Mr. Avi the Star?

Yes, this is how my son has started signing his classwork and homework. I found out when I went for his conference. My husband asked me how the teacher kept a straight face as she told me this. I said she didn't!
At least I am doing my job instilling a good (see great) sense of self-esteem in my kids!

Sad :(

Very sad today :( Life sucks!!!

Kick me in the head next time, would you?

If you ever hear me say let's go to NY to get the visas in person, kick me in the head...OK? Oh my goodness what a nightmare it is. Do we have to be so disorganized or are we on a power trip to see so many people at our mercy? This AFTER the whole process has been outsourced? Oh my goodness...
The last post told you about how we were waiting at B&N and would be going to pick up the visas at around 5:30. So we thought we'll just start walking around and then go plant ourselves at the visa office around 4 or so...goodness gracious! Apparently that was the wrong thing to do because we were all shooed out and asked to wait outside and that we would not be let back in until after 5 or so...we were blessed because the weather was pleasant enough where standing outside in the open was not such a hassle, but what if it were raining, or hailing or snowing? There's not an awning in site where we could cover our heads...bloody outsourcing nonsense!
Anyway, so now we've been standing outside for over an hour and are finally let back in...supposedly 10 people at a time. Soon we see about 200 people all crammed in this one room and were asked to get our receipts scanned and told to take a seat and we'd be called when our visas were ready.
So we're sitting and chatting and still trying to make the best of this sucky situation. Atul went and asked if we would indeed be called and told when the visas were ready and was told yes. Continue sitting for another few minutes...it is now almost 5:30. I see a young man coming towards me and he said that he thought our visas were done and that we should go get our receipts scanned again...he was not an employee!! Anyway, we go get our scanned and are told very nonchalantly that we could proceed...really? How come no one WHO IS EMPLOYED THERE tell us when the visas were done, like we were told? Oh my goodness!!! The sheer disorganization!!!Finally go to the booths, get the visas and decide to run out of there like there's no tomorrow...
You would think that we indians would getter better after acclimating ourselves to a more organized and professional environment. Why can't we let go of our old, bloody disorganized, feet-dragging ways??? Why, oh why? It actually feels good when we don a better, more professional attitude, everyone around us is happy! Goodness...the sad thing is that this is true of so many things "indian" when my daughter was taking dance classes, witnessed the same disorganization, the same lack of respect for peoples' time and money! Come on!! Give me a bloody break!
As you can see, I have gone off on a tangent...do you blame me though?

Here in NY for the visas

Woke up at 3:15 this morning in order to get to 30th st. station in order to catch the 5:15 train to NY, missed it by a mere minute! Had to then wait until a little before 6 to catch the next one. Got here (NY) around 8:30, made some necessary copies of documents that were needed for the visas...
The visa process has now been outsourced (imagine, indian outsourcing to someone else...the irony) anyway, the fact that the whole process is being managed much better than it was before, more streamlined, made the whole process a lot easier.
We reached the visa office at a little after 9, and every thing was all said and done by 10:30.Then this lady at the desk asks me when we wanted to pick them up, friday or monday?, and my heart sank. As soon as she saw the look on my face (complete desperation, I will beg you if need be) she asked if we came from afar, and I very vehemently said yes! So then she said we could pick the visas up by 5:30 today itself.
So right now we are at B&N, like an old married couple! Atul's reading his newspaper while I write this blog.
Where are the kids, you ask? Oh they did not want to be bothered with a trip to NY. They slept over at their friends' house (found out they did not go to bed until after 11:30 last night) were bright-eyed and bushy tailed this morning, up and about early! Then Joy is going to drop them off at Susan's and then they will be picked up by their pishi so they can spend the rest of the day there...I guess I don't blame them, no parent supervision, no one to tell them to behave themselves...yeah!
So anyway, more later...

Hunky Dory

Things are going hunky dory right now. We got a surprise check in the mail from a law firm because apparently there was a case against the co. that hubs works for...nice sized check too! So seems like things are falling in to place just in time for this trip. I did not want any resentment from any concerned parties travelling with me on this trip, if you get my drift and seems like things have only gotten better.
I will start my new job as soon as I come back from our big vactaion! I am so relieved that I have a job in hand so I don't have to fret on the trip and not be able to enjoy it completely. I am really looking forward to it now.
My SIL is going under the knife (no worries, C-sec) next friday so we will know the sex of the baby before we get home, may be buy some sex appropriate clothing. Right now I have mostly yellows and greens. See we originate from a part of the world where U/S to determine sex of baby are considered illegal, mainly because of female infanticide...hence no knowledge of sex of said baby. Not that my brother and his wife would even dream of anything like that but the rules apply to everyone.
All else is well...family well...things moving along smoothly...more later

GOT THE JOB!!!

