Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest 2011 -- Home

Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest 2011 -- Home

I just spent several hours sifting through thousands of my photographs for six (6) to submit in the Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest 2011. Energizer and National Geographic have partnered once again to give amateur photographers the opportunity to submit their work in several different categories.

This year, the categories are: Animals/Wildlife, Nature/Weather, Travel/Cultures, Family/Community, Arts/Music and Action/Energy.

While winning one of the prizes (trip to Alaska, Morocco or Bhutan) would be fantastic, I would be honored if one of my submissions was recognized from the thousands of entries.

On or about August 2, 2011, the judges will have narrowed their selections to 12 photographs, two finalists for each category/theme. At that time a "Voting Phase" will begin and the public, that means YOU, will be able to cast your votes for the photograph that you believe best captures the category/theme.

If you see another blog entry from me around that time, you can be assured that I will let you know if one of my entries made the short list!

Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say..............but I urge all of you to visit the website to view and enjoy some of the work of the other very talented people who have submitted their work from their backyard or from distances far, far away.

Enjoy!

Air India.............What's your FATE?

Attached to a recent email I received from a colleague was an article on Air India explaining how criticism was growing about the airline. (Keep reading, there are pictures!)

The article began by stating that Bob Haygooni, a former United Airlines pilot who had been hired by Air India paid a mid flight visit to the cockpit of a flying aircraft to discover that the cockpit was enshrouded with a yellowish glow. The odd color was the result of the pilots having taped newspapers over the windows to keep the bright sunlight out. Mr. Haygooni stated that in 30 years of flying he had never seen anything like this before. If you have not read the article, here is the link: NY TIMES ARTICLE ON AIR INDIA

Since arriving and doing business in India, I have logged over 29,000 miles with Air India…….and while I have found the planes to be old, dirty and the interiors to be in disrepair, the in flight service from the flight attendants mediocre, and the food to be predictable, uncreative and almost inedible, I continued to fly them until I read this article.

What about how safe I felt? I consider myself to be quite perceptive, aware of my surroundings and humbly intelligent. In addition to all of the issues listed above, and what I had heard on the news about the recent crash that involved pilot error, or read in the paper of the strikes by staff shortly afterwards citing safety concerns, one might conclude that my self evaluation is wrong, or that I am on some type of mission of playing “Russian Roulette” with my life………believe it or not, I have never felt “Unsafe” flying on Air India………..inconvenienced, frustrated, disgusted, bitten by countless mosquitoes, sick to my stomach, and baffled YES……but never unsafe!

How could someone continue to fly an airline that had all of the tell tale signs of being a huge safety hazard? Is it stupidity, ignorance or something else?

Here is what it is:

1) I have been programmed to not believe everything I read or hear from the media.

2) I believe in GOD and I believe in FATE…….I believe that GOD is watching over me and that HE has pre-determined things that I am not in control of. While I have this belief, this does not mean that I would throw myself in front of a speeding car or lay on railroad tracks and believe that GOD would perform some miraculous feat………..

3) Remember, I am the same guy that had a brush with death on 26/11…………..see above…….I just simply put my life in GODS hands…………..and I have never boarded an aircraft thinking that I have placed my hands in the person who performs or does not perform maintenance on the aircraft, or the pilot or any of the countless people that even are literally responsible for keeping an aircraft airworthy and safe. Just like I don’t think about when I get on a bus, subway or in a taxi or rollercoaster………..I think a person would go mad and become a hermit and live his life in a padded room afraid to come out.

4) I believe in LIVING LIFE, not preventing my death………..

I am not sure how those of you feel when you read about my “philosophy” or my belief system. I would just hope that you would respect my philosophy and beliefs just as I respect your right to believe what you want to believe and practice.

The email and attached article I received on May 27th did cause me to put out an immediate edict and ban business travel on Air India for my team.

I believe that it was my FATE to receive the email in the manner I did, as I did not read the article in the newspaper myself on the day it was released for print………fate made me read it.

