The American Who Went Desi:)

My American Professor Todd Crossett, just got back from India. He was there on a three month sabbatical. Before leaving he invited me to his home, where his wonderful wife Anne, and two beautiful sons welcomed me with open arms. His dog Kabbah (short for Kabaddi) licked my face:P They baked pizza for me and made apple pie:) Loved it. They spoke about India, a lot. Anne lived in Madurai for two years and speaks fluent Tamil. She was an exchange student. The year was 1986. She was not to come to India but had to out of compulsion. When she got here she was shocked at the way of life. Living in a small town like Madurai was unbearable. Two years down the line she didn't want to leave.

Todd her boyfriend in the US, missed her a lot. He was not doing too great in life. But claimed he felt like a sociologist, and secured a seat as a PHD student. He went to Anne's mother to claim Anne's hand, like any respectful man. Anne's mother told him that since she was in India, Todd should go there and see if she was ok. Todd came to India then, to meet Anne.

Todd and Anne fell more madly in love in India. Todd says "I could never hold her hand in public!!! it was India and it just did not feel right". He stayed in India for 3 months. And they both returned and got married in 88.

They had never been to India since but it never left them. They always wanted to go back. And they finally did..

Todd emailed me the day their flight landed in Chennai and then they reached Madurai. Dee I'm in this amazing village for Pongal, Dee I watched a state Kabaddi game today and the stadium seating was made of bamboo, Dee I played cricket for the first time today, and I was absolutely hopeless, Dee there is not a single day that we don't think of you and how difficult studying this program must be for you, how the hell are you managing? Dee you're right! this nation is cricket obsessed, i get what your saying finally, they'd kill to watch cricket from the balcony at Lords wouldn't they?:) ... yeah Todd they would, I know I would:P

In the meanwhile a friend of mine who had completed his sport management in the UK, Sorabh (Also known as Topi), was just making his way back into India to work with a Non profit organization Sportzvillage in Bangalore. Topi is an IITian who took the plunge into sport management. Topi and I never met. We used to chat of and on. But I knew he was going back to India and I happened to tell him about Todd. Topi thought it was a wonderful opportunity for all of us that a Dr of sport sociology was in Madurai! He took a bus from Bangalore to Madurai, a 10 hour journey. Hats of to him! He thought in the bus "Why am I doing this, I hardly even know Deepika, I haven't even met her, Who is this man? He may just ignore me in an hours time…"

Topi met Todd Crossett who welcomed him into his house, welcomed him into his family. Sat and spoke to him for hours on end about sports in India and sports in US, took him grocery shopping, took him for breakfast, lunch and dinner and paid for all of it because he 'was the elder one'.

Topi replied to me saying that it was of the best days of his life. They walked the streets of Madurai, talked to little children about sports, tried to build a business model. He thanked me for giving him the opportunity to meet someone so wonderful.

Todd came back to the US last week. He drove up to my house and had Anne call me to talk about the trip. They want to cook me a full fledged Indian meal with dosas and idlis and chutneys:) Todd told me lets go get some food and talk about sports in India and my observations. I was finally on familiar ground. I grabbed my bag and rushed out. He took me to an Indian restaurant nearby and we spoke for 3 hours on his observations and what needs to be done, with whom the power lies, what children want to watch, how stadiums should be built. He ordered the food, washed his hands before eating. And I ordered rice and started eating it with the spoon. And was ashamed of myself when I saw my American professor sitting opposite me eating rice with his hands…I would never have dreamed that one day I would one day sit in a restaurant in Northampton Massachusetts with an American Professor who loves India and is not embarrassed to eat rice and dal with his hands in a public place…

Its amazing..I thank god everyday for every experience he brings to me..good or bad. I have South African landlords who buy me boondi laddoo and whose house is filled with Indian artifacts, an American Professor who loves India and eats rice with his hands:), an Indian family with my own brother and sister-in-law who will always be there for me, an Australian research prof, who sits and talks to me for hours about cricket because she realizes how much I miss it, a Filipino classmate who encourages me every time I feel like crap and an American friend who knows more about yoga than anyone I have ever met…I must have done something right to deserve to meet such wonderful people...

I don't know how and when all that I have dreamed off will come true, it maybe 5 yrs or 10 yrs or even 20 yrs down the line, but I have everything in the world telling me that it will happen and I won't rest till it does.