Touch down…

My camera is acting up so all the pictures I’ve taken in the past few weeks are sitting in the camera with no place to go.

Life has been quite different here. I’ve moved at least 40 times in my life but this move has to be the most difficult ever. I couldn’t open a bank account without some document with an India address. I went to the driver license place, which was a circus in itself, and got the worst picture taken of me but today I finally have a drivers license with an address on it so I can open a bank account. I went to the bank and presented the 30 some odd pages of applications, birth certificates, passport, driver license, tax return, utility bill and opened an account. I had tea with the clerk that opened the account and coffee with the man who assisted me with online banking. I really enjoy the lifestyle here to take tea breaks during business. (Sigh)! It only took 8 weeks heheheheheehe. I’m so very very happy! Words cannot describe the relief that this little thing of opening a bank account has given me. I faxed the wire transfer to the US bank and called this evening to confirm the receipt of said fax and was told I faxed the wrong form. I said, “please, I’m in India, don’t make me down load the file, go to the internet café, print it out again, fill it out again, get it notarized again and fax again. This will take another few weeks and I’m leaving for China and I need my money.” The girl felt for me and said this time we will accept this form but next time use the proper form. So by Friday I should have 90% of all my money in India and receive 3.5% which is way better than the 0.01% I was getting in the USA.

Coming home from the bank I took the metro with no problem. Got off at the right station and was told to take an auto rickshaw to my street. I asked 3 auto rickshaw drivers to take me and they all said no. Being a foreigner and minority has it’s down side. So I walked and walked and walked. I finally got to a familiar road. I stopped to get my eyes examined since it’s been two years. The good news is my far sided problem is no longer so I don’t need trifocals anymore. The bad news is my reading site is worse. I’m wearing contacts now that my eyes are not used to so everything is a blur. I will have to save this and read it in the morning before I post it. No more taking off my glasses for pictures, no more looking for my glasses to read, I’m very very happy!

My sister sent me a coffee maker. They only use instant coffee here and I missed brewed coffee. When it arrived, it was broken. So I had all this coffee with no way to make it. I found an electric tea maker that boils 2 cups of water in 30 seconds and made my first cup of fresh brewed coffee this afternoon and enjoyed it so much that I’m very very happy.

I went to the circus today. I couldn’t take pictures and it was just as well. They were freaks! And the animal trainer kept hitting the elephant and I almost started to cry. I didn’t like that man at all but Sreeshti’s smiles at all the acts were well worth the freak show.

The flat I am in now has no hot water. I found a device to heat up water but was afraid to use it so I skyped with my sister who witnessed the event. It took several attempts to wrap the cord around a stick and put the stick on the table and file cabinet to hang the device so it wouldn’t touch the plastic bucket. I took my first hot bath in a week. By bath I mean using a bucket of hot water and using a small bucket to pour the water on me. The tub has no plug so I’m still working on getting a real bath. I have patience. I’m just thankful I don’t have to take cold baths anymore; pouring cold water on me was not any fun so I’m very very happy.

I grew up on boneless chicken breast and as an adult that is what I always bought. Eating chicken on the bone has always been a chore for me. The people here suck the bone dry and I feel bad that I leave so much meat on the bone. Last week I got a piece of chicken that had one bone and one cartilage. The meat fell off the bone so it was clean and I cleaned the cartilage as well. I cleaned my plate I was so happy. Auntie looked at my plate and asked “aren’t you going to eat that?” I asked what? She said the cartilage. I said you eat that? Satyaki came in and said it was the best part of the chicken. I scratched my head and wondered ‘what?” I ate fish head, fish tail I guess I can eat chicken cartilage. I nibbled on it and it didn’t taste like much and it wasn’t too hard so I ate the whole thing. Ufffffff, these people and their eating habits; they don’t waste anything which is good, I just had to learn to eat things I normally put to the side.. I have much to learn but I was very very happy that I made another adjustment to this life.

Last week my neck had enough; I needed a massage. I went to the gym and got a massage from a lady that kinda freaked me out. I told her my neck and shoulders hurt. She started working on my legs, then arms, then stomach, then chest then butt but never worked on my shoulders and arms. It was one of the strangest massages I’ve ever had. She stopped in the middle of my massage to have her afternoon tea. Even though I didn’t get relief, I felt compelled to tip her. She was so proud of herself for massaging me. I gotta find a real massage therapist SOON!

I’ve made some mistakes here and I ask God to forgive me and have mercy on my heart and the heart of those I may have affected. I feel bad that I have caused pain to anyone. I know God forgives me. I must forgive myself and release the pressure I’ve put on myself. I ask God to heal anyone I have offended and to make them happy again. I pray that God will help me with my studies and keep my body healthy. I ask God to protect me as I begin another journey to China. I pray that those who take the time to read my blog are blessed with an understanding that life has many challenges and we all need each other to support with our loving thoughts. I pray for every one of God’s children to have their hearts filled with joy, happiness and a sense of safety.

All in all, I’m very very happy – I feel like I made my first touchdown in the game of life in India.