I've sat down to write this entry several times in the last month. Everyday is so full, I am exhausted and can't find the energy to write about it at the end. As the days pile up, trying to write something meaningful that encompasses them all is a daunting task.
My time in India is more than half way done. The last four months have gone by quickly and slowly at the same time. Some days I really miss home, but when I imagine being back in the states, I can only think of all of the things that I will miss here. I imagine the US will feel incredibly lonely and cold. It is this anticipated feeling of loss that has made me more active than ever, visiting villages, getting into town, and making memories.
The Rauts, the family who has taken us in as their own, took us on a trip to Chikaldara, a beautiful spot high in the mountains. The roads were windy, the air clear. We stayed in a rest house on a tiger preserve, and slept on simple mats on the floor next to a roaring fire. We didn't see any tigers, but it was a beautiful Diwali vacation get away. We visited Amravati, and 2 homes of relatives of the Rauts.
This past Sunday, we attended 2 weddings. The first was a small wedding, the second a large, expensive gathering. At the second one, Kelly and I spent time with the bride while she was getting ready. After the make-up artist had finished with the bride, she started putting make-up on me. In fact, she used the same make-up on me, and on me, it was something akin to stage make up. I looked like an ice skater.
I went to Vidul two days ago with my friend Kalyani, who is the head of the English department at the college. It was her first time to the village. It is a about 5km away from the college, and many of my students live there. I went to more homes than I can count. As I left the village, 40 or so children followed me, screaming farewells. They told me that I was the first Caucasian female to visit.
I could go on and on... talk about visiting the beauty parlor, or the barber shop with the boys... talk about all of the amazing Indian dishes I'm learning to prepare, or how packages seem to be getting lost in the mail. The engagement parties, the house visits, the bus rides, the unpredictability of it all. India is beautiful. I hope to start posting photos daily. I have so many now that I want to share, I don't think this will be a problem. It takes too much time on this Internet connection to share more than one or two at a time... but one a day should be pretty easy.
Loren's photos class has a blog up at umarkhed.wordpress.com. If you want to see Umarkhed through their eyes, check it out.
