Three weeks down, but who's counting?

       We have made it to our second weekend and basically the end of our third week in Sikkim. We are each to different stages of settling; both settling into a routine and a way of life as well as coming to understand that we will have to settle for a life here that is more primitive than the one we had in America.
     Corrina is the one struggling the most right now.  Her stomach has been bothering her a bit and she wishes she had her own house and her own bedroom to feel unwell in.  She has a couple of potential friends at school but that is slow going for her. And she only likes a few of her classes.  She isn't used to the strict nature of teachers here and doesn't like be spoken to harshly even if that is the way the teachers speak to all students.  She likes some of the food, she has been reading voraciously and she sometimes likes going to town. She and Glenn videochat as often as they can and that seems to help with her malaise. The state of hygienic affairs here is sometimes more than she can bear.  She had a good day yesterday and we have planned a low-key weekend with a day of shopping in the market today and a lazy day at home tomorrow -- I am hoping these two days will lift her spirits a bit.
     I am holding up well. There is plenty of work to do at school and I feel I have already helped in a couple of big areas. I have convinced Pintso and the leadership team that they should have a Dean of Students; they love the idea and have already indicated two teachers who could take on the roles of Upper School and Lower School Deans. People seem happy to have my help and input and I have the best office in the school -- it is a desk in the center of the library, right next to the librarian.  At home, I find it difficult at times to keep the peace. When one of the girls isn't feeling well they often take it out on the other. I suppose I should be thankful that they never seem to both be miserable at the same time. Still, we are a unit with very little time away from each other.  School is the only time we are separated and then just barely.  Our second bedroom is very damp, I cleaned out all the mold but until monsoon season is over I think it will be basically unusable.   After the monsoon goes, I am hoping we can set up a bit of a sitting room in there. That will give us a chance to spend some time separately while we are at home.  No matter the challenges, I am glad to be here, feel at peace and am enjoying exploring a new place.
     I think Grace may be doing the best of us all. She has made close friends with the three girls in her class. In fact they were over for dinner last night and Grace is planning to play basketball with them next weekend. She likes what little work she has to do and she has jumped into class conversations and activities. She hates the insects that crawl everywhere, but she has come to have a sense of humor about how much the spiders scare her. She enjoys the food and has a growing tolerance for walking around town.  She still bugs Corrina to no end, it is hard that we are always in each others company, but I am really impressed by how she has taken to being here in Gangtok.
     Being in the clouds has its disadvantages -- last night we were in the middle of a lightning storm and a couple of bolts were awfully close to the house.  The last one knocked out power for about 20 minuted and seems to have killed the modem at the house.  I can only imagine how long it will take to get that fixed!  So Grace and I are at an internet cafe having some vegetable pakoras and taking advantage of the internet.  Now this blog can be posted!