in india 2006
Yesterday, the first day of the 45th year of my life, proved to be quite an interesting day. India is many things – frustrating, hot, nasty, conniving, dirty, lying, noisy, tasty, hot, crowded, smelly, and did i mention “HOT”? One thing it is not, and that is “boring”. Open your window and see a world that is sometimes stranger than fiction; talk to someone and learn that logic plays no part in some people’s lives; smile at someone and say “hi” to get an almost-lifelong (it seems) “friend”.
I stayed in India for 4 months in 1998, helping a self-supporting pastor, and helping set up the accounting books for an orphange. Many things i had learned up to then in schools and life were proven wrong by staying here, and i had a terrible time trying to regain my confidence in people again, (and in keeping additional hair from falling out 🙂 Actually, the hair outage stopped after 3 days of seaweed eating in Korea, and the human-confidence factor was restored about 1 day after returning to Japan.
So this time, what will happen? I made it here on Tuesday, and had some experiences Wednesday, but yesterday was super interesting. First, my friend came to visit in my hotel room in the morning, bringing some lovely chapati and okra with just one hot pepper in it. I have a supply of food with me, so spread some peanut butter on the chapati, and ate a few handfuls of raisins, had a sesame-sugar (jiggery) combination brought from Sri Lanka, and topped everything with a Vitamin C tablet. “Hotel” has a nice ring, and may raise some eyebrows about missionaries living high, but at 200Rs. (4.5dollars), i could live much more cheaply here than staying in a normal apt. in most developed countries.
…