Well, 5 1/2 months into my assignment here in India and have been exposed to A LOT of new experiences, but it really wasn't until this past month that I've been able to start enjoying some of the things that I enjoyed back in the states. This post is more about things I've been enjoying outside of work...so yes, I've started to strike a better work/life balance.
But first--time for SHOUT OUTS -
Sept. 23rd - Happy Birthday to my big sis...HAPPY B-DAY COLL! Love ya and wish I could be celebrating with you.
Golfing -
The weather here in Hyderabad has finally broken and it hasn't been raining as much, which means that I've been playing more golf. The course I play at is pretty decent, and very difficult in my opinion--lots of boulders and narrow fairways...luckily there aren't many water hazards, but still losing my share of balls.
I thought I'd share some of my recent experiences on the links--
Also this past week I've started walking/running every morning and evening--my driver comes to my place in the morning and I give him my computer bag and backpack with my clothes and just tell him to head to the golf course and wait for me there. Then I run (ok, more like a light jog right now) to the course, which is 3.5 miles one way from my place. It's actually a pretty nice run and I found a short cut...not one that involves me climbing hills and scurrying under fences, but one that is off the main roads. It's not so much the run/exercise that I look forward to every morning and evening, but it's the people and kids that I see along the way that I look forward to seeing. The way they look at me is still a bit like I'm some freak in a circus, but I've gotten used to the stares and instead I just look and observe...
Besides my trip back to Seattle next week, one of the other trips I've been looking most forward to was my trip to Goa, which is a coastal state in India that is known for it's beaches. In fact, when I ask people from India to tell me 3 places that I have to visit while in India, EVERY single one of them has mentioned Goa in that list...and I can see why after visiting--it was beautiful. I love the sun, water and beaches, but it was getting see my friend from Maryland, Kecia, that I really was looking forward to the most. We met back in 2002 in Georgetown at a conference/training for newbies starting to work in higher education admissions--
I posted all my pics from Goa on Facebook, so check them out, but also wanted to call out the place that we stayed was far and away one of coolest places I've stayed in all my travels--amazing house and super friendly staff, it was called Vivenda Dos Palhacos and here is the website if you want to check it out..and click on the "Getting Here" tab if you want to get a better idea of Goa and the number of beaches--I will definitely be returning! http://www.vivendagoa.com/
RANDOM ADD-IN's -
Email from my mom
Those of you who know my mom won't be surprised by what I'm going to share, and for those of you who don't know my mom, well, this is why everyone loves her...Mom, sometimes I wonder what's going on in your head as you're writing an email like this because I just laugh thinking of you trying to put Chewy's voice to it --
Do you recognize me? Grandpa and Grandma took me to get a bath and a haircut....how do you like it? I'm tuckered out from such a busy morning but I wanted to send you a picture of me so you won't forget me. I like it with Grandma and Grandpa but it is not the same as with you. Miss you lots. They tell me you are going to fly home next week, hope you have a safe trip(that is something I don't miss...flying) but I will miss seeing you. Will you say hi(woof) to all my friends at the playground and all our friends in Seattle. Please send me a picture of you, so I can put it by my(yes,my very own mattress)bedside. Have a safe trip and have a great visit!!! Lots of doggie kisses, Chewy
I can't make this stuff up...this is what she wrote and then attached this pic of Chewy (my dog...although I'm a little worried that "grandma and grandpa" are starting to forget that). Sorry mom--had to share it ;-).
Teri Meri Kahaani
While I was working out at the gym the other week, this video came on the tv and I just couldn't stop watching it...so there I stood holding onto dumbbells staring at one of the infamous Bollywood dance/song scenes -- definitely worth a watch: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/more/videos/view/showing/movie-promos/sort/What's%20New/id/1441706
And the day after I saw the video, I was at the mall and walking by this music/video store and saw this huge poster. At that point I knew it was meant for me to share in my blog...that I thought it funny that it looks like they totally airbrushed Tom Cruise's face on the guy in this poster.
DEEPAK Thoughts by Keith -
- "You can't judge a book by its cover", is a saying that I truly do believe, and never more so than after my first run through the area I mentioned above where people were living in tents constructed of tarps, boards and any other materials that would provide shelter. My first reaction was, 'how sad...I feel sorry for them.' Yet day after day I would run by their "homes" and see how happy they were and realized it's not the physical walls that makes a happy home, but the people/family you're surrounded by in that home.
