For the record I don't have a delhi belly

I've been trying to get a hold of my cousin in Dubai for a week now to coordinate my trip to visit her. She moved to Dubai a little while ago with her new husband, who I've met only once before. She told me she uses Skype under some name so I keep harassing the account that turns out to be her husbands. Tonite, he finally responds that it's his account. Despite the constant IMs and whatever u can do on Skype to harass people, he was nice enough to invite me to visit them at the end of my trip. He starts to ask me how India is going and if I have a delhi belly. Well, all I know about delhi belly is probably the effect of eating so much good, greasy Indian food. I am actually little sensitive about my new India pouch. So I proceed to defend the little weight I've gained by letting him know that I promise to lose it before I visit. In fact, I am going to put it in check so I don't take too much room in their apartment. He seemed to think it was important that I lose it too. I mean I realized he was joking but I am also thinking to myself jeez new cousin-n-law is a little bit of a fatist (against people with big bellies). So I go home tonite and off course the chef has made this amazing delicious (fattening) Indian meal. I am seating there with all my housemates guiltily eating the food and sulking. I start telling them how, I got to watch it with the food because people are asking me about my delhi belly. That's when Jen says "Um, your delhi belly? You know what that it is right?" If you don't know what delhi belly is, it's too gross for me to describe it but I found a tame definition of it. I almost lost my belly from laughing tonite thinking of the chat I had with him. The last thing I said was I hope they have room for me and my delhi belly. I hope I am still invited to stay with them. This is the funniest chat conversation, I've had so I had to share it.

[8:38:27 PM] SN says: watch out for delhi-belly
[8:38:34 PM] Sherry Zarabi says: OMG u call it
[8:38:39 PM] Sherry Zarabi says: its here and in effect
[8:38:48 PM] Sherry Zarabi says: i am on a carb and grease diet
[8:38:51 PM] SN says: no more description needed
[8:39:03 PM] N says: but thanks for sharing
[8:39:09 PM] Sherry Zarabi says: ha ha
[8:39:23 PM] Sherry Zarabi says: yea i hope u guys have room for me and the belly
[8:39:42 PM] Sherry Zarabi says: i'll have to get into control by next month
[8:39:50 PM] SN says: delhi-belly is an expression usd for eshal-e shadid-e hendi
[8:40:13 PM] SN says: do plz do try to get it in check by the time u visit!
[8:40:33 PM] Sherry Zarabi says: ha ha
[8:40:46 PM] Sherry Zarabi says: i will gonna tonite
[8:41:11 PM] SN says: take care. look fwd to seeing u here
[8:41:15 PM] Sherry Zarabi says: k i will stop harrasing u on skype
[8:41:30 PM] SN says: good talking to ya

I mean he even tried to explain it to me by spelling it phoentically in Farsi and I still didn't get what he was talking about. So here is my attempt to set the record straight that I am house broken.

Saris are the new black

Saris are my new black

Jen, Shannon, Anu (Pratap's mom - Shannon's future mother-n-law) and I went shopping earlier this week for Shannon and Pratap's engagement party. We went to Neeros one of the shops in Hyderabad. Jen and I started with the most simple outfits - the salwar kameez. There were so many styles and the outfits were so beautiful. But then our eyes caught the other styles -saris and ghagra cholis. I was overwhelmed with all the choices but Anu had the whole place under control. She pointed out all the cute outfits. Jen ended up getting a beautiful aqua with bronze ghagra cholis and I got a salmon colored sari. I had so much fun trying the outfits on. I fell in love with each one I tried on. Unfortunately, the relationship was not mutual because a lot of them were above my budget so it wouldn't work out. I also realized that I wouldn't have many occasions to wear them. I was to get invited to some Indian weddings so I have an excuse to go back and get more saris. The other day my dream came true...one of our co-workers that Carla knew from before invited us all to her wedding near Delhi. This is so nice of her to include us. I am so excited to now have 2 occasions to wear my new sari.. If I get another occasion, I am definitely gonna get another one.

Is Goa the Palm Springs of Southeast Asia?

We landed Friday afternoon in Goa. Goa has been on my list of places to visit forever. But when we were walking around Friday afternoon on Calangte Beach, I started to wonder if this was the Goa I had heard about... Where were the young people partying on the beach? We were looking for a chill bar shack to grab a drink at and half of them were empty. After walking on the beach for a bit we walked up to one and I stopped in my track. Everyone in there was over 60s, sunburned and sipping on some beer.. Did somebody forget to tell me that Goa is the Palm Springs of Southeas Asia? The waiter told us that a lot of older people come to Goa to semi-retire because its relatively cheap. He said a lot of Europeans and Australians come there. We were actually the first Americans he had met. But, tourism in general is down and particularly among young people because of the economy. Luckily, we found a local club Titos to go dancing and there were a ton of "young" people. Goa turns out to have a little something for everyone no matter what age, style etc.

Lucky Cows in Goa

This weekend we went to G-O-A!! I loved it. I am so jealous of the cows there. They get to chill on the beach all day with this amazing view.