I figured that, for what is most likely my last post from India, I would share some memories not previously shared on this blog.
1. Ordering a Peanut Butter Pancake (which was on the menu) in Bodhgaya and repeating my order only to receive a Paneer Butter Pancake. Paneer is an Indian cheese. Needless to say a pancake with cheese and butter is not a healthy snack for my heart.
2. Leaving our guest house in Diu at 5:00am to catch a bus, only to find that the doors are all locked from the outside. We were literally locked in and had to bang on the doors for the owners to wake up and let us out.
3. While building a sand castle on the beach with Laura, a young boy came and watched us silently. The next day, on a different beach, that boy saw us and began to point at us and say things to his two friends. Then they started to build a sand castle.
4. Sitting on the roof of our guest house in Bundi talking and laughing with the owner about the problems all the monkeys cause and how he should go get his gun. Then, watching in shock as he actually comes back up with a BB-gun and proceeds to shoot at the monkeys.
5. Riding in a rickshaw over what is possibly the worst road in India for an hour and a half each way, including multiple stops by the driver to ask for directions from people on the street.
There's some pics posted on Laura's blog, so check them out...http://laurawwoofs.blogspot.com
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Day 55 - Diu
After 18 hours on a train, 3 hours sitting around the bus station in Rajkot, and 8 hours on a bus, we finally arrived in Diu, an island off the West coast in the Arabian Sea. The days here have been beautiful with temperatures in the 80s (F), bright sunny skies, and sandy beaches. I know most of you are gearing up for Thanksgiving and bracing November rains (or snows) so I'm sure you're glad to hear we're getting tanner every day. There are two particularly nice beaches within walking distance from our guest house. However, they seem to be relatively unattended. Aside from the random groups of young Indian men who pull up, run to the water, take a group photo and run away, it's generally just a few other tourists and us. Next to one beach there's a monument to the INS Khukri, an Indian naval ship that was sunk by Pakistani's in the 70s. As we sit on the beach, there's a constant stream of Indian groups and families that visit the monument, stare or wave at us, then leave.
Yesterday we decided to rent a moped, which was 200 Rupees (US$4.50) for 24 hours. This way we got to speed around the island and see all the sights. We visited a church that was built in 1667 (I think it was for Our Lady of Remedies), some really amazing caves, and Diu Fort, which gives a great view of the ocean. I definitely felt cool driving the moped with Laura on back, awkwardly navigating turns, while 12 year olds passed us on motorcyles.
That's all for now. Tomorrow we begin a long journey back to Delhi. We only have 6 days left in India and I hope to post once before we leave. If not, next time you hear from me I'll be writing from Nepal.
Yesterday we decided to rent a moped, which was 200 Rupees (US$4.50) for 24 hours. This way we got to speed around the island and see all the sights. We visited a church that was built in 1667 (I think it was for Our Lady of Remedies), some really amazing caves, and Diu Fort, which gives a great view of the ocean. I definitely felt cool driving the moped with Laura on back, awkwardly navigating turns, while 12 year olds passed us on motorcyles.
That's all for now. Tomorrow we begin a long journey back to Delhi. We only have 6 days left in India and I hope to post once before we leave. If not, next time you hear from me I'll be writing from Nepal.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Day 47 - Bundi
I know it's been a while since I posted and a lot has happened. Bodhgaya was great and there's simply too much to talk about, so if you really want to know about that week ask me personally.
After Bodhgaya, we headed to Jaipur for our second three-week stint on a WWOOF farm and our last farm in India. We made it safely to Saharia Amla Organic Farm and promptly left after three nights. There was very little actual work to be done and no one was teaching us anything. Even while we were working we didn't learn anything about what we were doing, why, or anything about the farm. The workers were nice and welcoming, but the managers seemed to never be around and wanted little to do with us. It's an organic resort, so there are guests who pay to stay and then there are volunteers who work to stay in slightly more rustic accomodations. There were huge rats in our room and running through our food in the kitchen. All of this we probably could have stomached save one thing. The first day we got to the farm, there were three little, skinny puppies that were adorable. That evening, the managers decided (whether it was due to guests complaining the puppies were nuisance or to a lack of resources to take care of the puppies) to kill them. It happened suddenly and it took us a while to figure out what exactly was happening, but neither Laura nor I had ever heard such chilling and disturbing sounds before. From that point we were set on leaving, we just had nowhere to go and needed some time to figure out our next step. Fortunately, a lovely Dutch couple came and had some great suggestions and an English version of the Lonely Planet.
