Snyder's graveyard

Our new house is a 5 minute walk from a tiny graveyard. Even though we love graveyards, we'd never visited, mostly because there aren't any sidewalk and the graveyard is on a busy road.

But today I decided that enough was enough, and the kids and I walked over. I figured our comfort with walking in/with/through Bangalore traffic would mean that the walk would be fine for us. And it was, in the sense that we emerged unharmed. But man, people drive too fast around here! I'd rather walk in Bangalore traffic any day.

The graveyard was fantastic, however.

Zion wanted his picture taken with the oldest grave in the graveyard, which belonged to the wife of a Revolutionary war soldier, while Liel liked this monument-y thing.

Some of the graves were overgrown, and one of them was holding up a tree. Some were so weathered it was impossible to read them.

We had a really lovely visit, and plan to go back on semi-regular basis. Even the dead like the occasional visitor, right?

In which we consider going to McDonald's, and are thwarted by our children of good taste and high moral standards

Two days ago I realized that I was really starting to miss some foods from home. The food here is delicious, yes, but there are already things that I miss. I was a bit dismayed by this, to be honest…we've only been here a little over a month! I wasn't expecting to crack so soon.

But there is a McDonald's about a 5 minute walk from us.

Now I am not a McDonald's fan, not at all. In fact, I'm a fairly vocal critic. I've been to a McDonald's once in the past 7 years, and that was when we were new to Nyack and our dinner burned and I had to get food for the kids right NOW. I've never been to a McD's in another country, though I hear it's worthwhile in a kitschy Americana kind of way. And I do like kitschy Americana.

Also, as I said, I am food homesick. So we decided to kill two birds with one stone and go to McDonald's for lunch when we went out to buy bathmats, since the two stores are very close to one another. I told the kids about our plan the night before and Zion said doubtfully, "McDonalds? But don't they suck? And don't they have really crappy food full of bad stuff that they keep cooked and then microwave when you order it?"

"Um, yes", I said, "but they also have American food that I'm missing, like hamburgers. But not with beef- just chicken. But still, burgers".

Zion was pretty mollified by that and announced that as long as it was meat on bread with ketchup he'd eat it. And I spent a fun 15 minutes reading Robert the McDonald's India menu, which includes items such as a "Chicken Maharaja Mac", a "McAloo Tikka" and a "McSpicy Paneer".

But by this morning I was feeling less intrigued and more embarrassed. And as the time for our departure drew closer the kids began to complain.

"I don't think I've ever even BEEN to McDonald's", said Liel, in a tone that made it perfectly clear that she'd like to continue this arrangement.

"Can't we have lunch on campus?", Zion asked. "Mama, I don't want to eat unhealthy food that isn't even very good. We could do our errands and then have a late lunch somewhere else. I don't want McDonald's, even if I do miss food from home".

Amazingly, Liel seemed to agree, which surprised me slightly since the spice level of every Indian restaurant we've been to has kept her from eating 95% of the menu. She must really have it out for McDonald's, I thought, if she'd rather keep eating the same 3 things she can tolerate rather than go there. Apparently they were really listening when we explained our anti-fast food stance to them!

So a change of plans was quickly arranged. We decided to go buy bathmats immediately, drop them off at home, and head off to an early lunch on campus so that Robert wouldn't be late for his interview.  Done and done, and no unhealthy, bad food or American corporate hegemony and colonialism…for now.