ZZZZ
UUUU
MMMM
BBBB
AAAA
!!!!!!!!!
To say I'm in LOVE with the fitness program, Zumba® is less than accurate b/c I'm also totally and completely obsessed....it's the best thing since canned bread! (Kidding! I can't believe they make that stuff and SERIOUSLY!? Who eats CANNED bread, anyhow!? ISH!) Okay. Moving right along.
A good friend back in the US tried for MONTHS to get me to attend a Zumba® class with her because she was having the time of her life....well, once I finally drug my lazy butt to the gym - I was HOOKED! It's the MOST fun I've ever had exercising. You sweat your butt off (literally!) but don't realize it b/c the classes are such a blast.
I went to one Zumba® class since moving to Bangalore and it proved to be difficult to get back to the class (ie coordinating my driver getting me there). So, I basically was in a Zumba® draught for about 5 months! THEN! I received the most glorious email - three girls that live in my community had gotten certified to teach Zumba® classes and were going to start them in January 2012. I'm not kidding you...the day I got the email I wrote the date of the first class on my calendar. There was noooo way I was going to miss that class. It was perfect. I had no excuses not to get there. I didn't have to depend on my driver anymore - I could walk to class, run to class, ride my scooter to class and quite frankly it didn't matter what mode of transportation I decided on - I just knew I was NOT going to miss that first class and I DIDN'T!!! I arrived early. Shoelaces tightly knotted. Ready to ROCK IT! And I didn't miss another class for the next 2 weeks and then I found out...dun, dun dun....Insert sad depressing music.....That two of the instructors were going to be leaving this summer. I couldn't believe it! I was devastated! FINALLY we had brought the Zumba® party to my community and now what?! Come this summer would we just have to end the classes b/c there wouldn't be people to teach them!??! That's when I got the crazy idea that if I wanted to assure I could do Zumba® for our remaining two and half years in India - Well then - I might just have to become an instructor!?!
So, I went online to www.zumba.com and started to snoop around when there would be instructor trainings and where. Maybe I could get certified when I was home in the US this summer?! WELL! Would you believe it....EVEN BETTER! I discovered there was going to be a training the very next weekend in Goa, India! My heart started beating faster and my mind started to whirl. Next weekend. We don't have plans next weekend. Hmm... This maybe JUST MAYBE could actually WORK!
Meanwhile, Matt was on a business trip in Chennai and I sent him an email that said, "If you are on board with this idea- I am seriously thinking about flying to Goa next weekend to get certified to teach Zumba® classes?!" His response was simply, "You Go Girl!" WOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!! That was the green light I needed and as they say, "The rest is history!" I recruited my friend, Katie, to join me in my endeavour and the two of us started planning our trip.
The morning of my departure, I drove into the office with Matt so that Claudius wouldn't have to back track to pick me up and bring me to the airport. Katie lives in the city and her house is on the way to the airport so we agreed we'd meet at her house & then her driver would take us to the airport. As we drove to the office, inevitably we sat stuck in traffic. I have found that the traffic doesn't bother me AT ALL if I have a good book with me. So I was happily entranced in my novel, flipping the pages (at lightning speed mind you b/c I didn't have any children vying for my attention.) When out of my peripheral vision I could tell there was someone at the car window. I have become accustom to the beggars coming to the window asking for money or people trying to sell some sort of whirring trinkity piece of junk (which of course, the kids ALWAYS think we should buy!) Sometimes they tap on the window. Sometimes they cup their hands over their eyebrows and put their face onto the window. Other times they just stand there - If they are looking for money when they make eye contact with you they will form their hand into the shape of a birdie beak and then put their hand up to their lips to show that they want $$ for food. Sometimes it will be a mother holding a child - Who of course will point to her beautiful baby and ask for $$ to feed the child. It's heart wrenching! Sometimes it's a young child holding a sleeping baby. One time we even had a woman come to our window and it looked like her EAR had been blown-up!! It was HORRID! (I seriously think Michael was a bit traumatised by it all as he still brings it up and wonders what are you supposed to do if you are on the MOTORCYCLE and a beggar approaches?!....Good question, Michael!) The lady with the bloody ear really scared him.
