Feeling Saree for myself.
I actually have very little about which I can feel sorry but as I was colourfully decorated in the Saree I bought in Delhi it seemed a shame to waste the pun!!
Perhaps some things go better left unsaid.
The only thing I miss, I mean really, really miss, is singing. In England I sing every Sunday at the meeting, some Saturdays at fraternals, every opportunity at Christadelphian gatherings, in the car to the radio (the English radio!), in the shower, around the house when I'm alone... As mentioned before, I have little alone time and all the hymns are in Telugu; the radios, televisions and music players play Telugu or Hindi songs and the people around me sometimes enjoy a bit of spontaneous Telugu singing whilst cooking or cleaning.
I miss being able to join in.
I endeavour to learn at least one Telugu song and then hope they do that one at least once!
Slumdog Millionaire.
So far in my stay I've had only two flashbacks to the film. Firstly I used the Taj scene to explain my hesitance to leave behind my flip-flops when we were going into the lighthouse - met with the reply ''Vizag people are not like that''.
The second time was during the 3 1/2hr journey from Vizag to Kadiam. By train.
Let me paint you a picture.
The back rests of the sweaty plastic bench seats lent forward. The seat 'cushions' dogged downwards towards the back. Despite having reserved seats an argument ensued and negotiations took place concerning who was in our seats and how long it would take them to vacate them. Once crammed into these plastic hunch-makers we were bombarded by sellers; both official train employees and people trying to make an unofficial living, beggars of all descriptions; women, children, the lame, blind and otherwise impaired as well as general disgruntled passengers making their way to and from the toilet, a venture I myself was not willing to undertake.
These movements were accompanied by the smells of tea, coffee, potato cutlets and sweat, as well as the sounds of ''teahottea'', ''caffeenescaffee'', ''biscuitchips, biscuitchips'', the clinking and clacking of the various rattles being sold and the rattle of the money being collected.
I tried to observe the beautiful countryside but being in an aisle seat and the windows being small and barred made this difficult.
First class seating. India style.
(Not the highest option, which was called something like 'luxury class'...)
I loved the explosion of culture and general experience but it wasn't what I would describe as easy. I would not describe anything as ''easy'' in a Saree!
Gideon scolded me for digging out a few rupees for a small grubby looking girl. I don't want to feed the cruel industry depicted in Slumdog Millionaire but I did want to feed that girl. Although there's a good chance she doesn't get much of a look in on the money it may have helped in someway and can't have done a huge amount of harm. Hopefully.
By the end of the journey my Saree had all but unraveled after trying to entertain Joel and have him clamber all over me. Suma kept telling me what a mess I was and insisted I change almost immediately after reaching Kadium.
Kadiam.
Is much less developed or firmly established than Vizag with many more huts made out of woven branches and palm-leaf roofs.
Construction is going on everywhere, including brother Joshua's house where I was meant to be sleeping.
Upon arrival Duncan gave me a tour of the visitor's flat in which he was staying. I stepped into the cool 16oC Air conditioned room with the fan going full whack. I almost cried.Duncan quickly organised that me and Gracie (Kruppa) have this (his) room and we leave the door open to the first room in which he will sleep and we can all switch around when Edwin-Arthur gets there with his Niece-in-law, Poonan, and her daughter, Sezal, by which time Joshua's house should be finished and the fans hooked to the electricity.
I slept wonderfully.
Even more bizarre dream than the last one though. I think weirdness of dream is directly proportional to quality of sleep!!
We are family.
I love the people I've met here. I feel pretty much at home in the house (the dad is Elia, mum Preema and then their kids are Hepsi, Phillip, Joshua and Gracie ranging from about 35 down to 25) but there is a lot of Telugu and opportunities to laugh at Lydia's total lack of any grasp of the language!
The other brothers and sisters of the ecclesia also seem super nice, I've been introduced to a number of houses and been called 'cute' a number of times!
Child.
The Sunday talk was about being a child in the eyes of God.
I definitely feel like a child in this strange world where everyone knows each other and no-one knows me! Although I feel completely lost I also feel completely at home; I reckon religion is one of the only interests one can have that allows you to travel around the world and be welcomed with open arms, having so much in common!
Perhaps religion and tiddlywink conventions.
Evening: Walk like an Egyptian.
Well an Indi-gyptian... and Inditian?
An Indian.
Ok, so my clever play on the Bangles hit was perhaps not as successful as I had hoped but the sentiment is still strong!
I convinced our host to let me sit on the floor and eat with them (rather sat up to a table on my own) and they taught me how to eat without using utensils! Like an Indian I sat crossed legged and like an Indian I scooped and ate but like a inexperienced English girl I scratched my lip with my curry hand and spent the rest of the meal trying to dab it off with water without drawing attention to my mistake!
It burned =[
Duncan's wearing a skirt.
I wasn't the only one getting into the Indian swing of things.
Brother Duncan wore a 'lungi', or as he calls it a 'long-ey', which, although not a skirt, is a tube of fabric worn from around the waist to cover the legs.
However unlike a pencil skirt the bottom can be pulled up and tied around the waist, thus halving the length and exposing the socks and sandals beneath. He's fitting in with the more traditional members of the area, joking and laughing with them despite the lack of shared language!
Freeee Nelson Mandela(-ella-ella).
Suni, who is Hepsi's daughter, has stared to read my book before I went to bed so I left it with her...
This leaves me without a bedtime activity to weighten the eyelids and so I have an incentive to record something that has been with me since the first days of being here in India, my...
Toilet paper song!
"Don't use two when one will suffice, it isn't resourceful, it isn't nice!''
Nice, of course, referring to the environment and whoever paid for the loo roll.
Genius like this should not go unrecorded.
7/29/2010
7/26/2010
Friday 16th July
Bugs, consider this an official warning.
If the biting doesn't stop soon I'm going to start biting back.
I fed an old lady cake.
Me and Suma went to Jyodhi's mum's birthday celebrations today after visiting her other school briefly.
