June Holiday, July Monsoon

Well, I’m back in Mumbai after a month-long trip back home to the States. John and I flew back to Atlanta for his sister’s wedding, an extravagant, joyful occasion. It was a terrible journey, full of long delays, but it was of course worth it. We spent a week or so there with family and friends, during which I got to bond with my mother0in-law, have “brain dates” with my sister-in-law, celebrate with my newest brother-in-law, and spend some quality time with my beautiful little niece. Living abroad since we were married has taught us that when we go home to Atlanta, we see everyone, and it is always very busy. So its always nice to have some down time in Iowa afterward. John spent about a week there with my family. Apart from some barn dancing, severe weather, dinner with grandparents, and a visit from friends from Minnesota, it was a pretty uneventful and relaxing week. John flew back to India to return to work and I stayed in Iowa with my family until the end of June.

Before we left it was deadly hot here in Mumbai. Now the monsoon is upon us. After my return it was clear for a few days, a bit overcast but not rainy. Then it poured for three days straight. I almost felt like I was back in Wales as I sat in our flat, curled up with a book and listening to fat raindrops pelt the windows. But the air here is decidedly more humid and the rains smell different. It’s nice to see the trees washed clean of dust for a chance. But the water on the streets is something to contend with. One day this week only about 20 percent of John’s colleagues made it into the office because commuting was too difficult. Luckily we live on a hill. After a day of hard rain though, the downhill streets in our neighborhood were covered with rushing water, with little waterfalls over the curbs and, no joke, rapids. But overall the trend seems to be short downpours off and on rather than steady pouring like we saw this week. At least its nice and cool now!