IT'S OUR SECOND FULL DAY IN INDIA AND WE ARE PLANNING ANOTHER DAY OF EXPLORING THE NEARBY MARKETS AND RESTAURANTS. FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA - GET AN INDIAN CELL PHONE! (I SPENT APPROXIMATELY 1 HR. ON THE PHONE LAST NIGHT WITH VERIZON, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY MY SERVICE ISN'T WORKING LIKE THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD.) UNACCEPTABLE! OUR TRIP OVER WAS RELATIVELY UNEVENTFUL. THE 2 FLIGHTS WERE LONG -- MUCH LONGER THAN ANY I'D BEEN ON BEFORE (8 HRS. EACH) AND WE HAD A 4 HR. LAYOVER IN AMSTERDAM - (DIDN'T GET TO TOUR THE CITY, BUT THE AIRPORT WAS NICE.) [NOTE TO SELF: ALWAYS PAY EXTRA TO TAKE FOREIGN AIRLINES: THEY TREAT THE CUSTOMER LIKE A KING -- MULTIPLE MEALS, INDIVIDUAL TVS - FOR MOVIES/GAMES/MUSIC, AND PERHAPS THE BEST PART -- THEY ACTUALLY HAVE FRIENDLY STAFF!
ONCE WE ARRIVED IN DELHI, WE WERE BUMMED TO HEAR THAT PHOTOS IN THE AIRPORT WERE PROHIBITED. (WE HAD PLANNED TO MARK THE OCCASION WITH A QUICK PICTURE.) IT TOOK WELL OVER AN HR. TO GET THROUGH THE CUSTOMS LINE - BUT ONCE WE WERE THROUGH, AND HAD FOUND OUR LUGGAGE (LUCKILY, IT ALL MADE IT TO INDIA), WE FOUND OUR TAXI DRIVER IN THE MASS OF INDIAN MEN HOLDING "I'M HERE TO PICK-UP X" SIGNS. NOW, WE'VE READ ALL THE BOOKS AND KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE HASSLED BY TIP-SEEKERS FORM THE MOMENT WE ARRIVED IN DELHI - SURE ENOUGH, TWO MEN BEGAN TO WALK WITH US - ONE EVENTUALLY GRABBED THE LUGGAGE CART OUT OF HANK'S HANDS. WE SAID, "WE'VE GOT IT" BUT HE WOULDN'T HEAR OF US PUSHING IT OURSELVES. WELL, YOU GUESSED IT, AFTER WE GOT TO THE TAXI AND OUR BAGS WERE PUT IN - ONE GUY APPROACHED ME SAYING "TIP YOUR PORTER, MA'AM." AFTER REMINDING HIM THAT WE SAID WE DIDN'T WANT HIS HELP, I GAVE HIM $1 TO GET HIM TO GO AWAY. HE PROCEEDED TO SAY "MA'AM THERE ARE TWO PORTERS --> ONE EACH." I FIRMLY SAID "NO" BUT WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY WAS "WELL, THAT'S JUST TOUGH COOKIES FOR YOU, NOW ISN'T IT?! SHARE THE DOLLAR YOU WEASELED OUT OF ME!" (NOTE: $1 IS QUITE A LOT IN INDIA.)