I was left in a room with a number of people and, without explanation, one by one they started to leave until it was just me and a girl of about 12yrs old who I later found out to be Lakshmi.
Silence.
Lydia:Do you speak English? Hopeful smile.
Lakshmi, confused face until the word 'English' at which she confidently shook her head.
Silence.
Mutual Smiles.
Exit Lakshmi.
Eventually people drifted back and Jyodhi took us to the party. She speaks quickly and in a thick accent; a few times I gave delayed reactions as I didn't notice the quick switch from Telugu to English!
She was explaining that Lakshmi was an orphan with little education. She witnessed her mother and father's deaths and consequently has quite a nervous disposition; after being spoilt byu her foster mum she became lax in her school work and attendance and was sent to Gideon and Suma who hope to have 5 orphans by this year and 10 by the next.
She had run away from the first time, about 15 days ago, saying that she was going back for more clothes.
When we arrived we were ushered into the one room with AirCon (a small side bedroom) and talked for a while, well I mainly listened to the Telugu chatter and attempted to make a dent in the vast amount of fruit they had brought me.
Then everyone left, again, for the Telugu prayer celebration thing that was in honour of the b-day girl (61) but not before Suma informed me that I was requested to say a few words! So I fretted for a while and then figured I'd just make something up and went to sleep.
When it was 'time' I made a short speech to the 20-30 women about how I was glad to be there and it seemed that they all were very happy sharing the love of God and each other in this remote-ish part of the world (getting there was pretty interesting!). I said I didn't have much to say but I hope she has a very happy birthday.
A lot of smiling took place and I was promptly declared her granddaughter whilst held in a death grip for some photos.
Following this I, Fidgetbottom McGee, sat through over an hour and a half (two hours?) of Telugu prayer, Telugu declarations of faith, Telugu Christian witnesses, Telugu preaching, Telugu wailing and Telugu nodding of heads and shouting Hallelujah. They were all women, which made me a little uncomfortable considering the HABs (Husbands and Boyfriends) that just sat watching in an odd restricted sort of way...
It was only later that Suma explained I had taken part in a pentecostal sisters meeting.
During the mother's closing 10 minute ''thank-you and goodnight'' they brought out a reeeeally yummy looking cake (bear in mind that at the prospect of 6-weeks without cake is enough to make any cake look 'reeeeally yummy' to Lyds...) and my head was occupied (engaged for the first time in well over 2hrs!) with: Make! Me cake? What cake? Yummy cake? Do I get some... how?
As it turns out, I did get some. I was called to the front, required to join in with what seemed like an endless rendition of ''Happy Birthday To You'' and then instructed to help her cut the cake.
Fair enough.
UNTIL, the woman next to me (on stage it was: old lady, close friends and family, me) took a piece of cake in her hands and fed it into the mouth of the birthday girl who then reciprocated. Panic stricken I watched as the turned to me, motioned to the cake and then moved out the way. So I did, having to then hold position whilst posing for the cameras thinking only one thing: "Please don't let me miss her mouth while facing the other way!!".
It's ok, I didn't!
So I fed her cake and she fed me cake and then a long line, made up of various members of the congregation, formed and proceed to continue the process of feeding and being fed by her. I like this tradition and will be instigating it next April.
She must have had the equivalent of four or five regular slices!
"English Girls are not used to wearing sleeves."
Random old female relative of birthday-girl: (via Jyodhi's translation) Did you buy these clothes in India?
I look down at my oh-so-India Chudidaar outfit. Duh. But ok, fair enough - it's a conversation starter!
Me: yep *nods and smiles to add emphasis*
ROFROB: Yes I thought you did. *nods knowingly*
Jyodhi:You are not used to wearing full sleeves no?
Lydia: *confusion*
-Mainly because a Chudidaar has short sleeves-
Lydia:Urm no I'm not...?
Jyodhi:Yes I thought so, *drifts into anecdote of her 9 year old Australian niece who wears spaghetti straps*
Strike two India. Strike two.
If the biting doesn't stop soon I'm going to start biting back.
I fed an old lady cake.
Me and Suma went to Jyodhi's mum's birthday celebrations today after visiting her other school briefly.
I was left in a room with a number of people and, without explanation, one by one they started to leave until it was just me and a girl of about 12yrs old who I later found out to be Lakshmi.
Silence.
Lydia:Do you speak English? Hopeful smile.
Lakshmi, confused face until the word 'English' at which she confidently shook her head.
Silence.
Mutual Smiles.
Exit Lakshmi.
Eventually people drifted back and Jyodhi took us to the party. She speaks quickly and in a thick accent; a few times I gave delayed reactions as I didn't notice the quick switch from Telugu to English!
She was explaining that Lakshmi was an orphan with little education. She witnessed her mother and father's deaths and consequently has quite a nervous disposition; after being spoilt byu her foster mum she became lax in her school work and attendance and was sent to Gideon and Suma who hope to have 5 orphans by this year and 10 by the next.
She had run away from the first time, about 15 days ago, saying that she was going back for more clothes.
When we arrived we were ushered into the one room with AirCon (a small side bedroom) and talked for a while, well I mainly listened to the Telugu chatter and attempted to make a dent in the vast amount of fruit they had brought me.
Then everyone left, again, for the Telugu prayer celebration thing that was in honour of the b-day girl (61) but not before Suma informed me that I was requested to say a few words! So I fretted for a while and then figured I'd just make something up and went to sleep.
When it was 'time' I made a short speech to the 20-30 women about how I was glad to be there and it seemed that they all were very happy sharing the love of God and each other in this remote-ish part of the world (getting there was pretty interesting!). I said I didn't have much to say but I hope she has a very happy birthday.
A lot of smiling took place and I was promptly declared her granddaughter whilst held in a death grip for some photos.
Following this I, Fidgetbottom McGee, sat through over an hour and a half (two hours?) of Telugu prayer, Telugu declarations of faith, Telugu Christian witnesses, Telugu preaching, Telugu wailing and Telugu nodding of heads and shouting Hallelujah. They were all women, which made me a little uncomfortable considering the HABs (Husbands and Boyfriends) that just sat watching in an odd restricted sort of way...
