Reel Ninja

The Reel Ninja Movie/TV Series Blog

Our Wedding Planning

What a slacker eh? Well as per usual I've been working on something new. Ajay and I have created another website www.organizeourwedding.com and I've begun writing a blog for it, with all of the trials and tribulations wedding planning can offer. Take a peak.

Chaitanya Rao's Outfit

Well I couldn't have been more surprised or pleased with what Chetan had delived to me to wear at our engagement. I was under the impression that he was just making a skirt to match the top that I had brought with me. Little did I know that the monkey had his own plans! It was a lovely outfit, and I felt beautiful in it. Many, many, many thanks go to Chetan and his tailors for the wonderful job on my engagement outfit. I can't wait for Chetan to get a comprehensive website up so that you all get to see his work... it's stunning. He is truly a creative talent, and I'm sure that his reputation in India will burst through those borders and he'll find himself in a whole new playground in no time at all. No need to limit yourself to just a billion people Chetan ;) xoxox, thanks again for everything.




Chaitanya Rao and I :)

Engagement...

What a slacker I know, but you can't imagine how busy and hot it was in India. If we weren't entertaining, visiting, going to a dental appointment or eating, we were sleeping. It was non-stop... but non-stop in a good way. I had an incredible time in India, especially at home with the family. I was comfortable from day one. I always felt that I was treated like a daughter and not a daughter-in-law and I couldn't have been happier with the family I received either ;)

The cultural differences were at times overwhelming, but I attribute alot of that to heat exhaustion too! Nothing like 44 degree humid heat let me tell you. The poverty is pretty hard to miss, it's all around you, unless you've settled in for the night at home. The pesty bugs around were a bit troublesome for me too, but mostly because I am unfamiliar with the creatures who exist in the hotter climates. There were a couple of tense show downs, but Ajay always came to my rescue. Hard to imagine me as a damsel in distress but if it's creepy and crawly I turn into jello and forget I have a backbone.

The food fair was very enjoyable, lots of different things to try, like mutton. Who would have thought that mutton would be so tasty? Certainly not me. But everytime I heard that birayni with mutton was going to be on the table, I started to salvate. I guess for those disbelievers you'll have to try it for yourself. The one thing that I had trouble adapting to was the fact that every meal had a savoury taste to it. Here in Canada or even North America for that matter, we find that there is something sweet at every encounter, whether it's syrup for french toast, french fries with ketchup or honnied carrots with dinner, there is always something sweet gracing our plates. I learned to comprimise with ketchup where applicable and toast with jam for breakfast, often accompanied by an orange or some watermelon.

The engagement was very special... it is much more than just an exchange of rings and promises to marry. It is more of a celebration with friends and family, and a welcoming into each other's family. It was quite unique and beautiful... I'm sure unless you see the video that I will be unable to do it justice in word. Needless to say, I don't see how it could have been any more meaningful to us, and I hope that we continue to look on tradition and our cultural nuances as blessings to us.

Me receiving my ring :)



Aju receiving his ring (that's right we each get one at the engagement)



The happy couple



The family shot :)
Papa, Shalu, Aju, Nanu, Sanju, Mummy and Kareena

Adendum

Here is a link to an article quoting Chaitayna Rao - the designer I mentioned. It's from 2005 but there is a picture there of him.

Part Deux....

Ok so I last left off with the arrival in Chennai... from there is has been a constant stream of visitors with well wishes, gifts and hugs all around. Honestly, aside from the Maritimes I don't think I've ever encountered a more friendly community. We've received calls from abroad in India, and been fed some of the most incredible dishes ever from friends just stopping by. And not to mention that you should be careful of anything you say you enjoy, because guaranteed it will be delivered to you in short order. :) I think it was day two when someone asked if I liked ice cream... this is me we're talking about... I can pass on a lot of stuff, but not ice cream, and especially not in this heat! So of course, I said that I loved the stuff... and the conversation moved on. Little did I know that Asha Aunty had placed a call to her driver and 10 minutes later low and behold we had strawberry ice cream delivered to us. Crazy cool, no?

In addition to all of the visitors we have also ventured out to various friend's places and I was ever so fortunate to enjoy Domino's pizza last night at Sid's. The restaurant chains are cooky here... we had a double cheese and pepperoni pizza, stuffed with some crazy sauce.... and then there was the Kima (spelling) pizza, which is some type of spicy mystery meat.

I can't even begin to describe the home cooked food we've been having... unreal. A lot of veggie stuff, but meat and fish thrown in too. And Mummy Jaan had a pasta dish made for me this evening, super sweet of her.

