Today was my first full day in India. I arrived yesterday at 9am to the airport, after a night of traveling...two 3.5 hour flights with one 3 hour layover in between. Time seems to go by in such a strange way while traveling...it's not just the time change, and I don't think it's all about the overnight trips either. For some reason one day passes and it feels like a week; and then other days seems to drag on forever. Maybe the new-ness of everything keeps my perceptions confused. Arriving at a friend's house after days of traveling alone also was really refreshing.
I don't think I really had any expectations for India...I have never really dreamed of coming here, it just happened that the timing seemed perfect and the opportunity arose so I took it. I wasn't sure what to really expect so I didn't have any expectations. And I didn't know what I would be doing here for the two months because I decided I wanted to wing it so I really had no clue what it would be like. But it turns out that this was the smartest thing I could have done. Tomorrow I will go out with my friends scoping for long-term housing situations, and also I will go to the hospital that I will be volunteering/observing at. As fate (or God or whatever external force you would subscribe to)would have it, my friend Rebecca was working with the head Ob-gyn of the local hospital...and I want to go back to the states to get my masters as a certified nurse midwife, so really it couldn't have been more perfect. And the neighborhood is really great...an interesting mix of nice houses, broken side-walks, piles of cow shit, and crrrrazy traffic...autos (glorified scooters with seats in the back to carry passengers...taxis for local destinations), mopeds, cars, cows, people walking. Except here they drive on the opposite side of the road. I finally got used to crossing the streets in Cairo, and now I have to train myself to look the other way!
The food is incredible...we had some southern Indian fare last night: crab ghee roast (best crab I've ever eaten and I'm from the East Coast!); fish curry; prawn sukka which is like a curry-ish paste made with coconut; gal, a creamy delicious lentil dish. It was to die for. I've also had homemade biriyani (a slow cooked baked rice dish) that is flavored with cardamom and cloves among other things. I drank coconut water from a young coconut today, and then when I finshed they cut it open and scraped the meat out for me to eat. Food here is cheap, flavorful and delicious. And if I ever have a craving for home, there is a Dominoes down the street that delivers!
Alright, that's enough for now...until next time!
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