they arrived late last night, and it's fun to see some white faces around here. It's also nice to have some kind of schedule set up for me - i had my "official" orientation with them and i'll do a lot of their activities with them, too. We plan to go to the Taj Mahal (known by the natives here more affectionately as just the 'Taj') on Monday -- YAY. i probably can't really express how happy that makes me. My grandmother recently told me that it was one of my deceased grandfather's dreams to see the Taj Mahal, so that makes me even more excited to go.
I got to go out and shop with two girls named Menas and Chande last night and got some new kurtas - the longer tops that i can wear with jeans. i also got bedsheets since i'm moving in today to my new home on the same block as the Malakars! i'm really excited about that.
Now, time for some more cultural fun! Peter tells me that in India, "hot cancels hot" so everywhere you go, they serve you homemade chai!
i hope to learn what spices to boil so i can make my own. It's actually very good, i'm liking it a lot, but it's different in every household. even Heather makes it differently than Peter does. it does feel counterintuitive to have a hot drink while i'm sweating enough to fill the Indian Ocean with my salty brine, but it's countercultural! I did learn by observation that you don't drink all the chai - you leave a little in the bottom of the cup when you are finished. i'm not sure of the purpose of this yet... maybe i'll ask. also, random, instead of OK, even when they're speaking english, the people here say T-K. that's another cultural thing i've just accepted without knowing the purpose, and i do plan to ask Heather today.
Peter and Heather are already asking me to do things for them, which makes me really happy, i'm feeling already like i have a purpose here and am not just a drain to these wonderful people. I'm getting to know the PMI staff (Passion Movement International is the NGO with which the Malakars work) more and more, and they are a joy. I got an in-country phone yesterday with a man named Sandeep who's in charge of the work with the slums, and had an interview for my internship with a lady named Kajol who handles PMI's finances. i think finally it's sunk in that i'm here for awhile, and i'm thrilled. every day is an adventure; a fantastic, unbelievable, exotic journey. life like this is a life i'm compelled to LIVE.
Alvida!
awesome to hear that you're getting well acquainted with everything.
ReplyDeletei am not sure about the chai thing though. maybe you leave a little in there so that it is easier to clean out? i dunno.
keep it up and give all the glory to Him!