This is my last post before returning to Seattle for a couple weeks (Sept. 27-Oct. 11) for some work meetings and trainings...and long overdue catching up with friends, so won't be posting for probably about 3-4 weeks, but no worries--next post will have lots of pics I'm sure of my time in Seattle!!
But first--time for SHOUT OUTS -
Sept. 23rd - Happy Birthday to my big sis...HAPPY B-DAY COLL! Love ya and wish I could be celebrating with you.
Golfing -
The weather here in Hyderabad has finally broken and it hasn't been raining as much, which means that I've been playing more golf. The course I play at is pretty decent, and very difficult in my opinion--lots of boulders and narrow fairways...luckily there aren't many water hazards, but still losing my share of balls.
I thought I'd share some of my recent experiences on the links--
- There are always at least 3-4 holes where I feel like Tiger Woods--meaning that I have a small group of Indians watch me tee off and then follow me along that hole watching me play out. I have to give it to those pro's--I can't imagine having hundreds of people watching and not choke. My friends--Tommy, Nate, Stefan, Jeff, Matt and Derma (pictured below from one of our past 'guy weekends' in Pittsburgh...Nate must've been passed out in the limo or taking the pic--my guess is passed out) can attest that I don't play well under pressure...awww hell, who am I kidding, I don't play well period...which brings me to my next point
- One of my goals when I came out here and found out there was a golf course only 3.5 miles from my place, and just across the street from my office, was to improve my game. It would be great to return to the states being able to score consistently in the low 70's--and at that point I can stop saying, "You know, I don't really care what my score is, I just enjoy being outside and driving around in a cart", which we all know is something that us "average to below average players" say to keep us going back round after round ;-).
- The past few times I've played, I have gone out alone and been the ONLY one on the course...or at least I haven't come across any other players in front of, or behind me, which is heaven. It means that I'm getting to hit a couple balls on each hole. It's also given me some time to think about the game of golf--I think a rule change they should make for the game is that each player gets 3 hits...kind of like baseball with 3 strikes. If that were to happen, my last round of 9, I would've shot a 41...instead of a 50. So if anyone comes to visit me in HYD and we go golfing, just be prepared to play India rules (aka my rules)
- I mentioned that the golf course is the one place in India that I think I can go and be alone, which is completely opposite in the states. I also thought it funny that the other day, I didn't see any people on the course for the first 5 holes, but I saw 3 peacocks, 2 roosters, 2 goats and 1 cow...on the course! That's India and ya gotta love it!
- I know at some point, everyone has had to skip a hole because work was being done on it...but I don't think anyone can say they've had to skip a hole before because of this scene...there was no sign at the tee box that the hole was being worked on, or closed. Luckily for all these workers that were literally pulling up the fairway, when I teed off I missed the fairway slightly--ok, this was one of the holes I lost my ball...who knows though, maybe I hit straight down the fairway out of my sight and one of these workers decided to keep it because it was the best tee shot they had every scene!!
- And last, and probably funniest, point I'll make on golfing here in India is that I've probably played at least 10 rounds of golf so far since I've been here...and it wasn't until the very last time I played that I was finishing up on the 18th hole and hit a great lobe shot onto the green and putted out for par. I was feeling pretty damned good after parring the last hole b/c there's another saying that sucky players always say, or think--"it doesn't really matter how I play the whole round, as long as I play well on the very last hole...because playing well on that last hole gives you hope and makes you come back for more!" Anyway, as I was heading toward the club house, one of the golf course attendants drives beside me in his cart and says "you know that is the 14th green you hit onto and putted out? The 18th green is over that pond." All I could say was, "Oh, thanks." I HAD PLAYED 10 rounds of golf and been hitting onto the 14th green all 10 rounds!! And because there were never any other players on the course, I didn't know any better. Actually, the first round I played, I remember seeing a water hazard on the score card for the 18th hole, which meant that pulled out one of my shitty golf balls that I didn't care if I lost in the water (another point us 'average joe's' do), but when I got close to the green, I told myself, "Oh, the water hazard must've dried up." So I didn't think anything strange about it--forget the fact that it had been raining at least once a day, I'm not too proud to admit that one, but if I'm sharing all my experiences with you--that means the good, bad and dumb ass moments.