Just yesterday, while disembarking from a flight to Pune for business, I was walking past an Air India plane on the tarmac and FATE once again knocked at my door and caused me to look at the plane and notice that the cockpit had newspaper taped in the windows and it immediately brought back the reality of what I had read and reinforced that the decision I made just a few days earlier was the right one………and not a moment too soon.

This photo was taken on June 8, 2011 at the airport in Pune, India 13 days after a New York Times article story revealed that Air India Pilots tape newspaper in the windows of the cockpit while flying to block the sun


I was one of hundreds of passengers that walked past that airplane yesterday……..many may not have read the New York times article…………..some may have glimpsed at me taking a picture of the plane, but may not have noticed the newspapers………and still some further behind would not have noticed at all.

NEWSPAPER TAPED IN THE WINDOW TO BLOCK THE SUNLIGHT

For those of you who subscribe to the “SEEING IS BELIEVEING” philosophy, maybe this blog entry and my pictures will cause you to rethink your choice of travel…….for those of you who read my blog, it could be your fate that brought you here. Some of you may feel that you should pass my blog onto friends, family or a colleague. You may also be in a position to change or recommend a change to your company’s travel policy.

Happy flying!

Golden Eggs!...with no after Holiday Sales......Easter 2011

It's Easter morning here in India and it was wonderful to know that the Easter Bunny found his way to our home in Delhi.............even with that very confusing " B one oblique number address" we have here in India.

It was nice to wake up and find that he had left something behind...........a small round woven basket with a 100 gram (3.527oz) bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs (my favorite by the way) and three Cadbury Creme Eggs...........no grass........!

So small were the basket's, when Preston finally found his hidden in the house, he belted out........"is this it"?

Not only was it the smallest Easter Basket I have ever had in my lifetime..................it has to be the most expensive as well!

At the current exchange rate, the bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs cost $5.97 US..........and each of the Creme Eggs was $1.08 US........... the grand total cost of my basket $9.21 US.

Linda counted the Mini Eggs.............only 30 in the bag.........$0.20 per egg........ I did the conversion from grams to ounces.........$1.70 US per ounce.

For my Indian readers........Rs.9.16 per egg...........Rs. 2.75 per gram

Truly Golden Eggs!........The Easter Bunny explained that she wanted to buy more and make larger baskets, but she knew I would not be happy!...........she certainly is a smart bunny!

She also explained............that when she was purchasing the goodies, she noticed another interesting phenomenon about living the expat life.......no after sales!

Right next to our "Golden Eggs" was the Valentine Candy Hearts that were imported and didn't sell......and I bet when Diwali comes they will still be there, along with the left over bags of Mini Eggs!

In the US, "Holiday" candy/sweets are usually over produced.............meaning that one of the benefits that we have is the after holiday candy sales..........you name the Holiday and there is a marketing genius in the US that has specially packaged and marketed the same candy to appeal to that time in the calendar year, hoping to sell a little more of the same thing at a different price point.....just because of the Holiday........

The same M&M's are produced in "Easter Pastel Colors"....Skittles does the same thing.......there are Red and Green ones at Christmas.............and on and on.........

But after the Holiday..........the grocers/stores want to clear their shelves and the candy immediately goes on sale for a 50% discount......then the following week, 75%.......until it is all gone. In the US, the mindset is simple......past a week or two, it has to go.................in India.....it's different!

No after sales..............no discounts............it stays, and stays, and stays, and stays........dusted everyday, placed in a different part of the store, but stays, until it is sold.............it is the land of "No Expiration Dates".

To continue our Easter Celebration, we are going to brunch today at the Hyatt.........

Happy Easter everyone..................and if there is anyone over the next few weeks that wants to purchase some discounted Cadbury Mini Eggs and send them over to India in a suitcase, please feel free to do so.

We could do one of two things with them.............sell them to the grocer for Rs.125 Rs.........where he could still make a great profit all the way until Christmas..........or next Easter..............or we could enjoy them together!

Rebirth........doing our part to preserve a piece of India history.

The origin of the carpet is probably one of the most well kept secrets in the history of mankind……it is actually where the legend begins.

