GrrrrGaon!

I was like one of those big huge stubborn dogs on leash who would plop their bums on the ground and refuse to move. Have you seen them? Their owners would literally pull them on their asses? That was what I wanted to do when we were moving back to Gurgaon! I hated the thought of having to live here. Anyway, here I was, back to where I never wanted to be. but this time around either because of my very low expectations or because of the place we chose to live, Gurgaon managed to surprise me. I love our apartment and the community and the neighborhood. Nikhil settled well in his school. I love his school too. Kids made new friends, I made new friends. Life wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

We went on a wonderful vacation with our dear friends to Istanbul and Santorini in June. 

Rest of the year was spent attending weddings, stepping out with my girl friends time to time, keeping kids busy, dealing with infections and such. 

In December I ran my first ever half marathon! Yaaayyy! I can cross a big item from my list of things to do. 

Overall 2015 was a good year for us. Settling down and getting back to the grind. 

Karthik started Play Group this year. He goes to the same school as Nikhil. They seem to be well adjusted and happy there and that makes me even happier. 

So far, so good. I can say that life is still sabai sabai in Gurgaon too. 

Phuket Diary - Sabai Sabai

Seven long years ago, we vacationed in Barbados; that was by far one of the BEST vacations of my life. The time we spent with our friends, all the laughter, so many fond memories... I dont know if it was the Island air or the "no problem" attitude of people or all the rum punch I had  .. but I just fell in love with the place. I wondered then how it would be to live in a place that people vacationed.. now seven years later here I am.. in Phuket! (I strongly believe that God was sick of hearing my complaints about Gurgaon that he sent us here to shut me up)

Come to think of it, given the cribber (if that is a word) I am, I should be complaining about the little or lack of help I have here, I should be ranting about Vs work hours, I should be frustrated that I dont know the language and how difficult it is to communicate and get your point across... I mean I could just find something in a second to piss me off... ( I sound so nasty)... but, BUT... what can I say, I love it here! The place, people, food... Its a very relaxing feeling.

No wonder Thailand is called Land of Smiles, people are always smiling... and it kind of rubs off on you I guess.. Always, like always they have a smile (at least most of them, exceptions always exist anywhere and I can live with that). So it doesnt bother me much that I am always using sign language and my sentences sound very practical... "You no come tomorrow" "I no want" "this... what?"... (all the while signing with my hands)

The help I have here is a nanny, shes with us for four hours on weekdays. Those four hours that I deposit K(arthik) in her hands is a huge help for me. I don't mind sweeping, mopping, making bed, cooking, cleaning loos... In fact I like the fact that the chores are done in my order, to my liking.. (yeah yeah call me a control freak)... if something is not done around the house, its because I chose not to (or I didn't get to it)...

Lastly, I know that if I have a bad day all I need is a drive to the pier... or one of the many small non touristy and lonely beaches, where its just you and water and the view, to lift your mood instantly... (affordable wine also is a big help... just saying)

So, its been very "sabai sabai" like the Thais say (All good, chilled out, awesome state of mind)

Trying to pick up the slack

Way too many things have happened last year....and I have realized that these days my memory is certainly not on my side... may be the curse of smartphones and social media.. anyway that's a subject I'd like to write about in a different post altogether - "memory failure". I've been thinking about the blog and updating it for the past month or so... and now finally got to sit down...

Back to 2013...

 We welcomed another baby boy - Karthik Channaraj arrived on May 2nd, 2013. Nikhil has been a real champ and an awesome big brother. I was quite worried how he'd deal with the new comer, given that he used to give us vague answers like "I want a big blue jeep" or "I want a black puppy" when we asked him whether he wanted a baby brother or a baby sister...  but he adapted so well. He loves his little brother which makes me love him even more. My parents were around during delivery/post-delivery which was wonderful.. and I didnt have to deal with Post Partum Depression this time at all, thanks solely to Nikhil. I feel like time has doubled its pace after Karthik's arrival. Days, weeks, months and now we even celebrated his first birthday! Seriously, whats with the rush, time? 

 Sometime before Karthik was due Vicky was given an opportunity to move to Thailand. We went back and forth and given my not-so-happy-about-India phase, I was all for the move. It took a while to fall in place. Vicky kept travelling for two to three weeks at a time while we stayed back in Gurgaon. In October 2013, we had a Kerala trip due for Karthik's annaprashan. It was decided then that I would move to Kerala with the kids while Vicky shifted base to Phuket. Given his travel schedule and the volatility of the project I welcomed the decision to stay with my parents. TLC time :) 

All of us chilled out in Thrissur until March, 2014 when finally visas paperwork all got done and we moved to Phuket. Truth be told I was looking forward to moving and having my own place and set up. 