Also this past week I've started walking/running every morning and evening--my driver comes to my place in the morning and I give him my computer bag and backpack with my clothes and just tell him to head to the golf course and wait for me there. Then I run (ok, more like a light jog right now) to the course, which is 3.5 miles one way from my place. It's actually a pretty nice run and I found a short cut...not one that involves me climbing hills and scurrying under fences, but one that is off the main roads. It's not so much the run/exercise that I look forward to every morning and evening, but it's the people and kids that I see along the way that I look forward to seeing. The way they look at me is still a bit like I'm some freak in a circus, but I've gotten used to the stares and instead I just look and observe...
- I see kids standing on big rocks getting washed while their mother pours buckets of water over them and soaps them up,
- I see mothers and fathers sweeping out their homes, which are man-made tents with dirt floors, but they're taking pride in their home,
- I see families sitting together for breakfast in the morning, with the kids dressed in their school uniforms and the moms brushing out their daughters hair,
- I see kids playing tag, cricket and other games in the evening,
- I see infants playing with rocks and sticks pretending that the rocks are cars as they push them along and the sticks are swords,
- Basically, I see some amazing people every morning and evening on my walk/run to/from work who seem SO happy with what they have...and I feel a little ashamed that during my first run past all their homes, I thought "oh, that's so sad that they have to live like that." Yet, after going by their homes now for the past week, I think "oh, they seem so happy and it seems like such a tight knit community." See my DEEPAK Thoughts by Keith for the slogan this captures...
Besides my trip back to Seattle next week, one of the other trips I've been looking most forward to was my trip to Goa, which is a coastal state in India that is known for it's beaches. In fact, when I ask people from India to tell me 3 places that I have to visit while in India, EVERY single one of them has mentioned Goa in that list...and I can see why after visiting--it was beautiful. I love the sun, water and beaches, but it was getting see my friend from Maryland, Kecia, that I really was looking forward to the most. We met back in 2002 in Georgetown at a conference/training for newbies starting to work in higher education admissions--
RANDOM ADD-IN's -
Email from my mom
Those of you who know my mom won't be surprised by what I'm going to share, and for those of you who don't know my mom, well, this is why everyone loves her...Mom, sometimes I wonder what's going on in your head as you're writing an email like this because I just laugh thinking of you trying to put Chewy's voice to it --
Do you recognize me? Grandpa and Grandma took me to get a bath and a haircut....how do you like it? I'm tuckered out from such a busy morning but I wanted to send you a picture of me so you won't forget me. I like it with Grandma and Grandpa but it is not the same as with you. Miss you lots. They tell me you are going to fly home next week, hope you have a safe trip(that is something I don't miss...flying) but I will miss seeing you. Will you say hi(woof) to all my friends at the playground and all our friends in Seattle. Please send me a picture of you, so I can put it by my(yes,my very own mattress)bedside. Have a safe trip and have a great visit!!! Lots of doggie kisses, Chewy
I can't make this stuff up...this is what she wrote and then attached this pic of Chewy (my dog...although I'm a little worried that "grandma and grandpa" are starting to forget that). Sorry mom--had to share it ;-).
Teri Meri Kahaani
While I was working out at the gym the other week, this video came on the tv and I just couldn't stop watching it...so there I stood holding onto dumbbells staring at one of the infamous Bollywood dance/song scenes -- definitely worth a watch: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/more/videos/view/showing/movie-promos/sort/What's%20New/id/1441706
And the day after I saw the video, I was at the mall and walking by this music/video store and saw this huge poster. At that point I knew it was meant for me to share in my blog...that I thought it funny that it looks like they totally airbrushed Tom Cruise's face on the guy in this poster.
DEEPAK Thoughts by Keith -
- "You can't judge a book by its cover", is a saying that I truly do believe, and never more so than after my first run through the area I mentioned above where people were living in tents constructed of tarps, boards and any other materials that would provide shelter. My first reaction was, 'how sad...I feel sorry for them.' Yet day after day I would run by their "homes" and see how happy they were and realized it's not the physical walls that makes a happy home, but the people/family you're surrounded by in that home.
This is my last post before returning to Seattle for a couple weeks (Sept. 27-Oct. 11) for some work meetings and trainings...and long overdue catching up with friends, so won't be posting for probably about 3-4 weeks, but no worries--next post will have lots of pics I'm sure of my time in Seattle!!
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