I keep forgetting that I'm half way across the world. Life is just normal. It really helped that Carlien, Sebastian, Maren and I moved into a small house about a ten minute walk from campus. We've been there for about half a month now and we frequently have others over and make dinners and eat them on our big porch, and sit out at night talking on our swing. I've invested in a rug and bed spread, which makes the our room feel less institutional, with my next goal being curtains. I spent yesterday drawing on our porch listening to music on our little indian boom box. We once carried it around with us and blasted the Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack as we drove around in an autorickshaw, the autowallas got a huge kick out of it. But as much as I feel I have found my place in this bustling Metropolis of about 5 million, there is something about this country that makes me realize that I will never really belong. There are things about the people and the general culture that continue to baffle me, such as India's complete fascination with foreigners.
We travelled to Mandu a few
weekends ago on a school trip. Its a little town with some incredible mughal historical sites. A huge fort, watch tower station, mosques, and hill top relaxation stations. It doesn't see a lot of foreigners but has a large influx of Indian tourists on weekends. I now understand how a celebrity might feel. The first day I posed for a picture along with Sebastian and an older canadian couple for the tour guide of Mandu Fort. The next day I was chased down and recognized from my picture in the local paper. I had my head turned and was behind Sebastian barely in view. Later that day, we were stalked around buildings with men holding out their camera phones. I started turning my camera on them to have them shy away. Pretty soon we were being mobbed by young boys repeatedly asking for "one photo, one photo," Mary and I started demanding ten rupees. They turned to each other "do you have ten rupees?" We later found Sebastian mid-photo shoot with ten people and about 25 looking on. He made the mistake of shaking with one, and then the rest of the them followed, it took him another 25 minutes before he finished. The young boys continually followed Mary and I shouting "Ten Rupees! Ten Rupees!" The mobs would come and leave as they came and left the buildings, watching us as if we would preform or do something exciting.
We moved onto the the next site and Mary and I sat at the bottom of the hill sketching the building far beyond us. As I was drawing I hear footsteps, then running. I looked up to a sea of about fifty faces staring back. I motioned to them to part so I could continue drawing, they parted and continued to stare for a little longer. Shortly after the group of young boys found us, shouting ten rupees and taking multiple pictures while standing behind us. Its a very strange thing to have strangers so attracted you. Mary was very frustrated and asked me how I was sketching so calmly, it was beginning to really piss her off. I've begun to realize there are very different rules about personal courtesy and space, and a different understanding of what is intrusive and rude. They are curious so they stare, and take pictures and ask questions. I just try to hide my curiosity a little bit out of respect and little bit out of fear. We often take pictures camera at hip, to not seem "rude." But doing exactly what the Indian people want to do with us, but we just don't want hundreds of pictures with various Indians to take back home. I've started to just find ways of making it more fun and just indulge there requests. Like happily taking an offered sandwich and happily chewing it as we pose for the picture. There's something wonderful about someone, somewhere in India having a picture of just me and their baby. I hope they frame it. You get kind of used to the strange amounts of attention, it just makes traveling to attractions doubly exhausting. You can't just sit and enjoy the scenery, its impossible.
On my walk to school everyday I've gotten very used to various good mornings and hellos while passing about 5 cows ankle deep in trash eating plastic bags with crows swarming them, a pen of goats made of overturned beds and two camels digging into greens from a cart on the side of the road and of course about 20 different stray dogs. They are everywhere. We have our campus dogs, including mama and her five puppies and Little Girl the campus favorite. You'll frequently see Little Girl being stroked to sleep by one of the caretakers. She's really adorable not quite full grown and with a light brown shiny coat. One day as I was buying our daily ice creams, Little Girl ran whimpering through the canteen with a huge open wound leaving a blood trail. We didn't see her the rest of the day. Later Carlien say the dog at the guard station wrapped in a blanket, they were taking her to the hospital. We have now found out the girlfriend of on our friend Gargan's roommates has forced him to keep the dog in their hostel. They are now 4 boys and a Little Girl.
The dogs sometimes freak me out at night they seem to become different animals, often barking until hoarse at anyone that passes. I had to walk by a a group of dogs on my way home, on got on the defense and I kind of started to cower. I hadn't noticed that an old woman who usually cheerily waves at me and then holds out her hand for money was behind me. She hollered at the dogs and they cowered themselves in retreat. She smiled at me and walked on. This morning as I walked to class she came from behind me and got my attention, gave me a big smile waved and said "Bye bye." I think we've bonded. There is also a little boy who greets me every morning chatting at me in hindi he comes up with his little backpack and outstretched hand. We shake he grins and walks on. I am so glad I had the chance to just live in one place.
Animal Count: An owl, a tree full of bats, a few elephants (one of which I rode!), many camels, loads of monkeys, herds of goats and cattle and buffalo in the streets, bunnies and birds in cages, I've become friends with the numerous stray dogs, though I'm particularly fond of one injured puppy and have given up on the campus cat.
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