Abba Interviews Steve

 It wasn't Oprah, but long-time Oprah fan and fellow attendee at JLR this year, Abba, who interviewed me before her departure for Nepal and then on to the U.S. to find her fame and fortune. You can look forward to a soon-to-be-posted blog where I turn tables in the ace interviewer and report on my interview of her. By the way, no Lance Armstrong-like mea culpas here, and I'd rather be interviewed by Abba than Oprah.

ARG: Tell me about the food in India. What do you like, what do you dislike?

SNG: I like most of the food in India. I like rich, well-spiced foods, and so I’ve found a number of different types of dishes that I’ve enjoyed. That is true of both the veg and non-veg dishes.

Because beef and pork are not served in Indian cuisine, I’ve come to appreciate mutton as a tasty meat, whether grilled or included in various curries. 

The street foods familiar to Americans such as pakoras, samosas, etc. are also quite good.  The only foods I haven’t cared much for are Indian sweets.

ARG: Why not?

SNG:  Hard to say why not – I don’t like gooey sweets.

ARG: Do you like sweets in America?

SNG: No.  I only like chocolate. I never liked candy much.

ARG: So maybe you could say that you just don’t like sweets…

SNG: Um… I have a weakness for some types of sweets, like baked goods, cinnamon rolls, 3 Musketeers bars, French pastries, but not the Indian types of sweets. They have a fudge-like consistency… but they’re not chocolate.

ARG: What do you like about living in India?

SNG: First of all, the people we have met have been very kind and generous.  And the day-to-day life on the street is so different than what we experience in the US … in some ways that’s good, in some ways that’s bad. But it’s always challenging, so it gives you an appreciation of what we have in the US and what we don’t have.  Every day has been a learning adventure and the culture and tradition here is very rich and complex.

ARG: Do you feel like India is making you older or younger?

SNG: You know … in terms of responding to the challenges of living and working in a different culture, it’s keeping me younger.  On the other hand, I am not quite as healthy as I was living in the US.  I am on the verge of my third cold here. Because exercise, in terms of walking and easy access to yoga, is not the same as it was in the US, I’m probably not as overall fit.  So hard to say how that balances out.

ARG: What have been some of the interesting activities you have taken part in since you’re arrived here in India?

SNG: Well, we have attended an Indian wedding, which was a combination of ceremony, pot-latch, and social get-together that is more intense and different than any American wedding I’ve been to.

The celebration of Diwali was quite interesting and a couple of meals we have shared in Indian homes, just to see the diet and customs, has been quite insightful.

The JLF was a very interesting and unique experience. [Editor’s note: reference previous blogs for more on JLF]

ARG: Who do you think is going to be strong in the NBA this year?

SNG: I wonder about that because I have not been following the NBA.  So I don’t know who the current league leaders are. I feel very out of it.  I have to feel like the Heat have to be in a good position to defend their title. Lebron really proved himself in the playoffs. I don’t see anyone else has the complete tool-case that he does. I should check that. [Editor’s note:  The best record in NBA East right now is the Heat, by a 2-game margin followed by the Knicks, then the Pacers. San Antonio has the best record in the NBA right now at 41-12.  Steve was very excited about the Spurs having the best record in the NBA.]

ARG: Are there other things that you are less aware of since you’re in India?

SNG: Well, sure.  All those local things that go on in Iowa City, I have not kept track of very well.  I keep track of national news, but mostly through the New York Times.  That has been different. I used to be a regular viewer of The Daily Show and Colbert. I miss that because I got a lot of laughs out of them. I like political humor and their guests were often interesting.

ARG: The big news today was that the Pope has decided to step down. What nationality do you think will succeed the pope?

SNG: Well, with the surprise announcement by Pope Benedict of his resignation and the appropriate precedent he is setting, it may be time for another precedent breaking election.  Certainly the Catholic Church is strong in Latin America and Africa. It may be time to look beyond Europe for new leadership for the Catholic Church.