Questions you might want to know answers to....

We decided we should jot down a few things about us...in addition to all these stories of places we're visiting...in case you might be wondering.....



1. What are we missing the most about home?

John:

- being able to just wake-up in your own home, have a relaxing coffee and reading the paper.

- buying groceries and cooking your own meal vs having to sit in a restaurant and hope this

meal is a good one!

- friends....getting together with friends and sharing thoughts/experiences with them

- cool, clear, blue Canadian lakes to feast your eyes on and plunge into

Lori:

- waking up to rush to work and wishing I could stay home and read the paper

- coming home from work and cooking freshly prepared meals with John

- after touring around in dry humid and arid climate conditions where no refreshing, swimmable water exists I cling to fond memories of the beautiful, clear water of Georgian Bay and look forward to future visits

- seeing friends and family again.....Coco and Lucky too!



2. What about food?

John: since I love Indian food, about the only thing I really feel like I'm missing is cool fresh salads. I'm not even feeling like I'm missing meat, having almost exclusively eaten vegetarian food for 5 weeks now since arriving in India (OK I fell off the wagon a couple of times...but just a couple....)


Lori: loving the Indian food....not missing anything yet although I do believe I had a craving for french fries once

3. What are you reading?

John

a) From Idaho to Varanasi - a book about religious pluralism/dialogue. This book has helped me a bit to understand Hinduism and it's plethora of gods and myths ... seeing them less as idols and rather more as the Hindu way of perceiving God. It also was helpful to clarify that being a religious pluralist...doesn't necessarily have to imply that you believe in nothing. You still believe and are committed to what you believe, but you do so without having to conclude that what everyone else believes then is false...

b) A History of India - an endless account of wars among Afghan muslim vs Mughal Muslim vs Hindu kingdoms and of bloody succession struggles of all those muslim sultans.

c) The Lonely Planet - India!!! - lots to read here (1000 pages) about all the places to see in India and it's nice to cross reference between the places in this book and how they fit into the history I'm reading about in the History book above.


Lori:

Father of a Nation, Mahatma Ghandi - a short biography which truly provided insight into the plight of Indians in Africa as well as India and the unconventional, peaceful way in which Ghandi sought to improve the lives of Indians of all castes in both continents.

The God of Small Things - a novel depicting the life of a Keralan (south India) family. A unique writing style however the story is not a pleasant one.

The Cloister Walk - a meditative journal/autobiography of a woman spending part of her time living in a monestery while maintaining her secular life as a mother, wife and poet as well. Truly delightful morsels - spiritual and real - some entries are entertaining, some are shocking while others are insightful and inspiring.

Bible - making my way through the Old Testament.... sometimes going through it mechanically (the tabernacle and laws - dry but helps put certain things in perspective) other times inspired by the devotion of Abraham and Moses despite much waiting and wondering during many trials.

Welcome Silence - an autobiograhy of a woman who was cured of schizophrenia to go on to become a doctor. Just started but it seems her episodes started at the age of 6 and lasted almost 20 years. Silence is in reference to the voices she no longer hears.

4. What about home?

John: thoughts are turning more often to home and things from home and there is a slight weariness setting in when getting on another bus and looking for another hotel/restaurant. Sometimes I feel too tired to do it again, and then sometimes I don't feel too tired because it's just part of a routine ...that doing this again is just the new 'normal'. I think for sure, another month or two and it will be time for heading back home.

Lori: while still enjoying seeing all these amazing places and not wanting to take any of it for granted, sometimes I really look forward to going home and seeing my friends and living in our own house. I am all too aware that it will come soon enough, so when I too become weary of the constant moving, finding another place to eat or sleep, I try to remind myself of what an opportunity this is! Wouldn't trade it :)