Ben & Sangeeta’s Blog

When it rains it pours

Today is Sunday and we have a break in the rains. It has been raining continuously for the past four days and nights. A couple of days in an area close by, a school collapsed killing 18 children inside. A lot of rains on the hills can become dangerous and yet we need the rains.
I for one refuse to offer any comments on whether the rains should stop or not. As I have mentioned before, I know what it was like not to have any rains and the havoc that it wreaked on the water situation. Sangeeta on the other hand hates the rains with unbridled passion. Yesterday she stood at the window and declared it to the world hoping that the rain would heed her bidding. She is also desperately looking for ferns turning brown, a sure sign that the rains are on their way out … no such luck right now.
Yesterday we went down to Dehradun to do some shopping for Siddhant - he leaves Mussoorie on Friday with Sangeeta. I will leave a day earlier, I have a Finance committee meeting on the 28th and then we will stay around for Siddhant’s flight on the 1st and then its back to Mussoorie again.
Arpit is not going with us, he is paranoid about being swamped with homework - that’s good I guess??
Coming back to the weather its still cloudy but there are openings here and there and you can see other hills and other familiar sites. It does look very pretty with clouds floating up the hills momentarily hiding land marks and everything is clean and green. This is what I love about Mussoorie and I wonder if the pain of the monsoons is worth it. It is if you were to ask me but if you were to speak to Sangeeta she will definitely say NO.
Siddhant is bored out of his mind and has absolutely nothing to do. I wish we could have left him in TO and maybe he could have got a job at the Tim Horton’s or some other fast food joint… but…. but…..
I wonder about him - will he always make the right choices? I find it hard to let him go and yet I know he is now a man and has to fend life for himself. I just pray that the Lord will be the anchor of his life wherever he roams ….

August 22nd, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Woodstock Year Three | no comments

Independence Day

Independence Day is a big affair in Woodstock. If you go back to my post in year one you will see how amazed I was at the celebrations. I think it is a wonderful thing to occur right at the beginning of the semester, all of the new staff (especially the expat staff) are just bedazzled by the colours and are determined to get into the spirit of things.
I am amazed at the speed at which the ladies and gents from all over the world find the Indian outfits and are then wearing them on August 15th. This considering that it hasn’t even been a month since they arrived in India. This morning our door bell rang and it was our Australian neighbours asking Sangeeta for help with tying the sari.
We had the flag hoisting ceremony in the gymnasium and it was sombre and touching with songs in Hindi and a prayer etc. etc. As a build up to the Independence Day this time around we had a dance troupe train our students and staff ‘Bollywood dancing’, interestingly enough a lot of the new staff and students were most eager to be a part of this. On Saturday, they then showcased what they had learnt in the past five days and it was something to watch.
Thereafter there was a dance and Sangeeta was the chaperone, so we were up at the gym until 9:30 PM.
Today the school hosts a lunch for the employees (remember the distinction between staff and employees?) and they also help with the serving along with students. It is quite an affair and due to the large number of employee families (650) we serve the lunch in shifts. At every shift the Principal welcomes them and I pray a prayer in Hindi for the nation and for the food. Today we had two and half shifts (approx 400 people were served) and not the four that we usually have. There was also entertainment with staff and employees singing songs in Hindi - it was a lot of fun and a wonderful time to sense a feeling of community.
Last year the employees had boycotted the lunch, which was rather unfortunate, because they had certain demands and I am glad that nothing like that happened this time around.
The only downside to the celebrations this year is the fact that 15th August is on a Sunday and we have to get right back into school after a busy weekend.
I wish today was a Friday and I had the weekend ahead of me ….

August 15th, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Welcome | no comments

Siddhant is starting University Sept 1st

One of the major objectives that we had in going to Toronto was to figure out what was going to happen with Siddhant. The view from this side was bleak, it seemed like he had really missed the boat. Sangeeta and I had begun to feel that we really messed up big time.
Coupled with all the things that were happening and it being the end of semester and all that we felt quite depressed about the fact that Siddhant had no University to go to.
Anyway, we did the rounds in Toronto, with Siddhant in tow. While exploring the options for admission to Seneca College Sangeeta discovered that Tyndale University College was offering University level courses as well.
Having lived in Toronto we were very familiar with Tyndale as a former Bible Seminary & College and so this came as a pleasant surprise. Siddhant was welcomed in Tyndale and in fact based on his SAT scores he got the highest merit scholarship as well. Once this was done we also had calls from Goshen University and Brock University but felt that this was the best option for the time.
At first Siddhant did not like the look & feel of Tyndale - it felt like church to him.
Now its all settled and Siddhant will be leaving for Toronto on Sept 1st. Sangeeta and I will be going down to Delhi to see him off ….