To make a long story short, we spent some time in the city of Jaipur, went to a beautiful national park to see some wildlife, and are now in a town called Bundi. To picture the city of Bundi, think of Aladdin, and to picture the surrounding area picture The Jungle Book. Seriously. This morning we went to a gorgeous waterfall that was so peaceful. It falls into this canyon that is filled with lush jungle that smells incredible. The owner of the guest house we're staying in said there's a lot of bears in that area, but we didn't see any. Just a ton of monkeys. Monkeys are everywhere here. We sit on the roof of our guest house drinking chai and watching monkeys jump from rooftop to rooftop. On the hillside sits an enormous historical fort and surrounding walls that is quite incredible to behold. It's definitely still India, with loud noises, odd smells and gawking people, but it's so different from anywhere we've been. Next we head to Diu, which is on the coast of Gujarat and supposedly has some nice sandy beaches to wander.
I am sad that our WWOOF experience in India hasn't been living up to my expectations. I am enjoying this trip immensely, but I had hoped to learn so much more. I learned a good amount on the first farm, but it wasn't an overall positive experience. I'm still holding out for our stay in Nepal, though. I'm looking forward to being able to couple farming and non-farming volunteer opportunities.
I hope you all are well. It's strange being in 80+ degree weather in November, knowing that Winter is starting back home. Everyone here keeps talking about how Winter has come, but really all that means is it gets darker earlier. Oh well, I'll most likely get my Winter during January in Nepal.
After Bodhgaya, we headed to Jaipur for our second three-week stint on a WWOOF farm and our last farm in India. We made it safely to Saharia Amla Organic Farm and promptly left after three nights. There was very little actual work to be done and no one was teaching us anything. Even while we were working we didn't learn anything about what we were doing, why, or anything about the farm. The workers were nice and welcoming, but the managers seemed to never be around and wanted little to do with us. It's an organic resort, so there are guests who pay to stay and then there are volunteers who work to stay in slightly more rustic accomodations. There were huge rats in our room and running through our food in the kitchen. All of this we probably could have stomached save one thing. The first day we got to the farm, there were three little, skinny puppies that were adorable. That evening, the managers decided (whether it was due to guests complaining the puppies were nuisance or to a lack of resources to take care of the puppies) to kill them. It happened suddenly and it took us a while to figure out what exactly was happening, but neither Laura nor I had ever heard such chilling and disturbing sounds before. From that point we were set on leaving, we just had nowhere to go and needed some time to figure out our next step. Fortunately, a lovely Dutch couple came and had some great suggestions and an English version of the Lonely Planet.
To make a long story short, we spent some time in the city of Jaipur, went to a beautiful national park to see some wildlife, and are now in a town called Bundi. To picture the city of Bundi, think of Aladdin, and to picture the surrounding area picture The Jungle Book. Seriously. This morning we went to a gorgeous waterfall that was so peaceful. It falls into this canyon that is filled with lush jungle that smells incredible. The owner of the guest house we're staying in said there's a lot of bears in that area, but we didn't see any. Just a ton of monkeys. Monkeys are everywhere here. We sit on the roof of our guest house drinking chai and watching monkeys jump from rooftop to rooftop. On the hillside sits an enormous historical fort and surrounding walls that is quite incredible to behold. It's definitely still India, with loud noises, odd smells and gawking people, but it's so different from anywhere we've been. Next we head to Diu, which is on the coast of Gujarat and supposedly has some nice sandy beaches to wander.
I am sad that our WWOOF experience in India hasn't been living up to my expectations. I am enjoying this trip immensely, but I had hoped to learn so much more. I learned a good amount on the first farm, but it wasn't an overall positive experience. I'm still holding out for our stay in Nepal, though. I'm looking forward to being able to couple farming and non-farming volunteer opportunities.
