Mama India, Wandering Child

Happy Birthday Arun!

...and a happy holiday season to all of our friends and family around the world!

A bull cart ride in India.

Lately I have been revisiting the photos that I took last winter in India.  It is amazing how small Arun was, in fact he wasn't even walking or talking.  That certainy didn't stop him from having fun, especially on special occasions like a bull cart ride.  A friend of ours rented the cart for the day and invited us along for the  ride.  What an exciting day we had!

  
Arun makes friends with the driver

ready to leave

we are off!

on the road

traffic

our bull takes a rest

while we stop for chai

birthday girl
stopping for chai

  
 
tikka

the birthday girl and friends

 

 

wanderlust.

The weather has suddenly turned cooler here and it is getting dark just a little earlier each day.  Soon it will be winter here in Oxford and although it remains beautiful, my wandering mind takes my thoughts to India a bit more each day.  As for my eyes, I have spent the morning looking at photographs by Ben Taylor, who I met in India this past winter.  He was traveling with his partner and adorable little boy, Cosmo.  I love the photos that he took on his family trip, it really brings me back to my own India travels with my boys!

 

 
 

To see more of Ben's Photographs, click here

S is for Sari

I just love shopping in India and now that Arun has come along it is twice as fun.  On our recent visit we found lots of colorful fabric that we made into unique baby clothes.   In Auroville we discovered tons of brightly illustrated books and these alphabet cards.  They are created in South India and feature animals and objects found in India.  Don't you just love them? Arun does!

You can purchase your own set here.

Taking Time To Smell The Flowers

Suddenly the weather has changed and we've had a week of gorgeous sunny days.  Arun and I took full advantage of the clear skies. Long walks by the river, climbing in the playground and splashing in the baby pool have been just a few of our activities. 

I tend to rush around and try to do everything at once.  Arun continually reminds me to slow down and smell the flowers, pick up a stone or just look at something that I never would have noticed. How lucky I am to be able to spend my days with such a sweet little boy!

An Interview with Travelin’ Mama Madelon Galland (Part 2)

Here is the second half of last weeks interview with my friend and fellow traveling mama Madelon Galland...

©Madelon Galland

R:  What has been the most difficult part of traveling with Clovis?

M: Giving up my preferences, my personal interests and trying to focus on making it a family trip has been the biggest change for me. When I put my kid first its fine, but if I have an agenda of my own it always gets complicated.  As it wasn’t until I was 40 that I became a mother, I had gotten very attached to my autonomy and am having to learn the art of compromise and surrender at a whole new level.   

Also the unforeseen stress of exposure to pollution, noise (piercing loudspeakers, air horns and fireworks aka “crackers”), crowds, and the rare truck wafting clouds of insecticide were always disconcerting and guilt provoking. But the benefits of our travels with Clovis outweigh any of my grievances. He is still talking about his experiences and friends there.  

 

©Madelon Galland

R:  I put together a list of things to bring on a trip to India with a baby.  What would you add or take out of your pack for travel with an older child?

M: I packed a few of his favorite books, toys, stuffed animals, paints or pencils and paper.  Two hats, full-length cotton pajamas to help protect from mosquitoes at night, good sandals.  I didn’t bring a car seat to India (I have rarely seen seatbelts there so it would be rendered useless), but I carried him mostly in the Ergo carrier to feel him safely against me.  I kept snacks and water always on hand.  We brought the stroller this time but just to give it to an Indian friend who had a new baby.

I did get Clovis his vaccinations before going and have kept them up to date.  I carry children’s hydration salts in the event of diarrhea. As controversial as it is, many diseases do still exist in India that have virtually disappeared in the west.  But I do not take nor give my son malaria meds, which are known to have terrible side effects.  Prevention is our tactic on that front.  

Travel light, you can find almost anything you need once you are there. I always bring a good vegetable peeler, and an absorbent sponge. I carry GSE tablets (grapefruit seed extract, for my own immune support…have never had to take antibiotics there).  I have been carrying with us a bag of Clovis’ favorite baby pasta and a bag of Cheerios…just to have a couple happy and familiar foods on hand to whip up.

  ©Madelon Galland

R:  Does Clovis like being in India? How does he adjust to being back in France?

M: He loves being in India and the high regard he is met with by people of all ages.  Although this time, he started getting sick of people touching his cheeks (it didn’t bother him before).  Clovis has already started using a computer… we went from 3 obsessed computer addicts holed up in our house in winter, to barefoot in India with no computer and it was great! Cold turkey.  It was a non-issue.  I am afraid that older kids would have a more difficult time adjusting as they have more attachments.  Clovis is still living in the moment and can make an adventure out of our simple morning walk to buy milk.   Our return was met with excitement and he seemed to discover all of his old toys all over again. Then we all came down with terrible colds, France was still wintery in late March. It’s been a difficult return to his nursery school where he is intimidated by the children’s indifference. After the warmth he received from children in India, it is a startling contrast.  And being gone for so long throws things off apparently.    

  
©Madelon Galland

R:  Do you think you will continue to travel to India every year with Clovis?

M: I would like to, especially before he is 6, when school will become obligatory. I feel deeply like India is where he is from since he was conceived there. He is so at ease with the sadhus, I am sure he is a little sage.

R:  Is there any other advice you can offer to those who are considering a trip to India with their children?

