Monkeys!

7/15/10 - 4:30pm

Last night, we went to the Delhi interpretation of a hip and cool bar/restaurant, known as a Resto-Bar. It was a blast, and would have been way more fun had I not been COMPLETELY exhausted. I had a delicious meal and a Diet Coke (Diet Coke is never as good abroad as it is in the States, unfortunately) for about US $8. Then, for the first time since arriving here in India, I got a good night's sleep! Success!

So, today was my second day at KV No. 2, and it was another set of interesting and enlightening experiences.

Socializing is a big part of life in India. I am finding that people like to sit and talk and get to know you before getting down to business. It is very roundabout, but highly enjoyable, and while I can understand that it would be frustrating for some people, I have embraced it wholeheartedly! The first question everybody asks you is, "Did you have breakfast?" and the second is "Would you like some tea?". The correct answer to both of these questions is always "yes" because even if you've eaten, they will give you more food, and the tea is utterly delicious! Complete food overload- luckily for me, I have enough time to get in a good workout each afternoon- otherwise I would probably end up needing a seatbelt extender on the flight home.

In getting to know me, teachers have a lot of questions about my life and what it's like to teach in the U.S. and they also want to know whether I like India and if I think it's too hot here. The smartest thing I did to prepare for the trip was to bring a small photo album along with me. It contains pictures of SOTF, my learners, my neighborhood, my house, and a couple other randoms, like a picture of my family and a picture of Jason's niece Sarah, a picture I took of Citizens Bank Park and a picture of me and Jason with the World Series trophy.

Although everybody speaks English, there is definitely a language barrier. I have a hard time understanding them, they have a hard time understanding me. I have taken to speaking very slowly and very clearly, and that helps a ton, and the folks I am talking to are happy to repeat or rephrase if I tell them I don't understand. (Related: many American movies and TV shows that air here in India have English subtitles.)

I got to teach a couple classes today, which was great. The KV schools have a class called "Spoken English" to improve their students' speaking skills, as very few families speak English at home. At my school, most students speak Hindi at home, but in other parts of India families speak other languages. Anyway, I have been given free reign over the Spoken English class for the time I am here, and there is no set curriculum. Today I had the kids ask me questions: they wanted to know what my hobbies are, whether I saw "Paranormal Activity," what TV shows I like, how old I am, whether I am married, what kinds of foods I like, what I hope to gain by spending time in India, etc. All great questions!

But you might be wondering why I titled this entry "monkeys" and that is because there was a MONKEY IN MY SCHOOL TODAY. And it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I assumed this was a regular occurrence, but it's not- if I'd known that I would have gotten out my camera to take some video. Anyway- this monkey showed up in the hallway (the hallways are open-air so it had probably gotten in by climbing up a tree or something) and everybody totally went into a tizzy. The monkey was going here and there, it climbed down the stairs and into an area where there were some display cases of student projects and it started eating somebody's paper project! Monkeys are quite dangerous, so nobody could get that close to it, but somehow it eventually climbed over the edge of the hallway and into the courtyard, and up over the roof. For the life of me I could not stop laughing because I don't really think of monkeys as animals so much as I see them as little mischievous people, and this monkey was just like, "Oh! A geometry project! I think I'll eat it! And now I think I'll climb around and let these stupid humans chase me!"

I should also mention the fact that drivers in Delhi are totally insane compared to Americans. The overall speed is much slower- but although there are lane lines painted on the road, the concept of a "lane" is totally foreign. There are the buses and trucks, there are the cars and taxis, and there are auto rickshaws ("autos") and motorbikes that squeeze through small spaces. Spaces so small that I'm pretty sure that auto drivers must have the ability to bend the laws of physics because I'm sitting in an auto thinking "There is no way he can fit between those two buses" and then… he does. Riding in an auto is like the best adventure you will ever have.

So, monkeys… magic autos… delicious food… the "Indian way" of doing business… custom-made clothes… excellent hospitality… helpful, friendly, wonderful, kind people everywhere… I love it all!