It has been two months and a day since my last entry. Usually I start off a post apologizing for not writing in a while before scapegoating some innocent technological device (*cough*PS3*cough*). For the sake of consistency, I'm just going to do the same thing now. This time the culprit is Airtel's shitty internet and even shittier customer service. We have not had consistent internet since June, but starting in July it just got really bad. It maybe worked for ten minutes every ten days or so. I would complain and they would come and change the cable. Then it still wouldn't work and I would call again and they would be all confused and say, "But we just changed the cable." I'm like, "I know you did. I'm thinking the cable's not the problem."
The worst thing about this whole no internet thing was that Mr. ATK and I bought an iPad and Slingbox so we could watch football (Go Pack Go!) and then our internet wasn't even fixed by opening day. So we missed the first two weeks. There was much rejoicing today however, when we woke up a 6 am and got to watch the first half of Thursday Night Football before leaving for work. Even if it was just the Giants and Panthers. No fake field goals in that game. Lame.
Also, before I continue with my witty observations on life in India, I feel I should go on the record and say, in case anyone was worried, Mr. ATK and I are okay. Of course, like everyone in the foreign service family, we are very saddened by the death of Ambassador Stevens (RPCV), Sean Smith, and the others who lost their lives in Libya. There have been a few protests in India, outside the U.S. Consulate in Chennai, and up in Srinagar in Kashmir (yes, like the Led Zepplin song.) Today, they are expecting protests in New Delhi, partially in response to the French newspaper publishing a cartoon of Mohammad. Our embassy is basically next door to the French Embassy and we were joking about how we should put up helpful directional signs:
The worst thing about this whole no internet thing was that Mr. ATK and I bought an iPad and Slingbox so we could watch football (Go Pack Go!) and then our internet wasn't even fixed by opening day. So we missed the first two weeks. There was much rejoicing today however, when we woke up a 6 am and got to watch the first half of Thursday Night Football before leaving for work. Even if it was just the Giants and Panthers. No fake field goals in that game. Lame.
Also, before I continue with my witty observations on life in India, I feel I should go on the record and say, in case anyone was worried, Mr. ATK and I are okay. Of course, like everyone in the foreign service family, we are very saddened by the death of Ambassador Stevens (RPCV), Sean Smith, and the others who lost their lives in Libya. There have been a few protests in India, outside the U.S. Consulate in Chennai, and up in Srinagar in Kashmir (yes, like the Led Zepplin song.) Today, they are expecting protests in New Delhi, partially in response to the French newspaper publishing a cartoon of Mohammad. Our embassy is basically next door to the French Embassy and we were joking about how we should put up helpful directional signs:
"Protesting the cartoon?
This way --->"
"Protesting the film?
<---- This way"
Anyways, in order to be on the safe side, Ambassador Powell closed the embassy at noon and sent all personnel home. So if you hear about protests at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, rest assured that Mr. ATK and I are safe and sound at home and nowhere near the protests.
I would also like to share an excerpt from Secretary Clinton's speech for Eid ul-Fitr (the holiday which marks the end of Ramadan) which I particularly liked:
"So tonight, we must come together and recommit ourselves to working toward a future marked by understanding and acceptance rather than distrust, hatred, and fear. We can pledge that whenever one person speaks out in ignorance and bigotry, ten voices will answer. They will answer resoundingly against the offense and the insult, answering darkness with light; that if one person commits a violent act in the name of religion, millions will stand up and condemn it out of strength.
"In times like these, it can be easy to despair that some differences are irreconcilable, some mountains too steep to climb; we will therefore never reach the level of understanding and peacefulness that we seek, and which I believe the great religions of the world call us to pursue. But that's not what I believe, and I don't think that's what you believe either here tonight. Part of what makes our country so special is we keep trying. We keep working. We keep investing in our future. We keep supporting the next generation, believing that young people can keep us moving forward in a positive direction."
"So tonight, we must come together and recommit ourselves to working toward a future marked by understanding and acceptance rather than distrust, hatred, and fear. We can pledge that whenever one person speaks out in ignorance and bigotry, ten voices will answer. They will answer resoundingly against the offense and the insult, answering darkness with light; that if one person commits a violent act in the name of religion, millions will stand up and condemn it out of strength.
"In times like these, it can be easy to despair that some differences are irreconcilable, some mountains too steep to climb; we will therefore never reach the level of understanding and peacefulness that we seek, and which I believe the great religions of the world call us to pursue. But that's not what I believe, and I don't think that's what you believe either here tonight. Part of what makes our country so special is we keep trying. We keep working. We keep investing in our future. We keep supporting the next generation, believing that young people can keep us moving forward in a positive direction."
You can read the whole speech here.
Anyways, I look forward to filling you all in on "This Indian Life" more regularly from now on, but I think I'm just going to leave well enough alone for right now.
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