It was only later that Suma explained I had taken part in a pentecostal sisters meeting.
During the mother's closing 10 minute ''thank-you and goodnight'' they brought out a reeeeally yummy looking cake (bear in mind that at the prospect of 6-weeks without cake is enough to make any cake look 'reeeeally yummy' to Lyds...) and my head was occupied (engaged for the first time in well over 2hrs!) with: Make! Me cake? What cake? Yummy cake? Do I get some... how?
As it turns out, I did get some. I was called to the front, required to join in with what seemed like an endless rendition of ''Happy Birthday To You'' and then instructed to help her cut the cake.
Fair enough.
UNTIL, the woman next to me (on stage it was: old lady, close friends and family, me) took a piece of cake in her hands and fed it into the mouth of the birthday girl who then reciprocated. Panic stricken I watched as the turned to me, motioned to the cake and then moved out the way. So I did, having to then hold position whilst posing for the cameras thinking only one thing: "Please don't let me miss her mouth while facing the other way!!".
It's ok, I didn't!
So I fed her cake and she fed me cake and then a long line, made up of various members of the congregation, formed and proceed to continue the process of feeding and being fed by her. I like this tradition and will be instigating it next April.
She must have had the equivalent of four or five regular slices!
"English Girls are not used to wearing sleeves."
Random old female relative of birthday-girl: (via Jyodhi's translation) Did you buy these clothes in India?
I look down at my oh-so-India Chudidaar outfit. Duh. But ok, fair enough - it's a conversation starter!
Me: yep *nods and smiles to add emphasis*
ROFROB: Yes I thought you did. *nods knowingly*
Jyodhi:You are not used to wearing full sleeves no?
Lydia: *confusion*
-Mainly because a Chudidaar has short sleeves-
Lydia:Urm no I'm not...?
Jyodhi:Yes I thought so, *drifts into anecdote of her 9 year old Australian niece who wears spaghetti straps*
Strike two India. Strike two.
Thursday 15th
...but only because yesterday was Wednesday the 14th..!
''There's no-one here besiiide me''
So it's the first time since I've stepped of the plane that I'm alone.
There is not one person I know around. Actually there is nobody around!
Just me and the bugs.
I can't see King Nibbles and the Ezekiels but they are never far away!
So my options are read, write or sleep. I did the Bible readings this morning and although I'm really enjoying Mandela my head is full today so I'll write =D
Gideon, Suma and I went to Joel's school this morning, riding three to a bike and her side saddle in a sari! The school is amazing, run by Gideon's sort of adopted sister friend, Jyodhi. Se has this one and another one, about two years old and run for poor children from 'lower kindergarten' (goes lower, middle, upper kindergarten, first standard second etc) up to sixth standard with some who go up until tenth (I thought some looked a bit old!)
Jyodhi was explaining how the school struggled to get government recognition because they were asking for a bribe that she, as a Christian, was unwilling to give. However, without paying she could not run the school and this would make the children suffer. It was fine for us to suffer, she said, but not the children.
So she paid this large bribe and now runs a school asking for, comparatively, very low fees (few things in India are free) and takes who she can. The children looked so smart in their uniforms and she took me into a class and told the kids to say hello at which they all stood up, saluted and said in unison ''good morning Madame'', they remained standing until she told them to be seated to which they all sat down and replied ''thank-you ma'am''.
Jyodhi explains that she wants to teach in English but most cannot read and right in Telugu let alone learn more than a few words in English. One buy, she tells me, came t her school not ever opening his mouth, even to speak the local Telugu, but after going there for a while he now talks and talks! She said that his mum was so pleased that she told all her friends and because of this boy ''many admissions are there''.
She asked me to take a grammar lesson there and said yes because I'd love to but have no idea what I'm doing and will probably just end up making things worse! She's thinking an English person will encourage them more than she can.
And finally,
While I remember, the land lady for Gideon's studio is called Bagum.
I should probably be exiled for not being able to hear her name without, in my head, adding ''and tag 'em''.
...PC at its peak...
''There's no-one here besiiide me''
So it's the first time since I've stepped of the plane that I'm alone.
There is not one person I know around. Actually there is nobody around!
Just me and the bugs.
I can't see King Nibbles and the Ezekiels but they are never far away!
So my options are read, write or sleep. I did the Bible readings this morning and although I'm really enjoying Mandela my head is full today so I'll write =D
Gideon, Suma and I went to Joel's school this morning, riding three to a bike and her side saddle in a sari! The school is amazing, run by Gideon's sort of adopted sister friend, Jyodhi. Se has this one and another one, about two years old and run for poor children from 'lower kindergarten' (goes lower, middle, upper kindergarten, first standard second etc) up to sixth standard with some who go up until tenth (I thought some looked a bit old!)
Jyodhi was explaining how the school struggled to get government recognition because they were asking for a bribe that she, as a Christian, was unwilling to give. However, without paying she could not run the school and this would make the children suffer. It was fine for us to suffer, she said, but not the children.
So she paid this large bribe and now runs a school asking for, comparatively, very low fees (few things in India are free) and takes who she can. The children looked so smart in their uniforms and she took me into a class and told the kids to say hello at which they all stood up, saluted and said in unison ''good morning Madame'', they remained standing until she told them to be seated to which they all sat down and replied ''thank-you ma'am''.
Jyodhi explains that she wants to teach in English but most cannot read and right in Telugu let alone learn more than a few words in English. One buy, she tells me, came t her school not ever opening his mouth, even to speak the local Telugu, but after going there for a while he now talks and talks! She said that his mum was so pleased that she told all her friends and because of this boy ''many admissions are there''.
She asked me to take a grammar lesson there and said yes because I'd love to but have no idea what I'm doing and will probably just end up making things worse! She's thinking an English person will encourage them more than she can.