I hope you all are well. It's strange being in 80+ degree weather in November, knowing that Winter is starting back home. Everyone here keeps talking about how Winter has come, but really all that means is it gets darker earlier. Oh well, I'll most likely get my Winter during January in Nepal.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Day 31 - Varanasi
While the road to Dharamsala proved disappointing, the road from Dharamsala, it turns out, is the road of legend. Yes, it's the same road. But something about speeding down steep mountain roads navigating hairpin turns and narrow lanes in the dark of night in a large bus is both frightening and terrible for those who suffer from motion sickness (which Laura and I apparently both do). I will admit that my cockiness regarding the road up did little to prepare me for the queasiness of the road down. At one point, I was convinced that I was going to throw up, but somewhere someone took pity on my and the driver stopped for a 20 minute break. I was also relieved to see I was not alone judging from the vomit on the other side of the once clean bus (too much?)
Highlight of the trip so far for me: Laura and checked out of our guest house and trudged with our giant backpacks up the steep Dharamsala streets to the bus stand. It happened to coincide with the time the children get out of school. I was walking up the hill when I heard Laura laugh from behind me. As I turned to look at her, I saw a young boy (no more than 4 or 5) walking beside me with his school backpack, clearly imitating me with exaggerated footsteps and a stern look on his face. He smiled up at me and then continued the mine so I did the only thing I could do. I exaggerated my steps in time with his and put a stern look on my face. I also gestured to the boy that my thumbs were under my shoulder straps and he, smiling, proceeded to do the same. So, with thumbs in our straps and stern expressions, we trudged animatedly up the hill side by side, with Laura and a woman we assume to be his mother laughing behind us. Eventually, the woman said something to the boy and I caught the phrase "Bye-bye". Obediently, the boy looked up at me, smiled, said "bye-bye" and followed his mother through a doorway. Needless to say, I still think of that kid and laugh.
Train, apparently, is the way to travel in India. Although it's certainly no faster than a bus, it is far more comfortable. We made it to Varanasi this morning and I met Rinpoche this afternoon. I must admit, even after all I've heard from Laura and her family, I was surprised at how impossible it is to not love him instantly. He is so warm and welcoming and gave me a big hug and smile. He was also clearly so excited to see that Laura was here that I couldn't help but smile the whole time. I'm excited for this week in Bodhgaya and can't wait to tell you how it turns out.
For some reason, though I can't explain it right now, I have a strong desire to end this post the way someone important to me ends all of his e-mails.
Plant Sequoias
Highlight of the trip so far for me: Laura and checked out of our guest house and trudged with our giant backpacks up the steep Dharamsala streets to the bus stand. It happened to coincide with the time the children get out of school. I was walking up the hill when I heard Laura laugh from behind me. As I turned to look at her, I saw a young boy (no more than 4 or 5) walking beside me with his school backpack, clearly imitating me with exaggerated footsteps and a stern look on his face. He smiled up at me and then continued the mine so I did the only thing I could do. I exaggerated my steps in time with his and put a stern look on my face. I also gestured to the boy that my thumbs were under my shoulder straps and he, smiling, proceeded to do the same. So, with thumbs in our straps and stern expressions, we trudged animatedly up the hill side by side, with Laura and a woman we assume to be his mother laughing behind us. Eventually, the woman said something to the boy and I caught the phrase "Bye-bye". Obediently, the boy looked up at me, smiled, said "bye-bye" and followed his mother through a doorway. Needless to say, I still think of that kid and laugh.
Train, apparently, is the way to travel in India. Although it's certainly no faster than a bus, it is far more comfortable. We made it to Varanasi this morning and I met Rinpoche this afternoon. I must admit, even after all I've heard from Laura and her family, I was surprised at how impossible it is to not love him instantly. He is so warm and welcoming and gave me a big hug and smile. He was also clearly so excited to see that Laura was here that I couldn't help but smile the whole time. I'm excited for this week in Bodhgaya and can't wait to tell you how it turns out.
For some reason, though I can't explain it right now, I have a strong desire to end this post the way someone important to me ends all of his e-mails.
Plant Sequoias
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Day 28 - Dharamsala
Dharamsala has a funny way of being peaceful and hectic at the same time. Surrounded by beautiful mountains, lush trees, chanting monks, ornate temples and soaring eagles, it's impossible not to bask in the serenity. But, the steep, narrow streets become filled with tourists, residents, vendors, cows, stray dogs, and cars/motorcycles that honk incesantly as they speed past with little regard to pedestrians or their extremities. The days are hot, but the nights are cold. There's a plethera of little restaurants and cafes that serve amazing Thukpa and Thenthyuk (noodle soups with veggies and tofu).
