Can't talk long... only have a minute before my bus books out of this piece.
Here's all I want for Christmas ---> [my first away from home... : ( ]
One package.
One pink Nalgene wide mouth water bottle and a waterproof rock climbing watch (the one that we saw that day ... looks like a friendship bracelet..) (both avail @ Galyan's).
Three DVD's (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset (both Ethan Hawke), and the Lil Princess DVD (this one we have at home).
Some random newspaper/magazine articles to let me know what I'm missing in the world's affairs.
Letters from people at home.
Some M&M trail mix in the water bottle.
Now, here's the catch. My brother,
VISHAL HASMUKH,
is in charge of getting this to me. I'm putting this information up to keep Mr. Saying-you'll-send-me-a-letter-for-the-past-2-months-but-your-sister's-still-waiting-for-it-alone-in-the-desert Vishal accountable. Wink.
From everyone else, all I want is for you to ask Vish, everytime you talk to him in the next four days, whether or not he has sent this package. With the amount of nagging this one letter is taking, I estimate that with global participation in this movement, Vish may send this package in May.
Love you lazy. Write your sister.
Monday, December 20, 2004
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Totally unexpected. On both counts.
The teacher's family next door, the one that included us in their meals while we adjusted, just moved. So we are now on our own as far as food goes.
The surprise? When push comes to shove, and I actually have to cook, turns out I am pretty damn good. After all those years of shirking my mom's attempts to teach me :) Apparently some skills are hereditary. Sweeeeeeeeeet.
Naiya's wedding was AMAZING. I've never seen an Indian wedding more elegantly done. She's helped in planning so many weddings for others that when it came down to her own, she had every detail down to a tee. AMAZING. Growing up in the states, I was raised with fairy tale images of a woman in white, knowing that wouldn't be me. All the Indian marriages around me have been (no offense to anyone intended) cheesy States versions (there's only so much you can replicate in the states.) For the first time, I could actually picture what I want my own to look like. Definitely a first. With that being said, no one get any ideas! :)
The surprise? When push comes to shove, and I actually have to cook, turns out I am pretty damn good. After all those years of shirking my mom's attempts to teach me :) Apparently some skills are hereditary. Sweeeeeeeeeet.
Naiya's wedding was AMAZING. I've never seen an Indian wedding more elegantly done. She's helped in planning so many weddings for others that when it came down to her own, she had every detail down to a tee. AMAZING. Growing up in the states, I was raised with fairy tale images of a woman in white, knowing that wouldn't be me. All the Indian marriages around me have been (no offense to anyone intended) cheesy States versions (there's only so much you can replicate in the states.) For the first time, I could actually picture what I want my own to look like. Definitely a first. With that being said, no one get any ideas! :)
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Stupid webjournal...
ate my last two, count 'em two, entries! Grrrrr....
Ok. Back to business.
On my way to my cousin's wedding. First time traveling overnight, in India, da sola. By myself. No fears. Yay, me! I'm facing a whole lot of my anxieties... and unfounded fears.. to the point where I'm really super surprised at how comfortable I am living here. Totally unexpected side effect of coming to live in India: I like living here. With that being said, I have yet to experience the summer in the desert. I may soon be eating my words.
You guys won't believe this one!!! Long story in a nutshell.... last time Rish and I came to the citay, we had 2 priority errands:
#1 Register as foreigners residing in a border region.
#2 Research at local NGO.
So, #1. At the registration office (which doubles as the tourist office), we are in line behind an old white couple. Woman turns to look at us when she hears American english coming from 2 seemingly local people (3 months, you know we look village...). I smile to acknowledge her but don't go beyond that b/c we were mid important conversation. As they leave, we exchange a few words and I tell them to enjoy their trip. We complete errand #1.
At errand #2, we run into the same couple, so we start talking to them. Have a tangent convo with the guy, about everything from politics, to media (American vs Indian), to our Rural design school, to development. I give woman advice on the clothes she's trying on, and talk to her for a while about fashion, life in CA, life in NY, being married, her travels and, as always, our project and the villages we work in. She seemed really interested, so I offered for her to come visit our site, that we'd show them around our villages (but we ended up not getting back until late).
