I upgraded my mobile phone on Friday to a new model (Motorola SLVR L9) that supports GPRS data connections.  This provides us with Internet access at home.   It works at speeds comparable to the modem connections I thought were slow 15 years ago.  But it is a connection.    Hopefully this will allow me to post more than I have been.   It will be a couple more months until BSNL (the government phone company) gets us setup with a high speed connection.

I have received some feedback that you would like me to post more about what is going on with Amy and the kids.   I will post more, especially about Abby and Max, since they can't form a coherent objection to my posts.  As for Joshua and Sarah, I defer to the old adage that "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all".  In short, they are not too happy here.   Especially Sarah.   I am truly realizing how much of her 11 year old outlook is based on friends, especially some very good friends she left back in Arizona.   From her perspective I have taken her away from everything important and taken her to a place that has absolutely nothing to offer her.  She is not interested in adventure or cultural experiences and does not appreciate the lessons in gratitude and service we are hoping for.   For Sarah, and to a bit lesser extent Joshua, India is nothing more than a bad experience that can't end soon enough.

Amy and I are trying really hard on our new tactic of making it seem more like home.   We are trying to make home more enjoyable and give them more positive experiences.  This means we are not pushing them to try Indian food or other experiences.  We just want them to be comfortable at home and school.   We know that this is a prerequisite to appreciating India and/or enjoying the experience.  

We did foresee this as a risk, and some of you may wonder how I could be oblivious to this being the biggest problem we would encounter.  Truth is I did think this would be our biggest problem.   I thought we would be over it by now.   We are each in our own way trying to make our way through this.   I know that each of the kids will look back and appreciate their time here.  For some it may be many years from now.   Even for me the career risks and opportunities are far from certain.   I have no promise of any promotion or advance as a result of this, I expect the benefits to be ammortized over the rest of my career, hoping for opportunities opening up somewhere in the future as a result of this.   I really hope the kids will look back on this episode of their lives and say "I really hated it at first, but I am really glad we did it." 

I know that I have many supporters who will read this and want to help make it better.   I appreciate your willingness to go to great effort on our behalf.   I am not writing this as an appeal for help, just a desire to share the various challenges and experiences of our time in India.

Thanks,

Shawn

One final note.   Some have requested our mailing address, it is:

No. 11 Sea Cliff Conclave
III Drive
Akkarai, ECR, Chennai 600 119
INDIA

My email is shawnswaner AT gmail dot com