M:  If you fly before they are two years old, the child flies free (lap child-just a small tax).  I print some digital prints before leaving to give to those photographed in thanks and remembrance. Bring simple gifts to give other children: balls, pens and refill pencils are coveted! I always carry my own water bottle and buy mineral water in 5 liter returnable bottles so as to try not to contribute to the ubiquitous waste of empty one liter bottles that litter India. I also try to carry my own shopping bags for the same reason. 

©Madelon Galland

©Madelon Galland

R:  Can you share a few of your most rewarding experiences?

M: There are endless rewarding experiences and now that Clovis can speak in complete sentences I get to learn about the lasting impressions.  So often he would exclaim, “wow, I have never seen that before!” When Clovis learned how to sit up in Auroville, I was thrilled.  When he said “kissing monkeys” while pointing to the exact place where I had taken a photograph of kissing monkeys the year prior, I was dumbfounded. When he broke out dancing at the evening Aarti, I was charmed.  When he yelled “Ganga” when we arrived at the banks of the holy river, I was blown away. When he said,  “I love you mama”, for the first time, I melted.  And when I discovered he loved fresh peas, just pulled from their sweet casing, I was elated, what a healthy snack! Also I absolutely love how he is attracted to people and makes friends everywhere we go and draws wonderful people into our lives. A complete stranger came up to us in a restaurant and happily handed him a brand new toy bus, and then left.  Sadhus have given him their malas. The smiles he elicits completely light our path now.  I feel so blessed to get to be on this adventure with him.

  ©Madelon Galland

Thank you Madelon!

 

Have you traveled with your child?  If you would like to share your experiences on this blog, please send me an email at rachel@rachelmovitz.com

Auroville and Living in India

Simon and I often dream about living in India year round.  We both love India and have returned year after year.  But living there full time raises some issues.  First of all, foreigners are usually only granted a six month visa.  Now visa restrictions are making it more difficult to re-enter after the visa has expired. Second, what would we do for work?  We have to have some way of making a living. Plus, we worry about Arun.  On our recent visit, he was showered with attention.  People stared, pinched his cheeks, offered him sweets and generally made a big fuss about him.  This is fine as we were just visiting, but we both feel that we want him to grow up with peers who speak the same language as him and have a similar culture.

   

Matrimandir, courtesy Auroville.org

Among a couple possibilities, we became interested in Auroville, an experimental township in Tamil Nadu, just a couple of hours from our home away from home, Tiruvannamalai. Auroville was established in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa (aka ‘The Mother’) and Sri Aurobindo as a universal city where people of all nations could live in ‘human unity’.  Now there are over 2000 residents from 45 counties, about 1/3 from India.  The township is divided up into communities, each with a different focus, from creative arts to organic farming.  The community is quite self sufficient- they run their own schools, restaurants, cafes, guesthouses and a number of shops including a grocery store, a couple of clothing shops, bookstores and a bakery. 

  Film Exhibition at Kala Kendra ©Ireno Guerci

Children on the Beach ©Ireno Guerci 

Women's Group Courtesy Auroville.org

During our last week in India Arun and I visited our friend, Veronica, an Aurovillian who has been living and working in the community for 8 years.  We stayed with her in her lovely treetop apartment in the ‘Creativity’ community.  I wanted to learn more about living in Auroville, and staying with a local was the perfect way to do it.  On our first night we went out to dinner at the visitors center, where we had a yummy Spanish meal cooked by a group of Spanish and Latin American Aurovillians.  Later, there was Spanish dancing and guitar, although we left early to put Arun to sleep.  Just about every night there is something to do- from theatre productions, to dances, to art exhibitions.  I was impressed by the number of children from all over the world- Arun played with children from India, France and Holland one evening at the local playground.  I hear that it is an amazing place for children to grow up and judging from what I saw, I believe Arun would love it.

Arun and Veronica

So what, you ask, could be more perfect for our traveling family?  There are several obstacles that are keeping us from jumping on the next plane back to India.  First, there is a huge housing shortage in Auroville, so it will probably be tough for a family like us to find adequate housing when we first arrive.  Second, there is a bit of investment- although one is expected to work full time (unpaid) in a project of their choice, you have to pay your living costs for the first year or two until you become a full member of the community.  In India, this is relatively cheap, but still a bit more than we have in savings.  As a member, basically all services are free, so theoretically we could get housing, basic clothing, medical service and schooling for Arun.  We would receive a small stipend, which we could live off in India, but it would not be enough for any luxuries or tickets back home to visit family.  Maybe the biggest reason for me is the climate. November through February are pleasant months, but the rest of the year is simply too hot.

It all sounds like lots of fun, and I am curious about going there for a few months to check it out…what do you think?

Read more about Auroville at www.auroville.org

 

We Are Happy to Report...

Arun is walking!

Yay!!!

Ranis Garden Art Show

Well, we are back in England...it is really cold here and still taking a bit to get used to being back.  So it was lovely to look at some photos from the last couple of weeks in India to bring some warmth in.  Here are some photos from Ranis Garden Art Show, an annual event where artists and craftspeople can share their artwork.  Its a pretty casual event as you can see- it takes place outside so all the artists hang there work in the trees! 

Joschim makes these amazing musical instruments, including these kalimbas

Arun tries out a flute

Gorgeous photos of Indian faces

Christophe, Ranis Garden owner, sits under a painting

Claudius shares his chai with Arun

Photographer Dev Gogoi and his photos

Jarmo and Arun

Learning to Walk

We found this cool Indian walker that Arun just loves!  He should be walking before we go home!!