Shortly after moving here we had a family of beggars approach us coming out of a store. The children were all tugging on our clothes and the mother opened up a basket with a SNAKE in it! That sent us all into a record breaking SPRINT to the car. Matt was directing our kids into the car like he was landing a jet plane. Limbs flailing and barking, "Get in! Get in!" Then the kids began asking Claudius, "Why did they do that to us?! Why did she shove that snake in our face?!" Claudius tried to explain to us all that they didn't mean to scare you - They were trying to show you something "Cool" ie the snake - In hopes that "Now I showed you something unique and special...Now you pay me $$!" Unfortunately, that tactic did not work well with our family. We all went running for the hills like a bunch of scared school girls. So instead of graciously handing them some coins we were all scrambling to get back into the car like a bunch of crazed circus clowns!
Since then, Claudius has helped us become good at spotting a "real" beggar from a "good actor". One of the sad realities we have learned is that almost all of the children that are begging are "working" for someone. The children don't get the money. There "guy" does. So we give the children little packages of crackers. Something we know that they can eat right away and it won't get taken away from them. The sleeping babies that are being lugged around by children are drugged to keep them sleeping. The "guy" does this so that people will give the begging children more money and it is true - Your heart breaks when you see these scenarios. The "guys" know this and that's why they drug these babies and send them out with young children. So sad. Claudius is quick to roll down his window and offer his own $$ to the truly needy. We've come to learn to follow his lead. You can imagine initially how horrified I was when Claudius offered no aid to the poor woman who was missing her ear! As I'm basically throwing money out the window to her - Claudius is telling us all, "No Ma'am. It all be fake." Matt and I both said, "NO!?!? WHAT?! How could it be fake?! She's bleeding and missing part of her ear...." To which Claudius launched into a long talk about how people do "make-up" and her "guy" tore her clothes and they made her look like she had a terrible injury in order for her to get more money. After he told us this - We did start to think it through a bit. Ya know what?! I think Claudius was RIGHT! Looking back, if she really was that messed up and missing part of her ear (not to be too graphic) but the blood would have been gushing and dripping etc it was just "perfect" looking. Ghorry and gross but that was it. WOW! We were duped! She had on the best Halloween Costume EVER!!! We've also learned that when one beggar is rapping on your window - If you look around there is probably someone laying down on a nearby sidewalk. Another beggar that is taking a "nap" until they switch roles. One begs. One sleeps & then they switch. These types of beggars also work for a "guy" who is no doubt somewhere close by - Watching and making sure they keep working.
So, all that to say that sometimes - I don't look up. You don't know if it's going to be a pitiful looking mother, a bloody faker or a legit invalid and I've learned to follow Claudius' lead. So as I read my book, I could sense that someone was watching me - Although it was a little unnerving to know you are being watched- I didn't look up. After all, Claudius hadn't activated the automatic window or anything. So I just sat there. Except now I wasn't reading. I was just sitting there. Pretending to read. Consciencly deciding I was NOT going to look up. Yet thinking "Stop that swaying all ready!"....Okay. I can't take it any longer. I HAD to look. I slowly shift my eyes off the pages of my book, turn my head towards the window and I LITERALLY almost pooped my pants....I was nose to nose with the biggest BROWN COW I've ever seen in my life! HAHAHAH! Sucker scared me half to death!
Doin' the Beto Shuffle!
Me and Katie....Shiny, Happy People!
Much needed BREAK!
UUUU
MMMM
BBBB
AAAA
!!!!!!!!!
To say I'm in LOVE with the fitness program, Zumba® is less than accurate b/c I'm also totally and completely obsessed....it's the best thing since canned bread! (Kidding! I can't believe they make that stuff and SERIOUSLY!? Who eats CANNED bread, anyhow!? ISH!) Okay. Moving right along.
A good friend back in the US tried for MONTHS to get me to attend a Zumba® class with her because she was having the time of her life....well, once I finally drug my lazy butt to the gym - I was HOOKED! It's the MOST fun I've ever had exercising. You sweat your butt off (literally!) but don't realize it b/c the classes are such a blast.
