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Ten lessons only India could have taught me.

I have spent nearly four months in India this year. I'm a better person for it. I can't say the lessons learned have been easy and that India was a paradise. They weren't and it isn't. I'm so glad I went and here are just a few of the reasons why.

1.   I have an appreciation for clean, pure drinking water. When Christ uses "living" water as figurative imagery in the Bible, I get it. I really get it. Safe drinking water was essential for survival in the hot, humid Indian climate and I learned to always carry water with me wherever I went. I'm grateful for the deeper understanding that experience gave me regarding the importance of never being far from another essential source: the words and teachings of the Savior.

2.   I'm grateful for the scientists and doctors who have devoted their life's work to preventing and immunizing children against common childhood diseases such as measles and whooping cough.

3.   I'm glad that I have been blessed with competent, accessible medical and dental care.

4.   I appreciate the education that I and my family have received. We worked hard for that knowledge, but the tools for self-improvement were readily available if we put forth the effort.

5.   I'm glad that I live in a world where women are respected and allowed to fulfill their dreams and ambitions.

6.   I am forever proud to be a citizen of the United States of America, a Country that has not yet forgotten its poor and humble. It is a privilege and an honor to pay taxes in such a country.

7.   I am so blessed to be able to read and to have ready library access to virtually any book that may catch my fancy.

8.   I appreciate all the modern conveniences of a kitchen - running water, pots, pans, plates, silverware, glasses . . . . . .all of it.

9.   I'm glad for traffic rules and regulations in the U.S. Even though I'm presently dodging a photo radar ticket, I'm still grateful for traffic safety.

10.  I love our clean air, our clean streets, and especially the garbage pick-up service.

There you have it. I could name more, but ten will have to do. Thank you, India, for humbling me. Thank you for bringing me out of my self-satisfied, smug, secure cocoon. Thank you for teaching me that I'm made of tougher stuff than I imagined. And thank you for helping me to become a human being.

May I never forget you, India. I can't. You have all my money now.

Three wonderful things about India

Well, we're home now. I've been asleep since Thursday. Mike, a man who has never been known to take a nap during the day, took THREE daytime naps. Those international flights are the pits. I medicated myself for the trip home and would have gone on to Hawaii if Mike hadn't been around to hustle me off of the airplane.

Michael, Vennila, and Stephen - what you do with your new lives is entirely up to you now. We aren't your babysitters, sponsors, or landlords. We're just your friends.

Now get busy.

Love,
Mike and Betty

WHEAR Your Seatbelts

Honestly. I'm thinking of applying for a work visa and coming over here for six months to clean house. The plan is to work for the Indian Government, what tattered remnant of that inept institution remains. I will apply for a position as an English translator. My sole responsibility will be to correct traffic and business signs. Our very favorite sign so far is "Tolet". We thought it meant "toilet" for DAYS. Then we realized there is no such thing as a public toilet. We were stumped. AHA. A light bulb went on (in Mike's head, I must confess). If a space is inserted between To and let, what do you get?

YES, my friends! There is a flat TO LET. Translation: Apartment for rent.

One thing the Indians have a great deal of confidence in is their ability to speak, read, and write English. I must sadly inform you that their confidence is ill advised. Adjectives, verb tense, adverbs, indeedy, even subjects, can appear anywhere at any time in oral conversation. "I be most pleesed to inform you Madam that your failure to understand a single word an "English Speaking Indian" is saying to you is undoubtedly YOUR fault because you are a not smartest person".

Forget trying to read anything an Indian writes. Here's the best part about the entire charade. Indians are blissfully unaware of their language limitations. They become highly offended when our eyes glaze over and we tentatively ask for a translation of the OBVIOUS written transaction. We have dozens of business transaction notices that are written in such a way that we may or may not have spent 60 rupees or 60,000 rupees at Shankar Ram's House of Physic Pleasures. Who knows? What fun it's going to be when we return home and get our Visa card bill. What we were charged for versus what we actually bought will most certainly be endlessly entertaining. We probably went to many exotic and exciting places we can't remember having ever visited.

So. Remember! WHEAR your seatbelts. and HELLMETS Save LIFES. We certainly can't fault India for its creativity. Could someone please send us an English Dictionary?  We are forgotten our own selfs how to spoke the English Tong.

The "Corpse Truck"

I can never take the good pictures. A couple of days ago, we breezed by what looked like a bread delivery truck parked on the sidewalk. On its side were written the words, "Corpse Truck. Death is not the end of life." They were picking up human remains from the street.

Just when I think I can't be stunned or surprised by India, she delivers another punch to the stomach.