AFTER THE TAXI DRIVER FOUND OUR APARTMENT, WE GOT INTO ONE OF THE SMALLEST, SCARIEST ELEVATORS I'VE EVER BEEN INSIDE AND WENT UP TO A BIG, WOODEN DOOR LABELD "THE TERRACE CHHABRA." SINCE WE ARRIVED AFTER MIDNIGHT -- IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET SOMEONE TO THE DOOR AND I STARTED TO GET WORRIED THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO HAVE A PLACE TO STAY THAT NIGHT. FINALLY, A YOUNG MAN CAME TO THE DOOR, OPENED IT AND WE WALKED INTO A LONG, PITCH BLACK HALLWAY. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS AT ALL, AND A "SECURITY GUARD" HAD COME UP FORM DOWNSTAIRS (TO CHECK ON WHAT WE WERE DOING). THE GUARD WALKED IN BEHIND US OUR TAXI DRIVER AND BEGAN TO SHOUT THINGS AT THE DRIVER (IN HINDI, I BELIEVE). THE DRIVER BEGAN SHOUTING BACK, TRYING TO CALM THE GUARD - I'M STILL NOT SURE WHAT THE FUSS WAS ABOUT (HANK SUSPECTS THAT TAXI DRIVERS AREN'T ALLOWED IN THE BUILDINGS AND THAT HE WAS BEING TOLD TO GET OUT.) ANYWAY, PICTURE THIS SCENE - INDIAN GUY IN FRONT OF US ("LEADING THE WAY"), ME, HANK (WITH ALL OUR BAGS), THE TAXI DRIVER AND THE GUARD WHO ARE SHOUTING AT EACH OTHER IN A PITCH BLACK HALLWAY (NO WINDOWS -- ONLY ONE DOOR -- BEHIND US -- WITH THE GUARD STANDING IN FRONT OF IT.) I WAS SCARED TO DEATH. I HAD NO IDEA WHERE WE WERE BEING LED -- IN THE DARK! -- AND I STARTED TO FREAK OUT. I SAID "WHERE IS THE LIGHT - TURN ON THE LIGHT!" (I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT AT NIGHT -- NO LIGHTS.) LUCKILY, THIS WAS NOT TRUE IN OUR ROOM - SO, LONG STORY SHORT -- AFTER A SOMEWHAT SCARY SCENE IN THE DARK, WE GOT TO OUR ROOM. I WAS ACTUALLY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WITH THE ROOM - AC, TV, FRIDGE, BIGBED (OK, SO IT'S ACTUALLY TWO SINGLE BEDS PUSHED TOGETHER), DESK, CHAIRS, AND A PRIVATE BATHROOM WITH A SHOWER. OUR SLEEP SCHEDULE WAS TOTALLY OFF AFTER 20+ HRS. OF TRAVEL, SO WE HAD A PRETTY RESTLESS NIGHT. ALL I KNEW WAS THAT I WAS GLAD TO HAVE HANK WITH ME!
THE NEXT MORNING, THE LADY I'VE BEEN EMAILING WITH FROM MY OFFICE HERE IN INDIA CALLED US AROUND 10AM AND CAME TO PICK US UP. (IT WAS NICE TO FINALLY SEE HER FACE AND SHE SEEMED VERY FRIENDLY, SO I WAS A BIT MORE RELAXED.) SHALINI, THIS WOMAN, TOOK US TO MY OFFICE (JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY APARTMENT) - LITERALLY, THE BUILDINGS FACE EACH OTHER (ONE CONVENIENCE OF THE APARTMENT THEY CHOSE FOR ME). HANK AND I MET WITH PRITI SURI, THE FOUNDING PARTNER OF SURI & ASSOCIATES, AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT SHE IS DELIGHTFUL. WE SAT IN HER OFFICE (WHICH LOOKED JUST LIKE A U.S. LAW OFFICE) AND TALKED ABOUT OUR FLIGHTS, THE TAXI, THE APARTMENT, ETC. FOR OVER AN HR. SHE TOLD US ALL ABOUT MY JOB AND THE OFFICE AS A WHOLE, AND THEN DREW US A MAP OF THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD - INCLUDING 3 MARKET AREAS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. SHE GAVE US SUGGESTIONS FOR RESTAURANTS, CAFES, AND SHOPPING, AND SHE ASSURED HANK (WHO IS LEAVING TONIGHT) THAT I WOULD BE FINE -- THAT THEY WOULD WATCH OUT FOR ME, AND THAT THERE WERE MANY WOMEN IN THE OFFICE (MAYBE 8 OF THE 12 ATTORNEYS & STAFF). AFTER TALKING TO PRITI, WE FELT A LOT BETTER ABOUT MY TIME IN INDIA (HANK WAS ESPECIALLY HAPPY WITH THE OFFICE VISIT).
