Thursday, June 26, 2008

Leaving on a jetplan. . .

So
here I am at an Internet Centre in New Delhi before I take off and leave behind a world of crazy spices, laughter and so much warmth that I'm overheating.

I've never been received by so much kindness in my life. In the past couple weeks, I've drank enough chai (with generous servings of sugar and milk, of course) to support an entire tea plantation and enough food to last week till the end of summer - technically. One kid asks us to their home and then their friends wants us to visit too. A typical chai visit consists of a drink appetizer of orange Fanta and then the main feature chai along with biscuit and salty snacks (namkeen). A recent visit also included samosas and sweets (molassy melts-in-your-mouth squares called bassin). Most of our chai visits are conducted in a mix of simple Englih, Punjabi and expressive hand gestures. As most of the parents do not speak English, most of the time, we sit silently, looking at each other with awkward smiles. Our program day ends at 7pm and then we go straight to one child's home before returning home to cook and eat AGAIN.

We also attended a friend's wedding and had a farewell party at our home ending with good-bye gifts and a dance session of bhangra music. The kids at school have also been giving us gifts from the kitchiest fake flowers to bright and glittery bedazzler type bracelets and gigantic colour radiant earrings with the ability to reach one's shoulders.

Recently, the biggest achievement of my Indian life is surviving under the Indian summer heat. Never having experienced temperatures close to my own body temperature, living in constant sweat with fans (when power is available) that recycles hot air is unimaginable. To battle this heat, my body produces a constant film of slime at all times (more often with a lack of power to generate the fan) as I breathe, walk, sit, sleep etc. Very unpleasant when waking up in soaking clothes and the shadow of sweat pools in the early morning! Sweating through shirts and pants is a common phenomenon. . .

Next stop from the Delhi airport is Hong Kong where the temperature is ~33c, but this time the weather calls for rain. . . can't wait for home!