I just got back from a three day trip to Mumbai: India’s New York. Reason for travel? Mahek needs to get her visa for her exchange to Chicago. The process here is you go to either Mumbai or Delhi – where the visa offices are – and go in for an interview. So my host dad, sister and I go for some shopping and some sight seeing. Unfortunately, my camera died. But even if I did, I probably wouldn't post them anyway, the internet is terribly slow here. Everything's slow here. Indians are very laid-back with punctuality. They run on "Indian Time". They say we’re leaving at 10, that actually means 11:30. 6? 10. It’s been difficult to accept that. Compared to Canada where we are run by time and schedule and being on time means being 5 minutes early. My pace of life has drastically slowed down. My host mom even pointed out that I walk faster than they do.
Other than the trip to Mumbai, and sleeping getting better every night, things are starting to fall into routine. My days play out the same way. I roll out of bed around 11:30am, fill up a bucket and pour it over me (How they shower here...it's actually quite refreshing. It also doesn't use as much water.) I come downstairs where I try some new spicy food and upsets my stomach. Then I sit and read a book, write in my journal, write letters and try and draw mehndi designs. I sit in the TV room with Janil who watches dubbed cartoons like Pokemon or Dragonball Z, and a bunch of really old Japanese cartoons Shin-chan and Doraemon or WWE. At one point in the afternoon, I’ll go to the cyber café just up the street for me. My house has the slowest dialup of my life. So, I pay 20rs/ hour. It’s better this way. I can really regulate how much time I’m on the computer.
I have dance lessons from 4 – 5. I’m in a beginners class with young girls 6 – 8. I'm so slow at it, and all the girls stare at me and giggle because I’m foreign. They giggle out of excitement for something new and out of curiosity. After class they come up to me and in very broken English talk to me. It’s really adorable. The girls are warm and inviting, and my dance teacher is kind and understanding. My dance class, though puts my out in public (I get nervous when I go outside, just because everyone stares at me.) but it's a place where I can slowly break out of my shell. I come home from that, read and write until after dinner, when I have my evening chat with my host mom and sometimes host sister. We talk about the cultural differences between Canada and India mostly. It makes me feel closer to home. Then I sleep...at least go to my room and try.
I’ve been here for about two weeks, and I wait patiently to meet people, to sleep through the nights, to find a schedule for my body, to adapt to the food, really... I'm waiting to adapt to life here. I cannot emphasize enough how different everything is. Even the way they pasteurize milk and make bouquets. Every tiny thing is different in some way.
I guess that’s it. I'm gonna go watch WWE with my host brother now...you should try it. It's the worst thing you'll ever watch in your life.
To get from Yavatmal to Mumbai it’s a twelve hour train ride overnight, and by some miracle, I slept. We went on a tour, and saw all the sights of Mumbai. Our tour guide was speaking Hindi, so I didn’t understand a word of what he was saying and thus, I cannot tell you the things I saw. But still, I got to see Mumbai. It’s such a crazy city. Mumbai, like I'm sure all capitals of the world - are westernized. The same shops as Canada except like 50% cheaper. But what got me was the contrast. Contrast between having high rise buildings, all chic and fancy literally right beside a slum. Seeing Dolce & Gabanna beside a low-end family owned sari shop. Girls wearing shorts beside women covering everything but their eyes. So many different things are found in this city. I hope I get to come back again.
But I did learn my second Hindi word today!
"Chalo" which means "Let's go" or "Hurry Up", which is exciting.
Other than the trip to Mumbai, and sleeping getting better every night, things are starting to fall into routine. My days play out the same way. I roll out of bed around 11:30am, fill up a bucket and pour it over me (How they shower here...it's actually quite refreshing. It also doesn't use as much water.) I come downstairs where I try some new spicy food and upsets my stomach. Then I sit and read a book, write in my journal, write letters and try and draw mehndi designs. I sit in the TV room with Janil who watches dubbed cartoons like Pokemon or Dragonball Z, and a bunch of really old Japanese cartoons Shin-chan and Doraemon or WWE. At one point in the afternoon, I’ll go to the cyber café just up the street for me. My house has the slowest dialup of my life. So, I pay 20rs/ hour. It’s better this way. I can really regulate how much time I’m on the computer.
I have dance lessons from 4 – 5. I’m in a beginners class with young girls 6 – 8. I'm so slow at it, and all the girls stare at me and giggle because I’m foreign. They giggle out of excitement for something new and out of curiosity. After class they come up to me and in very broken English talk to me. It’s really adorable. The girls are warm and inviting, and my dance teacher is kind and understanding. My dance class, though puts my out in public (I get nervous when I go outside, just because everyone stares at me.) but it's a place where I can slowly break out of my shell. I come home from that, read and write until after dinner, when I have my evening chat with my host mom and sometimes host sister. We talk about the cultural differences between Canada and India mostly. It makes me feel closer to home. Then I sleep...at least go to my room and try.
I’ve been here for about two weeks, and I wait patiently to meet people, to sleep through the nights, to find a schedule for my body, to adapt to the food, really... I'm waiting to adapt to life here. I cannot emphasize enough how different everything is. Even the way they pasteurize milk and make bouquets. Every tiny thing is different in some way.
I guess that’s it. I'm gonna go watch WWE with my host brother now...you should try it. It's the worst thing you'll ever watch in your life.
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