Miracles might happen (but I won't hold my breath).

Yesterday we received a mail on our Vista Yahoo group, from someone in a neighbouring community, who had spoken to our local MLA. This MLA is the brains behind the whole road works disaster that I wrote about in my previous post.

Some quotes:

'I questioned the logic of taking  up the logic of sealing us at both ends, by initiating the roadworks at the Nilgiri/BEML side as well as the Basavanagar bus stand side. He explained to me that this decision was taken because of the contractor's commitment to finish the entire project within 2 weeks. One at a time would take 4 weeks.'

TWO weeks people, only two weeks!!!! Wouldn't that be a miracle? And not just a usable surface to drive on, no it gets even better:

'In 2 or 3 weeks, he promised that the road would be a mini highway!:).'

OK, maybe it can be done, I shouldn't be too sceptical, but I will not hold my breath.

Will this be our road in two weeks time?

Navigating the roads (or rather the lack of them)

Ever since we moved to Adarsh Vista, we have been complaining about the road leading to our neighbourhood. At best is has been a bumpy ride, navigating our way around potholes and wading through the water of yet another burst water pipe.

A lot of the Vista residents have complained to our local politicians about the state of the road and with elections coming up in about 6 months it seems like they recognised a vote winner if there ever was one: widening and resurfacing the Basavanagar Main Road and Vibhutipura Road (same road, just outside our gate).

We can approach Vista from two sides so what did they decide in all their 'road work planning wisdom'??? YES, let's start work on BOTH sides at the same time, so nobody can go anywhere anymore....
The little bit of tarmac that was there has now been turned in to gaping holes and at least half a meter deep tranches, with just enough free road/dirt left to try and manoeuvre your car on.

This would not have been a mayor disaster if the same 'wise men' had made it all a one-way stretch, but NO! Cars, buses and trucks are literally at logger heads fighting over every square inch of road that is still usable. The result is that we never know how long it will take us to get out of our neighbourhood. There are some back roads, but they also barely fit one car and a rickshaw, so running into a water truck (for instance) means one of the two has to back up all the way out of the street, while other traffic is trying to squeeze in too...
The boys are on a smaller school bus, because the regular big bus can't make it here, and still they arrive at school almost 30 minutes late and the same coming home...

To top it all off it has been raining a lot in the last few days (and nights), so the whole miserable state of affairs has become nice and muddy too.

OooooooooooMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The car in front of us is backing up to give the truck some space. We couldn't back up because of the traffic behind us...The truck decided to be the wise one and took the dirt part (like the yellow school bus just behind it). That would not have been possible the next day, after it rained:

On the up size: I am getting to know the neighbourhood just outside Vista a lot better, with all the detours we are taking ;-)

Sinterklaas

Our weekend was filled with the celebration of Sinterklaas, a great Dutch tradition. Saturday we celebrated at home and Sunday we participated in the celebrations from the Dutch Club Bangalore. And participate we did: Adriaan was dressed up as Sinterklaas, Simon was one of his helpers (zwarte Piet) and yours truly slapped on their make up and helped them getting dressed (my nails are still black..yuk).
Great fun was had by all!

Ready for action!

Simon was playing 'the new Piet' and his big wish was to sit on Sinterklaas' lap

This boy LOVES being on stage and performing. He did an awesome job yesterday and I think he looked really cute

Busy, busy, busy

What's going on with the Spaanders?

It is that time of year when it seems like all activities are squeezed into the last few weeks of the year. Farewell parties, End of year get togethers, Xmas bazaars, test week, etc etc. On top of that there are still 'some' boxes to unpack in the garage, piles of clothes to wash and sort out and before I know it our suitcases will need to be packed to go on our Xmas holiday.....

I bought a puzzle the other day, it has 5000 (!) tiny pieces. I started looking for the corner pieces and the side pieces and then gave up. I would love to start on it, but can't find the time and peace of mind to do so. Maybe in the new year, when the boxes are gone and it is less busy?

Good on you!

