Keeping busy in the capital....

G likes chopsticks too:)
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As my Korean friend G learned to say lately, "Long time, no see." (Definitely sharing American culture:) I know it's been awhile since I put up a posting, and boy do I have a lot to catch everyone up on...

As many of you know, when I first arrived in Delhi there was some confusion with the assignment of my host club and counselor. It was very hard for the first month or two to get involved in Rotary projects and meetings. But then, my wonderful counselor, Brent, put me in touch with a Rotarian named Gobhind Shahani. He has been wonderful and we have been busy with many projects and meetings over the past month.

The president of my new Rotary home club...The Rotary Club of Delhi South Metropolitan.
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Their club has many Interact Clubs (like Rotary Clubs for School age people), are involved with a Rotary Blood Bank, several Rotary funded schools, operations for preventable blindness, and much more. I am particularly excited about a project I am trying to organize that would coordinate our Foreign Students Association at JNU with one of the school Rotary works with. The two times I went to Haiti one of the projects I liked most was painting murals at schools and hospitals. So, I'm going to try to organize something similar here.

One of the many schools that Rotary helps fund and run in the area. This one is in one of the largest slums in the city and gives day care for workers children.
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Outside of many Rotary events, the capital continues to dish out many opportunities to keep busy at interesting events. This month is Ramadan for Muslims. A big part of that month is fasting from sunrise to sunset. So, after sunset the streets around the big mosque really come alive with people coming from prayers and searching for meal.

One of the most famous restaurants in Old Delhi is Karim's. It's a Mughali style (aka all meat) restaurant, quite different from the dal-vegetarian menus of the more common South Indian restaurants. So, Abik, Abby, Eiad, and I took the metro to Old Delhi for dinner. The brand new, shiny, metro is worth a trip in itself. Inside that tunnel, you could be anywhere in the world. Then you emerge from the ground into the bustling, narrow streets of Old Delhi. The restaurants reputation is well-earned and walking through the streets admiring the stalls of street food and clothing was great for an after-dinner stroll.

Some of the kids from the school. They were incredibly well behaved.
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The other great event lately was happening upon the Art and Design show at the Grand Hotel. Hushnid, Chim Ghe, G, and I were at the hotel to check out their Japanese restaurant and saw something going on in the conference area. None stopped us so we just walked in and enjoyed the free trays of wine, sushi, polenta, calamari, and more going around the room. We had our appetizers and milled around doing our best interpretations of intent buyers. (Docey and Owen- this event was the mini version of the one we went to in chicago, I felt quite at home:)

This votive and ground decoration was done at the entrance to the school. The candles were lit by the most senior rotarians to open the program.
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So, enjoy the photos and your cool weather at home. It's still been in the 80's and 90's  here lately plus a bad spread of Dengue fever. But fear not....I'm overheated but healthy. Love you all.