Eating

Last night the family went out to eat with their group of close friends, and I tagged along. I feel kind of out of place because however sweet and friendly they all are, I usually have no idea what they are talking about! They switch from English to Tamil to some other language in the same sentence. It has evolved into a kind of game I have started to play: which words do you recognize? Their loud peels of laughter interrupt the conversation frequently. The high-spirited people here are a ton of fun to be with and watch. They are much like my mom's funny friends and I have a great time when I am with them. 

At the dinner one woman was saying to me how Indians are very nice, generous people and show their love via food. And man, is it true! I'm sure I have gained some pounds over the last week. All they want is for me to eat more and more and try this and try that. I eat four meals a day and have to lay down afterwards because my stomach is usually close to bursting. Don't see this as a complaint, though. Our cook, Lata, who is probably the most active in "Anna gains twenty pounds in the first month of India" campaign, makes some mean Dal and I have no trouble filling myself with her delicious creations. I am quickly becoming a vegetable person- it's hard not to be since they taste sooo good. I'm sure mom and dad will be excited that my diet now includes some colors. The only things I have decided against eating so far are: spiced pickles, very sour and eugh, and curd- also very sour. Once a woman told me to mix them and, literally unable to refuse, I gagged and immediately chased it with a sweet dessert. Not recommended. 

In restaurants, at home, at school, everywhere there is a different habit of water drinking. They have 2 metal cups and you waterfall it into your mouth without putting the cup to your lips. I have soaked many shirts this way, but it is a relatively easy skill to acquire. This way everyone can reduce their carbon footprint (not a very big concern down here) without spreading cooties.

Side note: I know almost all the letters in Hindi now and am beginning to write words. I love the look of the language, and it is fun to try to speak! I am learning how to read, write, and speak Hindi and I will also be learning the local language, Tamil. 

WonderKids Playschool

One week down, many more to go. I am not yet homesick (although my stomach is a little) and feel I have adapted pretty well so far.

 My host mother runs a playschool in the city, which is like preschool but for kids aged one and a half to three. They are taught basic things like how to go to the bathroom, eat, shake hands, talk, etc. The older ones are also taught colors, numbers, letters and so on in order to get into a good school. From what I am told, to get into most preschools the children have to be able to talk to the principal confidently and be able to recognize basic objects, shapes and colors. I would say in most schools in the U.S. preschoolers would not have to qualify to be admitted, am I right? Anyway, we took the school of about 200 kids on a field trip to a park today. I am finally making friends! We played on the swingset and I caught them coming down the slide. It was great fun. There are two little people who always run over to shake my hand and say "Hello Auntie" when they see me. I love it, they are all so cute! (Auntie is a term of endearment used for women who are old enough that  they really could be your aunt and is a loose term everyone uses.) 

Maybe my host mom is just bad, but in India time doesn't seem to be of the essence. If she said we will be out of the house by nine in the morning for an important meeting we would leave at ten fifteen and the meeting would start when we got there without anyone being irritated or needing to go to their next activity. I will have been waiting for an hour and she calls "come Anna" and we run off. "Come Anna" is probably the most frequent phrase I have heard in the last week. Mostly used by my new mom and best friend, it is used before crossing the street, while in the middle of the street, after stopping to talk to one of her friends, and on the way into the building or apartment. All in three minutes. It is my summoning call. 

Onam

Yesterday was a Kerralite (Kerrala is a neighboring state) festival called Onam. It celebrates the God Shiva I think, but I forget all the details. We visited a close neighbors house to eat a big lunch out of banana leaves, sitting on the floor cross-legged with a man instructing us on how to eat it. The food was delicious, and  I think the man was pleased with my hand-eating. The German exchange student sat next to me and was intent on using a spoon, but they wouldn't let him. I wore a white sari to honor the occasion and I felt like a princess because my host mom (who is wonderful) gave me a bunch of gold jewelry and bangles to wear. The sari didn't quite work because I was too clumsy to fix it, but i have many more opportunities. Still loving it!!

Cotton Mill

I just got back from touring my host father's cotton mill that he has owned for over 20 years. Inside the factory the process from rough cotton to yarn was taking place, and it was pretty cool, but different than Cambodian silk factories. The factory was mostly machinery with maybe 15 workers in the whole place. After attempting to pick anything up from the long conversation between my host father and another man who I think was the manager, we had a quick coffee in the office then left. 

Indian food is so delicious!! I have become a regular at hand eating, and can't wait to surprise everyone at home with it!  Another American exchange student and I watched an Indian movie called Three Idiots which was really funny. If anyone gets the urge, I recommend watching it.

First Impression

 After the fifteen hour flight that was spent in BUSINESS CLASS I was well-rested and ready for adventure.  Mumbai was much less scary and crazy than I had anticipated, and it closely resembled Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I was picked up and drove around trying to find my one night host mother's house for about half an hour in the rain. We stopped for directions many times and finally came to an apartment building that was heavily under construction. The one thing that was set up in the house of Mrs. Sheela Ben was the bed that I slept in. Her son and I stayed up until 3 in the morning talking about music, romance, pictures and most of all culture. Two things that stick out in hindsight of that night: they couldn't believe my pictures were of me because apparently it looked like I had lost a lot of weight, and the Rotary pin I gave to Mrs. Sheela Ben she tried to wear as an earring. Would have been a pretty bulky earring, but to each his own. They also gave me my first taste of Indian food which was heavy on the vegetables, but very good. And pretty spicy, but nothing I couldn't handle. When I arrived in Coimbatore my flight had been delayed 2 hours and turns out I was supposed to check my luggage into immigration back in Mumbai. Go figure. Up side: I will always remember to check my luggage in at my port of entry and SHOPPING! All of the people I have met so far have been very hospitable and nice, but also warned me of the dangers of Incredible India. Overall, the city is pretty dirty. The street is the trashcan and the outside of buildings are covered in dirt and pollution. But I love it. Thing I am looking forward to most- wearing a Sari.