I work six days a week. And one Just Jere has been asking me why I am not yapping away about India. So here is another shallow analysis of India..
As you read this post, you will notice that there is scant mention of alcohol, ‘night life ‘, ‘being social at night’, clubbing or anything that involves loud music or large amounts of alcohol.
Remember the Sikhs I mentioned earlier? Well it turns out that they are not too crazy about this booze thing either. So, while we don’t live in a dry state, booze is relegated to a pitiful little corner where no-one wants to play with it or be its friend.
I don’t know if this will change as the number of trainees rises, but that thing say…when in Rome….yeah.
So, India for me (so far…) is:
- Eating chapatis with potato curry and lapsing into a food comma
- sitting at the back of a motor bike without a helmet, roaring up the mountains at 2.00am just because we can
- Talking about food for at least half an hour a day (what I have eaten, what I will eat, what I will eat later on in the day. Repeat before and after most meals)
- Realizing one bite into a meal that, in a couple of minutes, the entire contents of my digestive system will be violently expelled. For my own good
- Staring dumbly as our irate house help yells at everyone in Hindi. (If she does not want me to clean her room, then why are you paying me? was the subject of one such rant, I have been informed.)
- Not receiving any advance warning about any major changes that will affect me. (oh, our new house mate will be here in ten minutes.)
- Being asked to press ‘control jeero’ and ‘joom in the image’ and not bursting into giggles
- Doing that automatic, closed lip smile at people who stare for too many seconds long
- Smiling politely because after an entire sentence, the other person (or I) have no idea what has just been said…even though it was in English
- Standing awkwardly in a temple as our companions honour their deities…and going to sleep each night under the intense stare of one heavily bearded guru’s picture, not to mention Lord Ganesh over there in the corner (Angie has a great post about religion these sides)
- Impressing my colleagues with my knowledge of Indian food, culture and religion (thanks to Wikipedia)
- Learning not to ask the locals what’chute’, ‘panthre’ and other potentially offensive nicknames mean
- Waking up every morning and wondering what (mostly) entertaining insanity will be brought my way
Coming soon: meeting people I can make fun of, new friends and something interesting to say.
Even my picture is boring. Sigh…
Wairimualiyepotea 