Jill Dobbe

I read this author’s book “Kids, Camels, and Cairo” and thoroughly enjoyed it so was happy to see another book by her. If you enjoy a combination of a memoir and a travelogue written with the tone of a missive to family and friends, this is the book for you. It is a beautifully written and adventurous story.

After leaving Egypt, Jill and her husband Dan applied for jobs in India. They were excited when they were hired as principals at a school in Gurgaon. So off they flew to India. Now anyone doing this type of job has to be extremely flexible and quickly adaptable to other cultures. And a good sense of humor is a must. This is certainly the case with Jill and Dan. (They also exposed their children to this way of life which, in my opinion, will result in the children being highly adaptable.)

Jill does tell you right up front in the book that they had to leave India abruptly, even before the end of their contract. Yet this negative experience did not tarnish the accounting of their time in India.

While they were aware of the unpleasant aspects of a visit to India, they were still not totally prepared for the complete immersion into the daily life of the Indian people – the noise, the sometimes highly unhygienic conditions, the sparse living conditions, the inconvenience presented by the sacred cows, and the aggressive monkeys. Along with this though came the helpful nature of the people, the colorful surroundings, the intricate architecture, the festivals, and the diversity of the people and their cultures.

Jill’s superb descriptions vividly portrayed day-to-day life there – a surreal experience. Where else do drivers maneuver around the sacred cows sprawled out in the middle of the road and women wear simple yet colorful cotton saris while working in the rice fields? And where else does a teacher arrive late to school with the (acceptable) excuse being that a monkey was sitting in the middle of her living room? In my mind I could hear the sounds of the people and the traffic around her, smell the pungent scents of cooking spices and the not-so-pleasant smells, envision the various modes of dress, hear the chants of the Buddhist prayers, and feel the hot and muggy weather conditions. I felt her frustration with not speaking the local language and being taken advantage of. She pulled me into her world and let me experience it alongside her.

There were comical moments. I laughed at the description of “laughing yoga”. (Makes sense once you read why.) The ant invasion gave me the willies – yuck – but I do hope they were able to laugh about it afterwards.

Jill takes you along as she visits the Taj Mahal, the famous Gyarah Murti sculptures, and other notable sites in India. She explains the various styles of dress, the celebration of holidays, and the caste system. She made learning about India very enjoyable.

If you have ever dreamed of visiting India, be sure to read this book. As much as I have traveled India has never been on my “must see” list so I applaud Jill for her endurance.… (más)

I really felt like I was visiting all the countries that the Dobbe family travels to and works in; her descriptions were very real. Working in foreign countries, especially in poorer areas of the globe is a very different lifestyle to most and although I can admire their adventurous spirit, I have to admit that it's not for me! Having to deal with a foreign language, customs and people that will always see you as a foreigner is not for the faint of heart... and oh, yeah, there's the snakes that might crawl into the house, eek. I feel that they are very blessed to have found each other and are so compatible that they have agreed on this lifestyle; how rare is that? Even though I greatly enjoyed their visits abroad, I was greatly entertained by their return back to the US after being away for over a decade. Looking at their own country as a tourist and the idea of reverse culture shock was fascinating.… (más)