...there lived a .... nanny.... from Montana?

I guess to properly narrate this story I must start with the basics.

Setting: Hyderabad, India.

It is difficult to explain Hyderabad without contradicting oneself. The only way I can begin to explain, is to call it the land of contrasts. It assaults the senses while filling the heart with a wonderful warm glow. Here history and tradition go hand and hand with the dynamic present. Men work 21 century jobs with computers and then return home to their parent's house where there whole family lives and often shares one bed. Women are being admitted to colleges at astounding rates but still choose to have arranged marriages. Next to an internet cafe, a group of women swathed in magenta and safron saris sit on the ground hacking away at mangos with machetes. Men walk down the street, some wearing Armani suits, some wearing jeans, some only a turban and a toga. The air smells of jasmine, exhaust, body odor, curry, and cow manure.



As all guide books will tell you, Hyderabad is the 5th largest city in India with over 7 million people. It is a meeting point between North India and South India, where cultures blend and the lines between past and present blur. It is a hub of commercial and technological growth, while an ancient city in its own right. And it's where my story begins....

The Cast:

Theo Scheffler - Around the house he's more commonly known as Papa or Master. Theo works as an Actuarial Consultant for the company Sanlam. I have no idea what that means. Theo tried to explain it to me, and after a few failed attempts he finally laughed and blatantly said, "I predict when people are going to die and make money off of it." Something with life insurance, I'm still not quite sure. As far as I can tell now, he's a tech kid. And in the best way! Even when a lot of the house is still packed away in boxes the thousands of movies, the x box games, wii games, guitar hero, flat screen tvs, and surround sound have all been neatly unpacked and set up. With this arrangement I have no complaints, nor do I have any complaints about the flat screen tv in my bedroom. Theo is very kind, courteous, and very enthusiastic to have me learn Hindi while I'm here! As a couple, I'm always impressed with how much Theo and Marga have experienced and all the wonderful places they've been! They are truly unique and all and all are a young, happy, and fun couple.


Marga Scheffler- Known as Mama or Madame by the servants. Marga is also very kind and courteous. She has a wonderful singing voice and is a loving and doting mother to Kara. She's beautiful and has excellent tastes in clothes and furniture. I can tell she is a bit lonely here India and she misses her family and home in South Africa very much. It's hard for her being so far from everyone and everything she loves, plus being a new mom of a completely dependent infant has most likely deflated her sense of adventure and desire to explore India further than she already has.

Kara - She's the reason why I'm here, so of course I'm completely devoted to her. Kara is four months (as of today!) and a very sweet baby. She likes books, especially when you sit there and narrate the pictures for her. As Theo pointed out one night, out of all of her senses, she is most impressed with taste. She puts everything in her mouth (much to her mother's dismay) and seems to be happiest when she fits her whole fist in there. She and I are still getting to know each other, she often cries when Mama first hands her over to me, but I hope this will get better with time and soon we will be good friends.

The Servants - (this is my favorite part)

Abdul - He's actually not a servant, but my Hindi tutor. He's gorgeous ... I mean he's a Hindi Professor at the local University, he's 23, and dresses really well... ummm..... he is a really great tutor and very patient with me when's hes repeating the same foreign syllable for the fortieth time. I always look forward to my Hindi lessons. For some reason (I quite put my finger on it), I have excellent attention. If my Spanish teachers had all been like this, I could have worked at the Madrid embassy by now!


Raju - Raju is ... well he does pretty much everything around the house. He mainly cooks and cleans and is always working very hard. He's a great source of entertainment because, well ...he is obviously gay. Marga agrees with me. He walks just like a gay man - with butt cheeks clenched and one hand up in the air while his hips wave side to side. Its very funny and I wonder what his wife and his three daughters must think of him.

Sajiid - Sajiid is the driver and is someone I've bonded with very quickly. From our broken Hindi/Arabic/English conversations I've gathered that he's Muslim, married, and has three children. The holy month of Ramadan starts today, so he warned me he might be irritable for the next month seeing as he must fast all day and only eat a little at night. I enjoy his company as he is an excellent tour guide and feels comfortable enough around me to rock out to Bollywood music in the car and mock me and my Hindi on occasion.

And then there's me. I guess I am under the servant category even though I'm treated with all the kindness of a guest. I don't know how best to describe myself - I guess I'm just a small town girl with a wanderer's soul. I spent my summer as busy as a bee working two jobs - one, as a waitress at my town's local greasy spoon and another as a guide for horseback riding up the North Fork Creek. I'm a student at Trinity University in San Antonio Texas. I'm a sorority girl (I guess. ah thats so crazy!) and there's nothing I love more than relaxing with my friends (especially on Bonnie!). I like reading, partying, watching tv, camping, dancing, eating late night Taco C, and napping.



It's fairly natural of me to push away. Away from the familiar (even the things and people I love most dearly) in search of something different. I've never quite taken it this far though. So from Cowboys to Indians I'm excited (and a little bit scared) to see where the journey will take me.