To the Land of the Coconuts...

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...from the Garden State

A year ago, I was reading book I was assigned to read in preparation for my grad. school orientation, on American education. I was so earnest.

I am so earnest. Only now, a year later, I'm doing an independent study with a great professor I had during my first semester. She's helping me with my field research.

I'm in the middle of some field research right now. What a dilemma. I'm in Kerala, which I'm told translates as "Land of the Coconuts" and it's breathtakingly beautiful...and I'm hard at work for work and school.

Some months ago, a mentor told me that it's more fun to take pure vacations than to go places, but to have to work while there. I couldn't really relate. Now, I can. I had to leave Pat in Bangalore, since none of my colleagues brought their families -- at least I felt I had to.

I feel like I need to make it up to Pat. She definitely wants a present to make up for my absence, she told me before I left.

Day 2 starts at 7 am. Warning: I'm about to whine for a moment; not only am I not taking off for U.S. Labor Day while in India, I'm working the entire Labor Day Weekend. Also, I didn't take off the 4th of July or Indian Independence Day. I do not feel at all guilty that we'll go on a short trip in two weeks, during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

We'll also go to the Taj Mahal in the coming months. I can't wait for those experiences.