WE WERE ON OUR OWN FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, AND WE DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO THE APARTMENT AND LATHER UP WITH SUNSCREEN - PRITI HAD SAID SHE (A LIGHT SKINNED INDIAN WOMAN) APPLIES SPF 55 FOUR TIMES A DAY. WOW! SHE ALSO SAID THAT LAST WEEKEND IT WAS AROUND 120 DEGREES F. LOOKS LIKE A HOT SUMMER FOR YOURS TRULY! AFTER LATHERING UP, WE HEADED TO ONE OF THE MARKETS AND HAD LUNCH AT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS. IT WAS REALLY NEAT - AN OPEN AIR RESTAURANT WITH BOOTHS AND BAKED GOODS ON DISPLAY IN GLASS CASES. OF COURSE WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WE WERE DOING (OR WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO) AND SINCE THERE WAS NO ONE OFFERING TO GUIDE US, WE DECIDED TO SIT DOWN IN A BOOTH AND "SEE WHAT HAPPENED." A MAN CAME BY AND BROUGHT US ENGLISH MENUS - MAKING US LOOK EVEN MORE LIKE OUTSIDERS, SINCE NOT ONE OTHER PERSON IN THE PLACE WAS GIVEN A MENU. WE ORDERED SOME OF THE THINGS WE LIKE TO EAT AT THE INDIAN PLACE IN ATHENS AND THEY WERE ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME DISHES! (JUST A LITTLE BIT SPICIER) AFTER LUNCH, WE DECIDED TO PICK UP A FEW THINGS - BOTTLED WATER, FOOD, ETC., SO WE WENT INTO ONE OF THE LITTLE SHOPS. THIS IS WHERE I HAD MY FIRST NEGATIVE INDIA EXPERIENCE. WHEN WE WALKED INTO THE CROWDED SHOP, ONE OF THE WOMEN SHOPKEEPERS BEGAN TO FOLLOW US AROUND -- I SUPPOSE SHE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO STEAL. I WOULD HAVE BEEN OFFENDED, BUT HANK WAS CARRYING A BACKPACK, SO I FIGURED WE DID LOOK LIKE POTENTIAL THIEVES, WHETHER WE WERE AMERICANS OR NOT. WELL, WHILE SEARCHING THE STORE, I SAID TO HANK "IT IS SO HOT!" THAT'S WHEN THE LADY FOLLOWING US SAID "IT IS SOOO HOT" IN A MOCKING VOICE. I WAS SURPRISED AND THOUGH "WELL, HOW RUDE!" BUT I JUST LET IT GO AND DECIDED THAT I NEED TO STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT THE HEAT IF I WANT TO BE HERE. (I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY ARE UNAWARE THAT IT'S 120 DEGREES!)
WE GOT OUR THINGS AND WENT BACK TO THE APT. TO COOL DOWN FOR A BIT. THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THAT ALL THE FOOD WE JUST BOUGHT WAS ALMOST A YEAR OUT OF DATE! I WAS REALLY SURPRISED BECAUSE IT WAS MY BOSS (A WELL-TO-DO ATTORNEY) WHO HAD RECOMMENDED THAT SHOP TO US! HANK AND I TALKED ABOUT IT AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT NOT ALL COUNTRIES GET TOP CHOICE OF EVERYTHING LIKE THE U.S. (AND OBVIOUSLY THE EXPIRED FOOD IS STILL EDIBLE - EVEN IF NOT AS TASTY.) IT WAS ACTUALLY A NICE EYE-OPENER TO HOW BLESSED WE REALLY ARE AND HOW MUCH WE TAKE FOR GRANTED EVERYDAY. WE PLANNED A QUICK NAP, THEN ANOTHER MARKET EXCURSION - HOWEVER, WE SLEPT FOR OVER 4 HRS. (I SUPPOSE THE LACK OF SLEEP WAS FINALLY CATCHING UP TO US) - AND WHEN WE GOT UP, IT WAS TOO DARK TO GO OUT AGAIN - SO WE CALLED IT AN EARLY NIGHT.
