I am now taking Malayalam lessons.  My tutor is a 12 year old named Ana.  She was eager to teach me once she found out that it was my plan to learn the language.  She quickly pulled out a notebook and went into teaching me different phrases and writing them for me in English.  Not only did she teach me phrases, but she also taught me what specific words meant and even showed me how to write a few things in Malayalam (which I think is a bit advanced for me).

Ana is very outgoing and smart.  I asked her what she was planning to do when she was older and I was a bit surprised with the answer I received.  She told me that she wants to be in the military for India, then she wants to a be a nun, or a doctor.  She explained that she would have to do the military thing first since being a in the military and being a nun won’t work because you have to practice nonviolence.  I must say I have never heard  a kid describe what they want to be the way Ana did.

At the end of our lesson it was decided that she would come over to our flat and teach me Malayalam for one hour hour everyday.  I am looking forward to these lessons.  I realized how much I have missed communicating with students her age.  It makes me a bit sad to not be starting off the school year this year.  I’ve included pictures of today’s lesson.

Today we went to lunch at Calicut Paragon Restaurant in Karama.  While we were there I remember taking a video of one of the guys making Appam back in 2008.  Check it out!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ctH3yUNT4g]

Al Karama is where we are staying in Dubai.  My hubby, @Karmadude, made this fabulous video of the area.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIlrPOpuiNk]

I made this video to show those of you that are curious about what the apartment we are staying in looks like.  It is similar to U.S. apartments, but there are a few differences.  One difference being the floors.  Not many places in Dubai have carpet.  I am guessing it has something to do with the humidity and mold, but I don’t know for sure why.  We have a tiled floor throughout the flat.  I should have taken a better video of the sprayer.  This is the thing that goes next to the toilet.  I am pretty sure you can figure out what this is used for.  The U.S. should adopt the sprayer, it’s a much cleaner way of living.  Everything else is pretty much the same.

This is my first attempt at creating and uploading a video.  It is not that great, but I will hopfully get better at it.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWgB2l-qObE]

Well I sold everything I owned in a two month time period.   It is weird that my only possessions can be checked onto a plane and taken around the world with me.  I was sad to see some stuff go (like my civic that I had for 9 1/2 years), but for the most part it felt kind of good to get rid of all of the junk I had consumed in the last 4 1/2 years.

This past week was full of goodbyes.  I met up with friends and family, we conversed, had a great time, and then said our goodbyes.  I cried a lot this past week.  I cried the most on Saturday and Sunday when I had to say goodbye to my grandma.  I even cry now a little thinking of her.  My grandmother  and grandfather raised me.   My grandfather passed away a few years ago and I have been spending a lot of time with my grammy.  I have a bond with her that may be tighter than any mother and daughter can have.  We just get each other.  It is funny though she never cried about me leaving.  She was excited and even pushed me out the door on Sunday because I wouldn’t stop hugging her.

Now I am in Dubai and have officially started a new branch of my life.  I have no idea what the future holds.  I have no idea what I am going to do with my life.  I know I will be getting on a plane to Kochi at the end of August, but I have no clue what I will do until then and after I arrive.  I don’t feel like I need to know those things right now.  I am happy and ready to see what will become of the next year of my life