29-08-2013
Dear, dear readers:
Hello from India! Sorry I haven’t updated in a while. I got
to New Delhi safely after 34 ½ hours of traveling. Whoop whoop! We have had an
orientation here, and are flying to Varanasi tomorrow to meet our host families
and familiarize ourselves with the city a little bit. The last couple of days
have consisted of a few outings in the morning and going over rules and what to
expect when we actually start the program. We’ve looked at a preliminary copy
of our schedules for the semester, and it looks like I will be quite busy! I am
taking beginning Hindi, “City of Confluence” about Varanasi and its history,
yoga and yoga theory, a class on gender, and a class on religious theology.
I am living with a host family that consists of a mother and
father, an eight-year-old girl, a newborn baby, and a grandmother. I am rooming
with another girl in my program, Amy. She seems really sweet and excited, and
I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. She also recently completed
her yoga certification, so I’m sure she can help me with my yoga technique!
Unfortunately, I seem to have come down with something. I
have a painfully sore throat and have already lost my lunch. One of the other
girls, Elise, had some side effects from the malaria medicine she was taking
that were similar to mine. I’m hoping they will go away soon. As in right now.
(Though I am watching The Matrix, and
Keanu Reeves always helps everything.)
Other than that, though, things are going swimmingly. It’s
quite hot and humid, and I’m sweating buckets, even minutes after I get out of
a cold bucket shower. The other day, we went and bought some lovely Indian
clothes, and though the loose pants do help to keep me cool, the kurta, or top dress-like piece, is made
of thick cotton and is rather warm. Women also wear dupattas, long, wide scarves that can be wrapped around one’s head
to keep off the sun. I bought two outfits (which came to about $50 for six
items), and am planning on getting some more clothes tailor-made in Varanasi.
I am now at an exciting part of The Matrix, so I must sign off. Also maybe to toss my cookies just
one more time.
Love always,
Rose
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