And finally,
While I remember, the land lady for Gideon's studio is called Bagum.
I should probably be exiled for not being able to hear her name without, in my head, adding ''and tag 'em''.
...PC at its peak...
Wednesday 14th Evening
(Sorry for the back log, been away from a computer for what feels like AGES, it's actually now the 26th, but shhh don't tell anyone ;])
Dananananananana Batmaan.
At about 7 o'clock we went shopping.
In India, around dusk, the sky turns into an indefinable blue colour; the clouds reminded me of those from 'James and the Giant Peach' where the rhino comes down... only not as scary!
Every now and then great flashes of lightening fill the sky and I can feel it starting to spit with rain. I'm on the back of Gideon's bike and Joel is riding on the front under Gideon's instructions to keep his eyes tight shut because of the dust, have I mentioned how dusty it is?
So I'm sat there wondering if India ever sleeps (between 11.30pm and 4.00am according to Suma) when I looked up and saw a bat. I then spent at least ten minutes trying to think of an appropriate plural form (swarm of bats? batch? flock?) as there were just so many!
This was pretty incredible, my limited experience of bats in England, mainly around Portland, consists of: Was that a bat? Could have been a bat... ''hey mum did I just see a bat?'' ''May have been Lydia I didn't see.'' Wow I just saw a bat! Maybe.
Against this wonderful darkish recycling-box-blue backdrop the were so impressive! Naturally, being the intellectual I am, one of the first things I thought of was how much they reminded me of the Batman calling symbol. Go figure.
Ok, the doodle I've just drawn in no way does these creatures credit!
Decisions Decisions...
Shopping itself was good fun; we didn't go to a market place but a big fancy shop with fixed prices, I've been to similar things in Morocco, you get less of an experience than markets but there is more choice and presumably better quality!
Now, those of you who know me well or have ever been shopping with me will know how completely useless at it I am. I can never make up my mind and always need a second opinion to know what I want! It's really quite embarrassing and I did try and warn Gideon before hand! Anyway purchases were made so now I'm happy!
More decisions...
Mohan is teaching me to play chess. Fortunately it's easy enough to explain without the use of too much English. The main phrases I hear are:
''My next move'' (accompanied by a demonstration)
''Better''
''Very nice''
''Protect, protect''
and
''Play, play'' when I can't decide.
The game would have been over in seconds but Mohan showed me what he would do next, he never told me which move I should make but often undid my mistakes. He won, of course, but I feel cleverer all ready!
Dananananananana Batmaan.
At about 7 o'clock we went shopping.
In India, around dusk, the sky turns into an indefinable blue colour; the clouds reminded me of those from 'James and the Giant Peach' where the rhino comes down... only not as scary!
Every now and then great flashes of lightening fill the sky and I can feel it starting to spit with rain. I'm on the back of Gideon's bike and Joel is riding on the front under Gideon's instructions to keep his eyes tight shut because of the dust, have I mentioned how dusty it is?
So I'm sat there wondering if India ever sleeps (between 11.30pm and 4.00am according to Suma) when I looked up and saw a bat. I then spent at least ten minutes trying to think of an appropriate plural form (swarm of bats? batch? flock?) as there were just so many!
This was pretty incredible, my limited experience of bats in England, mainly around Portland, consists of: Was that a bat? Could have been a bat... ''hey mum did I just see a bat?'' ''May have been Lydia I didn't see.'' Wow I just saw a bat! Maybe.
Against this wonderful darkish recycling-box-blue backdrop the were so impressive! Naturally, being the intellectual I am, one of the first things I thought of was how much they reminded me of the Batman calling symbol. Go figure.
Ok, the doodle I've just drawn in no way does these creatures credit!
Decisions Decisions...
Shopping itself was good fun; we didn't go to a market place but a big fancy shop with fixed prices, I've been to similar things in Morocco, you get less of an experience than markets but there is more choice and presumably better quality!
Now, those of you who know me well or have ever been shopping with me will know how completely useless at it I am. I can never make up my mind and always need a second opinion to know what I want! It's really quite embarrassing and I did try and warn Gideon before hand! Anyway purchases were made so now I'm happy!
More decisions...
Mohan is teaching me to play chess. Fortunately it's easy enough to explain without the use of too much English. The main phrases I hear are:
''My next move'' (accompanied by a demonstration)
''Better''
''Very nice''
''Protect, protect''
and
''Play, play'' when I can't decide.
The game would have been over in seconds but Mohan showed me what he would do next, he never told me which move I should make but often undid my mistakes. He won, of course, but I feel cleverer all ready!
7/14/2010
Wednesday 14th
What happened to Tuesday?
It's now day seven and the last few days have been fairly uneventful; Gideon spends most of the time away with Duncan on various travels and errands and Suma is tired from her travels or busy in the kitchen, though I have had a couple of very nice conversations with her, she is so kind and well tempered. Her and Mohan (Gideon's music assistant person whose name always escapes Duncan's mind so is often referred to as ''our friend'') get along really well, enjoying a lot of Telugu banter and quick paced conversations.
This leaves me in Joel's company who plays computer games, names colours or sleeps. He's totally adorable, if intense! Each activity I do with the adults or on my own is saturated with cries of ''Auntie auntie fight the bad boys'' or occasionally ''which colour this one?''. I have now played the beginning of the spider-man 2 computer game over and over and over again! You will all be pleased to know that I have outsmarted Doctor Octopus on many occasions. I'm helping Joel get the hang of the game himself, giving me some time to do the readings or write this. When Telugu takes over I turn again to Mandela's biography so I can still be with everyone if not in the conversation!!
Hopefully as time goes on my limited Telugu will improve so I can take part in some of the conversations. Currently a lot of gecko watching takes place on my part, which I love! By the by, I've named all the geckos Ezekiel after a conversation with Anna about how cool the nickname 'Zeek' is. I like the idea of Zeek the Geecko :)
In addition to the Ezekiels we have countless bugs and King Nibbles the rat. 'Nibbles' because, well because he looks like a nibbles and the 'King' part came from Gideon, probably after the fact that he sits on the wires above our beds, running up and down, mocking Gideon's inability to catch him.