It's an interesting place. Throughout the day you hear so mnay different languages. You see young ids with dreadlocks and Chaco's just emenating cliche, sitting at the table just next to two upper-middle aged women. There's tourists wearing jeans and tank tops toting there expensive cameras, and others wearing full Tibetan outfits walking barefoot and clearly in need of some thorough bathing. I wonder where I fall on that spectrum in the mind's of passerbys?
This should paint an adaquate picture. The other day, Laura and I went on a hike up the mountainside where we passed secluded meditation centers, were charged by by a young mountain goat, and ran frigthened from angry looking monkeys. Just a short time later we were sitting in a cafe, drinking cappucino, eating chocolate chip cookies and listen to the 20-something Tibetan server sing along poorly to Byran Adams' "Summer of '69". Needless to say, our days are diverse.
We went to the Dalai Lama's techings yesterday. Registration was closed days ago, but we could sit outside the temple and listen. We got to watch him walk in though, which was exciting. He definitely has a presence. His first session was difficult to hear, due mostly to some very loud young Tibetans behind us, but both sessions were packed with Buddhist wisdom. One thing that stuck out for me was his discussion of faith as coming from reason and investigation. Blind faith, while often harmless, is not ideal and we should strive to be critical thinkers. The highlight of the teachings for me, however, did not come from anything the Dalai Lama said, but rather the monk that was sitting next to me. During each session, tea is poured for those who bring their own cups. We had a water bottle, in which Laura received some tea intended for both of us. However, I was tapped on the leg by the monk, who handed me a bowl brimming with tea and some Kashmiri bread. His smile and "don't-worry-about-it" gestures encouraged me to accept. I thanked him and shared the bread with Laura. It was such a nice interaction.
I want to end this long post with a quote about India from The Geography of Bliss, which I just finished the other day:
"Yes, there are cellphones and ATMs and Internet cafes, but none has made a dent in the bedrock of Indian culture. These latest foreign intruders are no different from the Mughals or the British or any other interlopers who over the centuries tried to subdue the subcontinent. India always emerged victorious, not by repelling these invaders but by subsuming them...McDonalds caved to the Indian plate and, for the first time, dropped Big Macs and all hamburgers from its menu, since Hindus don't eat beef. Instead, it serves McAloo Tikki and the McVeggie adn a culinary hybrid, the Paneer Salsa Wrap. McDonalds didn't change India, as some feared. India changed McDonalds!"
It's an interesting place. Throughout the day you hear so mnay different languages. You see young ids with dreadlocks and Chaco's just emenating cliche, sitting at the table just next to two upper-middle aged women. There's tourists wearing jeans and tank tops toting there expensive cameras, and others wearing full Tibetan outfits walking barefoot and clearly in need of some thorough bathing. I wonder where I fall on that spectrum in the mind's of passerbys?
This should paint an adaquate picture. The other day, Laura and I went on a hike up the mountainside where we passed secluded meditation centers, were charged by by a young mountain goat, and ran frigthened from angry looking monkeys. Just a short time later we were sitting in a cafe, drinking cappucino, eating chocolate chip cookies and listen to the 20-something Tibetan server sing along poorly to Byran Adams' "Summer of '69". Needless to say, our days are diverse.
We went to the Dalai Lama's techings yesterday. Registration was closed days ago, but we could sit outside the temple and listen. We got to watch him walk in though, which was exciting. He definitely has a presence. His first session was difficult to hear, due mostly to some very loud young Tibetans behind us, but both sessions were packed with Buddhist wisdom. One thing that stuck out for me was his discussion of faith as coming from reason and investigation. Blind faith, while often harmless, is not ideal and we should strive to be critical thinkers. The highlight of the teachings for me, however, did not come from anything the Dalai Lama said, but rather the monk that was sitting next to me. During each session, tea is poured for those who bring their own cups. We had a water bottle, in which Laura received some tea intended for both of us. However, I was tapped on the leg by the monk, who handed me a bowl brimming with tea and some Kashmiri bread. His smile and "don't-worry-about-it" gestures encouraged me to accept. I thanked him and shared the bread with Laura. It was such a nice interaction.
I want to end this long post with a quote about India from The Geography of Bliss, which I just finished the other day:
"Yes, there are cellphones and ATMs and Internet cafes, but none has made a dent in the bedrock of Indian culture. These latest foreign intruders are no different from the Mughals or the British or any other interlopers who over the centuries tried to subdue the subcontinent. India always emerged victorious, not by repelling these invaders but by subsuming them...McDonalds caved to the Indian plate and, for the first time, dropped Big Macs and all hamburgers from its menu, since Hindus don't eat beef. Instead, it serves McAloo Tikki and the McVeggie adn a culinary hybrid, the Paneer Salsa Wrap. McDonalds didn't change India, as some feared. India changed McDonalds!"
