So, I'm in LA finally and watching the Superbowl - or not! My American self can only extend so far and Superbowl is over the limit - though I do watch the halftime show (this year Prince, as he is once again called, is performing) and I love the critique of the commercials. But no football...surprisingly, my parents are watching it this year eating wings and fries as so should we...
I have so much to write - the boy is cooking right now - he should be studying. I'm all flu-ish, I suspect it’s this bloody throat infection I haven't been able to fully rid myself off for the past month. I guess I should worry a bit more but it will pass.
We are in our new apartment. Let me just say for now that I'm so thrilled to have made it through the packing, goodbyes, unpacking, packing, pre-wedding, wedding, packing, good byes, unpacking, packing phase! Now only some last unpacking to do. I am taking a hiatus from travel of any sort - particularly on a plane. I'm so utterly sick of seeing the inside of my suitcase and living in the same set of clothes. No more I say! No more - I'm here to stay (hopefully).
The wedding was huge - it just seemed to go on and on - though it was fun. Much more fun than expected actually. The pre-wedding tensions and traumas were unbearable and I missed Ruth's sweet counseling and the Brussels girls breaking it all down for me. I would advise against weddings in general - now that I'm on the other side. We have tons and tons of photos of what turned out to be a week extravaganza. Ok, ok, it was fun in the end! I have to admit I danced a lot and the food and drinks and music in all locations were perfect - though like all parties, when someone else is host, all the better. And I can't wait for my bro's wedding though - I have a new respect for couples going through the process.
More on the wedding as I process it and my 6+weeks stay in India!
What about LA - I still feel as if I'm here on one of my weeklong breaks, though I'm not! I do like our new apt - it overlooks the freeway (405) - the only drawback. It is surprisingly nice for being university housing - actually it is much, much nicer than what we could have got otherwise. Let's see how it all transpires. This is married student housing and everyone here is either a single parent, or married, most with kids. The boy and I seem somewhat out of place but I'm sure we will make friends or at least get to know our neighbours. One thing is that there are tons of foreign students here and I suspect that people often think we are that (ok, I am but I'm not that sort of foreigner - I have lived in the US for years!) especially as we are two brown people - and the only other brown couples seem like Indian graduate students and their spouses.
One aspect of people thinking you are a foreigner (only happens when we are dealing with university officials linked to the housing and hence my suspicion that they think we are new to the country) is that they speak verrrrry slowly and LOUDLY. Like the lady (our housing coordinator) who handed us the keys and the guy who came to install a new thermostat. In the case of the housing lady, we were informed that if our parents came for a visit, while the maximum stay for guest is 7 days, if we wrote in an exception could be made and our parents could stay longer - up to 2-3 months as the university was aware that when people traveled all that distance it usually is for a longer trip. All this was said very slowly and loudly with a lot of eye contact and implicit cultural understanding. I think we visibly gagged - the boy pointed out his parents live in WV and mine in GA and they probably would stay a MAX of 7 days if at all (with the implicit understanding that if they stayed longer there would be blood - his, mine, theirs?)!
I'm not offended, it just tires me out. On the streets I'm just another American - Indian or Latina maybe. The other thing that tires me out - but I won't rant about this now - is that because we are married (a given hence the housing), all the university folks say things to me like, "ask your husband about this" or "your husband will know what I'm talking about". Will he?
Hmmmphh...
I will post some photos soon - I have a camera now - thanks to my brother and L's generosity (it's their hand-me down but lovely). I also have a gym membership and plan on working out regularly. And yes, I have a public husband now. How strange!
I have so much to write - the boy is cooking right now - he should be studying. I'm all flu-ish, I suspect it’s this bloody throat infection I haven't been able to fully rid myself off for the past month. I guess I should worry a bit more but it will pass.
We are in our new apartment. Let me just say for now that I'm so thrilled to have made it through the packing, goodbyes, unpacking, packing, pre-wedding, wedding, packing, good byes, unpacking, packing phase! Now only some last unpacking to do. I am taking a hiatus from travel of any sort - particularly on a plane. I'm so utterly sick of seeing the inside of my suitcase and living in the same set of clothes. No more I say! No more - I'm here to stay (hopefully).
The wedding was huge - it just seemed to go on and on - though it was fun. Much more fun than expected actually. The pre-wedding tensions and traumas were unbearable and I missed Ruth's sweet counseling and the Brussels girls breaking it all down for me. I would advise against weddings in general - now that I'm on the other side. We have tons and tons of photos of what turned out to be a week extravaganza. Ok, ok, it was fun in the end! I have to admit I danced a lot and the food and drinks and music in all locations were perfect - though like all parties, when someone else is host, all the better. And I can't wait for my bro's wedding though - I have a new respect for couples going through the process.
More on the wedding as I process it and my 6+weeks stay in India!
What about LA - I still feel as if I'm here on one of my weeklong breaks, though I'm not! I do like our new apt - it overlooks the freeway (405) - the only drawback. It is surprisingly nice for being university housing - actually it is much, much nicer than what we could have got otherwise. Let's see how it all transpires. This is married student housing and everyone here is either a single parent, or married, most with kids. The boy and I seem somewhat out of place but I'm sure we will make friends or at least get to know our neighbours. One thing is that there are tons of foreign students here and I suspect that people often think we are that (ok, I am but I'm not that sort of foreigner - I have lived in the US for years!) especially as we are two brown people - and the only other brown couples seem like Indian graduate students and their spouses.
One aspect of people thinking you are a foreigner (only happens when we are dealing with university officials linked to the housing and hence my suspicion that they think we are new to the country) is that they speak verrrrry slowly and LOUDLY. Like the lady (our housing coordinator) who handed us the keys and the guy who came to install a new thermostat. In the case of the housing lady, we were informed that if our parents came for a visit, while the maximum stay for guest is 7 days, if we wrote in an exception could be made and our parents could stay longer - up to 2-3 months as the university was aware that when people traveled all that distance it usually is for a longer trip. All this was said very slowly and loudly with a lot of eye contact and implicit cultural understanding. I think we visibly gagged - the boy pointed out his parents live in WV and mine in GA and they probably would stay a MAX of 7 days if at all (with the implicit understanding that if they stayed longer there would be blood - his, mine, theirs?)!
I'm not offended, it just tires me out. On the streets I'm just another American - Indian or Latina maybe. The other thing that tires me out - but I won't rant about this now - is that because we are married (a given hence the housing), all the university folks say things to me like, "ask your husband about this" or "your husband will know what I'm talking about". Will he?
Hmmmphh...
I will post some photos soon - I have a camera now - thanks to my brother and L's generosity (it's their hand-me down but lovely). I also have a gym membership and plan on working out regularly. And yes, I have a public husband now. How strange!
On a last note, I really miss my friends in Brussels - the work crew, the girlz, the flatmate, and other pals and of course my neighbourhood. Maybe one day we will be back in Europe.
2 comments:
you are tooo funny!!! oh I'm sorry I meant....YOOOUUUUU AREEEEE TOOO FUNNNYYYY!!!
It's kind of like people asking me...so where are you from...oh you're from England...so what language do they speak there!!!
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