What is known is that it came from ancient Persia……..the family of carpet weavers, while not well known, crafted some of the most perfect carpets………the perfection was the result of the time they took to produce a carpet by hand……..one every five years……….sometimes more……….their shop was their home…..small….just barely enough room for the work on the carpets to be done and for the family to live. They literally lived among their work…….giving even more understanding to how much passion this family put into producing carpets with such meticulous detail.

This carpet was acquired by a prince who had discovered this small village after being lost for several days in the nearby desert. Of course, with all visits by someone of royalty, the villagers bestowed many gifts on the young prince for days……..while in the village for several days replenishing his stores so that he and his party could continue their journey, one of the princes servants learned of this family of carpet makers. He was told of the beauty and workmanship, something that had not been witnessed before and he demanded an audience with the carpet maker.

However, the family refused to see the prince and ignored the summons…….of course this did not meet the prince’s ears with favor and he demanded that the carpet maker and his family be forcibly brought to him and for the rugs that were in his possession be brought to him, including the unfinished carpet that was being produced on the very crude loom that was in his shop.

Word spread quickly through the village about the prince’s anger and the fact that the prince had ordered his soldiers to confiscate all of their possessions, yet the carpet maker and his family did not fear the young prince’s wrath and very calmly and patiently waited for the impending visit.

Neighbors urged the family to pack their possessions and flee the village while there was still time……..others offered to hide the rug on the loom………which was believed to be the most beautiful of all the rugs the family had produced thus far……………but the family refused to move.

The soldiers arrived as planned……….and carried out the orders of the prince………finding only the carpet on the loom…….which was truly a masterpiece in the making.  The carpet maker and his son, who was his apprentice, were imprisoned by the prince and were taken along with the carpet to his palace some several hundred miles away from the village.

His wife and daughter were left behind, thankfully unharmed, and remained living in the small home in the village. 

The prince had promised to release the carpet maker and his son once this carpet had been completed, which was estimated to take an additional three years……………surely the thought occurred to the carpet maker that he could speed the process up by not being as quality oriented, but as a matter of pride, the man and his son were determined to complete the carpet and to ensure it did not have any flaws……three years in captivity was a small price to pay when the alternative was producing a carpet that he could not be proud of…………the prince would have his rug……..and he would win freedom for he and his son.

However, upon the untimely death of the king, the prince found himself ruler of a much larger kingdom and his thirst for power made him become even more evil. 

The day had come………almost three years to the date that he was removed from his village and his family………and the carpet was complete. He and his son had worked tirelessly many nights by the light of an oil lamp……..their hands and fingers cramping from the endless days of working on the rug. The muscles in their legs grew weak from being deprived access beyond the four walls of the cell they were imprisoned in…………they had accomplished their task and were ready to receive the kings blessings and be set free.

The carpet maker and his son had been ordered by the king to present the rug to him in front of his most favored of guests that had gathered for a banquet. It was to be a truly special evening for the king…………. The king sat high upon his throne in the grand room……next to him was his new queen….……the carpet maker and his son were given the opportunity to get well groomed and were given some newly made clothing for the occasion. The carpet was rolled and wrapped in a beautiful cloth and was now ready to be presented and unveiled to the king for his admiration.

The time had come………the carpet was proudly carried by the two carpet makers into the center of the room. It was placed on its side…….meticulously unwrapped and then unrolled before the king and his queen………………the room was filled with sounds of admiration from all in the room…………..and then the king raised his scepter and the room became quiet. The king stood and proudly told the story of how he had had become the recipient of such a fine carpet…………..he told of the carpet makers imprisonment and the fact that he could rule powerful over any such subject in his kingdom.