I went to one Zumba® class since moving to Bangalore and it proved to be difficult to get back to the class (ie coordinating my driver getting me there). So, I basically was in a Zumba® draught for about 5 months! THEN! I received the most glorious email - three girls that live in my community had gotten certified to teach Zumba® classes and were going to start them in January 2012. I'm not kidding you...the day I got the email I wrote the date of the first class on my calendar. There was noooo way I was going to miss that class. It was perfect. I had no excuses not to get there. I didn't have to depend on my driver anymore - I could walk to class, run to class, ride my scooter to class and quite frankly it didn't matter what mode of transportation I decided on - I just knew I was NOT going to miss that first class and I DIDN'T!!! I arrived early. Shoelaces tightly knotted. Ready to ROCK IT! And I didn't miss another class for the next 2 weeks and then I found out...dun, dun dun....Insert sad depressing music.....That two of the instructors were going to be leaving this summer. I couldn't believe it! I was devastated! FINALLY we had brought the Zumba® party to my community and now what?! Come this summer would we just have to end the classes b/c there wouldn't be people to teach them!??! That's when I got the crazy idea that if I wanted to assure I could do Zumba® for our remaining two and half years in India - Well then - I might just have to become an instructor!?!
So, I went online to www.zumba.com and started to snoop around when there would be instructor trainings and where. Maybe I could get certified when I was home in the US this summer?! WELL! Would you believe it....EVEN BETTER! I discovered there was going to be a training the very next weekend in Goa, India! My heart started beating faster and my mind started to whirl. Next weekend. We don't have plans next weekend. Hmm... This maybe JUST MAYBE could actually WORK!
Meanwhile, Matt was on a business trip in Chennai and I sent him an email that said, "If you are on board with this idea- I am seriously thinking about flying to Goa next weekend to get certified to teach Zumba® classes?!" His response was simply, "You Go Girl!" WOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!! That was the green light I needed and as they say, "The rest is history!" I recruited my friend, Katie, to join me in my endeavour and the two of us started planning our trip.
The morning of my departure, I drove into the office with Matt so that Claudius wouldn't have to back track to pick me up and bring me to the airport. Katie lives in the city and her house is on the way to the airport so we agreed we'd meet at her house & then her driver would take us to the airport. As we drove to the office, inevitably we sat stuck in traffic. I have found that the traffic doesn't bother me AT ALL if I have a good book with me. So I was happily entranced in my novel, flipping the pages (at lightning speed mind you b/c I didn't have any children vying for my attention.) When out of my peripheral vision I could tell there was someone at the car window. I have become accustom to the beggars coming to the window asking for money or people trying to sell some sort of whirring trinkity piece of junk (which of course, the kids ALWAYS think we should buy!) Sometimes they tap on the window. Sometimes they cup their hands over their eyebrows and put their face onto the window. Other times they just stand there - If they are looking for money when they make eye contact with you they will form their hand into the shape of a birdie beak and then put their hand up to their lips to show that they want $$ for food. Sometimes it will be a mother holding a child - Who of course will point to her beautiful baby and ask for $$ to feed the child. It's heart wrenching! Sometimes it's a young child holding a sleeping baby. One time we even had a woman come to our window and it looked like her EAR had been blown-up!! It was HORRID! (I seriously think Michael was a bit traumatised by it all as he still brings it up and wonders what are you supposed to do if you are on the MOTORCYCLE and a beggar approaches?!....Good question, Michael!) The lady with the bloody ear really scared him.
Shortly after moving here we had a family of beggars approach us coming out of a store. The children were all tugging on our clothes and the mother opened up a basket with a SNAKE in it! That sent us all into a record breaking SPRINT to the car. Matt was directing our kids into the car like he was landing a jet plane. Limbs flailing and barking, "Get in! Get in!" Then the kids began asking Claudius, "Why did they do that to us?! Why did she shove that snake in our face?!" Claudius tried to explain to us all that they didn't mean to scare you - They were trying to show you something "Cool" ie the snake - In hopes that "Now I showed you something unique and special...Now you pay me $$!" Unfortunately, that tactic did not work well with our family. We all went running for the hills like a bunch of scared school girls. So instead of graciously handing them some coins we were all scrambling to get back into the car like a bunch of crazed circus clowns!
