, I do think its better to pay $1 for threading than $15+tip for waxing in the U.S.! Here is a demo for those interested in seeing the process. Ignore the statement at the beginning that it is painless--not true:) And to get the full effect wait until she shows the close-up version:) (Couldn't embed it, sorry) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK6Y12IpCpMWeaned
As I observed an Indian women buying toilet paper, paper towels and Ragu sphaghetti sauce (which costs over $5 a jar here!!), I assumed that she must have previously lived in the U.S. at some point in her life. These 3 items are not usually on an Indian's shopping list unless they have lived abroad or are hosting foreign guests:) At that moment I had an amazing revelation... I have been weaned off of paper towels for 1.5 years now!!!! Really this is an amazing feat...just ask my mom...i can go thru a roll of paper towels at their house in about 2 days! How did I detox? It wasn't on purpose...it's just that the paper towels sold here are not that absorbent so I didn't see the point in them. Now I use a hand towel to dry my hands and dish towels to wipe up spills, etc. Which, i agree, is more eco-friendly but this doesn't mean that I won't bask in the luxery of paper towels when visiting the states:) And btw, I usually buy a 4-pack when staying at my mom and dad's house to make up for my serious over-usage:)

Domino Packets are Good for Something
With every order of Dominos pizza you get little packets (and more little packets) of Oregano Seasoning and Chili Powder. Since Italian seasoning is not available in stores I use the packets of Oregano to make sphaghetti sauce (can't do the $5 Ragu jars...just can't do it) and season salads. I know a few other foreigners (and probably many more) who do the same thing:) We all eat alot of Dominos:)
Washing's not Enough
Recently learned from a doctor that sewer water is used by many farmers to irrigate their crops. Ah, yummy. I already detox our produce in special cleansing suds then rinse with purified water, but she said anything that grows in the ground (i.e. carrots, spinach, cabbage) should sit in a covered pot of boiled water for 20 minutes. The sewer water, carrying parasites and bacteria, contaminates the produce. That could explain our on-and-off-again family stomach issues the last 2 years, including ecoli. So now I'm sold, and scald our carrots, spinach, etc. I'm a raw veggie girl myself but gotta do watcha gotta do. Not all doctors agree with her. Our pediatrician laughed when I told her. Makes sense to me.

Graduation Day!

I've always thought elementary/middle school graduations were silly. What are you really graduating from or to when you finish 1st grade or 5th grade? You're going to the next grade...big deal:) But after completing our first year of homeschool I am all about GRADUATION and celebration now! Why yes, there is cause to celebrate after completing kindergarten!! Not only for Corban but for me:) Btw, I found kindergarten much more informative the second go round:) I actually learned some things I don't ever remember learning:) Just think of all that I will learn in the next 15+ years of homeschooling!

Today was our last day of school so we made a construction paper graduation hat and a cookie cake to celebrate. And we went for a swim...one of Corban's favorite things to do. It was a great day.

Corban also learned to tie his shoe last week. We watched a few youtube demos, he sat down and tied his own shoe in about five minutes! It goes to show that if you wait until they are ready it goes ALOT faster. I had tried teaching him before but it didn't compute. Now he's tying every time. I'll have to remember this as I start Kai on hardcore potty training next week. When he's ready he'll do it...i'm just afraid from what I've seen so far he may not be ready for another year:) But atleast I can say I tried:)

Favorite Billboard

This is a picture of our favorite billboard in Bangalore. It is for a famous retail chain that sells gold jewelry. (Gold is the jewelry of choice for both women and men) Although this "look" is nothing unusual for India, he appears to Brian and me to have that Used Car Salesman nuance:D So, all this to say, most people in Bangalore probably don't think twice about this billboard but we think it should say...
ARE YOU BEING DUPED....BY ME? :D :D :D

Celebrating Corban and Brian's B-days

We had a great weekend celebrating Corban's b-day on Friday and Brian's on Monday. We spent Friday at an amusement park called Innovative Film City--a copy of Universal Studios. It included a Dinosaur park/museum complete with a life size T-Rex with a dead, bleeding man(nequin) in it's mouth! Is this place really for kids? Go-carts, skating rink, minature golf, Ripley's Believe it or Not museum, wax museum, arcade, 4-D movie, kids dress up area, etc. It was a great day and ended with yummy cake before bed:)
Saturday Brian and I got to go to Hard Rock Cafe to celebrate his birthday early...and alone. Burger, fajitas and nachos plus brownie sunday--nothing better in Bangalore. Monday we had more cake and ice cream from our dear friend Sini plus Brian's other fav--apple pie.
Corban is now 6 and Brian 31. Growing boys:)