day 9

Today was a great day.

For breakfast I had chipatae with peanut butter and pineapple jelly. The transporters came to pick up the supplies for our first project installation next week. It was somewhat chaotic

I met this nice old lady who is always cooking, her name is Rita. She told me she has 3 children one in upper India, one who is a hotel manager, and the youngest is studying to be a nurse. This was all communicated in very very broken English. The afternoon was stifling hot well into the 110+ range. I wasn’t able to check the official report, but most definitely the hottest day I’ve had here so far. I retreated inside and sat in nothing but shorts, dripping puddles of sweat onto my desk. I did, in the process, finish my book. As the day carried on I played Gin rummy with Mary Ellen, she killed me. beat me 11-2. I don’t want to talk about it. Lunch was, well, it still is giving me the chills talking about it. I forget what else we had but there was potatoes which were good, but there was this green mixture it looked spinach or seaweed. You could smell the salt and I was told it was fish. Ok, ocean fish, sure. I bit into a mouthful of bones. Father reassured me they were edible. I gages ok. I tried another bite. Bit right through the spine bone and almost created a plate full of partially digested food. Enough said. I took a pepto bismal after to make sure I wouldn’t be seeing anymore sardines today.

I am currently typing this and my little girl friend is across the way. She keeps smiling and waving back at me. How these Indians love to wave at me. I hope it’s not a secret Indian sign “like you look really silly, silly American” Yah, I didn’t get that memo, So I’m going to continue thinking it’s a good thing

I don’t know if I really look THAT funny, I know some people like my mother and a few other people in my life might say I’m funny looking, whether seriously or just joking… The people look at me and stare and say comments in Hindi undecipherable to my untrained ear. Ok so I’m sitting on the roof, I guess that’s reason to stare, but I just walk around and I’m stared at… Maybe they think I’m extremely handsome with my boyishly good looks. And my immaculate beard. Yes that is it certainly.

I took some pictures today. Next time I can connect to the internet, I will post them and include a link in the blog.

OK So I was on the roof, and yes, as cool as it was, I had to stop journaling and just watch. My little girl friend was waving from across the way, and the boys from around the area ages 8-maybe 13 were tossing a cricket ball around. The young girl came down and met with 3 other girls playing no one above the age of 10. They were so cute. Staring up at me and waving sheepishly and then running to seek cover by their mother in a nearby doorway. 5-630pm has become my favorite time of day. I absolutely love it. There are so many reasons. The sun is setting, gorgeous. The weather is a cool 80, with a breeze, 20 degrees cooler than the average temperature of the day. People come out side. Workers come home from long hours. Children play outside, laughing, running, being young. It truly reminds me of home; of days when in the summer when I did was play baseball with a handful of friends behind the old middle school. It’s what we did from 10 till we couldn’t see the ball anymore.

I sat outside just watching, observing. Wonderful

The day finished with the best dinner yet. We had chicken kabobs, with potatoes and onions and chipatae. Absolutely delicious.

I’m off to bed now. Day 9 complete