Life and Lessons in New Delhi, India

So my blog seems to have an identity crisis. It has changed it's appearance many times and is still figuring out it's personality ;)

Today, while trying to kill a black jumping spider, I stopped to think how my life has changed in the last 10 months since our family arrived in New Delhi. I have come to realize that in India there are only two things I can control: what I eat for dinner, and working out! So this post may be a tad bit long but I wanted to share 10 things I have learned in the last 10 months:

1. They grow 'em big in India. Lizards, snakes, spiders...whatever it is it will be big and it will probably be living inside your house!

This is Larry. He lives in our kitchen. From nose to tail he is the size of my forearm! 

2. India is full of beautiful colors! From saurees to spices, the colors here are vibrant and pleasing to the eyes.

3. Cleaning your house is literally impossible! No matter how much you dust, sweep, and mop you will never get the dust (or bugs) out of your house!

4. Every price is negotiable. The key word is "discount" and almost anything you want to buy will magically cost less. It's so wonderful.

5. Time doesn't matter...Literally! If someone says they will be somewhere at 5pm you can count on it being 8 or 9pm or perhaps even a day or two late. If a drive somewhere is suppose to take 30 mins you can guarantee that with traffic it will take over and hour; especially if you don't own your own car and are using an auto rickshaw. (Oh, and never forget your kindle and camera in an auto rickshaw :(



6. Everyday is some sort of holiday or festival! Fireworks, drums, singing, lights, and much more can be heard outside your window during the evenings. It's rather exciting to take a peak outside and watch.



7. Water is a luxury! I never understood how much I took water for granted until we moved here and had a few days without water pumping into our house. We have to buy bottled water from a store on our street and once or twice the store was all out so showers turned into baby wipes!

8. You can get just about anything delivered straight to your door! Mcdonalds, (I have acquired a taste for egg burgers) groceries, diapers, toiletries, you name it, straight to your door and delivery is free! :)

9. 90 degree weather is not hot. 118 degree weather is hot, especially when you are trying to buy veggies in a little street market with hundreds of other people pushing up against you!



10. You will never understand how good you have it until you come face to face with a street child in rags pulling on your clothes. For many people their only bed is a mat on the streets.



I have the incredible opportunity of teaching a girl who used to beg on the streets how to read. So while kids in America are complaining about going to school, a ten year old girl is saying that she is "living her good life" because she is learning how to read and write.

So despite the fact that there are really ugly bugs and lizards, and despite the fact that the power can be out for  most of the day, and despite the fact that water could possibly not pump for a few days, and despite the fact that my house often smells like the sewers, I have come to appreciate my time in India. Life is full of adventures and sometimes you don't truly find yourself until you embark on one.

So I have learned this about myself,

I love to teach; especially reading and language arts
I love children; even the broken-hearted and hurting
I enjoy cooking (India has some AMAZING recipes)
I love to create and be imaginative
I am an author; my mind is filled with stories that are just waiting to meet a pen and paper (or a keyboard and microsoft word)

What have you learned about yourself recently?

*Some of the pictures are my own while others are just stock photos.