Guess what? My sniffles are almost totally gone! I feel so much better, and life just feels easier when I have a working head, nose, and throat.
So my camera’s getting kinda beat up here, but I knew it would – hey, that’s why I bought it!! this trip has made me want to get some new lenses realllly badly, but even with my limited equipment, people here still ask me if I’m a journalist. Haha. Nottt even close.
So hey, let’s take a poll: how many of you out there would judge me for getting a nosering?? It’s such an India thing, and I just love it! also, it’s so cheap here to get one – fifty rupees max (that’s around one dollar, if you didn’t know). At this point, since it’s cultural and since I’m here, it’s clearly not a rebellious thing that I just want to get done, but I’m not gonna make a rash decision. All the girls here think it’s a great idea, though; the moment I asked Menaz if hers hurt she was ready to take me out to go get one! Sometimes it’s kind of a trashy thing in America (obviously no offense to any of you readers who are sporting one) but here it’s just normal, and beautiful! Hey, it could be a good conversation starter.
Picture time! Today was a beautiful cold day in India, and after doing all my laundry,
I went for a little walk through Hudson Line to take some pictures. I didn’t get anything spectacular, but I had a nice walk anyway. This precious little slum girl is saying “Namaste”.
I found tons of pretty flowers, 
and tons of dogs. 
It started to rain a little, so I made my way back to my house.
Okay, next order of business: let me introduce you to someone!
This is Peter’s mother. She lives on the ground floor of the building that Tiffany, Erica and I are staying in, and she’s such a good woman. She doesn’t speak much English but she makes magnificent Chai and she’s so hospitable and sweet. She always tells us “we are your neiiighbor!” and wants to help us out. I think she’s beautiful. I know she’s wonderful.
Well, along with my changing sleeping behavior, my eating habits have also begun to shift. Thank goodness I started to take a shine to Asian food before I came, otherwise I’d be getting realllly skinny! Who here remembered from geography class that India shares a border with China, eh?? Along with the extensive menu of 1) spicy chicken or 2) spicy rice and potatoes offered in India, there is a plethora of oriental stuff! Plus naan… but I tell you about naan every day. oh, and people eat tons of fruit. Now that, I like. Me and my mango juice, as I told you before, are getting pretty friendly. Along with that, you know how when you even think of India, people start handing out immodium? Well, not to be crass, but I have not even looked at all the immodium I brought; in fact, I’m a seasoned sufferer of the opposite bodily effect! CONSEQUENTLY, I’ve become quite familiar with prunes. Nothing like a plump sun-withered fruit to complete my image as a regular world-travelin’ fool. Yep, Prunes and Maaza and honey corn flakes is my morning routine. And actually, I really like it! I may continue to partake in their shrively goodness when I get back to the states.
So let’s finish by talking about how good I am at being Indian now. :)
Today, I independently and successfully: washed and hung my laundry, took a walk without getting lost, took pictures, showed someone around to the market and the ATM, went grocery shopping at two different shops and bought chai, ordered a pizza using the correct phone number which came to the correct house at the correct time, and did TONS of schoolwork for these online classes.
I think I may be about to try and successfully shave my legs with no running water! That would make my day complete.
With love from Delhi,
The regular, oriental, and successful Julie Terrall.
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