A Weekend For Catching Up

It was a packed weekend with old friends visiting and staying with us overnight.  We had a mini reunion with EAP India friends for dinner on Friday.  I can't believe that it's been thirteen years since that formative study abroad trip to India.  I can still remember the strong drive to go to India on my own as an adult and live, work, learn and feel a strong sense of belonging.  The entire experience shook me in a very deep way and I felt back then what I still feel now, that I need to be there.  So yes, Nepal is not India - but in many ways Nepal will offer a nicer contrast to life in the U.S.  The sky is blue, the life a still a bit slower, open rooftops for having morning chai, drying close and feeding the birds.  It was very nice to reconnect with a few old friends and realize that I was finally living out dream that took form over 13 years ago...

Lisa also came from Boston to spend some time with us.  It was so odd to hear her say that the next time she'll see me may be in Nepal - it made me realize that this is the first of many "until Nepal" meetings with close friends.  Lisa is truly special and a gem of a person.  She is a spunky principle of a charter middle school and is so gracious about allowing us to pick her brain around the challenges of starting a school and setting it up for success.  I could tell Satish was getting really excited listening to her talk about curriculum development, educational philosophies, etc.  I really hope that we are able to remain in Nepal long enough to work on setting up schools in Nepal...

Until then we will be focusing on setting up home, building a business on the family land, getting Manav into a good school, getting a good-paying public health consulting job and having another baby...    

The Tickets Have Been Bought

Satish purchased our tickets from LA to London to Kathmandu today, which means it's official...  we are definitely moving to Nepal.  Both of us have been struggling with work, but for different reasons.  I am much more stressed trying to wrap up the Breast Cancer Mapping Project while Satish is feeling heavy hearted as his co-workers are coming to him with tremendous support around his decision.  I on the other hand just need to move on my final reports and crank them it out...

Manav has been doing great with the potty-training, one of our big goals prior to our move.  He's transitioned to sitting on the big potty and using the public toilet.  I think Satish taking him to the bathroom has contributed to the success.  We're still working on pooping in the potty, which has been inconsistent.  Anyway, probably way more information than is needed...

I did drop off at Manav's preschool today, at Rising Star Montessori and he was so upset, angry and screaming, begging me to take him to work with me.  I felt so bad for him and I didn't know what to do. I looked around and realized that none of his school friends were there for the summer.  He was surrounded by new faces, new teachers and students.  He wasn't handling this very well.  My guess is that once others, including kids, are around Manav they know how to respect his sense of space and be "gentle" around him.  These new kids probably haven't figured that out and that's why he doesn't feel safe around them.  It makes me worry about his transition to school in Nepal...

We went to hippotherapy yesterday and Manav did a great job riding Kiwi.  He's still not ready to trot, and is very clear about communicating that to me and his hippotherapists.  I can tell that it's hard work for him, physically and mentally.  He always starts the session tense and nervous and then he becomes more comfortable, feels more secure and does more on the horse.  Maybe we can find some horse riding in Nepal??  Let's just hope next week he'll be ready to do some trotting :)

The reality hits

Ever since July 4th, we realized that we have exactly 3 months before we leave Oakland on October 4th to make our move to Nepal.  The last couple of weeks have been focused on everything from making contacts with expats who lived in Nepal (Judy, Leslie's aunt - Leslie is Diana's good friend), deciding what to ship to Nepal, sending out an evite for an Open House to sell our prized posessions, scheduling final doctor appts, creating shopping lists, and most importantly reconnecting with friends and indulging in life at "home". Tonight we went to Off The Grid in San Francisco which was another wonderful discovery that young, hip Priti exposed us to.  Fusion food trucks all parked at Fort Mason with people packed in long lines to try the tempting creations - Korean tacos, mac & cheese egg rolls, all of it yummy!  I did feel overwhelmed, but in a good way - so, so happy to be out and indulge in being with a happy crowd of people - and to run into a good friend among the sea of people was the highlight.  Diana recognized Manav's orange stroller immediately and it was so nice to see her there - one of our most dear and closest friends :)  I vowed to be at Off the Grid as many Fridays as I can before we leave!

Many of our friends have already offered to buy our big ticket items - coach, dining table, bed, Satish's bike...  I think it will be odd once the big things are cleared out from our place.

Satish told his boss at work today about our move and his boss was shocked.  He respects Satish's decision to be closer to family, and has known that this is what Satish has wanted, but like many others in our lives, he didn't realize it was actually happening this soon.  This I think makes it really, really official.  Satish even gave me license to announce it on Facebook!

Bottom line though, is that we are very very ready!  Even Manav :)  He keeps telling his teachers at Rising Star Montessori that he is moving to Nepal.  Today, while he was working with Stacy from Starfish Therapies - he kept telling her that he was moving to Nepal in October.  I'm not sure he really understands the permanence of it.  It'll be interesting if he asks to go "home" once we're in Nepal and we'll have to explain that Nepal is our new home.  I think he'll get it.  He's going to see our things being packed and sent away and he'll see them arrive, and he'll know just like we all know that Nepal is going to be our new home.