Pros and Cons

Things I'm Having Trouble Getting Used To:

1.) Bucket Showers- Showering in my home consists of two faucets (one for luke-warm water, one for cold) and two buckets (one big, one small.) I fill the big bucket halfway with warm water, then use the small bucket to wash off shampoo/soap and clean my feet (which are consistently dirty.) It does the same job as a showerhead-stream and certainly saves a whole lot of water that would otherwise get wasted...buttt the comfort level? Not so great, seeing as long, burning hot showers are one of my favorite hobbies. 

2.) NO CRUNCHY VEGETABLES! Raw veggies for foreigners are a no-no because they are often grown in unsanitary conditions and are common hosts to parasites and diseases. Any vegetables we eat have to be thoroughly cooked. This means they're usually soaked in sauces to the point where you wouldn't even know you're eating vegetables anymore. What I'd do for a greek salad right about now....

3.) The Looks and the Photos- I'm not sure if it's because I'm not Indian or because I'm a woman...it's most likely a combination of the two...but I'm constantly being stared at by Indian men. Not just in a "glance quickly as you walk past" kind of way...but a blatant "I'M WATCHING YOU, LADY" manner....or so it feels that way to me. In the beginning, I felt very uncomfortable with it, so I would cover my face with my scarf, but now, I've just realized that they don't mean to cause any harm or be intrusive....they're just "curious." (This is what I've been told my my teachers at school during orientation.) 

Over the past two weeks, I've gotten used to the stares and the smirks, but I still am having trouble with having my photo taken. Some people will ask me if it's alright if they can take a photo with me, but others will just whip out their cell phones and follow me for a little while, though I've gotten up the courage to tell those folks to stop it. They usually quickly mope away afterwards. I'm not sure I really do anything "photo-worthy" but I guess "looking different" is interesting enough for some people.

Things I Could Get Used To:

1.) Indian clothing- Before I got here, I was nervous about what I was going to wear. It seemed absurd to me that wearing pants in 95 degree weather with 99% humidity was the norm. I was also worried that my American clothes I brought with me would make me look like a tourist...which would make the people here not take me seriously....(although there's not much I can do about my passport holder, cargo pants, and Merrell hiking sandals.) To my surprise, Indian women's clothing is THE BEST! All of the clothes are cotton which means they're lightweight and super comfy. The traditional pants here are one-size-fits-all and are extremely baggy that tie with a string at the waist. You wear a kurta (a long shirt with slits on the sides) over the pants and ta-da! A cute outfit that's even more comfortable than your pajamas. 

2.) Indian Hospitality- All of the adults I've spent time with so far have been nothing but kind and accommodating to me. From my host-family making me breakfast every morning to my teachers asking me numerous times throughout the day if I'm feeling any better, I am so impressed by the kindness and patience that people here have. Perhaps my experiences are a little skewed, seeing as my program is so well-run and the people involved are so professional, but even so, I feel very taken care of here so far away from home. 

3.) Eating With Your Hands- Utensils are over-rated. All you need is a good piece of chapati to do the job of scooping up any other food. (Although this means you'll probably have to eat a lot more carbs in the process.) It's actually kind of fun, except if you're a kind of person that doesn't like any of your food touching.