While no one is sure of the exact words spoken by the carpet maker, what has been passed down is the following; there he and his son stood in the center of the room facing the king and queen and surrounded by the kings guests. Silence filled the room once again when the carpet maker began to speak. He stated that he was very comforted to know that the king was pleased with his work and thanked the king for giving him the opportunity to produce what he believed to be the finest rug that he had ever made. This made the kings chest swell and his ego just as much, but the carpet maker did not stop. Much to the kings dismay, the carpet maker reminded the king of his promise of freedom upon completing the carpet ………..a promise that was once made by a prince turned king……….the king was not amused at the carpet maker embarrassing him in front of his guests…………..the room was suddenly being filled with whispers from the crowd, which made the king even more furious as he felt as if he was slowly becoming the laughing stock of his own guests.

His anger reached the boiling point as everyone in the room was awaiting to hear what this king was going to say in response to the words of the carpet maker………….and then he spoke……..”Freedom is just another word for nothing else to lose………now, return to your cell and lose yourself for another 5 years and make a matching rug for my new queen”.  

Meanwhile, in the village, the carpet makers wife had fallen on bad times………the little money she had from the sales of previous carpets had been slowly depleted….and while she had had enough to survive while her husband had been away…………slowly over the years, when he hadn’t returned she was forced to sell what belongings she had to survive.

One of the last things to be sold, after lying for nearly 40 years on the floor of their humble home, was a carpet that her husband had made for her many years before. The carpet had managed to escape the looting by the soldiers as they did not believe it to be of much worth………..worn thin from  the many footsteps that passed in and out of their small home……….the edges were gone…threads were bare and holes had developed in several of the traffic areas.  But to her it was a prized possession she was now being forced to let go for whatever price she could get. She simply needed the money to survive and the carpet was sold to a merchant who dealt in used items for almost nothing.

The carpet remained in this family of merchants for generations………….laying unwanted by many people due to the poor condition it was in………..after a journey of almost two centuries, the rug founds it way into the hands of a carpet dealer here in Delhi who specializes in restoring old rugs to their original condition.

He has assembled craftsman from Kashmir who have honed this skill over many generations from  their forefathers……….they use the highest quality of material hand dyed in Pondicherry using the methods that were used when the rug was originally made……….and the threads are matched to include the same consistency of wool and other natural fibers. Like all stories of kings, queens and palaces, the story must have a happy ending..........while the rug merchant does not know the fate of the carpet maker and his family, one thing to be happy about is that the carpet will be restored to its original grandeur and will be cherished for many more generations to come…………..it will be nice to have our own piece of history to bring back to the United States one day.

I hope you enjoy!

Mardi Gras in New Delhi - 2011

The first care package sent to us from the United States was from my sister: a box full of doubloons, beads, masks and plastic cups along with a CD filled with the tunes of Mardi Gras……….the box took over 2 months to reach us, probably due to baffling the agents in customs……….and by that time Mardi Gras was long past………..bit the spirit remained.


The Mardi Gras "Care Package"

It has been said that people from New Orleans can move away, but you can never take New Orleans out of them…………….I am here to tell you that the spirit of New Orleans is alive and well even in New Delhi India.

The "Love Guru" and his gals!

A few Saturday nights ago, Linda and I were invited to the annual Mardi Gras party thrown by some friends, Janet and Jack……………..Janet, is a New Orleanian through and through………….even after living in all parts of the world, and in New Delhi for the past 15+ years, she is testament that you simply cannot remove New Orleans from a native. She hasn’t even lost her accent!

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Happy Mardi Gras!

Janet and Jack’s Mardi Gras parties are famous here in Delhi………..they have been hosting it every year at their farm home………..This year, Janet and Jack moved their family right down to the end of our street……..which was extremely convenient considering I was traveling and getting into town literally minutes before the party began and not knowing what costume I was going to wear!

Linda and I before leaving for the party!

I decided that I would put on my New Orleans Saints pajama bottoms and the Saints shirt my mom gave me at Christmas…………..with that big gold Fleur-de-lis  on the chest………and the mask my sister sent us three years ago………….after a few quick pictures at the house, we were off to party!

Jack as a Talosian and "Wille Nelson"

We were greeted by Jack……….who had crafted a Star Trek Talosian ……………..who explained that Janet was still getting ready…………..he explained that earlier in the day their cook had decided to quit on the day of the party…………….and Janet was running a bit behind with getting her costume on.

