Our Big Fat Greek (Turkish and Lebanese) Vacation!

This summer, Nish and I are heading to Lebanon, Turkey and Greece for a bit of an extended vacation. Our friend Morgan has generously offered to take us on a tour of Lebanon - the coast, the countryside, the villages, the ruins, the nightlife, and - most importantly - the food! In Greece, we'll be seeing our friends Troy and Liz, whose baby is being baptized there in the Greek Orthodox Church. We're so excited for Turkey as well. I've always wanted to visit Istanbul, a modern metropolis of cultures, beliefs, and attitudes set against an ancient backdrop that has served as the capital of some of the world's most influential empires: Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman. I'm going to attempt to keep a travel (b)log to document our journey, but I'm not sure how successful I'll be. I can't wait to share our travels with everyone.

Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek, Lebanon 

Whitewashed Buildings in Santorini, Greece

Yeni Cami (New Mosque) in Istanbul, Turkey

I put the pictures above in random order, but just realized that the layout is actually chronological: 

1. A Pagan temple from an era well before monotheism was advocated. 

2. Buildings topped with crosses that represent the Greek Orthodox Church (one of the earliest forms of Christianity).

3. A mosque representing Islam, which came some 590 years after the advent of Christianity. 

Decisions! Decisions!

Over the past few months, Nishant and I have gone back and forth about what we're going to do after he graduates from fellowship and University Housing officially kicks us out at the end of July. He'll be joining a private practice in Newport Beach in addition to working at rehabs in Orange County and continuing his gig at a research clinic in Torrance. I will (hopefully) be starting school in October and working part-time. We weren't sure whether or not we wanted to give up the income and benefits we're getting with my current full-time position, so we considered moving to somewhere in the South Bay (i.e. Hermosa Beach or Manhattan Beach) so I could keep my job. After an eye-opening weekend filled with discussions about our future and a candid conversation with his soon-to-be partner at the practice, we ultimately realized that moving to Newport - though a huge change and slightly precarious situation financially - would finally allow us to embark on the first few years of marriage that we've been so eagerly anticipating.  We'll both be furthering our careers and will be able to spend more time with each other (and less time commuting) - two things we're really looking forward to! Come August, the Kumars will be living in Newport Beach!

          

My Loves

This past weekend, we celebrated Mama's and Papa's 40th anniversary with a special dinner at Benihana.  Afterwards, I got the chance to spend time with three of my favorite people in the world - my hubby and my sisters. We ended up at a small club on Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica, and we pretty much spent the entire night with each other - and ONLY each other.

There Is Always Hope

Last night, two Indians, two Palestinians, a Lebnani, and a Syrian broke (naan) bread at a hole-in-the-wall Pakistani restaurant in an unassuming suburb of LA. The main topic of discussion: the revolution in Egypt.

Nishant and I listened quietly as our friends recounted memories of events that had transpired in their homelands. Experiences were shared, opinions were voiced, and perspectives were gained. Some were optimistic while others were doubtful about the future of Egypt, but everyone agreed that history was indeed being made.

Having grown up in a country with basic freedoms, it's easy to take those freedoms for granted and, consequently, that much more difficult to imagine the plight of millions of people around the world who live their lives in glaring contrast to our own. Over the past 18 days, the Egyptian people decided that a life wrought with despair instead of hope, fear in lieu of security, and desperation in place of dignity was not a life worth passing on to future generations. They resolved to take back the power - and they succeeded. 64 years ago, the people of India gained their independence. 235 years ago, the US achieved the same triumph. The fight for freedom rages on in many countries, but the issue has become one of basic human rights, regardless of faith, nationality, or race. Resilience in the face of oppression is something that unites us all.    

Last night, six friends left dinner daring to hope for a new beginning halfway across the world. On Friday, February 11, 2011, the dream came true.

"You gained your liberty; you have gained the right to catch up with the rest of the world. Make the best of it." 
- Mohamed ElBaradei, Egyptian Diplomat, Law Scholar, and Nobel Laureate - 02.02.11

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

I just finished one of the most thought-provoking pieces of non-fiction that I've ever read. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks tells the story of an African-American woman who, dying of cervical cancer at the untimely age of 31 in 1951, unknowingly had a biopsy taken from the tumor growing inside of her.

The cells from this tumor would eventually become the immortal HeLa cell line, used by doctors and scientists worldwide for biomedical research. The HeLa cells made it possible for researchers to delve into a wide range of scientific pursuits, including - but definitely not limited to - research into AIDS, cancer, gene mapping, the effects of radiation, and ultimately the creation of the polio vaccine. Today, more than 11,000 medical patents exist as a result of HeLa research.

Despite the numerous medical achievements made possible by the HeLa cell line, Henrietta Lacks' family has never received any monetary compensation from those individuals, hospitals, and corporations who utilized her cells. Instead, the Lacks family has lived in poverty for generations. As the book progresses, we get a detailed glimpse into the histories of both the HeLa cell line and the Lacks family. The book takes a bold look at ethical issues of race and class with regard to medical research and how policies have (and in some cases, have not) changed over time. The author of the book, Rebecca Skloot, does an amazing job recounting the facts, explaining scientific processes in layman's terms, and - most importantly - humanizing Henrietta Lacks by showing the reader who she was as a person and not just the unwitting object she became after her death.

Busy Busy Busy - !

The past couple weeks (and weekends) have been such a whirlwind! Work has gotten crazier for both Nishant and me, and the weekends have been filled with birthdays, weddings, going away parties, and family time.

People told us that life would only get busier after we got married. I didn't believe them at the time. Now I do.

What have we been up to?

Friday, 1/21: Anooj's 30th Birthday - Long Beach

Saturday, 1/22: Billy & Evelyn's Wedding - Anaheim

Sunday, 1/23: Nay's Going Away Party - Cerritos / Dinner at Fogo De Chao - LA

Friday, 1/28 - Sunday, 1/30: Manav's 3rd Birthday - Oakland

Sunday, 2/6: Super Bowl Party - LA

What's coming up?

Tuesday, 2/8: Dinner & Talk @UCLA ("An Evening with Author Ned Vizzini") - LA

Wednesday, 2/9: UCLA Anderson Happy Hour / Dinner @ Mama & Papa's

Thursday, 2/10: Dinner @ Al-Noor with Aghi & Sana - LA

Friday, 2/11: UCLA Anderson Microbrew Club Event - LA

Saturday, 2/12: Birthday Party @ Castle Park - Sherman Oaks / Mama & Papa's 40th Anniversary Dinner @ Benihana - LA

Saturday, 2/19 - Monday, 2/21: Long Weekend Getaway with the Joshi Family - San Luis Obispo

Friday, 4/1 - Sunday, 4/3: My 25th Birthday Weekend!!

Friday, 4/8 - Saturday, 4/9: Shaily & Vishal's Sangeet, Wedding/Reception - San Diego

Monday, 5/30: Ashika & Jeevan's Wedding/Reception - Diamond Bar

Saturday, 6/4: Thushanga & Shani's Reception - ???

Sunday, 7/3: Neha & Hirsch's Wedding/Reception - Anaheim

Saturday, 7/23: Aghi & Sana's Reception - Buena Park

The Holidays

This is long overdue, but I wanted to post some pictures of our time in Seattle for the holidays.  Enjoy!

THE KIDS OPENING THEIR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

MANAV & HIS NEW TRAIN SET

SANTA NISHANT MAMA HANDING OUT PRESENTS

DAD WITH BABY ROHIN

MOM WITH BABY ROHIN

THE BOYS WITH THEIR NEW SWEATERS FROM NANIMA

NISH AND I WITH BABY ROHIN