This xmas and new year were spent in India. 4 days in Bangalore and the rest in Mysore with V and C and the kids, R and K. A very busy holiday indeed it was.
We stayed in the Marriott as usual and the service was, as always exemplary. One of the highlights of Bangalore was R meeting her thathaiya and nanamma. They had a great time together and especially given the elders' advanced age, it was a much needed and urgent bonding.
She had little to do in the hotel itself, but enjoyed the international clown shows in the adjoining mall. While playing hide and seek with me, she banged her head against the table corner and so could not go swimming, much to her disappointment.
Of late, R has been trying to understand the difference between being rich and poor and hence how that affects how a person lives.
In front of one of the malls, she saw a boy, similar to her in age, selling toys all by himself. This was a very smart boy who spoke fluently and with confidence in English, Tamil, Hindi and Kannada. He had no parents with him and was collecting money and giving out change quite easily.
It was getting dark but he was still going busy with his wares.
I made sure she observed all of this and we bought a couple of toys from him as well. Hopefully, the memory will stand her in good stead when trying to understand initiative, independence and the value of working hard.
I did discuss about him with her and she seemed to have an idea of the enormity of the difference between her relatively cushy life and the resultant happy go lucky attitude to work vs play. Only time will tell how much of a positive impact this has had on her. Hopefully lots!
'Santa' made a visit to the hotel room on xmas day and in the absence of carrots, had the banana(!) and milk left for him the night before. He had written a letter describing how special and how very loved R was/is and how she needs to earn her 'talking puppy' gift by working hard at her school and other classes and also eating her greens. :)
R was mighty thrilled as earlier we had told her Santa only visits homes and not hotel rooms as there are no individual chimneys! This was explained away by way of the hotel's kitchen chimney when Santa eventually made his way!
Another positive turn of events was meeting M. M and I were best friends in a way only only post teen girls can be, in their most formative years as women, for 8 years between 2000 and 2008.
Then life and many other things and people happened and we did not meet at all or speak much till this visit to India in 2016.
She made the effort to come over to meet us and for me at least, it was like the 8 year gap never happened. She is at an important junction in her life and I was glad to have been there to give her my best wishes.
Really glad that, that evening happened.
In news of other little joys for R, R had received some Tinkle books from one of her much older friends in the U.K. And has been tremendously enjoying them. So we went all the way to Blossoms in MG road ( on M's recommendation) to get more of the same for her. She was very happy about the same.
I also took this time with R to teach her Scrabble and chess while having tea in the executive lunge and we both enjoyed the same.
While playing scrabble, I was trying to prompt her for the word ' kid' and so I said, ' I am a grown up R, so who are you?' And pat came the answer ' I am 'special' mummy!'
Need I say more? :)
...to be continued.
We stayed in the Marriott as usual and the service was, as always exemplary. One of the highlights of Bangalore was R meeting her thathaiya and nanamma. They had a great time together and especially given the elders' advanced age, it was a much needed and urgent bonding.
She had little to do in the hotel itself, but enjoyed the international clown shows in the adjoining mall. While playing hide and seek with me, she banged her head against the table corner and so could not go swimming, much to her disappointment.
Of late, R has been trying to understand the difference between being rich and poor and hence how that affects how a person lives.
In front of one of the malls, she saw a boy, similar to her in age, selling toys all by himself. This was a very smart boy who spoke fluently and with confidence in English, Tamil, Hindi and Kannada. He had no parents with him and was collecting money and giving out change quite easily.
It was getting dark but he was still going busy with his wares.
I made sure she observed all of this and we bought a couple of toys from him as well. Hopefully, the memory will stand her in good stead when trying to understand initiative, independence and the value of working hard.
I did discuss about him with her and she seemed to have an idea of the enormity of the difference between her relatively cushy life and the resultant happy go lucky attitude to work vs play. Only time will tell how much of a positive impact this has had on her. Hopefully lots!
'Santa' made a visit to the hotel room on xmas day and in the absence of carrots, had the banana(!) and milk left for him the night before. He had written a letter describing how special and how very loved R was/is and how she needs to earn her 'talking puppy' gift by working hard at her school and other classes and also eating her greens. :)
R was mighty thrilled as earlier we had told her Santa only visits homes and not hotel rooms as there are no individual chimneys! This was explained away by way of the hotel's kitchen chimney when Santa eventually made his way!
Another positive turn of events was meeting M. M and I were best friends in a way only only post teen girls can be, in their most formative years as women, for 8 years between 2000 and 2008.
Then life and many other things and people happened and we did not meet at all or speak much till this visit to India in 2016.
She made the effort to come over to meet us and for me at least, it was like the 8 year gap never happened. She is at an important junction in her life and I was glad to have been there to give her my best wishes.
Really glad that, that evening happened.
In news of other little joys for R, R had received some Tinkle books from one of her much older friends in the U.K. And has been tremendously enjoying them. So we went all the way to Blossoms in MG road ( on M's recommendation) to get more of the same for her. She was very happy about the same.
I also took this time with R to teach her Scrabble and chess while having tea in the executive lunge and we both enjoyed the same.
While playing scrabble, I was trying to prompt her for the word ' kid' and so I said, ' I am a grown up R, so who are you?' And pat came the answer ' I am 'special' mummy!'
Need I say more? :)
...to be continued.
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