Janet handing out Mardi Gras Beads

In typical New Orleans style, we were told where the food was and then escorted to the bar which was on the roof of their new home.

Tent Walla magic in New Delhi

Linda and I were both amazed at what the “Tent Walla” was able to do……………the terrace had been transformed into Mardi Gras Central……….Purple, Green and Gold fabric above our heads…….the music was spilling out Mardi Gras tunes and the weather was perfect………..

Party goers and Janet and Jack in the background!

It made Linda and I both homesick for the real thing…………..brought back many memories of good times with old friends………….for a minute it was surreal………the costumes, the people from all different countries……I never would have dreamed in my life that I would ever celebrate Mardi Gras in India…….but it happened………..the night was magical in many ways.



Our friends Don and Mari

Now picture this………….I am standing near the entrance to the party………..and in walks a man in costume…….and he taps me on the shoulder and says in a strong French accent …..”you are wearing the shirt of the football team from New Orleans”……to which I replied………..”Why yes………….have you been to New Orleans?”……………


Marc and his wife arriving at the party!

He proudly stated “I was born in New Orleans”……………..to make a long story short, my new French friend wearing formal Chinese dress with a heart painted on his face and I have much in common.



Me and Marc

While we were born one year apart, we share the same city of birth and the same birthday……….another “incredible” India story………….this year my new friend, Marc Antoine, will celebrate our birthdays in New Delhi together this August…………..maybe in costume once again…..who knows?

Our friend Christy dressed as a "baby sitter"

I hope you enjoy the pictures………and Happy Mardi Gras to everyone!

Our friends Shelly (dressed as "blackmail") and Margaret (dressed as a "spice rack")

Husband and wife! Believe it or not!



Two Diva's!



India and Butterscotch.........a poll!

As a child, typically around Christmas, my mother inevitably had candy bowl after candy bowl filled with golden wrapped hard butterscotch candy...........I would eat them by the handful........while I haven't had them in years, I can still remember the distinctive sound made by the golden wrapping as I peeled away the neatly twisted ends......................or how I graduated to the "quick strip" by holding just one twisted end between my thumb and finger, placing my teeth around the candy and then pulling until the force of creamy golden butterscotch candy forced the other twisted end to unwrap and the candy fell perfectly on my tongue.

YUMMMMMMMM!

I am sure that I am not the only one in this world to use this technique..........surely there is some reader out there that has done the same thing.

Since arriving here I have been a student of all things "India"......an observer of life, environment, people, food, art, architecture, the incredible, the rarities and the oddities...........and just when you think you have seen something out of the ordinary, just around the corner there is something else to amaze you.

One thing that struck me as rather odd was what appeared to me was that Indian's are lovers of Butterscotch Ice Cream............a flavor not so popular in the United States..........but why here?............how did this happen? It has been in the back of my mind for almost two years now, after being first served the flavor on a train from Ludhiana.

While I had been meaning to explore this with some of my colleagues, the topic never seemed to come to my mind when I was with any of them.......until......one night at dinner at the Four Points by Sheraton Visakhapatnam (Vizag)......and the opportunity presented itself.

Picture this.............the last plates were cleared.........and the waiter asked the table if it would like some desert...........and since I am an ice cream lover...........I asked what flavors.............Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry and yep...........Butterscotch. I ordered vanilla..........the waiter disappeared.

Immediately, I sprung into action by commenting to the people at the table that I have been observing something for some time, and asked......"Why do Indian's have an affinity for Butterscotch Ice Cream".....the reply I received was counter to my observation and both of the people at the table stated that they did not have a preference for "butterscotch" .....and whole-heartedly felt that my observation was incorrect..........and I quickly repliedthat they were the exception to the rule............that Indian's were truly "in love" with Butterscotch Ice Cream...........and this led to an unofficial poll to be conducted by one of the "naysayers" at the table.

When the waiter returned, my colleague casually asked him........"What flavor of ice cream is your favorite?".....his reply was quick and without hesitation the word "Butterscotch" rolled off his tongue........

