Happy Holi from Udaipur

Last month I took my first non-AIF just-for-fun trip in India to Udaipur to celebrate Holi, the festival of colors. I've had this blog post almost ready for weeks, but just haven't had the time to finish it and upload it. So, before I get on a train for rural Kutch tomorrow (blog with photos soon, promise), here are a few of my favorite pictures from my last adventure to Udaipur.

looking out and looking up

day and night

The lake palace

disturbing the birds on the lake

up close

streetside fresh gulab jaman--yum!

the view from our hotel

Holi color & water guns

Holi color

Pre-Holi*

Post-Holi*

Happy Holi* from...

too much fun with photography*

(*photos borrowed from friends--thanks!)

MASH Professional Development

Since starting my MA at the University of Birmingham, I've been colleagues and great friends with a group of very talented and research driven guys (sadly, it is a male dominated industry). During our coursework, they decided to start MASH-Meet Ask Share and Help, a collaborative group for University of Birmingham graduates. In addition to the conferences they have organized in Japan, they have recently started a Professional Development column on ELTnews.com. Guess who is featured this week?

This has been a great tool for professional development and collaborative research projects including publishing. More on that as it develops...

A Birthday Bash

Another year older, another year wiser? Hmm...that's always the question! But it is a good time to reflect and think about what's happened in the last year and how all the fun and interesting surprises life throws at us. I didn't know a year ago that I would be celebrating my birthday in India his year. And I don't know where I'll be celebrating next year. It's all part of the fun!

And what a fun birthday it was! It started off with a very HOLI surprise.

8am on my rooftop. I went up there to 'help Hamsa hang the laundry line' and instead got pounded with pink.

After showering and cleaning most of the color off, Hamsa and I made brunch for several friends. The menu included Mexican egg scramble, fruit salad and fajita salad. It was super tasty. I just wish we had a bigger kitchen to cook in, and a dining room to serve it in.

I attempted to make my Grandmother's cinnamon caramel rolls (without an oven). They were delicious even if they were a little doughy.

Georgina--eat more, please!!

Hamsa even rolled out our own 'tortillas'. Yep, we're homely like that!

After enjoying a delicious breakfast we continued the food feast at "Ecstasy" a gourmet chocolate cafe in Chennai. We ordered the chocolate chili loaf, chocolate chili milkshakes and tiramisu.

Enjoying our women's day at Ecstasy!

After watching "The Rosa Parks Story" at the International Women's Film Festival, the birthday bash continued with dinner at Cornucopia.

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate my birthday and international women's day. It was a fabulously fun day with great friends and lots of food.