Here's where it gets interesting: when I'd asked the guy what he did in the states; he told me he's 'in TV' but in a shady, I'd rather not get into it here kind of way. My curiosity got the better of me, so Rish and I did some detective work. Turns out he's the FOUNDER OF HBO!!! Standing in front of me, TWICE, interested in what we are trying to do... and I kind of blew him off as another old white tourist. I let the opportunity slip through my fingers!! The fates are sometimes very cruel. Very. Very. Cruel.
Now, for the necessary talks. I am still waiting for some letters. This is unacceptable. You know who you are. Remember how in Super Mario Brothers, if you got a star, for a while your player was invincible? That is what letters are for me here. So write them! Protect me! Even if you gots nothin to say! Send a picture. Or an oreo. I'm so easy to please. And vim, send me a copy of the paper you changed topics on. I'd love to see it.
Xmas not at home. :(
Someone in my family passed away. Always a smile, with kids similar to me. I don't understand people dying. The news rendered me unstable the entire night. But I did have a clear night sky to give me solace. People passing away makes me want to hoard time w/ ppl I love, like in Blast from the Past, in a cellar, safe from the world.
Lessons learned: Never stall in telling people how much you love/appreciate them. Never put off doing what you know makes you happy. Life is too short to always be pragmatic.
Ok. Back to business.
On my way to my cousin's wedding. First time traveling overnight, in India, da sola. By myself. No fears. Yay, me! I'm facing a whole lot of my anxieties... and unfounded fears.. to the point where I'm really super surprised at how comfortable I am living here. Totally unexpected side effect of coming to live in India: I like living here. With that being said, I have yet to experience the summer in the desert. I may soon be eating my words.
You guys won't believe this one!!! Long story in a nutshell.... last time Rish and I came to the citay, we had 2 priority errands:
#1 Register as foreigners residing in a border region.
#2 Research at local NGO.
So, #1. At the registration office (which doubles as the tourist office), we are in line behind an old white couple. Woman turns to look at us when she hears American english coming from 2 seemingly local people (3 months, you know we look village...). I smile to acknowledge her but don't go beyond that b/c we were mid important conversation. As they leave, we exchange a few words and I tell them to enjoy their trip. We complete errand #1.
At errand #2, we run into the same couple, so we start talking to them. Have a tangent convo with the guy, about everything from politics, to media (American vs Indian), to our Rural design school, to development. I give woman advice on the clothes she's trying on, and talk to her for a while about fashion, life in CA, life in NY, being married, her travels and, as always, our project and the villages we work in. She seemed really interested, so I offered for her to come visit our site, that we'd show them around our villages (but we ended up not getting back until late).
Here's where it gets interesting: when I'd asked the guy what he did in the states; he told me he's 'in TV' but in a shady, I'd rather not get into it here kind of way. My curiosity got the better of me, so Rish and I did some detective work. Turns out he's the FOUNDER OF HBO!!! Standing in front of me, TWICE, interested in what we are trying to do... and I kind of blew him off as another old white tourist. I let the opportunity slip through my fingers!! The fates are sometimes very cruel. Very. Very. Cruel.
Now, for the necessary talks. I am still waiting for some letters. This is unacceptable. You know who you are. Remember how in Super Mario Brothers, if you got a star, for a while your player was invincible? That is what letters are for me here. So write them! Protect me! Even if you gots nothin to say! Send a picture. Or an oreo. I'm so easy to please. And vim, send me a copy of the paper you changed topics on. I'd love to see it.
Xmas not at home. :(
Someone in my family passed away. Always a smile, with kids similar to me. I don't understand people dying. The news rendered me unstable the entire night. But I did have a clear night sky to give me solace. People passing away makes me want to hoard time w/ ppl I love, like in Blast from the Past, in a cellar, safe from the world.
Lessons learned: Never stall in telling people how much you love/appreciate them. Never put off doing what you know makes you happy. Life is too short to always be pragmatic.