Peas and Soybeans and Bananas!

HELLO! I have been gone for a long time. Gone from the blogosphere that is. My internet has been spotty at best and has not allowed me to upload ANY pictures at all. I'm sorry, few few people who read this blog. I actually have some great pictures too! Next time I'm in the office for a long time without a lot of work I'll be able to upload the pictures. Keep waiting.

First things first, last weekend I went to a village about three hours outside of Lucknow. The two places we ended up going were Bahraich and Payagpur. I think Bahraich is more a "town" and Payagpur is more a "village," technically. But either way, both very small.

We stayed with a family. It was the family of the uncle of the cousin of Gabrielle's dad's younger co-worker. I felt an immediate connection.

They were by far the richest people in this town. They owned a farm a bit outside of Bahraich that grew soybeans, bananas, wheat, mustard, peas, tomatoes, guavas, mangoes, cabbage, cauliflower and a few littttle tiny marijuana plants that they were embarassed we spotted. We arrived at the farm and had a great lunch out under the trees, then got a tour. The farm itself was not large, only an acre perhaps, but the few people working on it were very kind and welcoming. I ate some shelling peas fresh from the vine and they were the most delicious I have ever popped into my mouth. All in all, I want to own a farm.

The biggest site we saw all weekend was Sravasti, where Buddha started his teachings (I think) or where he was enlightened (maybe). There was a HUMONGOUS Buddha statue there. Probably 100 feet tall, maybe 200 feet tall (I have terrible height judgment). I would assume not solid gold, but I sure hope so. There was also a newly built meditation center that we were invited into. This was mildly awkward...because I am surely not Buddhist and I don't understand any Hindi. Afterward a German (a Caucasian!) picked me out of the crowd and tried to convert me to Buddhism. She even gave me books for free! It turns out that she arrived seven years ago as a tourist, decided to stay - leaving her family and job - and has stayed as a volunteer and student ever since. As she handed me the books, her grasp hesitant and her eyes hopeful, I could not have wanted to get out of Sravasti more.

I haven't converted though, don't worry! And I'm giving the books to Liju - right up his kind of crazy alley.

That evening we went to a 25th Anniversary Party - certainly the biggest, most extravagant annivesary I have ever been to. More appetizers than I could imagine, 12 different main dishes and 6 or 7 different desserts. For some reason, Indian food has taken away my ability to stop eating when I'm full. I think I ate three or four dinners worth of food. I was full for 28 hours straight. I'm still kind of full to tell you the truth.

Those are the highlights!

This past week has been great at work. Sketched out a rough financial model of the toilet loan. Should be meeting with the contractor tomorrow to finalize details and go out in the field once again to meet with the final group of clients for the pilot program. Shovels in by March 7? Let's hope!