Its been close to two months here in Phuket now and I can't complain. Its a lovely lovely place. Kids love the new house. Nikhil has adjusted well in his new school. Karthik really has no say :) And I am finally feeling happy. Cribbing less. Which is HUGE, given my constant frowny face while I was in Gurgaon. For now, Life is Good!

Putting an end to uncertainty

This journey started about four years ago, when V decided he was ready to do his MBA. He applied to different schools and each time he got shortlisted for interviews, my hopes would be raised.. In 2007, I thought we would go to Chicago - and my hopes were "dinged", then I thought we'd move to Philly - and again I was "dinged". '08/'09 V did couple more apps (and I thought we might move to North Carolina or Paris) that got dinged again! While this cycle of applications and dings were going on... a sense of uncertainty began creeping in. And that feeling is so not a nice one to live with. We were running out of time on our visas and we had to go somewhere... plus we had a baby on the way. The lack of clarity in our lives was bothering me a lot. Our sentences would begin with "If", "When"... or "Depends..."

When we found out that V's application to ISB has been accepted, I felt relieved... for I felt that living in ISB would be a good way to transition our way back to India..

Last year on 2nd April we "moved back" to India and coincidentally this year V's graduation falls on the 2nd of April. We are once again moving out from what has been our home for the past one year to a new place, a new home! I am completely looking forward to starting from scratch... setting up a place, tastefully decorating it... from buying curtains to car... I am so totally looking forward each and every bit of it.

This last one year, though frustrating many a time, has been wonderful and rewarding. I have never had so much peace of mind.

Bitter Sweet

Bitter Sweet - describes what I am feeling right now.

6 years ago, I said good bye to my parents and began my journey to Richmond with lot of anticipation... to start a new life. I was excited and giddy with happiness but at the same time I was anxious and nervous about the future. I was leaving my comfort zone.

It makes me miserable to think that it won't be easy for me just wear my track pants and go out for a quick jog around the block, to think that there won't be any long weekend trips where we can get in to our car and hit the highway, to think that I won't be seeing beautiful colors of changing seasons, to think that I won't be able to go a grocery store and pick up variety of wine and cheese, to think that I won't be able to sip a beer during a "happy hour", to think that I won't be able to grab a quick bite by driving through a McDonalds, to think that I won't be able to see my favorite shows as soon as they are telecasted, to think that I won't be able to see and discuss all the super bowl ads (and yes the game itself), to think that I won't be ordering water "no ice" at restaurants (not that I mind the ice myself), to think that access to a juicy burger and unlimited re-fills of cola will be just a dream, to think that I won't be discussing weather with strangers in an elevator or for that matter I won't be smiling and exchanging pleasantries with strangers, to think that no one would ask me "were you in line?" at a counter, to think that I won't be driving in any specific "lane" on the road... and the list would just go on....

Six wonderful years and I take with me beautiful memories. I made wonderful new friends, grew closer to my old friends, had a lot of fun traveling, had a lot of fun living my life... and yes - even the H1 B/stamping crap brings a smile to my face.

As miserable as I am to leave such a beautiful life behind... I am looking forward to spending time with my little cousins (who are not that little any more), my grand mothers, uncles and aunts, eating street food, attending weddings, celebrating festivals, having dosa sambar in a kayyendi bhavan, going to a beach in the evening to just breathe some good air and not having to worry about how fat I look in swim wear, wearing cotton clothes through out the year and not having to feel depressed about days getting shorter, getting my eyebrows done and not paying a hefty price, having everything delivered at door step, to having a dhobi and neatly pressed clothes, to the mango season, drinking fresh coconut water, to drinking freshly squeezed juice at a juice stall around the corner, to watching some nail biting cricket matches, to jumping in to an auto and getting anywhere I want, to getting clothes stitched to my size... and yes - not having to use words like "out of status".

I am getting ready to leave just like did 6 years ago... Getting set for another journey... to start another new life with lot of anticipation. I feel the excitement, I feel the happiness... The same anxiety and nervousness about the future is at the back of my mind. Once again, I am leaving my comfort zone.