We went to have our rings made... and I swear to God my comment at the jewellry store was, "this must be where the queen shops" - it was well beyond my wildest imagination. Take any jeweller you know in Halifax and multiple the selection by 100 - no exageration. And of course the diversity of the pieces would just floor you. I wanted to take a picture, but Ajay felt that it would be frowned upon, so you will just have to take my word for it... INSANO. Our rings are simple and lovely... just what we wanted. We had the engraving done on the outside in Hindi, but it's not as deep as I would have hoped... so chances are we will have to have it redone in years to come... but we both thought that was a nice idea too :) Can't wait to exchange them on Saturday.

I go to get fitted for my new skirt on Tuesday, totally looking forward to that... he's quite talented from what I've seen of his work, and a very lovely person. As soon as his website is back up I'll post a link so you can see for yourself.

I've only done a little shopping since we arrived, since much of our time has been spent visiting... more to come soon I hope... still want to find something perfect for my parents.

It's quite late now, and Ajay and his friends are still downstairs playing cards.... it's so great to see him here and happy. I'll have to do my best to remind him of how happy we are back in Canada too when it's time for us to depart for the airport.

More pictures coming soon... just have to download.

Ciao!

Special Shout Out to My Mom

It was good to hear your voice today... things really are going great, but I miss you lots, and of course D and the boy.

I wish you were here to share in the fun with Ajay and I, but we'll be sure to do lots of cool things with you guys too once we're back. Maybe we'll have an engagement party or something?

Thanks again mom for always being there to take care of Marsh, aside from Ajay, there is no one I trust more to keep my baby safe and loved. I hope he isn't hogging the blankets too much at night... he does that ;)

Lots of love to you and D - and a super big kiss from Ajay and I to Marshy.
xoxox

Nan

ps... Ajay's friend who is a fashion designer is set to design a new skirt for the engagement for me, as I've already worn the one I brought. How cool, no?

pss... we really need to get you an email account ha ha ha

Family...

Ajay and I :)


Papa, Me, Mummy Jaan and Ajay


Mummy Jaan, Suraiya Aunty, Neerja Aunty, Me & Ajay

First couple of days....

Here are a few pictures:


This is us in Halifax, waiting to depart.


This is Ajay in Frankfurt making his escape!


9 hours in $%^#@* Frankfurt!


Ajay and Mummy Jaan


Suraiya Aunty, Ajay, Me, Mummy Jaan & Kareena


Lack of sleep is killer! :(

Ok, better late than never :)

Yeah yeah, it took too long for this post to arrive, but the truth is that we've been coming, going or sleeping since we arrived.

The trip itself was GROSS. Halifax to Montreal was uneventful aside from the fact that our video monitors weren't working, well half the plane at least... we did a lot of people watching in Montreal during our 4 and half layover, but it was fun hanging out with Ajay. Our flight to Frankfurt was a quick 7 hours across the Atlantic without much to comment on, other than we didn't sleep. We arrived in Frankfurt almost an hour early, thanks to some fabulous winds. The airport was pretty much dead at 6:30am and without very good signage, so we walked around a bit before figuring out where we needed to be for our next flight. Before that though I made the mistake of needing to pee... honest to God, not a word of a lie, it was like a metal outhouse that was just gross... but I was at the point of waddling and didn't think Ajay would appreciate me peeing my pants. And here is a little piece of info that everyone needs to know... we shared a hamburger and fries and had a coffee and tea respectively, with a cost of $25 USD - can you imagine!?!? ** WARNING -- do not eat in the Frankfurt airport, it's not tasty and they rob you blind** he next 9.5 hours would be THE longest of our lives... we plotted to kill our travel agent with increasing enthusiasm with every passing hour, and somewhere managed to get 2 hours sleep. Finally it was time to board our flight on Emirates. PHENOMINAL. The service was the best I have ever had in the air. The meals came with a beautifully printed menu, booze was free and unlimited, hot towels to refresh yourself, your choice of movies, games or music on your own monitor. It blew Air Canada out of the water. The 6 hours flew by, but we were increasingly cranky due to the loss of sleep. As soon as I stepped off the plain in Dubai all I could smell was oil... truly. It was midnight, and warm but not gross, but with a whiff of oil and almost a creamy feeling across your skin. The duty free in the airport was a zoo! People everywhere, and the cheapest booze I've seen ever. Two bottles of Skyy vodka for $20 US - you can bet that there will be some in our luggage on the way home :) The gold was beautiful, but not without it's cost.... everything is sold by the ounce, which is cool because you don't pay for the work that goes into making these very unique pieces. The flight to Chennai was jammed full with 450 people and I was very excited to be on our last leg. While in the air I saw, without any debate, the most splendid sunrise I've ever seen. It's hard to describe, but we were above the clouds which were black, and then the upper atmosphere was as well black, but what came in between was the complete spectrum of colours.... basically a rainbow (from the top, black to navy blue, medium blue, light blue, green, yellow, orange, red, crimson and then black again at the bottom). As the sun rose, the colous began to stretch apart and blend further into one another, until there was the most incredible yellow orange and the sun started to break through the cloud line as it displayed it's majesty. I wish we would have video taped it, but the camera was out of reach and we were semi close to landing. It is a memory I hope to carry the rest of my days... it's beauty was simply awesome. Customs and Immigration in Chennai was a snap, and I walked out to be greeted by my new family inclusive with flowers. How thoughtful no? Lots of hugs and kisses all around and we were on our way. Walking out of the air conditioned airport into the "fresh" air was like being hit by a train... and it was only 9:30am. I drove home with Mummy Jaan, Ajay with Sid and Papa and my new sister-in-law Shalu in another car. The traffic situation is terrifying. There are lanes on the road but they're more of a guideline than anything. Everyone beeps constantly and there are motorbikes zipping in and out between the cars... and yes there were cows!! I don't know how we made it back to the house alive....

