Must Rename Weblog

Well everybody, thus endeth the era of "Tanya in Bangladesh (in Cyberspace)." Any thoughts on what I should rename my blog to when I return? Tanya in Reverse Culture Shock? Tanya in Grad School? Tanya in Michigan Romanticizing about Tanya in Bangladesh?

I went to see our good family friend Dr. S.K. Dutta in the hospital last night. He had a heart attack (multiple attacks, actually) while he was doing some work in Bangladesh and was rushed back to Cal for surgery. He's somewhere over 70 and still doing his charitable and activist medical/health care work in India and the 'Desh. It's amazing. He was sitting at a makeshift desk with his cell phone and some paperwork toiling away when I went to visit him. He will not quit. He even insisted on "entertaining" me with a bad cup of hospital coffee.

I stayed up late chatting with my grandmother (Didu). She loves to tell me stories about my parents and my Palit grandfather, and I love hearing them. I laugh everytime she recounts the story of my parents' marriage arrangement/courting process. It's amazing to think that I was sitting in the room where Mom and Dad met thirty years ago. Didu always includes the part about Dad's 1975 jerricurl (in Bangla: "he had such a big hair!").

I've been up since 9:00am this morning doing some last-minute errands. Got my eyebrows threaded for the last time (a painful yet incredibly precise process which typically involves sewing thread, baby powder, and a tribal woman scolding me to hold my eyelids tightly down). I also called the fam from the mishti and dosa shop by our house to check in.

One last note. There's this ongoing campaign in Kolkata for general good samaritanship. They cover a range of topics (from recycling to treating senior citizens with respect) and post these lit billboards throughout the city with to-the-point slogans. Today's best sign: "Give Gift of Sight: Donate Eyes."

*Sigh* I will miss Kolkata...

Thanks to you all for reading my blog while I've been on the other side of the planet. I am looking forward to seeing you all very, very soon. Keep it real.

TKP