These are a Few of my Favorite Things... (about South Asia!)

There's just something about this time of year, isn't there? The seasons are changing, the leaves are falling, the temperatures are dropping... but not here! So as I find myself reminiscing a little more than usual about people and things (and steak! and cheeseburgers!!!) that I miss from the other side of the world, I thought it would be fun to count a few of the blessings that surround me right where I am.

So without further ado, I present to you.... just a few of my favorite things about life in South Asia!

Home Delivery - In a place where so many things are a little more challenging, home delivery is one area where South Asia has got it going on! Here, home delivery isn't just for pizza. McDonalds, KFC and the majority of every other kind of restaurant will all deliver right to our door. The tiny little shops that are jam-crammed from floor to ceiling with grocery items are happy to deliver too - even if all you want is a loaf of bread and a Coke. Our new city even offers online grocery ordering and delivery. You just go online and choose your meat, veggies, milk, cereal, spices, or whatever else, choose your delivery time slot, and they'll bring it. I do love getting out & shopping myself, but with K traveling a lot more now, home delivery is even more of a blessing!

Color! - It's no exaggeration to say that we live in one of the most colorful corners of the world. Whether you're in the poorest slum to the most extravagant society, the colors are bright, bold & beautiful. It isn't just about the clothing, either. (That deserves its own paragraph!) India has such a flair for beauty in unexpected places. Fruit and veggie sellers carefully stack their gorgeous produce into towering pyramids. Little children wear every color of the rainbow... often all at the same time! Even humble freight trucks are adorned in incredibly ornate designs.

Clothing - While more and more ladies wear "Western" (similar to what we wear in America) clothing, most still wear more traditional South Asian dress. The world-famous sari is so much more than an article of clothing. This long piece of fabric comes in a huge variety of materials and can be folded in so many ways. A native South Asian can look at a lady's sari and tell you both her state and caste! Then there's the salwar kameez, a kurta (long top that usually has slits up the side) paired with very loose salwar or pattiyala pants or churidar (leggings that are gathered at the bottom.) Many ladies these days wear just a kurta with jeans or linen pants. For me, the modesty, beautiful colors and affordability make South Asian clothes a win-win-win!

The Press Walla - This is a person who comes to your door, takes your wrinkled clothing, and brings it back to you perfectly pressed for a few pennies per piece. !!!! Enough said.

Food - We have barely scratched the surface of the amazing variety of South Asian food that is out there, but so much of what we have tried is delicious! Like clothing, each South Asian state has its own special dishes to offer. Contrary to what you might think, all of the food here isn't spicy hot, but almost everything IS spicy flavorful... if that makes sense. If you ever look up a South Asian recipe, you'll find a super-long ingredient list that mostly consists of spices. My favorite dishes are the simplest ones. A South Asian bread, like chapati or puri, paired with a simple veggie like bhindi (okra), batata (potato) or green beans, prepared in the South Asian way. Yum! Since moving here, K and I (but NOT Malachi) have grown to love spicy food so much more. These days, I even find myself adding a little extra heat to many of our favorite American dishes. :)

Custom Everything - If you can dream it up, chances are that you can find someone, somewhere here to create it for you! Whether it's curtains (which we recently had made!), clothing, furniture, or bedding, it is often less expensive to have something made than to buy it at the mall, plus there's the added bonus of choosing exactly what you want. Of course, depending on how good your language skills are, "exactly" is probably a bit of an exaggeration.

The Unexpected - Here, you truly never know what you might see walking down the street. So far we've seen camels, elephants, pigs, goats, chickens, cows (lots and lots of cows!), and one completely naked man. You also never know what you might see someone transporting on their motorcycle or scooter. A mattress? Why not? 12 foot bamboo ladder? Go ahead. Miscellaneous appliances, tools, and families of 5 or more are also not out of the ordinary. Our personal favorite so far was the ginormous mama pig Kenny saw strapped to a scooter one day... but unfortunately he wasn't quick enough with the camera to capture that one!

The Hospitality - The South Asian families who have hosted us for meals here have shown us such amazing hospitality. They carefully watch you while you're eating and ask every few minutes if you need more of this or that (and sometimes heap on some more even if you decline!). Even those who have little share so freely from what they have. I still have A LOT to learn about being a gracious hostess in this place!

There's no place on the planet like South Asia. For these reasons and 1.26 billion more, I count it a privilege to call it HOME.