Monday, May 31

oh dear. oh me, oh my. so much to say.

oh, dear. the liberty team has departed us here at PMI to return to their coffee and workout equipment in the blessed United States of America. I have to admit, i got a little nostalgic seeing them go - i was kind of like one of their team... we got oriented to the culture together, fought jetlag together, ate tons of foooood together (and who doesn't bond over food? i'm a quarter italian, so food is in my blood) went shopping (numerous times!) together, and i really connected with some of the teammates. i genuinely like them very much, and it left a part of my heart a little lonely to watch them walk out of my indian adventure. But i've learned so much from them, and i think the time for bucking up and moving on is approaching. i have one day to revamp myself and my place, and then go by myself (woo-hoo! they trust me!) to the airport to pick up the sisters who are to live with me the remainder of my time here.
oh, me. One thing i learned about myself that i want to watch the next time around (the team from Master's college comes in thursday) is that i'm just so dang lazy! as they arrive, i want to remember to take care of the small stuff for them so they can have the energy learn how to adapt to the culture and what they should be doing and not doing, how they should be eating, and how to deal with the differences in comfort level and behavior that they find here. [same for the sisters... whose names i have been told SO many times but still escape me.]
i feel like i'm really starting to get engrained into this life. i'm beginning to weave myself in as a part of the tapestry, instead of being a droplet of white stain on the rich brown fabric of Delhi. friends, how i do love it here. i know i keep saying it, but i want you to know. i am so happy. i am so blessed. there are moments that i just want homemade guacamole or an oreo, or i just want to wake up and not have to turn on a water pump (or live in fear that i didn't turn it OFF and my power will be shut off upon my evening return), or i just want to lay down on a bed that's at least knee-height off the floor, or i just want to be in a place where every day everything is not covered in a freshly laid layer of dirty dust (dusting at home is just a whole nother concept at this point... it's impressive! every night there is a visible film of DIRT on my mirrror, my glasses case, my hairbrush, anything i've left out), or i would really like not to have to manually dump my sun-warmed shower water over myself, or i just want to not have to remember to shut off the water to the toilet so the tank doesn't overflow onto the floor (flooding. every time.).... but honestly, those moments are fleeting and i don't want to leave. i really want to stay here as long as i possibly can.
oh, my. saw my first cockroach today!! Heather had me buy some cleanerballs to put in my drains to keep the creepycrawlies away, so i haven't seen any yet, but in the stairwell on the way home from the Malakar's tonight, i saw a monster one and got a little tight in the neck muscles and jigglyloose in the spine. ok, WHAT is it about cockroaches that makes them so much grosser than everything? i'm cool with bugs. the ants in my room don't freak me out. spiders of reasonable size i have no problem with. even like worms, no biggie, just walk over them - or - cut them in half so they can have a buddy! but cockroaches, they just give me the google-y-jiibbities. my tongue automatically flies out of my head. my shoulders do the wave. my neck muscles flare like a cobra. but why? they're not abnormally shaped or freakishly crawly or dirty looking, they just look like a long flat pebble that's a shiny rich amber color and happens to have smart long feelers. maybe it's the size that gets me. i dono. in any case, i just walked on by, and thought hey, they don't live in the pinkhouse with me, so hooray for that.

i haven't been using my camera as much recently. i hope to take my next monday (PMI staffers' day off) to wander around Delhi and take a rickshaw to Nandlal, the slum adopted by PMI, to really try and capture the city as much as i can. i think will be a really worthwhile, eye-opening, relaxing and essential day for me to have here... i think i may not feel complete if i leave without pictures! (have i really become that dependent on photography? wow. i'm a lameeee-o. seriously though, i was looking through some of my stuff, and if there's ONE thing i miss about the states, it's my job opportunities as a photographer. i love it, i want to get better and better, and i want. to use. it here. so that's the plan i formed in my brain full of curry, chai and naan.)

i'm excited for a new day. please hope with me that my cold goes away soon, all this phlegm is getting old. (where does it keep coming from, anyway?!!?)
also hope with me, if you would, for opportunity, innovation, and courage as i try to make the most of my experience here with every possible second.

peace, love, and blessings from Delhi.
yours truly,
Julie.

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