If it were down to Gideon there would be one less King Nibbles in the flat.
Favourite Quote So Far:
Yesterday on the bike back from the restaurant Gideon was saying how cold it gets in winter;
"In December we didn't [even] use the fans''...
Plans...
Plenty to look forward to!
Duncan left today for Kadium where Gideo, Suma, Joel and I will follow this Saturday. Gid comes back to Vizag Sunday evening to work a week in school (he does half an hour each morning) and compose some more songs. He'll join us the following Friday/Saturday and we'll all come back around the Monday (26th) and Kelvin should be here on the 28th.
I can't wait for Kadium! I'll meet lots of other Christadelphians and have a fraternal which'll be nice! Plus I may actually be some help in Sunday school or something as currently I feel more of a hindrance than anything else..!
PLUS Suma said we can go shopping so I'll look less conspicuous which I can't wait for. Ah shopping. Ah Indian clothes!
But, looks like I won't be going to Gideon's sister's school as re-planned, just the way things work out I guess! When Kelv gets here hopefully I'll be able to join him once he's settled in De Paul school next door as was originally planed =D
Mood: On the whole having a good time and glad I'm here, looking forward to the pace picking up again after such a busy few first days!! Also, in Kadium there is a shower!!
It's now day seven and the last few days have been fairly uneventful; Gideon spends most of the time away with Duncan on various travels and errands and Suma is tired from her travels or busy in the kitchen, though I have had a couple of very nice conversations with her, she is so kind and well tempered. Her and Mohan (Gideon's music assistant person whose name always escapes Duncan's mind so is often referred to as ''our friend'') get along really well, enjoying a lot of Telugu banter and quick paced conversations.
This leaves me in Joel's company who plays computer games, names colours or sleeps. He's totally adorable, if intense! Each activity I do with the adults or on my own is saturated with cries of ''Auntie auntie fight the bad boys'' or occasionally ''which colour this one?''. I have now played the beginning of the spider-man 2 computer game over and over and over again! You will all be pleased to know that I have outsmarted Doctor Octopus on many occasions. I'm helping Joel get the hang of the game himself, giving me some time to do the readings or write this. When Telugu takes over I turn again to Mandela's biography so I can still be with everyone if not in the conversation!!
Hopefully as time goes on my limited Telugu will improve so I can take part in some of the conversations. Currently a lot of gecko watching takes place on my part, which I love! By the by, I've named all the geckos Ezekiel after a conversation with Anna about how cool the nickname 'Zeek' is. I like the idea of Zeek the Geecko :)
In addition to the Ezekiels we have countless bugs and King Nibbles the rat. 'Nibbles' because, well because he looks like a nibbles and the 'King' part came from Gideon, probably after the fact that he sits on the wires above our beds, running up and down, mocking Gideon's inability to catch him.
If it were down to Gideon there would be one less King Nibbles in the flat.
Favourite Quote So Far:
Yesterday on the bike back from the restaurant Gideon was saying how cold it gets in winter;
"In December we didn't [even] use the fans''...
Plans...
Plenty to look forward to!
Duncan left today for Kadium where Gideo, Suma, Joel and I will follow this Saturday. Gid comes back to Vizag Sunday evening to work a week in school (he does half an hour each morning) and compose some more songs. He'll join us the following Friday/Saturday and we'll all come back around the Monday (26th) and Kelvin should be here on the 28th.
I can't wait for Kadium! I'll meet lots of other Christadelphians and have a fraternal which'll be nice! Plus I may actually be some help in Sunday school or something as currently I feel more of a hindrance than anything else..!
PLUS Suma said we can go shopping so I'll look less conspicuous which I can't wait for. Ah shopping. Ah Indian clothes!
But, looks like I won't be going to Gideon's sister's school as re-planned, just the way things work out I guess! When Kelv gets here hopefully I'll be able to join him once he's settled in De Paul school next door as was originally planed =D
Mood: On the whole having a good time and glad I'm here, looking forward to the pace picking up again after such a busy few first days!! Also, in Kadium there is a shower!!
Sunday and Monday the 11th and 12th
Reflection.
Two fairly uneventful and lazy days.
The breaking of bread meeting was nice; I had a lot of time to meditate as most of it was in Telugu (spoken language of AP). Me and Gideon were joined by Mohan, Mali, Joel and Munchka (a girl about Joel's age from door).
Suma arrived today (Monday) with Mali's mother and sister who had come to take Mali home; also in the house were Gideon, Mohan and one of Gid's keyboard students. The house filled with quick Telugu banter and lots of laughing so I sat and observed for a while before turning to Nelson Mandela's 'Long Walk to Freedom'.
It could feel quite lonely but I've found that having very few external inputs and outputs has caused me to turn inwards, discovering a lot about myself. I've often asked in prayer for patience and strength and now, daily, I'm presented with situations to refine both.
Spiderman stops for no man.
Sunday night was a late one because Joel couldn't get past a certain point, very early on, in the spider man computer game so Gideon and I were helping him. In the early hours of the morning from my bed I heard the words ''Daddy, play tomorrow ok? I'm tired ok?''.
On Monday Gideon was scolded by Suma at lunch time because he couldn't put the game down! The frustration on his part was caused by the fact that all his 'hard work' from the night before had been wasted as there was not enough game memory to save the 'progress'.
But tomorrow is, as they say, another day!
Firsts!
I have now, for the first time since being in India...
- met Suma
- managed to finish a meal
- ridden in an auto-rickshaw (and an odd converted truck/van thing. On both we made a number of stops to let more people in and often open-mouthed stares took place on the faces of those who got in and sat opposite me..!)
- had a good night's sleep!! Yaaaaaaay!
... a tired Lyds also makes for a grumpy Lyds, but last night I didn't wake up till morning! Absolutely bizarre dream but I slept wonderfully!
