We're maybe getting settled. Today was a big day in that we got a set of keys for the flat we're hoping to rent and paid first month's rent. We still haven't paid the $6,000 deposit but we'll do that on Wednesday when the owner comes into Bangalore (he lives in a city north of here). He will hopefully give us the refrigerator that was promised on Weds too which will make it a big day. The crazy (10-month) deposit required to rent a flat took us by surprise. We've spent quite awhile putting together that kind of cash and actually decided against the 3-bedroom apartment we had planned to rent in favor of a more reasonably priced 2-bed place with a substantially lower deposit.
On a less positive note, our cell phones which have been working perfectly since Nitin got us the sims have suddenly stopped making outgoing calls. The guy who sold Nitin the sims is "working on it" so hopefully we'll have phone communication before too long.
On a less positive note, our cell phones which have been working perfectly since Nitin got us the sims have suddenly stopped making outgoing calls. The guy who sold Nitin the sims is "working on it" so hopefully we'll have phone communication before too long.
Ready for their first day of school
It was a stressful day to have the phones stop working because today was the boys' first day of school. Since we still aren't in our own apartment, the school bus driver agreed to make a stop a block or so away from Nitin's place. We dropped the boys off this morning and we're supposed to call the driver before picking them up this afternoon. Luckily Nitin called as we were waiting for the bus and was able to make the call for us (our phones strangely still take incoming calls).
Yesterday started with a great breakfast of dosa and other treats with Nitin.
After breakfast with Nitin, the four of us walked over to the aptly named Commercial Street where you can apparently buy almost anything you can think of. It was a mostly very Bangalore area but nestled among the independently-owned shops was America's favorite clown. We shopped until everyone was too tired to shop any more and came home with 3 or 4 bags of sheets and towels (and a nice shirt or two for each of us).
At one point when I tried to find a quiet space to call in to Nitin (my phone was still working at that time), Tim and the boys got called into a tailor shop. The guys in the shop were very nice and took pictures of us all together. Kekai has already chosen the cloth he wants to make his first 3-piece suit from!