I’ve found God. Via text message.
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under notes
Every day, I receive three or four text messages that are pure spam. Thankfully, I don’t pay for them.
Lately, they’ve been Valentine’s Day themed, as though I needed such tugging of the heartstrings. Other times, they’re offering me all manner of calling plans or Bollywood ring tones. Jai Ho (the popular diddy from Slumdog Millionaire) is still not old.
But frequently they are extolling the virtues of religion and offering to help me find it.
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Tags: baba ramdev, bible, cell phone, god, india, kenya, mobile, religion, sai baba, shenanigans, sms, spam, text message
Old Bay and my domestic Indian lifestyle
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under notes
And some of you laughed when I brought along Old Bay
I love photos of domestic settings. There are so many little details to absorb. The one above, though not particularly stunning, is my kitchen.
At the time, I was making some noodle “curry.” The dented can of Old Bay Seasoning, the best salt on the face of this planet, was one of the many things I carried here in my overstuffed backpack. Thank God.
Though I’ve been traipsing about the world, as you’ll see below, I do lead a rather domestic life from time to time.
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Tags: chili, cooking, curry, darjeeling, delhi, domestic, food, garlic, india, jameson, kitchen, old bay, onion, photography, tea
These are times of tall men and short character
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under notes
On a wall at the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center in Darjeeling
Click the photo for a larger image. I’ve retyped below (with reasonable punctuation) for better reading.
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Tags: dalai lama, darjeeling, emerging nations, india, philosophy, refugee, tibet
Dear India, thank you for inviting me to stay here forever
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under notes
After 89 mind-boggling, frustration-inducing, grey-hair-propagating, bureaucracy-cursing, confusion-rendering days of limbo over my application for a permanent residency and work permit in India, the central government here in Delhi— lithe, agile and efficient as it always is (heavy sarcasm) — showed me the meaning of unexpected haste.
Though I was expecting the process to take months or more to complete (if ever), at 4:23 p.m., Monday, February 1, 2010, I, Adam Franklin Jadhav, officially became an Overseas Citizen of India. For nearly all intents and purposes, I now have dual citizenship and am free to do almost entirely as I please.
Hallelujah.
Tags: bureaucracy, citizenship, government, india, journalism, oci, officials, overseas citizen of india, preparation, shenanigans
A year-in-review
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under notes, photography
2009 kinda kicked ass
This past year pretty much rocked. And the New Year came in fine manner. No kisses, but a bonfire amid the palm trees (above), new friends, lobster, a decent cigar (thanks, C!), champagne and even the Harry Connick, Jr., band playing Auld Lang Syne at midnight (never leave home without the iPod).
I meant to post this sooner, but here’s a little look back at my new life (as chronicled on this blog):
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Tags: andaman and nicobar, antananarivo, beach, beer, circumcision, conservation, delhi, diving, drought, economy, emerging nations, environment, festival, fishing, food, ft dauphin, gear, havelock, health, hiv, holiday, india, island, journalism, kenya, kibera, kisumu, lemur, maasai mara, madagascar, market, motorcycle, multimedia, mumbai, nairobi, party, photography, port blair, poverty, preparation, shenanigans, shopping, thailand, tourism, travel, wildlife
I may be ’stuck’ in southeast Asia
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under notes
Anyone contemplating a visit in the next year should probably pay attention. There has been an official hiccup in visa rules, meaning I may need to leave the country for longer than planned this spring.
Essentially, after it was revealed that alleged terrorist conspirator David Headley had stayed in India long-term on a tourist visa, the Indian government has cracked down. Under previous rules, with the five-year tourist visa I currently hold, I could stay in the country for up to six months at a time and leave even for one day to “reset” my visa clock. Hence, my week booked in Thailand beginning March 31.
However, under the new rules, I have to leave for at least two months. This means that instead of returning to India from Thailand, and heading to Sikkim to teach English at a volunteer-supported school, I would be “stuck” in Thailand. And the Thai tourist visa is typically valid for 30 days, meaning I would need to move somewhere else.
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Tags: beach, holiday, india, island, ministry of home affairs, oci, overseas citizen of india, preparation, shenanigans, stupidity, thailand, tourism, travel, visa
And we’re back! (with cows)
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under notes, photography
I had to share the beach only with these guys
Little known fact about me: I have an unreasonable fear of cattle. Big, dull cow eyes creep me out. Especially when they’re attached to a stupidly large face with horns.
Don’t laugh. I’m not kidding. Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: alone, andaman and nicobar, beach, beauty, butler bay, cattle, cow, india, island, little andaman, photography, wildlife