- had a face to face convo with another white person -> Duncan comes to Vizag.
- woken up and had no idea where I was! Probably due to bizarre dream where I was in the Czech republic or the Netherlands or something, but I woke up, looked around and thought ''I really don't know where I am!''.
Following thought processes went:
Computer.... someone's study in England? Plugs... definitely abroad... c'mon Lyds.... shelves of clothing... Joel's clothes - oh yeah. India.
Two fairly uneventful and lazy days.
The breaking of bread meeting was nice; I had a lot of time to meditate as most of it was in Telugu (spoken language of AP). Me and Gideon were joined by Mohan, Mali, Joel and Munchka (a girl about Joel's age from door).
Suma arrived today (Monday) with Mali's mother and sister who had come to take Mali home; also in the house were Gideon, Mohan and one of Gid's keyboard students. The house filled with quick Telugu banter and lots of laughing so I sat and observed for a while before turning to Nelson Mandela's 'Long Walk to Freedom'.
It could feel quite lonely but I've found that having very few external inputs and outputs has caused me to turn inwards, discovering a lot about myself. I've often asked in prayer for patience and strength and now, daily, I'm presented with situations to refine both.
Spiderman stops for no man.
Sunday night was a late one because Joel couldn't get past a certain point, very early on, in the spider man computer game so Gideon and I were helping him. In the early hours of the morning from my bed I heard the words ''Daddy, play tomorrow ok? I'm tired ok?''.
On Monday Gideon was scolded by Suma at lunch time because he couldn't put the game down! The frustration on his part was caused by the fact that all his 'hard work' from the night before had been wasted as there was not enough game memory to save the 'progress'.
But tomorrow is, as they say, another day!
Firsts!
I have now, for the first time since being in India...
- met Suma
- managed to finish a meal
- ridden in an auto-rickshaw (and an odd converted truck/van thing. On both we made a number of stops to let more people in and often open-mouthed stares took place on the faces of those who got in and sat opposite me..!)
- had a good night's sleep!! Yaaaaaaay!
... a tired Lyds also makes for a grumpy Lyds, but last night I didn't wake up till morning! Absolutely bizarre dream but I slept wonderfully!
- had a face to face convo with another white person -> Duncan comes to Vizag.
- woken up and had no idea where I was! Probably due to bizarre dream where I was in the Czech republic or the Netherlands or something, but I woke up, looked around and thought ''I really don't know where I am!''.
Following thought processes went:
Computer.... someone's study in England? Plugs... definitely abroad... c'mon Lyds.... shelves of clothing... Joel's clothes - oh yeah. India.
7/11/2010
Saturday 10th.
India is on our side, I think.
I was trying to decide whether or not we drive on the same side as India. It's taken me this long to figure out which side of the road Indian's are meant to be driving on and I've concluded that it's the left hand side. But by the time I figured this out I've forgotten which side we drive on and my head hurts, I think it's the same..!
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...
Incidentally, if someone told me that many Indian women are deaf in their right ears I wouldn't be surprised and I'd know why!!
Motorcycles here are so designed that the footrests are on the left side, meaning when sitting side saddle you meet all the sand, grit and dust (boy there is a lot of dust!!) right ear first.
I had so much sand in mine I could have built a beach and charged admission!
Men.
The staring I've almost got used to again, in fact I think I will feel quite lost and unspecial when I get home and no-one on the street pays any attention to me, let alone stares!!
However, today Gideon took just a little too long getting the bike started, giving some guy (probs somewhere between 17 and 21) enough time to take several pictures of me on his phone.
Impressed? Not much!
Other things that do not impress Lydia: whistling and sucking teeth at her when she goes by and all leering in general.
"Waiter" *clicks*
You know that odd possessed-like stare people get when trying to catch the attention of a waiter? Well that would never, ever happen in the restaurant me and Gid were in today. Ever.
Let me set the scene.
We walk up some nice, shiny and CLEAN stairs into a restaurant that was so posh! and expensive looking, and, well, CLEAN!! There must have been about seven waitors, five chefs waiting and two in the kitchen and two managers (?) just for us two (it was otherwise empty, Gid said we were early for Saturday tea by Indian time, 6.45pm ish, and apparently people don't eat out much on Saturdays as they associate restaurants with non-veg (meat) and Hindus don't really eat meat (non-veg) on Sundays and Tuesdays... Yeah I didn't follow either...)
So Gideon went to the loo, and he took what felt like ages; well any amount of time would with at least 28 eyes on you! Literally intent stares. I just sat there, looking around, trying not to make eye contact...
So! The service!!! A guy brought along the naan and ''paneer'' (What Gideon described as grated milk that had been boiled) and we were half way through said paneer when OUT OF NOWHERE a waiter popped up and served some more onto our plates. The meal finished and he he brought a bowl of warm water with lemon in it (hand washing) and odd annaseed sugar crystals for digestion and to clean the mouth.
Only reservation? I must have missed the sign on the way in that said ''warning: we only play questionable covers of cheesy eighties music'' :)
I was trying to decide whether or not we drive on the same side as India. It's taken me this long to figure out which side of the road Indian's are meant to be driving on and I've concluded that it's the left hand side. But by the time I figured this out I've forgotten which side we drive on and my head hurts, I think it's the same..!
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...
Incidentally, if someone told me that many Indian women are deaf in their right ears I wouldn't be surprised and I'd know why!!
Motorcycles here are so designed that the footrests are on the left side, meaning when sitting side saddle you meet all the sand, grit and dust (boy there is a lot of dust!!) right ear first.
I had so much sand in mine I could have built a beach and charged admission!
Men.
The staring I've almost got used to again, in fact I think I will feel quite lost and unspecial when I get home and no-one on the street pays any attention to me, let alone stares!!
However, today Gideon took just a little too long getting the bike started, giving some guy (probs somewhere between 17 and 21) enough time to take several pictures of me on his phone.
Impressed? Not much!
