SHAZAM...another post -- 10 months...let the fun begins

I know I've been out here in India for a while when I decide to stop figuring out how many weeks, and instead convert to months.  It's been 10 months here in India and I feel like I'm finally in a place where I can really start to enjoy this experience...not to say that I haven't enjoyed my time up to this moment, but I feel I've "adjusted" (as much as I can) to the way of life and culture, but more importantly, I've come to a place at work where I have some breathing room.  So what does that mean?? Well, when I decided to come out to India, I set a personal goal to try to visit as many places as possible while I was over here.  I knew that my job/work would take me to different places within India (visiting college campuses), so that made it easy for me and I decided I'd focus on visiting places outside India.  But before I go on, it's time for some call outs, which I missed in my last post...

CALL OUTs
January/February Birthday's -
Steve & T (my two best friends from h.s.)...it's a joke that I can never remember the exact dates, but as long as I wish them a Happy B'day sometime in the month of Jan., it's all good!  Miss ya guys!

The 3 of us on a camping trip in h.s.

Adam & Rob (my bro-n-laws) - Jan. 4 & 28th respectively (just to prove to my sisters that I do know their husband's birthdays)...Happy Bday guys!

Brody (youngest nephew) - Feb. 14th...he celebrated his 1st birthday!

 Not sure this video will work--hope so!!

Jen (youngest cousin) - TODAY, Feb. 24th...Jen (or maybe I should say Dr. Jennifer Berthiaume) is my youngest cousin -- secretely I think she always wanted to be like me...volleyball player, marathons, seeking out adventure, etc. (ha, ha). Very proud of her and hope she has a great bday. P.S. I was going to ship you a present from JC Penny's, but they don't have them here in India, ha, ha...love ya!

Let the Fun Begin...

Now back to the fun and trips...since I've been here, I've already been able to visit Bangkok, Thailand and Singapore, which were both awesome places.  But it was my last trip that I took to Dharamsala (Tibet) that really motivated me to get moving on my other trips because I only have @ 8 months left in my assignment.  It was also this trip that lit a fire under my ass and prompted me to get back to my blogging.

Dharamsala (Feb 9 - 12th)

Not only was this one of the most beautiful places I've been, but what made it even better was that my cousin Dave, his g/f Cara and their friends Scott & Kelly made the trip out here to visit and we all went on the excursion together.  I knew from the moment I met them at the Delhi train station that it was going to be a blast...and it was.  I posted all my pics on my Facebook page, so check out my complete album...but here are a few of my favorites--

The center of town...so cool!

Umm, those are the Himalaya's in the background!

Unbelievable views and FRESH AIR!!!

The group checking out the night life

Famous temple...you might've heard of the guy that lives there -- the Dali Lama (it was surreal to be there -- that chair covered in the gold fabric is where he sits when viewing the public...we didn't get to see him though)

We found a rooftop bar & decided to we were happy there...I can't tell you how happy I was to be able to wear a coat and hat again!

Some locals we met at the top of the waterfall -- we enjoyed some Old Monk rum with them.

It's not the waterfall that was so amazing, but the hike up to it and the fact that it was part of the Himalaya's and that water was melt off from the snow.

It was just nice to be able to spend some time with friends and have them experience a very small part of my life over the past 10 months...THANKS for making the trip guys!!

My Team

Obviously I can't just hop from place to place during my last 8 months here, but lucky for me I still have a blast with my team at work...I'm very lucky to have come into the situation of having a solid team, and fun co-workers, which obviously makes work that more enjoyable.  We recently went out to celebrate an awesome H1 and decided to go bowling and then for a nice dinner...fun time! Oh, the other "whitie" in the pics is Joe--he just accepted a 2-yr assignment here in India, so very happy to have another 'foreigner' here.  

That's all I got folks...I knew it was going to be a short post, but I want to stay on top of it because I have some pretty exciting tips coming up -- of course you'll have stayed tuned to find out where I'm going!  

DEEP-ak Thoughts By Keith

• If you've ever wanted to visit someplace, or travel somewhere cool -- DO IT!  Don't wait for that sign, or put it off and say "when I retire..."  If you have kids, ask the grandparents to watch them--that's what they're for (kidding mom & dad).  

• When you can't be home, sometimes the best place to seek the comforts of home is in the food you associate with home...and that's exactly what I did last night! Joe and I hit up the Hard Rock Cafe here in Hyderabad and I had my first real hamburger here in Hyderabad (and some damn good nachos)!!

Peace, out!

K-

My "Most Memorable" -- Weeks 31 - lost track

Ok, so this posting is going out WAY later then it should because when I opened it to finish writing, it started "Happy New Year..."  So as opposed to scrapping and starting over, just pretend that I posted this sometime in early January ;-). 

You know how VH1 always has those "Best of... or Worst of...2012" shows, well since 2012 was a pretty atypical/interesting year for me, I thought I'd dedicate this blog to some of my "Most Memorable Moments...What I Remember of 2012".  Instead of music videos though, it will be my memories with pictures!

Most Memorable/What I Remember of 2012
January/February-
Year started with a couple amazing trips to Mexico & South America...

• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Jan); Sao Paulo, Brazil (Jan/Feb); Buenos Aires, Argentina (Feb)...

(Mexico group & our resort)

(Sao Paulo soccer match and Brazil group)

(Friends in Buenos Aires)

• And while I was in Buenos Aires, my youngest nephew was born on Feb. 14th...Brody Auer Wininger! (he just celebrated his 1st bday)

Baby Broday with his 2 big bros (Trent & Dane)

March

I thought it would be tough to top the trips I took in Jan/Feb, but a trip to "Down Under" was pretty damn sweet -- Australia & New Zealand...got to spend St. Patrick's with my buddy Tony and celebrate his 40th Bday at the same time!

April

This was a bitter-sweet month for me...

• Celebrated Easter, and my 40th, with almost all my family at my parents (SWEET)

Me with all my nephews and niece

• All my friends in Seattle got together for an India going away party (SWEET)
  
  
  

• Embarked on a new adventure and hopped a plane with 9 suitcases and a set of golf clubs to India (SWEET)
• Had to leave my dog, Chewy, and all my family/friends behind (BITTER)
  
  
  

May

May was pretty much a blur...so busy with working and trying to 'settle in' as much as a white dude can in India.  But what I recall...

• Meeting my new team and co-workers
  
  
  
  
  
• Taking advantage of my temp 'housing' @ the Westin
  
  
  
• Thinking "how the hell can it be over 100 degrees at 10pm at night with no f'ing sun?!"

June

I officially turned 40 in June, although my family threw me a surprise 40th in April -- so I guess that should be memorable, as everyone says that turning 40 is one of those BIG b-days.  But honestly it didn't feel much different from any of my previous b-days...except that I was in Bangkok, Thailand BABY!!! Other than my trip to Bangkok, moving into my apartment in India was my other highlight ;-).

My pad!

Golden Palace in Bangkok, Thailand

I spent my bday riding an elephant...

...and w/ gators & tigers!

July/August/September

Lumping all those months together b/c I honestly don't remember much of them ;-).  What does stand out is -

• My team officially begin it's "season" and visiting a few campuses here to get a 'feel for the environment' -- really cool experience visiting these schools/cities & meeting the students
  One of the campuses I gave a presentation.
  Three students who received Microsoft offers--they were so happy!
  
• Celebrating my 5 year anniversary with Microsoft!! (below is the collage they put together & sent out)
  
  
  
• Getting to hang out with my friend, and 1st visitor from the US, in Goa (Princess Kecia)
  
   
  
  
  

October

So I guess it technically was late Sept, but let's say early October -- I made my 1st trip back to the states since arriving in India, which also marked my 6 month 'anniversary' in India. Again some bitter-sweet memories...

• Returning to Seattle and seeing my friends and old co-workers (SWEET)
  
  K&B @ Sounders game!
  Jeanette & I pancake buffet!!
  
  Sunday football @ LTD...man did I miss it!
  
  
  1/2 day Fri w/ Val, Trish & Ben
  
  
  Sushi w/ Dave, Cara, Ben, Becca & Kristen!
  
   Great last night dinner with amazing friends -- Jenn & Sarah!
  
• Driving my own car...with the windows down and country music blasting (SWEET)
• Actually having to wear a coat and jeans b/c it was cool outside (SWEET)
• Having to say good-bye to friends all over again (BITTER)
• Returning to India and attending our HR Learning Week in Goa! (SWEET)
  
  
  
  
  
  

November

It was the month for celebrating holidays...

• Diwala - the BIG holiday here in India, which is like merging Christmas and 4th of July
  Pic from my balcony
• Thanksgiving - very thankful to have gotten to spend Thanksgiving with my friends (Emily/Matt & Lisa/Matt) in Singapore...and got to visit another very cool place

 Here's the crew from Thanksgiving--great food and met some great people!

 Pictures with Lisa, Matt and Mikalah...and Emily and Matt at AWESOME burger joint!

View of Singapore from the Harbor.

• Attending my first Indian wedding reception...a co-worker of mine -- and getting to bring my friend Janelle with me to reception.

December

What I'll remember most about December is it being the first time in my life that I haven't spent Christmas with my family...which was really strange.  So even though I didn't see my family for Christmas, there were a couple other stand-outs...

• Chilling by the pool, golfing and wearing shorts/flip-flops...nice weather!
• My team surprising me and decorating my office for Christmas & having a Secret Santa exchange w/ them
  
  
  
• Hearing the news from my mom that my Uncle Connie passed the day before Christmas Eve and not being able to be with my family...very tough.
  
  
  
• Thinking about what an interesting year it was...and how lucky I am to have gotten to experience it all and have friends/family who will always be there--regardless of where I move or live

It's definitely been an interesting year, and one that I'll never forget...all the new people I'm meeting, places I'm visiting, challenges I'm facing and memories I'm creating!  I've missed weddings, birthdays, funerals and just all the occasions that fall in between...and although I couldn't physically be there, I was thinking of you all (Anthony/Nadene, Phil/Allison, Jenn/Sarah, Uncle Connie...and anyone else I missed).

Yeah, 2012 was a memorable one!  Stay tuned for next blog post...it won't be long--promise.

K-