July 17th

I've been meaning to write for a while now but whenever I begin to write, something always seems to come up (or the power unexpectedly shuts off...). Between the classes, coursework, social obligations, meals, discussions, and meetings, we're oddly busy here. It's been almost three weeks here in Umarkhed and things are beginning to feel a little more comfortable and routine. The thing about living in a place like this, is that things never seem ordinary. The minute I think I have the area figured out and that I've adapted, something happens to surprise me. Whether good or bad. There’s always something new.

A ton has happened in the past couple weeks that I would've liked to been able to write about. We had a huge group of junior college girls come to the house and give us all henna (called "mendhi" here). We went to a sari shop and each bought saris that are being tailored at the moment. We ended up going upstairs to the sari shop owner's apartment and received chai and were able to sit in the air conditioning for a while. The owner's daughter came home as we were leaving the apartment and was so happy, it made all of our days. She kept saying "I'm so surprised you're here, I'm so happy. I'm going to tell all of my friends that you were here and they won’t believe me. Please don’t forget about me, I won’t forget about you” This type of interaction isn’t actually uncommon and it can feel strange, but it definitely makes us all feel like what we’re doing is worth it. It's also a great feeling to feel so welcomed and accepted in an area where we are trying very hard to be respectful. 

Eating south Indian food three times a day for a month is not easy (and definitely not easy on the body). We were finally able to get things like milk, eggs, and bread to be brought to the house almost daily. Now we can opt out of some meals and cook our own, although the options are still limited. My roommate and I also worked out a plan with Santosh, our favorite security guard, to come and cook tandoori chicken once a week. Our professors were worried that he would feel uncomfortable with this, since the staff here feels obligated to do anything we ask. But we’ve formed friendships with many of the employees here, like Santosh, and we are able to cook together without it feeling so much like an obligation for him.

Most days can be somewhat difficult. Some days we are not allowed to leave the house, some we have tons of work, and some it’s too hot to really do anything. It’s also difficult living in a house with 10 people, constantly having staff around, and constantly being watched.  But I’m making a point to find the positive in every day, or at least gain a lesson from that day. A lesson that I’ve learned this week is to be grateful for the small things. I think that in an area like this, you have to find the silver linings. Things like being brought chai in the morning because the house staff, like Dipak, know we love it. Like getting a couple hours of cool weather so that you can sit out on the porch and work. Like getting smiles from the younger girls on campus, remembering names and faces, and feeling like you’ve made friends and connections with people here. And like finally being able to make clear connections between readings or lectures and our experiences here in Umarkhed. I think we're all finally feeling a connection the the area, the community, and the work we're doing.