Posted via email from benlall’s posterous

August 10th, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Welcome | 2 comments

Can’t get my Vonage device to work

Its been a couple of days now that I have been trying and it is trying .. believe me.
First I tried connecting it on my own and it wouldn't - so I tried all sorts of things and then it struck me - This device is not recognised by the Woodstock network.
So I took it up with me to tech and got it sorted out. Brought it back home and it worked fine until I actually chose to hook the phone to it.
Now the device just keeps rebooting.
Spent a couple of hours talking to customer service at Vonage Canada - which is based in Chennai. I think may finally be able to have this hooked up and ready to go by tomorrow.

Coming back to Vonage support being based in Chennai - as soon as I told the guy that I was in Mussoorie, India his accent changed and he told me that his real name was Venkatesh (he used David when I called him). I couldn't stop smiling thinking this is something else.

So if you are trying to contact me at the Toronto number, please do leave a voice message and I will get back to you.

Here's a eight month old photograph from Christmas 2009 at the house of Sangeeta's brother.

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August 10th, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Welcome | no comments

Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A true story that touches your heart. It is amazing to think about the struggles and commitment of Ayaan Hirsi Ali that motivated her to move ahead in her life as she did.
The book is very honest and she could have easily not shared some of things she does. I admire her more for that. The book moved me.

View all my reviews >>

August 8th, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Welcome, Books read | no comments

Blog reveals Afghanistan medic Karen Woo’s dedication

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10903737

Blog posts written by Briton Dr Karen Woo, named as one of 10 members of a medical team shot dead in Afghanistan, offer a human insight into the aid mission to the war-torn country.

The BBC understands that Dr Woo gave up a well-paid job with private healthcare provider Bupa to work in Afghanistan for minimal financial reward.

She died alongside six Americans, a German and two Afghan interpreters who had been working with Christian charity the International Assistance Mission to provide eye care in remote villages.

Her blog posts reveal that she was driven by a desire to improve the lives of ordinary Afghans - and spread the word about their plight.

On the blog-hosting website Bridge Afghanistan, Dr Woo described the effect on her of a 2009 visit to Kabul, and told of her plans to make a documentary.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

All of these people come to Afghanistan of their own volition, they come knowing that they may pay with their lives”

End Quote

"The things that I saw during that visit made me, as a doctor, want to bring back the human stories both good and bad," she wrote.

"The access that a doctor or healthcare professional has to a community is unlike that available to a journalist; the trust and conversations are different.

"The insight is through the lens of birth and death, of loss and disability, and reflects every aspect of the consequences of conflict on individuals and on their community."

However, it is her personal blog, Dr Karen Explores Healthcare in Afghanistan, which provides the most revealing account of her experiences.

Talking wittily about her domestic routine and her pets, as well as her frenetic job, she painted an absorbing picture of her daily existence.

She also spoke of her desire to improve the lives of the Afghans whose hardships she witnessed close up.

"One minute you're elbow deep in a bowel repair operation, the next you're in the back of an ISAF military vehicle," is how she described her chaotic routine.

But it appears to be one from which she gained much satisfaction.

"It's strange, in a way, as I feel quite at home, though I know that life here for most of my friends back home would seem like one hellish choice to have made," she wrote in another entry.

Dr Woo expressed her anger at suicide bombers

Dr Woo also vented her fury at the Taliban after describing treating passers-by caught in a suicide bomb blast.

"Civilian Afghans just going about their daily business, without the luxury of armored cars or close protection, these, the most vulnerable people are taken out by so called taliban insurgents," she wrote.

And she admits her own fears and the coping strategies of those who had volunteered to join the humanitarian effort.

"All of these people come to Afghanistan of their own volition, they come knowing that they may pay with their lives," she observed.

"The black humour is rife, a good way to keep the apprehension low, to keep calm and carry on. Perhaps no one ever expects it to be them, perhaps not their immediate friends either."

Poignantly, as the trip to Nuristan loomed, she admitted her fears that her medical knowledge would be insufficient.

"The trek scares the living daylights out of me right now, what if I'm not good enough," she said.

But her sense of duty drove her forward to the end.

