Two Weeks

Ahhhh the sweet sweet taste of two weeks.  I wasn’t planning on updating just weekly, but it seems like it’s the way it may work out!  This past week has marked a lot of decisions and even some breakthroughs for me.  Well I guess I also realized some good things.

First, I have had absolutely zero stomach issues since I’ve been here.  I’m a little obsessive about my probiotics, but overall I think the food is so good for me.  I feel so much better just cutting out meat, as of now I have decided to try to keep it up when I get home too.  I find it really remarkable how many people advocate vegetarianism here.  It’s so common because of Hinduism, but so many people are vegetarians regardless.  Frankly the meat kind of grosses me out, so it’s easy!  But honestly, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt this healthy.  I sleep well, I eat well, I’m drinking tons of water, and I do yoga 4 days a week.  How lucky am I???  The only bad thing is that my skin has taken awhile to get used to the change in humidity and everything and has been irritated and stuff, but hopefully that’ll just work itself out. 

Second, I am enjoying my classes so much.  I am starting to feel what I’d like to dub the Triple I:  Intense Indian Immersion.  I just feel the desire to soak up all things Indian.  I just checked out Ghandi’s autobiography from the library, and I’m going to read the Gita while I’m here for sure.  I watched my first Bollywood movie called Lagaan.  They are so freaking entertaining in the most annoying way possible, but the music’s really great.  And I could not hate more how much they perpetuate tradition family and marriage values.  It’s depressing… but they make you so damn happy. 

Third, I have decided on a possible internship project.  There is an artist’s colony called Cholamandal outside of Chennai where I would like to volunteer for a month, doing anything and everything.  It’s right on the coast of the Bay of Bengal I think and supposedly it’s beautiful, although Chennai is supposed to be pretty nasty.  Anyway, the director of my program is going to put in a call for me and see if they could use me.  There’s a big chance there might not be anything for me to do there, in which case I’d have to choose something else, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed! 

So, that’s mostly what I’ve been up to!  Last weekend we went to Bandipur, a wildlife reservation, and it was possibly the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.  We saw four or five elephants, but from very far away.  VERY far away.  Pics to come on Facebook soon.  

Love,

Julia