One after another, my colleague continued polling............calling over one employee after another.......by the time we had reached the 10th person...........we had 70% that had answered in my favor.............and that was including the two naysayers at the table.......

Needless to say, while certainly not scientific, everyone walked away from the table that night with a better idea of the percentage of Indian's that favor Butterscotch Ice Cream..........but the question remained in my mind as to how and why!

My premise is that it had to be a legacy of the British...........like "tea time" and the Indian Railway system.....could this be one of the simple things that has become so en grained in the Indian lifestyle that no one has paid attention as to how it started...............?

I embarked on my mission to research "Butterscotch in India"............googling these words I found many recipes for butterscotch cakes, etc and even a question posted by an Indian on "Yahoo Answers India" asking "Can I give my dog butterscotch ice cream?"..................

While the recipes were abounding and I even discovered some sites about butterscotch ice cream in India..........I could find nothing about how it became so popular a flavor here.

What did I learn.........here it goes......Butterscotch is British.......and the word was recorded to first be used in Doncaster by a candy maker named Samuel Parkinson..........the year was 1817 and the Parkinson confectionary became extremely popular..........so much that butterscotch became one of Doncasters most famous exports and the "Royal" highlight of the St Leger race week...........where apparently special "tins" were made to be filled with the butterscotch candy to commemorate the occasion. The confectioner's company even carried the "Royal Seal of Approval"...............

So there it was.....the British connection was established...........but how did the candy make it's way from Britain to the shores of India............no doubt, because of it's popularity it made it's way over with several of the hundreds of thousands of British citizens and soldiers during the 200+ years that Britain ruled India..........

I can see it now..............somewhere here in India someone was making ice cream one day..........had a tin of St. Leger race week butterscotch candy............crushed them and mixed them into the creamy vanilla ice cream and the flavor became popular.............

I would like to continue the informal poll...........I would like all of you who read this blog article to please take the time to leave a comment about ice cream......"What is your flavour???..........simple...............but feel free to also write additional comments about the history of butterscotch in India.............I would really like to try and trace the roots!

True Colors - Holi 2011 New Delhi

Preston shortly after arriving at the Holi Party

"My skin is kind of sort of brownish pinkish yellowish white.  My eyes are greyish blueish green, but I'm told they look orange in the night.  My hair is reddish blondish brown, but it's silver when its wet, and all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet."  ~Shel Silverstein

I find the quote by Shel Silverstein to be quite fitting while reflecting back on this years Holi celebration......and it made me think...........Shel Silverstein - Biography



Water, gulal..........looks like fun!

For the past two years, Holi was either celebrated from the safe confines of our car or from the balcony of our apartment that provided a lofty advantage while "playing" with the neighborhood children down below...........however, last year was fun...having invented "Holi Gras"!


Preston and his friends - Holi 2011

This year was totally different...........having been invited to participate with the students of Linda's latest volunteer project.........the students of "Make a Difference", more affectionately known as "MAD".


Children waiting for the teachers to arrive

More on MAD later..............right now, let me tell you about the day, and how exciting and fun it was...........the chance to really "play Holi" in a very controlled environment...........no huge and unpredictable crowds........no "Bhang"........the marijuana induced sweet lassi drink that gets you stoned.............and "organic gulal" .......the bright Holi powder that gets thrown on you.



Linda greeting Krishna, one of her students

I first dropped Preston off at his friends house, and the fun began immediately......he was multi-colored in no time at all.......his friends rushed him with powder and water, doused him well and he was barely recognizable within a matter of minutes.



Sally and Linda gathering all the children for the walk to the Embassy

After a few quick photographs and a group shot, I returned to the house to pick up Linda........and to head to the Roosevelt House, where Sally and Tim Roemer, U.S. Ambassador to India live............



Linda with some of the students

A few short weeks ago, Sally reached out to Linda and some of her other close friends to begin teaching English as a second language to the children of the "juggi"(slum) that exists just across the street from the Embassy and the school where Preston attends High School.



Dressed in some of their nicest clothing - before the fun begins!