THIS MORNING WE ARE UP MUCH EARLIER AND WE'VE JUST HAD TEA AND TOAST WITH JAM ON THE TERRACE -- LOVELY! THERE ARE TWO GUYS HERE ALL THE TIME - HANK SAYS THEY ARE MODERN SERVANTS OF SORTS. ONE IS THEY YOUNG GUY FROM THE FIRST NIGHT, THE OTHER IS A MORE MIDDLE-AGED GENTLEMAN (LOOKS LIKE A BUSINESS MAN). THEY ARE VERY NICE AND ALWAYS EXTREMELY HELPFUL, BUT I FEEL WEIRD ASKING THEM TO DO THINGS. LIKE, ALTHOUGH MY APT. COMES WITH CLEANING AND BREAKFAST - I FEEL SO BAD WHEN THEY DO IT. I WILL HAVE TO GET USED TO IT THOUGH - SINCE THERE AREN'T FACILITIES FOR ME TO DO THINGS MYSELF. THEY SEEM TO LIVE HERE - THEY'RE ALWAYS HERE TO UNBOLT THE MAIN DOOR AND LET PEOPLE IN, AND THEY HANG-OUT IN THE MAIN LIVING ROOM (IN CASE YOU NEED ANYTHING, I GUESS). IT'S REALLY FUNNY, THEY ARE NOT LIKE SERVANTS YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU HEAR "INDIA" - THEY ARE LIKE...HAVING HELPFUL ROOMMATES OR BROTHERS. THEY WEAR AMERICAN CLOTHES, WATCH TV IN THE LIVING ROOM, STUFF LIKE THAT. THE ONLY THING IS, THEY HAVE LIMITED ENGLISH - AND BY LIMITED, I MEAN - WE MOSTLY GESTURE. I CAN ASK FOR "TEA" OR "TOAST" (STUFF LIKE THAT) BUT FOR "TOILET PAPER" - I JUST BROUGHT OUT THE EMPTY ROLL AS AN ILLUSTRATION. I MEAN, THERE REALLY IS NO POLITE WAY TO GESTURE THAT YOU NEED MORE TOILET PAPER - IT'S A FAIRLY SENSITIVE SUBJECT! ANYWAY, I HAVE NOW BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE APARTMENTS IN THE DAYLIGHT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS ONE MULTI-BEDROOM APARTMENT (5 OR 6 BEDROOMS). EACH PERSON HAS THEIR OWN ROOM AND PRIVATE BATHROOM, AND THE LIVINGROOM, TERRACE, AND KITCHEN ARE SHARED. THE FACT THAT THE MAIN DOOR TO THE APARTMENT IS ALWAYS BOLT LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE IS A PAIN - BUT SINCE THE GUYS ARE ALWAYS HERE TO LET YOU IN - I GUESS IT IS FINE. PLUS, THEY SCREEN WHO COMES IN AND OUT - SO THAT ADDS ANOTHER LEVEL OF SECURITY.
I HAVE TO SAY, I AM ACTUALLY SURPRISED HOW MUCH I LOVE IT HERE. AFTER ONLY 1 1/2 DAYS, I AM EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE. MY APT. IS NICE, THE OFFICE IS CLOSE, NO ONE HAS REALLY BOTHERED ME YET. I LOVE THE EXOTIC BIRDS, PLANTS, FOODS, CLOTHING, ETC. AND I AM REALLY ENJOYING ALL THE NEWESS OF LIVING IN ANOTHER CULTURE. I KNOW I WILL HAVE TO ADJUST AGAINST ONCE HANK LEAVES TONIGHT AND I'M ON MY OWN - BUT WE FEEL CERTAIN THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE. IN A FEW DAYS, TWO OTHER STUDENTS FROM UGA LAW WILL ARRIVE IN THE CITY, AND ALTHOUGH THEY WILL BE IN A DIFFERENT AREA, IT WILL BE NICE TO HAVE OTHERS TO GO SEE THINGS WITH. (WE PLAN TO TRAVEL ON THE WEEKENDS AND SUCH.) ONE OF THE STUDENTS IS ACTUALLY A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, DAVID - SO THAT WILL BE NICE. HE'S SAID HE IS WILLING TO ALWAYS COME TO MY SIDE OF TOWN, SO I'M NOT RIDING IN TAXIS ALONE AT NIGHT. HANK REALLY LIKES DAVID TOO, SO I THINK IT WILL EASE HIS MIND THAT DAVID'S IN THE SAME CITY WITH ME. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS 7 WEEKS WILL BRING. THANKS TO ALL WHO ENCOURAGED ME TO COME TO INDIA AND TO SEE THE WORLD!
- APRIL
UPDATE: ANOTHER DAY PASSED BEFORE THIS WAS POSTED -- SO, A QUICK ADDITION. WE HAD ANOTHER BUSY DAY AT THE MARKETS. I GOT REALLY PANICKED IN ONE OF THE OVERWHELMINGLY CROWDED AREAS (JUST HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ON EVERY STREET) - BUT AFTER WE FOUND A PLACE FOR LUNCH AND CALMED DOWN, THE REST OF THE DAY WAS FINE. IT'S NOW 9:30PM HERE -- HANK JUST LEFT FOR THE AIRPORT TO FLY BACK TO THE U.S. AND I AM WISHING I WAS FLYING BACK WITH HIM. I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO LEAVE ME HERE AND I CRIED LIKE A BABY. I MISS HIM A LOT ALREADY. HOPING IT WILL BE BETTER IN THE MORNING. I WILL BE POSTING SOME PICTURES SOON!
LOVE YOU ALL!
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