Report of 6 May 2008
My how time flies -
It has been over a month since I blogged. We left for Europe on 9 April, and had a whale of a time. Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Vatican City, Spain, France and Belgium. All lovely, and we ate and ate. We took the train (Eurail) everywhere and thanks to Scott for being meticulous enough to peruse the handbook that came with it: so we knew that we were to travel first class, make reservations for certain trains, travel free on the local trains, etc. The absolute best part was seeing some old friends and making new ones.
In the old friends category were Andrea Schichan, whom we stayed with in Potsdam, Germany. That was fabulous, and Andrea showed us around her lovely little town, and around Berlin; so much history in Berlin. She also kept us plied with good German food, and the boys even tasted beer. We stashed our luggage at her place and then wandered around the other countries. Andrea's place felt so like home, thanks to her warm presence, and we got to meet her sister, too. Andrea had arranged for me to speak at the hospital where she works, and that was great fun.
Also in the old friends category was Teres Zander in Zurich. I first met Teres when she came on a tour of India with some of our friends in Switzerland. She has 4 sons, 3 of whom we met. Teres's beautiful house overlooks a lake and she was hospitality incarnate; she also has a lovely laugh, most contagious, and all loved her company. She plied us with chocolate and gifted the boys Swiss army knives, so they were extremely eager to cut fruit on our travels.
In Geneva, we met Reva, Tomas and Stefan; in Barcelona, Mingo; in Paris, the nuns of Daughters of Charity; in Brussels, the Brothers of Charity. We had a phenomenal dinner at Reva's place and got to wash clothes, a blessing (Reva helped dry them, a double blessing)! Reva and family are extremely interested in the world around them, and the other dinner guests were also riveting. The boys count meeting Stefan as one of the highlights of their travels, and we look forward to staying in touch.
We got to the U.S. after some expected but ludicrous security regulations (for travel to the U.S.) at Brussels airport, which angered Scott immensely. Dr. Meenakshi Ponnuswami, our friend at Bucknell University, arranged for a limo to pick us up in NY, and the boys loved the ride. We stayed with Meenakshi, Mitch, Maya and Evan, and that was a treat. Their house is very kid-friendly, as is their front porch! A zillion neighbors stopped by and we got to meet them all. I spoke at Bucknell, arranged by Meenakshi, on our work at the Banyan, and loved the audience. M&M took us out for dinner, we met up with Scott's aunt Elayne the following morning (she lives in Lewisburg, Pa), and we drove down to the midwest the next day.
I spent 4 days at my in-laws' farm and then left for Indianapolis, and tah dah - the Tabers' place, my home away from home. I am the perpetual houseguest, the Tabers are really used to me, and this is a great place to be. My summer job worked out, and I am now working at the Indiana Health Center in Kokomo, taking care of the poor. It is no different than what I do in India, except there is likely a guaranteed paycheck. The patients have been lovely so far; ask me again in 3 months, when I might be heartily fed up of the Vicodin seekers.
So this is where I am, and where I will be until 8 Aug. The 3 Weiss men are with in-laws, and enjoying the finest of American junk food and great company. I went down last weekend and had a good time, too. We will head to the East coast this weekend for a wedding, and for the conference of the American College of Physicians.
You know what I like about being here? The ease of doing business, renewing my physician info online, the courtesy I am shown everywhere, affordable food and chocolate, good roads, water from the faucet, friends aplenty. I truly am fortunate to be able to come here and work once in a while.
Unw -
R
It has been over a month since I blogged. We left for Europe on 9 April, and had a whale of a time. Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Vatican City, Spain, France and Belgium. All lovely, and we ate and ate. We took the train (Eurail) everywhere and thanks to Scott for being meticulous enough to peruse the handbook that came with it: so we knew that we were to travel first class, make reservations for certain trains, travel free on the local trains, etc. The absolute best part was seeing some old friends and making new ones.
In the old friends category were Andrea Schichan, whom we stayed with in Potsdam, Germany. That was fabulous, and Andrea showed us around her lovely little town, and around Berlin; so much history in Berlin. She also kept us plied with good German food, and the boys even tasted beer. We stashed our luggage at her place and then wandered around the other countries. Andrea's place felt so like home, thanks to her warm presence, and we got to meet her sister, too. Andrea had arranged for me to speak at the hospital where she works, and that was great fun.
Also in the old friends category was Teres Zander in Zurich. I first met Teres when she came on a tour of India with some of our friends in Switzerland. She has 4 sons, 3 of whom we met. Teres's beautiful house overlooks a lake and she was hospitality incarnate; she also has a lovely laugh, most contagious, and all loved her company. She plied us with chocolate and gifted the boys Swiss army knives, so they were extremely eager to cut fruit on our travels.
In Geneva, we met Reva, Tomas and Stefan; in Barcelona, Mingo; in Paris, the nuns of Daughters of Charity; in Brussels, the Brothers of Charity. We had a phenomenal dinner at Reva's place and got to wash clothes, a blessing (Reva helped dry them, a double blessing)! Reva and family are extremely interested in the world around them, and the other dinner guests were also riveting. The boys count meeting Stefan as one of the highlights of their travels, and we look forward to staying in touch.
We got to the U.S. after some expected but ludicrous security regulations (for travel to the U.S.) at Brussels airport, which angered Scott immensely. Dr. Meenakshi Ponnuswami, our friend at Bucknell University, arranged for a limo to pick us up in NY, and the boys loved the ride. We stayed with Meenakshi, Mitch, Maya and Evan, and that was a treat. Their house is very kid-friendly, as is their front porch! A zillion neighbors stopped by and we got to meet them all. I spoke at Bucknell, arranged by Meenakshi, on our work at the Banyan, and loved the audience. M&M took us out for dinner, we met up with Scott's aunt Elayne the following morning (she lives in Lewisburg, Pa), and we drove down to the midwest the next day.
I spent 4 days at my in-laws' farm and then left for Indianapolis, and tah dah - the Tabers' place, my home away from home. I am the perpetual houseguest, the Tabers are really used to me, and this is a great place to be. My summer job worked out, and I am now working at the Indiana Health Center in Kokomo, taking care of the poor. It is no different than what I do in India, except there is likely a guaranteed paycheck. The patients have been lovely so far; ask me again in 3 months, when I might be heartily fed up of the Vicodin seekers.
So this is where I am, and where I will be until 8 Aug. The 3 Weiss men are with in-laws, and enjoying the finest of American junk food and great company. I went down last weekend and had a good time, too. We will head to the East coast this weekend for a wedding, and for the conference of the American College of Physicians.
You know what I like about being here? The ease of doing business, renewing my physician info online, the courtesy I am shown everywhere, affordable food and chocolate, good roads, water from the faucet, friends aplenty. I truly am fortunate to be able to come here and work once in a while.
Unw -
R
posted by Renu Weiss at
5:07 PM
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