...more on my next post, which now I've had some rest will be much sooner.
xo from Ajay and Nanette

Leaving On A Jet Plane

"All our bags are packed, we're ready to go
we're standin' here outside your door
we hate to wake you up to say goodbye"

We got 3 hours to go before we leave for the airport and we cant believe the day is already here. We hope we got everything in place and we think we do. We are going to miss everyone back here and not to hurt anyone's feelings but we are going to miss Marsh the most. The fact that he is in very good hands will help us board that plane.

Now, looking ahead, its going to a long trip but its going to be a great trip. My folks and my best friend are going to be at the airport and not to forget the heat wave :)
We are going to try our best to stay up all day on Monday and try and adjust to the time difference as soon as possible but who knows how that is going to go.

Maybe some nice indian food and some Kingfisher beer will help :)

Four on the Floor

Man oh man... I'm having a terrible time concentrating at work. With the trip just days away everything is a buzz... last minute thoughts of things not packed, items not bought, and those darn weight restrictions!

Just two more sleeps until Ajay is home again, and four till we leave for India, well four till we leave for Montreal, Frankfurt, Dubai and then Chennai! lol quite the adventure indeed.

Six of One, Half Dozen of Another

I know, I know.... we've been incredibly slack in adding content over this past week, but truth be told, we've been pretty damn busy too.

Everytime I think the last minute shopping is done, there is more... yes, more. Crystal and I ran around on Saturday picking up gift bags, extra markers, and an electrical converter. What fun! We went to The Source in search of the appropriate converter for India... one that will handle extended usage, like battery chargers or Ajay's PS2...yes he's brining both of his girlfriends home this trip :) The staff at The Source were not exactly the brightest, and weren't clear on which converter/adapter we required. Apparently they had conflicting resource lists... which left me paying $49 for something they weren't even sure would work. Ajay will have to check it when he comes home this week... which may include yet another, last minute trip to the shopping mall. Yee haw!

In addition to the above I have been hopelessly packing and repacking our bags in an attempt to accomodate all of our stuff, the gifts and the donated clothes... it's quite the battle... but I'll shall be successful! Just wait and see.

I can't believe that in just a couple of days Ajay is going to be peeling my arms from around Marshy and dragging me off to the airport! I'm going to miss our little beggar SOOO MUCH.

Lucky 13

Ajay came home this weekend for Easter :)

I drove to Saint John on Thursday afternoon and picked him and all of his luggage for our trip and brought them back home. All in all it was about 7.5 hours of driving... and by the end of it, I was truly sleepy. However, it was fun to have our first road trip together... Ajay gives fairly decent car concerts! The best thing is that we share the same tastes in music, mostly ;)

Friday was spent chilling out, lunch with my parents and a birthday dinner for Wendy with friends.