Friday, October 16, 2009
Day 24 - Dharamsala
A lot to recap. First off, Laura and I have made it safely to Dharamsala, a community in the foothills of the Himalayas that has a large Tibetan refugee population. We are situated and excited to explore. On Wednesday we said goodbye to the Grewal family and departed Sirsa for Chandigar. We did this for two reasons. One, the Grewal's said that Chandigar is beautiful and the most well-planned city in India. Two, it cut the trip to Dharamsala into two 6-8 hour bus rides instead of one painfully long stretch.
Chandigar was indeed a very beautifully city and so well planned that even I could figure it out in a day. We arrived late on Wednesday, found or hotel and proceeded to sleep in for the first time in a while. We only had one full day in the city, so Laura and I wandered around and found a market area where we proceeded to eat pizza and veggie burger, drink coke, browse shops and peruse the many street vendors. We decided that we deserved to splurge after the isolation of the farm and that we definitely needed some variety in our diets. Food at the Grewal's was most often delicious, but also most often the same.
Friday morning we packed up, checked out and, with a surprising amount of stress, managed to get on a bus to Dharamsala. The road to Dharamsala is of legend, but I have to admit that it fell short of my expectations. It is steeply uphill with hairpin turns and narrow roads, but it is hardly the cliffs-edge road that I was made to picture. There's only a few moments where you get a really amazing view of the lushly green valley around you. For the most part it's just another mountain road, except for the stretch that was lined with hundreds and hundreds of monkeys. I'm not just toning it down to ease my mother's worried mind. Frankly, I was kind of disappointed that all the horror stories I heard proved false.
We arrived after dark, and without going into detail, getting to our guest house was stressful and tense, but we made it like the pro's we have become. After settling, we headed out in search of food. We found a quaint little cafe where I had the best soup I've ever had, spinach and tofu, and Laura had some amazing veggie momos in soup. I'm excited to explore today. There's a ton of vendors and cafes and tourists. It's the most foreigners we've seen since arriving in India. In Sirsa and Chandigar we were pretty much the only non-Indians (especially in Sirsa). Here, we're among a very diverse community of travelers and residents. The Dalai Lama lives here and is actually here this week doing some teachings, which probably explains the influx of tourists. We're hoping to see him teach at least one day, but we're not holding our breath.
Stay tuned for juicy details of Dharamsala.
Chandigar was indeed a very beautifully city and so well planned that even I could figure it out in a day. We arrived late on Wednesday, found or hotel and proceeded to sleep in for the first time in a while. We only had one full day in the city, so Laura and I wandered around and found a market area where we proceeded to eat pizza and veggie burger, drink coke, browse shops and peruse the many street vendors. We decided that we deserved to splurge after the isolation of the farm and that we definitely needed some variety in our diets. Food at the Grewal's was most often delicious, but also most often the same.
Friday morning we packed up, checked out and, with a surprising amount of stress, managed to get on a bus to Dharamsala. The road to Dharamsala is of legend, but I have to admit that it fell short of my expectations. It is steeply uphill with hairpin turns and narrow roads, but it is hardly the cliffs-edge road that I was made to picture. There's only a few moments where you get a really amazing view of the lushly green valley around you. For the most part it's just another mountain road, except for the stretch that was lined with hundreds and hundreds of monkeys. I'm not just toning it down to ease my mother's worried mind. Frankly, I was kind of disappointed that all the horror stories I heard proved false.
We arrived after dark, and without going into detail, getting to our guest house was stressful and tense, but we made it like the pro's we have become. After settling, we headed out in search of food. We found a quaint little cafe where I had the best soup I've ever had, spinach and tofu, and Laura had some amazing veggie momos in soup. I'm excited to explore today. There's a ton of vendors and cafes and tourists. It's the most foreigners we've seen since arriving in India. In Sirsa and Chandigar we were pretty much the only non-Indians (especially in Sirsa). Here, we're among a very diverse community of travelers and residents. The Dalai Lama lives here and is actually here this week doing some teachings, which probably explains the influx of tourists. We're hoping to see him teach at least one day, but we're not holding our breath.
