Musings of a Global Nomad

My city goes to the polls tomorrow. After weeks of frenzied campaigning and an overkill of election propaganda, the streets are vanilla again. Yes, all signs of campaigning have been removed as per election commission guidelines. But you can still smell it in the air, you can hear it in the wind. The drums may have stopped beating but the echos haven't faded. The Indian General Elections 2014. The world's largest democracy voting to elect its next central government. Complicated, calculating, sometimes comical, this election seems to be one of the most exciting elections ever. Excited to be in country to vote in a general election for the first time since I turned 18, I went through all the procedures to get my name included in the voters list in my constituency. However when the final lists were published, I was utterly devastated to see that my name wasn't there. I set out on a mission to try and find the main master voter list to see if maybe my name had inadvertent...

When the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) led by Kejriwal first came into the limelight, I never took them too seriously. Saying that let me clarify that I am quite apolitical and the closest I get to talking politics is on the phone with my dad (who by the way is quite the lay politician) or husband a few times every week. We lightly discuss and laugh about the political news trending that day, vent our anguish at the theatrics of some idiot politician or the other and that's enough politics for me. And then the AAP did surprisingly well in the Delhi elections and I began to take more notice. What if there really was something about this bunch of people? What if their ideologies which were refreshingly pure could be made reality? What if their spirit spread, allowing India to face their toughest demon, namely corruption? Though I thought their caps made a really bad fashion statement I began to like them and pay them more notice. Well they managed to form the government in Delhi but sadl...

Dearest family and friends, 2013…another eventful, exciting year for the Lobo Rebello’s. We successfully completed a whole year of being a long distance family. We all learnt new things, had interesting experiences, survived the heartache that being away from someone you love brings, looked for silver linings and found out that no matter what life throws you, it still is a beautiful life. The kids, especially the older three took to living in India like seasoned locals. We anticipated a lot of whining, eye rolling and complaining, but surprisingly that never really happened much. They went headlong and immersed themselves in school and their activities. They took every opportunity to try something new and as we look back we see that each of them have grown and blossomed because of their Indian experience and that’s make it all worth it! Snapshots of the kids… Ar(14)- Music is her life, photography her passion. In 2013 she has: Worked hard at creating a playlist th...

We have often read about everyday hero's who touch lives and bring hope. Last weekend I had the opportunity to meet with one such hero who brought out emotions hard to express. He taught me and my children a valuable lesson about commitment and sharing. Gagan with his piggy bank What makes this hero all the more unique and exceptional is that he is a 11 year old special needs child. His name is Gagan and I first met him when I started volunteering at the Cottolengo School for children with mental and intellectual disabilities here in Whitefield, Bangalore. He was a quiet child but extremely well behaved, always eager to learn and quick to smile. My weekly visits to the school where I introduced them to the world of computers was always a bright spot in my week. As anyone who has the good fortune to spend time with special children will know, their innocence and purity makes a mark on your heart that claims a space deep within. Many of them are residential as they have no k...

As you all know my husband Gerard has been in Kabul for the last year. He works for the World Food Programme and took on this hardship non family post after much thought and deliberation. Yes we knew it was risky! But once the decision was made, we refused to be bogged down with negative thoughts and took on the challenge of living the life of a non distance family with as much gumption as we could. We have adjusted amazingly well to Indian life. The kids go to a great school and as we watch them thrive and soar we feel relieved and proud. I have found my corner of contentment. A great job that challenges me and gives me the flexibility to successfully run errands, car pool, attend every single school event, good friends and neighbors who take the time to drown in margaritas with me on days that are overwhelming and my parents who are always just a call away- ah the life of a single mother!  Yes the months have flown by and though there are moments when I feel lonely and mis...

A few nights ago our kids Ryeika and Neeira had their annual day in school. This is a much anticipated night in the school calender. Every class puts on a show and remarkably every single child gets up on stage to either narrate, act, sing or dance. The auditorium is filled with parents cheering, many have tears streaming down their faces as they watch with pride and joy. For me it was all that more special. As I watched Neeiras second grade class take the stage I was filled with nostalgia for a land I left six months ago but fierce pride for, in the next twenty minutes they brought a little piece of Ethiopia to India. It all started a few months ago when Neeiras teacher invited parents to come and tell the kids a moral story set in their home country. I decided to tell the kids an Ethiopian story called' The Perfect Orange.' Though not technically my home country, it is the land of my birth and I had just had the privilege of having lived there for the last thr...

Ok, so I am not American. But there is an attachment of sorts. I lived there for a year when I was sixteen and the incredible experience of living in small town America as an exchange student will stay with me for ever. Ever since, I love going  to America ( the shopping, the food, and not to forget my one and only bro and our many dear friends who live there!). Nevertheless I am a sceptic about the whole 'America is great' ideology that all (sorry most) Americans profess and hence cannot call myself one of the country's biggest fans.  So it is with much surprise that I found myself following the American elections so closely. Thanks to the media, by default I think we all know a thing or two about American politics and I am certain a large majority of the world's TV owning population watched the elections live and waited with baited breath for America to choose a new president.  And like me, I don't think most of them cared as much about the...