Today, Sally invited the 32 children who were tested and hand selected for the program to celebrate Holi with their teachers at the Ambassador's home on the grounds of the U.S. Embassy..........a very special treat indeed.



Let the fun begin - gulal neatly arranged on tables for the kids

It was a very special treat for me as well..............as I was fortunate to be in town instead of traveling for work.........and it was also great to interact with the students that Linda has been teaching..........putting a face to those I had only knew by name until today.



It did not take long! - Ambassador Tim Roemer in a cloud of Holi Colors

Each year, we send Preston out into the streets of Delhi wearing some of the oldest clothing he has knowing that they will not come back in wearable condition...........but not the children of the MAD class.........they were wearing what appeared to be some of their best clothing to attend today's function.............they looked almost too dressed up for what was about to take place.



Linda celebrating Holi 2011

Nevertheless, they were ready to celebrate...........and after the long walk from the juggi to the grounds of the Roosevelt house, it did not take them long to get into action.............waiting for them, neatly arranged on plates were mounds of "gulal"................and without having to let them know when to begin.........the air was filled with color.........and every ones skin and hair was changing color by the second.



Linda and Pinky

While the fun was taking place before my eyes, I was remaining relatively "unscathed" thanks to the fact that the children were well behaved and respected the fact that I had a camera in my hand...............one of the biggest worries that I had..............unfortunately, there was just no escaping the powder that filled the air and settled on the surface of everything..................my camera was soon various shades of green, yellow and red....but it was still functioning fine.



Linda and Ashish Kumar - The "Little Man"

 I didn't remain "colorless" for long...........I believe that it was the Ambassador himself that gave me my first dose of color and it was downhill from there...........so when in India............do like the Indian's..........this was my first year to truly celebrate Holi as it was intended......OK, not authentically like they do in Vrindavan or in Mathura......cities known for this celebration......it was much more "controlled"..........but I think it may be as authentic as it will get for me.



Linda and Sally in living color

Preston is very good friends with the son's of Sally and Tim, and they showed up a bit after the fun began, but participated in the event as well..............he also volunteers as a teacher after school and helps Linda teach her students.



Preston, Ambassador Roemer and Matt

The children had a great time......Holi Colors, traditional Holi snacks............juice and soft drinks and for all of them a chance to celebrate Holi in a very special place.


Preston and Sonu

 About MAD............When the First Lady of the U.S., Michelle Obama, recently visited India, one of the places that she spent some time was at an NGO named "Make a Difference"............an organization started by some students from a similar background that realized how learning to speak English transformed their life.......their education and their ability to make a sustainable income and to work their way out of poverty for them and their family. Sally Roemer was so touched by what she saw in Mumbai, the home of the original MAD program, that she decided that she would start a chapter in Delhi with the help of her friends...........and with the assistance of the campus of the American Embassy School and the students.



Linda and Preston surrounded by the drummers

The children attending the classes are not the only ones benefiting from MAD..........speaking only for our family, Linda and Preston have also been touched by having the ability to know that they are Making a Difference in the lives of ........the children..........Pinky, Vedprakash, Krishna, Neeraj, Ashish Kumar, Sonya, Anju, Kavita, Chanda, Abhishek, Vishnu, Sonu and the others.........

Colorful girl!

While all of them were united in the traditional colors of Holi on the outside............I wonder what the "color" of helping someone looks like.............what does the color of volunteerism look like?, what does the color of "feeling good inside" look like?



Preston playing the drums.........and he wasn't that bad!

I am so grateful that I have been able to play a "supporting role" in the volunteering that Linda and Preston have been doing since coming to India.............I am also envious of them............and wish that my job allowed me the time to contribute to the betterment of someones life while I am in India...........in the meantime, I will have to be content with the small behind the scenes help that I am doing............I think I need to work on my "inside colors".



MAD Class of 2011 - New Delhi Chapter

What about you? Are you Making a Difference and working on your colors inside? What are your True Colors?..........Happy Holi everyone!

For more about MAD.........here is the link               Make A Difference