One of the blogs that I check every day is called Edenland . At the moment Eden is in India to visit projects sponsored by World Vision.
A few days ago I sent Eden a message on Facebook:

Dear Eden,

Just want to let you know I read your blogs and I love them. I often feel like sending a comment, but then I think 'why would she be interested in my 2 cents worth?'
Your blogs on India are great. I live in India (in Bangalore) and I know what you are talking about, I know the smells, the sights and how overwhelming it all can be. I love the way you describe what you see and do and I can relate to it. Here in South India it is not as bad as in Delhi and Mumbai for instance, but I have seen the slums there too.
I do volunteer work in a slum for a project that empowers women by running their own company. They make bags out of used tetra packs and cement bags. It is great to see how they can provide for their (extended) family and how their children can get an education.

Thank you for your blog and for your view on things!!!

Fokkelien


And...she replied :-D

Fokkelien, thank you so much for emailing me! The most favourite part of my time here so far has been meeting women who are getting empowered. It's just fantastic, I love it so much. Today we travelled out to some "nicer" slums in Raipur, met with some women who are sewing curtains and clothes and earning enough to start businesses. Good on you for living in this country .. how do you even do it?! Amazing.
Love to you xx


That question: "how do you even do it?!" makes me feel a bit awkward. It isn't hard for me at all to live here, because I love India with all it's colours and chaos and mess and when it gets too overwhelming I just stay at home. I have the luxury to live in a gated community: as soon as I enter the gates I leave the 'real' India behind and enter a different world.

I think what Eden does is a lot harder. She is visiting the worst slums in the worst areas and gets confronted with people that live in horrible conditions, children that can't go to school or go to a doctor, because there is no money and they have to beg or steal to get something to eat.

It is very daunting and discouraging to see such poverty and on such a large scale. It is easier to close your eyes and refuse to acknowledge it than to get up close and try to find a solution. It seems to be a problem that is impossible to solve.
Over the years Adriaan and I have always tried to help on a small scale. Our idea has been to make sure children can go to school and get proper health care. It is a small drop in the ocean, but a lot of drops do make a difference I am sure.

Good on you Eden for being an ambassador for World Vision and for writing such an inspiring blog! I hope it will get a lot of people to add some drops to the ocean.

Nothing much and a whole lot going on...

It has been a week again since my last blog, but there is nothing much to write about. I have been very busy, mainly with unpacking boxes, making a mess and tidying up again. I have made quite a dent in the stack of boxes, but am not finished by far. All the clothes have been unpacked now and ready to be washed and sorted. A lot of it will go to find a new home, because we have outgrown them or because our sense of fashionable clothing has changed.

The boys have been studying over the Diwali break and the weekend for the test week. Nervous times for this Mum again...

This morning I spotted these in the supermarket:

Not something I would buy to decorate my house for Diwali or Xmas.....

Diwali Holiday

Friday it was Simon's birthday, he turned 12 (how did that happen, he is my baby?). He had to perform with the school band at the Diwali celebrations at school and it sounded really good.

Saturday we were invited by the parents of one of Ruben's friends. Ruben had had a sleepover and we went to pick him up and stayed for tea and snacks. They organised for Science Adda to put on their display and the kids and parents had great fun with all sorts of experiments about sound.

This was our favourite of course. A keyboard was connected to a tube with flames and the flames danced to the music.

On Sunday we went out for lunch to Simon's favourite restaurant so he could have THE-BEST-PIZZA-EVER! (Margerita, without tomatoes and basil but with bacon).

Yes, I know, eating with his hands and his elbows on the table...but I have been told that that is THE way to eat a pizza.....

In the afternoon Joshua decided to burn some dried banana peels (as you do) and used the ashes in an experiment. His father joined in the fun and apparently they got the results they were after.

Tomorrow it is Diwali so the boys have a short break from school. Kavitha made a rangoli with flowers in our living room. We will light the oil lamps tomorrow as Diwali is the festival of light.

Kavitha also made a rangoli (with coloured sand) on our doorstep, but right after she finished it, the gardener from next door decided to put on the sprinklers and ruined it....

HAPPY DIWALI!