Stay tuned for juicy details of Dharamsala.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Day 18 - Sirsa
We've been on the Grewal family farm for two weeks now and certainly have done a lot. We planted sunflowers in a section of the garden that surrounds the grass which are beginning to grow. I believe the plan is to plant some other flowers throughout the rest of that garden. We've also created a lot of garden plots around, cleaning up garbage and debris, tilling the soil and marking rectangular plots. It's hard, sweaty work for surre. We've sown spinach, fenugreek, lettuce, broccoli, garlic, leek, parsley, and a ton of carrot. We'll soon be planting tomato on the ridges of the carrot plots because, according to Harpal, tomato helps carrot to grow. He also said we'll be planting some cauliflower, but I also heard we may be planting radish in that same area. Who knows.
Most of the work I've done has been out in the gardens. Some work is in the kitchen, but mostly peeling vegetables. It seems men aren't really trusted in matters of the kitchen. Laura has learned to make chapati (I think) and has made some bread dough as well. I guess, as a man, I'm just expected to eat.
This first stay has already been a test of patience. Communication is often difficult and, withouth going into unneccessary detail, we get different directions and requests from the husband and wife. We're constantly questioning whether we're doing things right and it seems we often please one while disappointing/angering the other. This, plus getting constant stares and jeers from the workers definitely frustrates me. Today I went to the room to grab the journal and one of the women was just coming out, laughing with another woman who was standing outside. It was certainly unnerving. Everything in our room looked to be in order, but why was she in there? What was so amusing to them?
This is not the ideal situation to do other volunteer work. It's just the family and it's rather isolated from the town. That's okay for now. I'm enjoying the garden work and I didn't expect much more than that coming here. The next farm, in Jaipur, will hopefully have other opportunities in addition to farm work. We'll see. I just know that the coordinator of WWOOF Nepal told us we'd be able to work out other opportuniites with the farm in Chitwan. I hesitate to bring up the issue of HIV/AIDS in India with the family. I don't know what kind of reaction to expect. Plus, based on how conversations have gone so far, I don't know how realistic the response would be. Almost every conversation we begin (no matter the topic) turns into a lecture about how much better India is than everywhere else. I'm sure a discussion of HIV/AIDS would yield similar results.
I've been under the weather a bit recently and have been feeling kind of useless. But Laura takes great care of me. I'm hoping that I'll feel better when we leave. It's definitely a tense and stressful atmosphere here. But, we're leaving in a couple of days for Chandigarh and then to Dharamsala, so stayed tuned for those adventures.
Most of the work I've done has been out in the gardens. Some work is in the kitchen, but mostly peeling vegetables. It seems men aren't really trusted in matters of the kitchen. Laura has learned to make chapati (I think) and has made some bread dough as well. I guess, as a man, I'm just expected to eat.
This first stay has already been a test of patience. Communication is often difficult and, withouth going into unneccessary detail, we get different directions and requests from the husband and wife. We're constantly questioning whether we're doing things right and it seems we often please one while disappointing/angering the other. This, plus getting constant stares and jeers from the workers definitely frustrates me. Today I went to the room to grab the journal and one of the women was just coming out, laughing with another woman who was standing outside. It was certainly unnerving. Everything in our room looked to be in order, but why was she in there? What was so amusing to them?
This is not the ideal situation to do other volunteer work. It's just the family and it's rather isolated from the town. That's okay for now. I'm enjoying the garden work and I didn't expect much more than that coming here. The next farm, in Jaipur, will hopefully have other opportunities in addition to farm work. We'll see. I just know that the coordinator of WWOOF Nepal told us we'd be able to work out other opportuniites with the farm in Chitwan. I hesitate to bring up the issue of HIV/AIDS in India with the family. I don't know what kind of reaction to expect. Plus, based on how conversations have gone so far, I don't know how realistic the response would be. Almost every conversation we begin (no matter the topic) turns into a lecture about how much better India is than everywhere else. I'm sure a discussion of HIV/AIDS would yield similar results.
I've been under the weather a bit recently and have been feeling kind of useless. But Laura takes great care of me. I'm hoping that I'll feel better when we leave. It's definitely a tense and stressful atmosphere here. But, we're leaving in a couple of days for Chandigarh and then to Dharamsala, so stayed tuned for those adventures.
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