Saturday was a true thriller, shopping... picking up the last of our necessary items for India, on a Saturday, before a holiday! It was insane... the traffic was gross, the lines at the cashiers were disgusting... and low and behold I continued the ongoing tradition of picking the wrong line EVERY time ;) It always starts out looking like the shortest, or quickest, but for one reason or another it turns out to be the one where they need a price check, or the scanner stops working, or their coupons aren't valid... truly frustrating. We made it home in one piece though, and spent a lovely night home with dinner, a couple of drinks and curled up on the couch with a movie (The Greatest Game Ever Played). We also shared some wonderful time practice packing our luggage... trying to work out the weights, and spreading the gifts amongst the all of the bags incase one gets lost on the way there. There was a lot of "discussion" around the allowable weights and sizes of the baggage permitted on the flights. Their website said one thing, and their reps in Toronto said another. It was great fun! But thankfully we worked through it together and came to an amicable resolve. :)

It's Sunday again, and the hours are pressing towards the time when Ajay has to board the bus back to Saint John. :( This time though, less than 2 weeks till he's back and we head to India.

Every Bit Counts... 18

Let me start out by saying that I mention this for the acknowledgement of everyone who has contributed thus far, and not to toot our own horns.

Ajay mentioned a couple of days back that there is a needy orphanage that he visits annually to make a donation to in Chennai, and that he'd like to do the same when we are there. I thought it might be nice to take it a step further and donate some tangible items too, like clothing. So I sent an email around at the office to solicit used children's summer clothing for us to bring with us to India... and low and behold, the donations started coming in today. I've had numerous emails from friends of people here from the office with kids who were forwarded the original request by our staff. I was so thankful today to be surrounded by such generosity... two bags and a box of beautiful clothes, some I'm sure have never been worn... and even a bag of disposable diapers!

Maybe I shouldn't be so surprised at the kindness of others, but the thing is that I've only been at this location for two months now and maybe know 5 or 6 people... I can't explain how happy I am with their donations to date.

Thanks to everyone who made a contribution!

Nanette & Ajay

18 Days to go!!!

I can't believe there are only 18 days before we leave for India. I can't wait to get home and see my family. People say these 18 days will fly past but I dont think so. It's moving so slow. Spoke to my parents and my niece on Skype yesterday and it made me so happy to think of everyone at home :). I still cant believe I have been away from home for more than a year and a half but there were things to be done and there still are some things to be done.

Eureka! I Have Found it.... 24 To Go

I have found it!!!

The mother of all sites on India...

India's Culture, Art, Architecture and Fine Arts

Lots of awesome facts... basically everything about India without the 36 hours of travel time to get there. :) Ok, so not really, but still it's pretty comprehensive... although the "India Quiz" isn't functioning.

Enjoy! There will be a test. :)

Twenty Nine Reasons For Us To Go To India

29. it's much warmer than Canada
28. great excuse to get your shots updated
27. don't have to work for 3 weeks!
26. Ajay will not be a minority while we're there
25. I'll stand out like a sore thumb while we're there :)
24. yummy Indian food at Indian prices
23. Ajay is losing his tan here
22. because Conan isn't coming with us ;)
21. proof that Sid really can shoot stick and it's not all fluff
20. I'll get to play cards and win everyone's money!
19. shopping for sarees
18. seeing all of the temples and ancient architecture
17. seeing fruit trees, other than apples!
16. tasting Mummy Jaan's famous cooking
15. sleeping under mosquito netting, reminds me of The Poisonwood Bible
14. taking naps in the afternoon for fun
13. seeing Ajay smile that gorgeous smile of his
12. getting an Indian stamp in my passport!
11. duty free shopping in Dubai
10. not having to do dishes for 3 whole weeks!!!
09. spending quality time in front of the airconditioner with Uncle
08. seeing what 42 degree heat feels like all day and all night
07. from what I've seen, amazing place to take pictures
06. only way we'll have something new to write about here on the blog
05. get all of the gifts out of my spare room!
04. bring back suitcases filled with prepackaged food!
03. I want to hear Kareena call Ajay Chachu
02. meet all of Ajay's friends
01. and most importantly, spend time with our family

TherTea

30...30...30...30...30...30...30...30...30...30...
30...30...30...30...30...30...30...30...30...30...
30...30...30...30...30...30...30...30...30...30...

days to go :)

33 bottles of Keiths on the wall........

Everyone says that their mom is the best cook in the world and I am not any different. My mom IS the best cook in the world. She makes the best palak paneer in the world and also the best chocolate souffle and not to forget, she makes the most delicious cookies which are very hard to resist (Nanette will get to taste all of these I am sure :)).

Many people have asked me if it is home food that I have missed the most in the last year and a half and I always answer in the affirmative because I really dont want to get emotional and explain its my family i miss the most and not being with my parents has been kinda tough but hey, no one said it was gonna be easy. As most of you have already guessed, I am the youngest in my family and i was spoilt :).

That plane trip is going to be a killer but alteast we have great things to look forward to. I cant wait to get home and hug my parents.