assorted adventures!

so!

This week was more or less the first week of IES classes - I say 'more or less' because one professor is not going to be in the region until Monday and as such the classes she's teaching are not yet set timings-wise. (Instead of "times" or "hours," in India they're called 'timings' like, "The timings of the FRRO is 9.30 AM to 4 PM" although I think that that estimation is a little generous. Bureaucracy in India is horrible - everything is disorganized and largely random. Avoid it if you can.) I've attended "Cities of Delhi," however, and the readings alone are pretty fascinating. Delhi may not be as popular or well-known as Kolkata (Calcutta) or Mumbai (Bombay), but it has a ton of history that is steadily reincorporated into daily life here. Again, nothing here is ever completely lost. The stones of ruined temples are used to build new ones.

Things have been a bit crazy here because it will be Republic Day this Saturday. Republic Day initially celebrated the creation of the constitution for an independent India; now it's mostly an excuse for India to show off its army. The result is that for the past two weeks most of the roads leading to Connaught Place (the center of New Delhi, which is specifically where the British government resided) being blocked off randomly so the army can practice their parades. Tanks, air shows, everything. Traffic comes to a complete standstill for hours at a time because there isn't sufficient announcement beforehand that roads will be blocked. After this weekend things should be calming down a bit and it'll be easier to get around the city; right now I'm pretty much restricted to South Delhi.

Demonstrating how I am an independent and self-sufficient human being, I managed to find a market that sold imported goods and cook Italian-esque pasta, vegetable stir-fry, and mozzarella/tomato/balsamic salad with what I found for my housemates. It wasn't very difficult, but it's definitely gratifying to attain a bit more self-sufficiency here. One of the most frustrating aspects so far has simply been being so helpless; we don't know where things are, and Delhi can often be overwhelming and dangerous if you don't know where you're going. But we're getting better. There are a few markets I can walk to as well as several parks, restaurants, and a mall, and I know of some of the other places to hang out in the larger local area like the Defense Colony that I can reach by autorickshaw (which I've gotten use to taking). The hardest thing here so far has been the budget that I've imposed on myself: 4000 rupees per week, or around $100. Normally it wouldn't be too difficult, but these first few weeks have involved such activities as buying notebooks and clothes that I need as well as other toiletries and essentials. Hopefully once these die down and I know of cheaper places to eat I'll be set.

I still can't believe that I'm here, sometimes. When I dream, I'm back at home, planning to come here, or traveling here and realizing that I've forgotten things, or unexpectedly back home for a week or so before leaving for here again. And then part of my brain clicks and says, no, you're here in India, and I wake up. I always have strange dreams when I'm getting used to a new environment, and this has proved to be no exception.

More later. There are a lot of strong impressions that I'm feeling but I'm going to wait until they become more effable before writing them here. peace.

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Listening to: Afro Celt Sound System - House Of The Ancestors
via FoxyTunes