How did you manage to stay up until 5A? I would have been sleeping on my feet!
You know the funny thing is that while I no longer seem to have the ability to stay up all night and work - throw in some good company, wine and cheetos (hee hee- haven't had those in years) -and NO WORK - and I seem to do fine!
The Bar Association conference included an Indian social gathering component and a professional gathering component. I didn't know that before hand - but the lots of the women wore saris at the dinner banquet Sat night. There was really good Indian food and a really good very interesting band - An African-Caribbean-Bhangra Fusion Band.
Everyone changed and many of us went to out for the night life. And after that - we had a suite rented at the hotel that was stocked with food and wine/alcohol for 2 am onwards.
Next year, the gathering is in Vancouver. I will be going!
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I don't now what OCI status is. Whatever it is, I'm glad you can get it and it will help!
The US allows dual citizenship - India does not. India provides a hybrid status - that facilites activities that provide access to our money but denies us the rights of citizens. That status is an Overseas Citizen of India status. You have to show proof that both of your parents were born in India.
The only complication may be that my parents were born in British India in the part that is currently Bangladesh. We'll see...
India gives preferential treatment to OCI's when it comes to adoptions b/c they prefer that Indian children be adopted by families that are committed to raising the child in accordance with Indian heritage and values.
In the past NRI - Non-Resident Indian status (a real Indian citizen living here) was the best status for adoption purposes. With recent changes in law - OCI is on par with NRI.
I am so glad that I went to this conference. The attorney from India in the audience is the one that told me about this. The panel was US adoption agency based and disappointing - they spouted the same crap and inconsistencies that my own US based agency spouts and then some...
The new adoption agency I am exploring provides me with access to all orphanages in India. It does require more involvement on my part - but that is okay b/c I am comfortable traveling in India and have family and am networking with Indian attorneys that know the Indian system of law.
Most US agencies have their own orphanage and will only facilate adoptions through their own counterpart Indian orphanage.
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Looking forward to hearing which causes you'll be giving time/money to.
I will figure that one out with time... I think I have grown enough over the past 5 years to be able to operate with a greater level of detachment when facing some of the not so fair things that happen to people. In the past - I was too reactive and walked away from things that really didn't do anyone any good - and I would end up angry and disillusioned with the system.
I think I am getting better at recognizing that there are limitations to the system - but doing something is better than doing nothing. And a level of detachment enables me to do something - as opposed to nothing.
However that being said - I will never run for office b/c I do not want to have deal with placing my heritage on trial.
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Maybe you've come across the fountain of youth somewhere in your life.
I think the lighting was really bad. LOL! I don't look 43 but I certainly do not look underage.
I do believe some sort of fountain is located on my face - I literally sweat more on my face that anywhere else and become a spouting fountain with flying beads of sweat when I work out! LOL!