Gosh! Miracles never cease...they called and offered me the job! I did NOT have to wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Interview today

I had my interview today. I think it went OK. I was there for a good 2 hours, so that must mean something right? Gosh, I will be so relieved if I get this job...then I can spend money in India with reckless abandon :) I won't know until the end of this month, though...great! more waiting.
This entire year has been a "wait" for me. First it was the wait for the citizenship interview, after that was done, then came the wait for the oath ceremony, after that was the wait for the passport, then next week we're going to NY for the visa, then waiting to hear about this job, then waiting to go to India!!
Yeah, so when I say I can't wait any more, I mean that VERY literally! I am almost ready to explode! So that's that, all else is well...
oh wait, I almost forgot. When I went for the interview I very briefly saw this girl who looked really familiar. I knew I had seen her somewhere...possibly as a student. Then I saw her go by the manager's office again...almost had to bite my tongue so I wouldn't ask who she was. Then the team leader came to interview me and who comes along with her? The same girl! Apparently I had taught her, yes my student! She of course is 2nd level support, so she's my senior!! How about that??? Small world, but I asked her to put in a good word for me and she said she already did!! So let's see...if it was indeed a good word!

Anxious?

I think I am getting a little anxious about this whole India trip. Little might be putting it lightly. Have not been able to sleep through the night wracked with worry over what might possibly go wrong. Impractical, you say? Well, I agree. Can I do anything about it? Oh yes, relax! However, not going to happen anytime soon at least (the relaxing bit). Once I am in my element though with servants at my bidding, I think I will let my hair down :) I have finally started packing, got two suitcases down...another 6 to go!
Can't wait for bed tea...in bed! Maid servant, cook...Yes! That's the life I gave up when I got married and came across the seven seas (is it really seven?).
I am also really getting nervous about the job situation. I got a call yesterday from Aerotek about how they found my resume online and would I recommend any of MY STUDENTS!! I guess they felt they could not afford me, since a) it was a 3-month contract position and b) they do not pay that well because it's an entry-level job! Yeah! so that's what I have to deal with now. Also, the fact that I will be gone for a whole month will be interesting.
I will be taking the kids to get their hep A shots today. Went to the travel clinic a couple of months ago, can you believe how much the shots would have cost there? 95.00 a pop, since it's not covered by insurance. Our ped's office pointed us to the clinic where guess how much they'll be? 0.00! yeah! Gosh so much to do...

Avi's Birthday

Avi's sixth birthday was yesterday. So instead of us getting him presents we decided we'd take him to the toy store and let him pick out some toys. Rather brave of us wasn't it? Almost like putting treats infront of our dog and then telling him to just pick one or two that he likes best, ya that would work! Anyway, so with bated breath we went. Diya had a gift card that she was told she could use, so she was placated.
As we're walking down the different aisles, Avi picks up a couple of Ben10 toys. As we're walking towards another aisle, I told him that he could pick up another toy. Do you know what he said to me? He said," Ma, I don't want to spend all your money on my toys!" "If I do, then you won't be able to spend money on other things (and he did not mean for him). If you know Avi, you know he has a rather resounding voice,so a lady overheard him saying this and she was completely baffled. She said she'd never heard a child say anything like this in her life, especially not in a toy store! Also that he was going to be a banker!
I thought that was entirely too funny to ignore.
The rest of the evening was at a restaurant. Avi LOVES shrimp, so that's what he got for his b'day and boy did he enjoy it!
So my baby is 6 now...

Above and Beyond!

Avi is blessed to be the recipient of the "Above and Beyond" award! Diya also got it when she was in KG. I feel so blessed that the kids are doing well in their individual classes. This award is about being good citizens, I truly hope my kids grow up to be good citizens. In a lot of kids these days there is such a sense of false entitlement, that it breaks my heart.
Can you imagine if those kids went out as grown ups into another country, where there are way more hardships than their pretty little hearts can ever imagine, what kind of a rude awakening they'd have. But then again, would they be smart enough to even realize it?
I don't want my children to grow up with this false sense of entitlement. They need to realize that they are blessed to be growing up in a country with so much to offer; however, I hope that when we go back to India that they will also realize that their parents come from a land with very rich traditions, a lot of hardships, and a lot of love for each other.
If my children get nothing else out of our trip to India, I hope that they at least realize how proud they should be of the culture and traditions that abound. The food, the smells (not always pleasant) the sights, the history...oh! there is so much in India! I can't wait!

Halloween

We all went trick or treating for the VERY FIRST TIME in our lives with our friends last night. Kids had a LOT of fun, then we went for pizza and ice-cream. All the kids commented that it was one of the best days of their lives. Seriously, what beats pizza and ice-cream and a bag full of candy? The innocence! Who wouldn't want to go back to those days where all we had to do was whine and moan and have everything done for us?
I know I would! I volunteered to go to Avi's class and help dress the kids up and then take them trick or treating in the old people's apartment complex and the police station next to it. We then had the school parade. Diya was Ms. Smarty pants. I had sewed a bunch of smarties all over her pants! Avi was Superman.
All in all, it was a fun day!