Other things that do not impress Lydia: whistling and sucking teeth at her when she goes by and all leering in general.
"Waiter" *clicks*
You know that odd possessed-like stare people get when trying to catch the attention of a waiter? Well that would never, ever happen in the restaurant me and Gid were in today. Ever.
Let me set the scene.
We walk up some nice, shiny and CLEAN stairs into a restaurant that was so posh! and expensive looking, and, well, CLEAN!! There must have been about seven waitors, five chefs waiting and two in the kitchen and two managers (?) just for us two (it was otherwise empty, Gid said we were early for Saturday tea by Indian time, 6.45pm ish, and apparently people don't eat out much on Saturdays as they associate restaurants with non-veg (meat) and Hindus don't really eat meat (non-veg) on Sundays and Tuesdays... Yeah I didn't follow either...)
So Gideon went to the loo, and he took what felt like ages; well any amount of time would with at least 28 eyes on you! Literally intent stares. I just sat there, looking around, trying not to make eye contact...
So! The service!!! A guy brought along the naan and ''paneer'' (What Gideon described as grated milk that had been boiled) and we were half way through said paneer when OUT OF NOWHERE a waiter popped up and served some more onto our plates. The meal finished and he he brought a bowl of warm water with lemon in it (hand washing) and odd annaseed sugar crystals for digestion and to clean the mouth.
Only reservation? I must have missed the sign on the way in that said ''warning: we only play questionable covers of cheesy eighties music'' :)
Friday (Day Three)
Things I have learnt about myself so far:
I look infinitely better with my hair down.
I don't like Guava (pronounced here as ''gwa-wa''.
I do like egg fried rice.
I don't like cherry jam.
I can survive life without large inputs of sugar.
and
I can take both pictures and videos from the back of a moving motorcycle.
Who knew?
Today we went to the Lighthouse (awesome) and as Mohan, Gideon and I went in they kept charging us more and more money; then, as they let us go, I said cheerily ''bye'' and they made us go back and charged us more because I'm foreign.
Reaction?
Shock and pride because they didn't realise I wasn't Indian, confusion because I'm so clearly not!!!
"English Girls wear short dresses."
I was asked today by the landlady of Gid's studio if I bought these clothes in India. I looked down at my Khaki combats and checkered blouse and replied "erm... no?''
*Hindu with Gideon translation takes place*
''Oh'' he said she said, ''she thought you had because she says English girls wear short dresses."
No, not all of us, but nice to know where you stand on the whole 'England' sitch India!!
2nd Kerela.
So riding along on the motorbike today, Gideon driving and Mohan on his, we whizzed through some beautiful countryside and I saw cashew-nut trees, banana trees and a prickly tree that is apparently used in medicine by some monoply/tycoon guy who has many financial interests.
Vizag (Visakhapatnam) is apparently called the ''beautiful city'' of AP as it is so green, I can deffo see why! Another name for the area in which we rode today is ''a second Kerela'' because of the resemblance in beauty.
''Orissa''.
We saw loads of people doing manual labour by the roadside today, apparently they are called ''orissians''as in from the neighbouring state Orissa. It is, I'm told, a very poor state with a bad government so they come to AP to earn money. Gid tells me that the AP gov is a good and kind one that pays well and looks after its people. He explains that they can well afford machinery but then how would the poor people earn money?! A kind attitude that seems prevalent here.
My toe is changing shape. I think the bites are to blame.
Feeling Hot Hot Hotter!
At the moment England is 32 oC to our 25 oC (27 in the city).The monsoon rain keeps down the temperature! I always thought that the monsoon season coincided with Summer but it actually follows their summer.
Something new everyday :)
We spent some time in Gideon's studio listening to his tracks with the air con on at 18 oC, mmmm! The heat is so non-stop here, and muggy! Still, an hour at 18 oC!!!
I look infinitely better with my hair down.
I don't like Guava (pronounced here as ''gwa-wa''.
I do like egg fried rice.
I don't like cherry jam.
I can survive life without large inputs of sugar.
and
I can take both pictures and videos from the back of a moving motorcycle.
Who knew?
Today we went to the Lighthouse (awesome) and as Mohan, Gideon and I went in they kept charging us more and more money; then, as they let us go, I said cheerily ''bye'' and they made us go back and charged us more because I'm foreign.
Reaction?
Shock and pride because they didn't realise I wasn't Indian, confusion because I'm so clearly not!!!
"English Girls wear short dresses."
I was asked today by the landlady of Gid's studio if I bought these clothes in India. I looked down at my Khaki combats and checkered blouse and replied "erm... no?''
*Hindu with Gideon translation takes place*
''Oh'' he said she said, ''she thought you had because she says English girls wear short dresses."
No, not all of us, but nice to know where you stand on the whole 'England' sitch India!!
2nd Kerela.
So riding along on the motorbike today, Gideon driving and Mohan on his, we whizzed through some beautiful countryside and I saw cashew-nut trees, banana trees and a prickly tree that is apparently used in medicine by some monoply/tycoon guy who has many financial interests.
Vizag (Visakhapatnam) is apparently called the ''beautiful city'' of AP as it is so green, I can deffo see why! Another name for the area in which we rode today is ''a second Kerela'' because of the resemblance in beauty.
''Orissa''.
We saw loads of people doing manual labour by the roadside today, apparently they are called ''orissians''as in from the neighbouring state Orissa. It is, I'm told, a very poor state with a bad government so they come to AP to earn money. Gid tells me that the AP gov is a good and kind one that pays well and looks after its people. He explains that they can well afford machinery but then how would the poor people earn money?! A kind attitude that seems prevalent here.
My toe is changing shape. I think the bites are to blame.
Feeling Hot Hot Hotter!
At the moment England is 32 oC to our 25 oC (27 in the city).The monsoon rain keeps down the temperature! I always thought that the monsoon season coincided with Summer but it actually follows their summer.
