Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Remember the big news?

I just walked in from 3 days in Varanasi. I didn't take a camera, but I did put my MacBook on a rock and take a picture of a bawdi / stepwell behind my hotel for Erinsson. Dig the photo quality:


This is an ancient water storage technique. If you need it 'splained for you, um...it's a hole that gets rained into with steps so you can get down to the water.

I also saw Aijaz, who is well, and our friend Dr. Lowell and all the folks at Open Hand. Same as it ever was. Also, high temperature in Varanasi yesterday was a reported 114 degrees. I don't know whose idea that was, but they should be given a stern talking to.

Lastly [on Benares--love how I'm making you sweat this, huh?] after the last two months in Pune, Varanasi seems even more run down and desperately poor, and there's just SO MUCH to be done. However--oh yeah, I went to get my Residential Permit transferred so that I can get a Pune Residential Permit and then register the Scooty. If India could put some of the Foreigner Registering effort into helping the poor or picking up trash I think everyone would benefit. So, yeah, I got that done with an absolute minimum of hassle. I thought it would take a hefty payoff and some groveling, but I got prompt service with a smile.

So, about that news...I still have to talk to the Dean, but otherwise it looks like I've got a one year Visiting Assistant Professorship at a very respectable school for 2009-10. Details forthcoming when its locked up. One assumes that in addition to the prestige and proximity to some of my relatives and friends (but distance from Madison and others, nutsnutsnuts), the job comes with benefits like continuing to be able to buy groceries through May 2010. Yay, food and pseudo-solvency. Thank you to everyone who offered encouragement, prayers, ideas, and especially to Caitlin and Ben for coming with me to make puja to Kasba Ganapati. Gogogo remover of obstacles ftw.

My beloved and wonderful wife, who really should get the one year VAP (very able pregnantiator) and who continues to believe in me and dissuade me from my plans to move into 1020 Richmont and go back to washing dishes at Marywood, is in Goa with the kids. Its 1:28a.m. here and there, so I haven't told her yet, but I will when she's likely to have woken up. She had a rough spot there a day or two ago when the heat was a bit much, but they're now in A/c and having a great time. There were reports of loud music and people with no shirts (bad) and of a certain little boy rolling around naked in a hammock (good) plus lots of seafood (good) and jellyfish on the beach (bad). Don't let me steal their thunder, illuminated trip report is no doubt forthcoming.

Back to dissertating...

3 comments:

Susannah said...

you didn't make me sweat it, I scrolled till I saw what I wanted to see. I'll be reserved if you insist I must, but...

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!

Unknown said...

Thanks Chris--

She's a beauty!

Bawdi or stepwell-AKA hole in the ground.

They call those "pools" here in Brooklyn.

Grandpa George said...

Sounds great to the G4s, just back from NYC (in one day--and about to collapse). However, knowing some Deans, I'll wait to celebrate.