Riding in taxis

7/19/10 - 4pm

I don’t know why I thought this, but I had assumed that Delhi was a fairly dense city where it would be easy to walk pretty much anywhere I needed to go. Wrong! It's actually quite spread out and confusing to navigate with many traffic circles and streets that seem to go off at strange angles. The area near my hotel is all beautiful tree-lined streets and wide boulevards. It is always wonderful to go for a taxi ride and see the world passing by!

My school is in the military base area of New Delhi, called Delhi Cantt (short for Cantonment). On my ride to and from work, after a few minutes on the expressway, I pass by all kinds of battalions, mess halls, army hospitals, etc. before going through an area where there are a couple missionary schools. After that we make a right onto a dirt road and pass by a bunch of cows eating scraps of food that have been left out for them. Then we go around a bend and we're at my school. It is quite different from my drive to SOTF every day, that's for sure! There is always something new and exciting to see just around the bend.

The "Elisabeth M'am" novelty hasn't worn off at my school, and today I got to visit a couple of classrooms who had been begging their teachers to make arrangements to speak with me. The kids want to know all about life in America, my students, my school… I have gotten all sorts of questions! Even better, a couple of the girls made me really sweet cards and drawings to welcome me to their school. I could tell how much thought and effort went into these and I will treasure them forever!

Today has been sort of a quiet day because a couple of the people in our group are under the weather, myself included (although I'm doing pretty well in comparison, considering I was able to go to school today and others had to call out sick!). The heat yesterday really did a number on me, however, I am mostly better after some resting, sleeping (yes- both resting AND sleeping), lots of water and fruit, and a little bit of exercise today at the hotel's fitness center. I should be good as new by tomorrow, and am looking forward to the possibility of doing a bit of sightseeing on my way home from work, as long as it hasn't started raining by then. The forecast keeps calling for rain, but it hasn't actually rained in a week.

There's not a whole lot of specific news to report, but I realized today (now that I've been here in India for a full week) that I am really learning a lot about myself, the world, and my place in it. That being said, I have to confess I get a little homesick at times, but this is to be expected. After all, I am literally on the other side of the planet!