Something new everyday :)
We spent some time in Gideon's studio listening to his tracks with the air con on at 18 oC, mmmm! The heat is so non-stop here, and muggy! Still, an hour at 18 oC!!!
Thursday 8th July
Tuesday=Plane. Wednesday=Arriving, settling and sleeping.
Discover India. (The name of the diary I purchased out here)
The Indian women look beautiful in their sarees - even as we wizz past at 50km/h. I, on the other hand, am sweaty and have a numb bum and totally windswept hair from being on the back of Gideon's motorbike for most of the day.
I love it.
Today was absolute fun; we started by going, just for a little while, to the reservoir to see the view (beautiful), then to the beach for a walk where we saw a harbor near ''dolphin nose'' (a hill so named due to its outline's resemblance to the nose of a dolphin!) so we went to go see it, well smell it more like! We couldn't get out the other end so we turned around and went through it all again, observing the women dry out fish in the streets which apparently smelt even worse because they have been so wet in recent monsoon rains. Yum.
After that we went to an aquarium which smelt less and had all sorts of crazy fish, turtles and eels!! We also went on a rope carriage thing after driving up the mountain. Gideon says many couples go there to escape their parents and hold hands without politics or pressure! I can see how it would be romantic, especially as it was so green due to said rain and its brilliant views of the sea and the city :)
To finish off we went to a supermarket called ''Spencers'', I suppose Mark did not make it across the ocean...?
''I had a farm in Africa...''
I feel a little bit like the woman from 'Out of Africa' (what was her name?!) as people stare at me all the time and I seem so rich and posh compared to most of the people I encounter - even more so than usual! Gideon's friend, Mohan (?), said I looked like an actress they have over here, Gideon agrees but said I need dimples to look exactly the same! On the hill I had my big sunglasses on and the wind was blowing my scarf behind me and Gideon said I looked like a movie star. I did feel quite glamorous watching our shadows flickering by whilst on the bike. And people like to stare, what could make you feel more like a movie star??
On the guitar?
People seem to come and go in Gideon's house, he has a lovely guitar student with a beautiful voice; I was listening to them sing whilst I played spider-man games on the computer at the insistence of little Joel (almost five years old). I came out to write this and found them in a hot religious debate, I guess she must be Catholic and they were discussing prayer to Mary as the 'perfect mother of God', slipping in and out of English. India is smothered by religion; hindu statues, painted pictures of Jesus and the loud Muslim calls for prayer. Gid says that Hindu's are less encouraged to call on the loud speakers because the government is Muslim and Christians are just plain not allowed because the ministers take too long!
The student's going now, I don't think I saw her play the guitar once; maybe when I wasn't looking..!
Discover India. (The name of the diary I purchased out here)
The Indian women look beautiful in their sarees - even as we wizz past at 50km/h. I, on the other hand, am sweaty and have a numb bum and totally windswept hair from being on the back of Gideon's motorbike for most of the day.
I love it.
Today was absolute fun; we started by going, just for a little while, to the reservoir to see the view (beautiful), then to the beach for a walk where we saw a harbor near ''dolphin nose'' (a hill so named due to its outline's resemblance to the nose of a dolphin!) so we went to go see it, well smell it more like! We couldn't get out the other end so we turned around and went through it all again, observing the women dry out fish in the streets which apparently smelt even worse because they have been so wet in recent monsoon rains. Yum.
After that we went to an aquarium which smelt less and had all sorts of crazy fish, turtles and eels!! We also went on a rope carriage thing after driving up the mountain. Gideon says many couples go there to escape their parents and hold hands without politics or pressure! I can see how it would be romantic, especially as it was so green due to said rain and its brilliant views of the sea and the city :)
To finish off we went to a supermarket called ''Spencers'', I suppose Mark did not make it across the ocean...?
''I had a farm in Africa...''
I feel a little bit like the woman from 'Out of Africa' (what was her name?!) as people stare at me all the time and I seem so rich and posh compared to most of the people I encounter - even more so than usual! Gideon's friend, Mohan (?), said I looked like an actress they have over here, Gideon agrees but said I need dimples to look exactly the same! On the hill I had my big sunglasses on and the wind was blowing my scarf behind me and Gideon said I looked like a movie star. I did feel quite glamorous watching our shadows flickering by whilst on the bike. And people like to stare, what could make you feel more like a movie star??
On the guitar?
People seem to come and go in Gideon's house, he has a lovely guitar student with a beautiful voice; I was listening to them sing whilst I played spider-man games on the computer at the insistence of little Joel (almost five years old). I came out to write this and found them in a hot religious debate, I guess she must be Catholic and they were discussing prayer to Mary as the 'perfect mother of God', slipping in and out of English. India is smothered by religion; hindu statues, painted pictures of Jesus and the loud Muslim calls for prayer. Gid says that Hindu's are less encouraged to call on the loud speakers because the government is Muslim and Christians are just plain not allowed because the ministers take too long!
The student's going now, I don't think I saw her play the guitar once; maybe when I wasn't looking..!
Introduction to the ways of Lyds
I'm not sure if anyone will read this, but in case you do, here is a little bit about the who what why and when!
Who: Me (duh...)
What: My diary entries typed up for your eyes. (I may leave dull/irrelevant/personal stuff out!)
Why: So those who love and cherish me can get an insight into how I'm living and what is going through my mind.
When: I write in my diary everyday (so far!) but may post a blog weekly?? Not sure yet!
Hope you enjoy, if not let me know, or better still, stop reading! =D
God Bless,
Lyds x
P.S. The 'where' Is India, AP (Andhra Pradesh) =D
Who: Me (duh...)
What: My diary entries typed up for your eyes. (I may leave dull/irrelevant/personal stuff out!)
Why: So those who love and cherish me can get an insight into how I'm living and what is going through my mind.
When: I write in my diary everyday (so far!) but may post a blog weekly?? Not sure yet!
Hope you enjoy, if not let me know, or better still, stop reading! =D
God Bless,
Lyds x
P.S. The 'where' Is India, AP (Andhra Pradesh) =D
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