Since then, Claudius has helped us become good at spotting a "real" beggar from a "good actor". One of the sad realities we have learned is that almost all of the children that are begging are "working" for someone. The children don't get the money. There "guy" does. So we give the children little packages of crackers. Something we know that they can eat right away and it won't get taken away from them. The sleeping babies that are being lugged around by children are drugged to keep them sleeping. The "guy" does this so that people will give the begging children more money and it is true - Your heart breaks when you see these scenarios. The "guys" know this and that's why they drug these babies and send them out with young children. So sad. Claudius is quick to roll down his window and offer his own $$ to the truly needy. We've come to learn to follow his lead. You can imagine initially how horrified I was when Claudius offered no aid to the poor woman who was missing her ear! As I'm basically throwing money out the window to her - Claudius is telling us all, "No Ma'am. It all be fake." Matt and I both said, "NO!?!? WHAT?! How could it be fake?! She's bleeding and missing part of her ear...." To which Claudius launched into a long talk about how people do "make-up" and her "guy" tore her clothes and they made her look like she had a terrible injury in order for her to get more money. After he told us this - We did start to think it through a bit. Ya know what?! I think Claudius was RIGHT! Looking back, if she really was that messed up and missing part of her ear (not to be too graphic) but the blood would have been gushing and dripping etc it was just "perfect" looking. Ghorry and gross but that was it. WOW! We were duped! She had on the best Halloween Costume EVER!!! We've also learned that when one beggar is rapping on your window - If you look around there is probably someone laying down on a nearby sidewalk. Another beggar that is taking a "nap" until they switch roles. One begs. One sleeps & then they switch. These types of beggars also work for a "guy" who is no doubt somewhere close by - Watching and making sure they keep working.
So, all that to say that sometimes - I don't look up. You don't know if it's going to be a pitiful looking mother, a bloody faker or a legit invalid and I've learned to follow Claudius' lead. So as I read my book, I could sense that someone was watching me - Although it was a little unnerving to know you are being watched- I didn't look up. After all, Claudius hadn't activated the automatic window or anything. So I just sat there. Except now I wasn't reading. I was just sitting there. Pretending to read. Consciencly deciding I was NOT going to look up. Yet thinking "Stop that swaying all ready!"....Okay. I can't take it any longer. I HAD to look. I slowly shift my eyes off the pages of my book, turn my head towards the window and I LITERALLY almost pooped my pants....I was nose to nose with the biggest BROWN COW I've ever seen in my life! HAHAHAH! Sucker scared me half to death!
 |
By the time I acknowledged her...she wasn't interested in me anymore. I think I hurt her feelings?!    Laundry Day on the Rooftop (see the lady doing the wash?!)  Next time I go to Katie's the kids want to come along and try out her pool :0)  Catching some rays! Our flight was delayed an hour. Not a big deal when you are travelling without any kids. We quietly sat in the terminal sipping our coffee and eating a butterscotch muffin. I took the next picture for Rachel who is STILL obsessed with horses. These guys were happily waiting for their flight (I'm sure it had NOTHING to do with the beer they were consuming!) They informed me that they had been in a production the night before and these heads were one of their props. Oh man! If only Rachel had one of these head's - This would catapult her imaginative play into a whole new realm!        The next TWO days (9:00-5:00) were spent Zumba® Dancing!         I LOVE this sign! Just in case we have time to shop I'm so glad there is a Blooming....Dales! ;0)   |
Wasn't long before that jacket came off!
Feelin' hot Hot HOT!!!
Soaking in everything Carolina was teaching us!
My Infamous BLUE soled shoes!
Havin' FUN!
Me and Katie....Shiny, Happy People!
Group Photo & the END of day one! PHEW!
Time for dinner. Paneer, garlic-buttered naan & dahl makhani.
We loved it sooo much. We ordered the same thing BOTH NIGHTS! Hahah!
Day Two. Look at all of the Awesome Zumbawear®
TIME TO SHOP!!
One of the best perks of Zumba®?!? NEW FRIENDS!
This is Preethy! Clicked immediately! LOVE HER!
Great Minds Think Alike - Carolina and I both NEEDED our Diet Coke ;0)
Carolina's necklace and the Zumba® philosophy....
FEEL THE MUSIC!
Katie's Choreography Group
My Choreo Crew (I got LUCKY too b/c these two were SERIOUSLY good dancers!) I learned a lot from them.
Much needed BREAK!
Sharing some Zumba® Love with Christy! xo
Posin' With Carolina!!
What an incredible opportunity to learn from someone so talented. There are a lot of good dancers in the world but to be able to break those steps down and actually TEACH people how to dance. Seriously! She's got a gift! So incredible!
Woot-Woot! I'm officially part of the Zumba® Family! :0)
Although my eyes are totally creeping me out & this is highly cheesy - Here we are at our "Celebratory Supper" posing with our Certificates! YAY!
Now that I'm official - It's time to share the LOVE of Zumba®
Vigorously working on my routines and I will be rocking a Zumba® studio near you soon! :0) xo
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