Posted via email from benlall’s posterous

August 8th, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Welcome | no comments

AEA NEWS - 10 Medical workers killed in Afghanistan

August 8th, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Welcome | no comments

Back in the saddle again

After four weeks of time off we are back in Woodstock. Its raining and is foggy and I love it . If you remember, the first year we came to Mussoorie it was raining right until October and we were dismal.
I think it had a lot to do with the fact that we had just landed and the house was not what we had expected it to be. (After reading this line Sangeeta wants me to report that she hates it and is ready to return to Toronto.)
Last year we had almost no rains, and now I know how Mussoorie can be with or without rain and I prefer the rains. There is a lot of greenery and the temperature is cooler and most importantly the water table is going to rise. Come June, we will be facing another water crisis and this time around, after good rainfall it will not be as bad as it was this year.
We had to put in measures that helped us tide through the hot months of May & June without water shortage this time and I know its going to be way better the coming year if we continue to have good rainfall.
School is back in full swing - we have had three days of school and it seems like we never left. I met a teacher who was asking me 'When's the next break?'
On an administrative front we have a good team in place - we have a new HR Director and a new Director of Development and new Head of High School, these positions coupled with the existing team looks really good. Already it has had a significant impact on my work load. A lot of things that took up my time and energy are now being taken care of by the people who need to be taking care of them in the first place.
The past two years have been a fabulous learning experience for me, albeit the frustrations have been high. I have functioned as a Finance Director in name but taken care of many other positions, nowt this will change - but will I like it? Now that is another story.
We also have a chaplain which is really really good. We have to wait and see how his appointment will strengthen the spiritual life of the school in the coming year. We have not had a chaplain for two years and it has hurt the school.
Sangeeta is teaching grade nine and twelve this year. Arpit is in one of her class  - that is going to be challenging.
We have 150 new students this year which is fabulous from the revenue point of view. The Admissions Director has done an amazing job to achieve this result.

Posted via email from benlall’s posterous

August 7th, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Welcome | no comments

My blog no longer linked from the Woodstock website

I want you to know that this is by design.

I recognise that some of my thoughts no matter how delicately presented can affect the staff who are reading it.

My blog about my resignation set off the rumour mill with people emailing other administrators and asking what was going on. In retrospect it was naive to think that staff would not be following my blog.

I hope that now the blog will be followed by the people who want to really keep in touch and know what is going on in our lives. It is intended for us to keep in touch with our friends in Canada and a record for us to look back at later on in life.

Well, we live and learn and I will continue to blog ….

August 7th, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Woodstock Year Two | no comments

A rather innovative scam letter

I have (and I know so have you) received many scam letters asking for money. I received one today which I think is very innovative unlike the typical ‘nigerian’ scam letters asking for money. Here is the disclaimer from the company & below is the text of the scam letter:

HINO MOTORS LTD
Lot P.T. 24, Jalan 223, Section 51A
46100 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan,
Malaysia

visit our website:
http://www.hino.co.jp/j/index.html
http://www.hino.co.jp/j/product/index.html

REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED

I am Mr Tadaaki Jagawa Chairman of the Board of Hino Motors. Hino Motors was Founded 1910 and
Established May 1, 1942.

Our Group’s principal activities are to develop,manufacture and market diesel trucks and buses,
passenger cars and pick up trucks,semi-tractors, special purpose vehicles such as large-sized
sight seeing and route buses,internal combustion engines and spare parts. The Group’s main
products are diesel trucks and buses,special-purpose vehicles, industrial and marine diesel
engines and commissioned vehicles.The operations are carried out through following
divisions:Trucks and Buses;Consigned Production;Replacement Parts and Others. People around the
world expect more than ever of trucks and buses.

Hino has adopted a global perspective in addressing needs in trucks and buses.Ever true to the
spirit of Customer First, Hino has evoked that spirit in building operations around the world.
The company’s management vision for 2010 calls for positioning HINO as a truly globalbrand, and
everyone in the Hino organization is working hard to achieve that goal. The purpose of us
contacting you is because you live outside MALAYSIA and the reason we seek your assistance is
that American, Canadian and Europe cheques take a long time to clear here in MALAYSIA, thereby
holding business down for my associates and us. Presently, we already have customers who are
ready to remit payment to us, and for every payment made through you to us, 8% commission will
be given to you as our representative. Please to facilitate the conclusion of this transaction
if accepted, Do send your information below to:hino_motors101@yahoo.co.jp

1.Name In Full:
2.Full Contact Address/State:
3.Phone Number:
4.Country :
5:Postal code:
6.Occupation /Position:
7.Sex:
8.Age:

NOTE: You do not have to leave your present job and no money will be require from you. My
regards to your family and associate.

Await your responce as soon as possible.

Thanks,
Mr Tadaaki Jagawa,
Hino Motors Ltd.

August 7th, 2010 Posted by webmaster | Random stuff | no comments