First Impressions

Hello everyone! We finally have our blog up and running and apologize for the delay. I believe that most of you received these first impressions via email, but we copied them again here just in case. Write when you have a chance---we'd love to hear how you all are doing!

Weather

Today it is in the low 80s with a gentle breeze and that appears to be the norm for this time of year. There is no air conditioning in our apartment, but they claim that only the months of March – May are the real hot and sticky ones. It was much more humid in Illinois.

Food

Jonathan made sure our kitchen was stocked when Addie and I arrived and I just might already be hooked on their fresh mango! Prema Gnanakan (the wife of ACTS' director, Ken) baked a wonderful cake for our arrival----and I was happy to find that chocolate cake and icing are universal! There are so many fresh fruits and vegetables available right outside of our door and it seems that versions of chicken/vegetables/rice/flat bread are an Indian staple (ranging from spicy to knock your socks off spicy). We visited a grocery store yesterday and I think we will be able to find most foods (or close versions) to what we'd find at home.

Shopping

To keep our jet lagged selves from sleeping, the three of us ventured out these past few days to two of the main shopping districts in Bangalore. I was pleasantly surprised with what can be found and at what prices (still no signs of wet wipes though!) There is definitely a certain India style when it comes to home furnishings (think Bombay Store meets Dollar Tree), so obviously we'll have to accommodate our tastes a bit.

People

My impression of Indian people (from those I met on the plane to those working as street vendors) is that they are very kind. Obviously, standard cautions apply for operating in any major city, but in all of our dealings yesterday, we found most shop workers to speak English and to be overly fair and eager to please American customers. I will have to say that the stares and even picture-taking will take some getting used to. I have spotted a few other caucasians in Bangaloe, but there is no doubt that we stand out.

Dress

You see just about everything and similar to what could be expected in a major city. Most Indians wear saris or Indian "pajamas", but there is definitely a large Western influence within Bangalore and I'm very comfortable in capris and t-shirts.

Traffic

Just plain unreal! There is a mixture of mopeds/motorcycles/small cars/buses/auto rickshaws and bicycles vying for a spot on the road and everyone uses their horn as a turn signal. There are no crosswalks for pedestrians, so it will take some time to navigate. Plus, there are only dirt roads (except for some of the major shopping districts), so dirty sandals and even dirtier feet are to be expected. Jonathan, Addie and I took our first auto rickshaw ride yesterday and it was a bit wild not using a car seat. However, most women and children sit side saddle on motorcycles to get around, so no complaints on the rickshaw. Our preferred mode of transportation has been walking and thanks to the ergo-carrier, Addie has been quite content on my back.

Apartment

I'm very impressed with the area of Bangalore where we live and it would be considered the more upscale part of the city ("upscale" being relative of course). There are some wonderful western-shopping areas within walking distance and the college influence has brought a handful of "Starbucks-esque" coffee shops----I had a wonderful vanilla latte yesterday morning! I'll try to send pictures this weekend of the apartment, but they have gone out of their way to make us feel at home and we're very thankful for the furnishings and appliances provided. We will be using a clothes line to dry our clothes and hot water is not so much a guarantee, but other than that, no complaints. It also appears to be very safe in our neighborhood and our apartment is gated with a security guard outside at all times.

Poverty

As in most large cities, there are obvious signs of poverty and homelessness. We traveled to the commercial district yesterday, which houses the markets (fabrics/silver/crafts/etc) and there are many more signs of poverty. It reminded me quite a bit of our visit to Mexico earlier this year and it will still be an adjustment getting used to the trash and waste on the roads. I've had several young children ask for money, but it is not something that is overwhelming and not prevalent in the area of town we live. There are barefoot children and definite signs of malnutrition, and while it does appear to be more concentrated in other parts of the city, it is no less heartbreaking.

ACTS

We are very excited about the work Jonathan will be doing with ACTS. He's currently focused on the curriculum development of their secondary education programs, as well as their international partnerships for college practicum offerings (in the area of education, environmental science and healthcare). The people of ACTS have been so kind to us and are going out of their way to make us feel part of the "family". So far, it appears to be a great fit!

While I think it is still sinking in that we're actually over 8,000 miles away from home, I must say that these first few days in Bangalore have gone surprisingly well. Thanks again for your prayers and emails---we will do our best to keep in touch!