So for the last two posts I haven’t had Internet. It is definitely annoyingly inconvenient to me as an American, which only makes me feel more like a foreigner in this beautiful place called Delhi. I try and think of how good it is for me to not be able to have such modern convinces all the time. Not only has the Internet in the hotel not been working, but I have had some interesting run ins with electricity in this country. There is a button in my room that turns of all the electricity, and somehow this button got pressed unbeknownst to my roommate and I. For maybe 20 minutes we waddled in only the light of day, until finally another IES student came in, he had overheard that we didn’t have electricity, and showed us how to click the electricity back on. SO now we have light! But we have no electricity in our electrical outlet (?), which is also annoying to me because my computer and camera are about drained of batterly life. Of course, if I don’t’t have Internet it almost doesn’t matter if my computer has life (except to write these posts).
Luckily, today, my IES supervisors are taking us to the IES headquarters at the local YMCA. I am hoping to be able to charge my appliances as well as access the Internet! Yay!
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Here are some tidbits on India:
To Sophie,
Sophie, there are many dogs that run rampant throughout the streets of Delhi. But they are not like American strays. They seem 100% functional as strays, and I have only seen one or two (out of the maybe 30-50 that I have seen) that are boney. When I see most of these stray dogs they are lying in the beautiful fields of the gardens I have been to, and are sunbathing in the warmth of the day. It doesn’t really get that cold here, maybe it gets down to the high 30’s at night, so the dogs aren’t at risk for freezing. Most of the dogs appear to travel together. Usually when I see dogs sunbathing it is not unusual to see three in a row, all sleeping in the same position and direction, like three pigs in a blanket. Also, the dogs are not scared or shy. They seem aware of their place in Delhi, just like many of the Indian people. They do not seek humans for love and affection, but if cooed at or if talked to they will wag their tails like Riley and jump around like playful pups. Last night, a cute little stray that I saw at an outdoor bazaar was hanging outside the restaurant stand my friend and I were eating at. This man kept shooing the dog away, but finally he began to talk to it. He sat down in a chair, and the dog rushed over and put her head in his lap and waged her tail. The man gave it quick pats on the head. It makes me sad that there are so many dogs without homes, but I have been told there is an organization that goes around and neuters and spays these strays in an effort to reduce their numbers. However, Sophie, dogs are not the only ones to live on the streets. I have seen many people that appear to live with their few belongings on the sidewalks. I suppose this is they way of Delhi.
India is a culture of vibrant colors. I have been told that originally, Indian was a bland desert environment, and people would use these rich colors to bring beauty and vibrancy into their world. Now, the beautiful colors mix into the beauty of the land and green of the India I have seen. It makes America look dull and plain.
The psychotherapist the other day told us that India is a city of extremes. Delhi is a city of very rich and very poor. Like I mentioned, there are many people lined on the sidewalks whom cook their meals over small fires. There are also exquisite shops and boutiques, and people that drive Mercedes-Benz and BMWs.
The other night, my friends and I ordered dinner at the hotel. It was amazing. But when we asked to wrap up our leftover to go the waiter gave us a wry smile. He wrapped up our food, but we felt like we had done something wrong. Then I asked if taking food “to go” was social acceptable. Apparently, in old India, food did not leave the table after a meal. In Buddhist culture, left over food was given to the poor. One of my supervisors told me that she will sometimes ask for to go bags, and that it is okay. She also said that she does not fret over wasting food, because left over food will be eaten by the restaurant help in the back, or by hungry people or animals.
