A conversation between Nicole Patel (previous AIF fellow, current AIF employee) and me at the AIF office, Delhi.
"Where are you based, again? Raipur?"
"No, Bhilai."
"Oh. Is Bhilai charming?"
"Um, not really."
"Is it pretty?"
"The sunsets are AMAZING...but I think that's bc of pollution."
"Oh. It kind of reminds me of a small trucker town."
"Have you ever heard of Gary, Indiana?"
"Ohhhh. Yes. That's it."
"Come visit?"
Silence.
No, but seriously...I've been in Delhi for less than 24 hours and I miss Bhilai.
What does that mean?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
My first Indian birthday...
no no, I turned 25. (sorry, sorry bad joke, I know).
First off, I'm not gonna lie, I'm honestly very sad that I can no longer check the 18-24 year old box on surveys...I'm now...25-34. UM.
Ok, so anyway. My birthday actually started on the night of december 4th when after finishing work (I swear, the next entry is about work!) I headed to my mentor's house to hang out with Sanju and Animesh to have some chai. It turns out Sanju had snuck to the market that day after lunch and bought me a pair of silver pile (aka anklets) and was too excited to wait till the next day so she gave them to me then (I swear, in the last 2 days I have gotten so many comments on looking "typically" Indian bc of my pile). I then realized that no one else was home besides the three of us, so I made Animesh put the 20 Rs. CD I bought last weekend with over 140 Bollywood hits into the CD player and turn the volume UP. It was one of the best.dance parties.ever. Sanju then insisted that I stay for dinner because she was going to make me something "non-veg" (my birthday fell on a Friday, so she couldn't make anything non-veg or with onions or garlic because Friday is a day of fasting in Singh house). While she cooked me an omelette with roti, she sent Animesh to the store to buy me a beer (yes, one) with strict instructions that I was to go home and enjoy it, afterall it was my birthday.
The next am I woke up early (possibly slightly H.O.) so I could buy galaab jamun (an indian dessert) to distribute to friends and co-workers, as is the Indian tradition. When I went to the Youth Employability Training Center where I work to give out the treats, the kids started singing "happy birdday m'am" and insisting that I let them each feed me galaab jamun (mind you there were over 60 students).
In the evening I received a phone-call from the courier, telling me that he had something to deliver in 30 minutes. Assuming that it was a train ticket from AIF, I thought nothing of it. When he arrived at my mentor's door an hour and half later with orange daisies and a chocolate cake, I sorta started freaking out. Apparenty my family had found an Indian website that delivered in Bhilai. My family. Indian website. Bhilai. Chocolate cake. Yes, you read that right. I then received a phone call from my sister freaking out that the website actually worked and that the package was actually delivered on my birthday.
My mentor then insisted that we go out to dinner (even though she was fasting) so we could cut the cake (not to mention the three brats upstairs were begging to come too). So, the 7 of us plus the driver, piled into the car and headed to my favorite restaurant in town, "Rooftop" (the restaurant is located on the rooftop of a shopping complex). On the way, we stopped at a store called Z-sale so the kids could buy some toys for themselves and buy me a gift, when all of a sudden my mentor dragged me out of the store and took me to a "western" clothing store to buy me a birdday gift. I tried (15 times, no joke) to explain that there was no reason for her to buy me a gift and on top of that, I didn't want to buy "western" clothes from India. To which she responded by pushing me into the fitting room. Needless to say, I was only forced to try on one pair of jeans before she sent me back to Z-sale and said she'd look herself. I ended up with a Kurta top that is sorta of cool...and a belt with a skull and crossbones and a Budweister bottle on it that is, well, still at my mentor's house under a pile of laundry.
Oh, India. This was definitely a day of firsts...
First off, I'm not gonna lie, I'm honestly very sad that I can no longer check the 18-24 year old box on surveys...I'm now...25-34. UM.
Ok, so anyway. My birthday actually started on the night of december 4th when after finishing work (I swear, the next entry is about work!) I headed to my mentor's house to hang out with Sanju and Animesh to have some chai. It turns out Sanju had snuck to the market that day after lunch and bought me a pair of silver pile (aka anklets) and was too excited to wait till the next day so she gave them to me then (I swear, in the last 2 days I have gotten so many comments on looking "typically" Indian bc of my pile). I then realized that no one else was home besides the three of us, so I made Animesh put the 20 Rs. CD I bought last weekend with over 140 Bollywood hits into the CD player and turn the volume UP. It was one of the best.dance parties.ever. Sanju then insisted that I stay for dinner because she was going to make me something "non-veg" (my birthday fell on a Friday, so she couldn't make anything non-veg or with onions or garlic because Friday is a day of fasting in Singh house). While she cooked me an omelette with roti, she sent Animesh to the store to buy me a beer (yes, one) with strict instructions that I was to go home and enjoy it, afterall it was my birthday.
The next am I woke up early (possibly slightly H.O.) so I could buy galaab jamun (an indian dessert) to distribute to friends and co-workers, as is the Indian tradition. When I went to the Youth Employability Training Center where I work to give out the treats, the kids started singing "happy birdday m'am" and insisting that I let them each feed me galaab jamun (mind you there were over 60 students).
In the evening I received a phone-call from the courier, telling me that he had something to deliver in 30 minutes. Assuming that it was a train ticket from AIF, I thought nothing of it. When he arrived at my mentor's door an hour and half later with orange daisies and a chocolate cake, I sorta started freaking out. Apparenty my family had found an Indian website that delivered in Bhilai. My family. Indian website. Bhilai. Chocolate cake. Yes, you read that right. I then received a phone call from my sister freaking out that the website actually worked and that the package was actually delivered on my birthday.
My mentor then insisted that we go out to dinner (even though she was fasting) so we could cut the cake (not to mention the three brats upstairs were begging to come too). So, the 7 of us plus the driver, piled into the car and headed to my favorite restaurant in town, "Rooftop" (the restaurant is located on the rooftop of a shopping complex). On the way, we stopped at a store called Z-sale so the kids could buy some toys for themselves and buy me a gift, when all of a sudden my mentor dragged me out of the store and took me to a "western" clothing store to buy me a birdday gift. I tried (15 times, no joke) to explain that there was no reason for her to buy me a gift and on top of that, I didn't want to buy "western" clothes from India. To which she responded by pushing me into the fitting room. Needless to say, I was only forced to try on one pair of jeans before she sent me back to Z-sale and said she'd look herself. I ended up with a Kurta top that is sorta of cool...and a belt with a skull and crossbones and a Budweister bottle on it that is, well, still at my mentor's house under a pile of laundry.
Oh, India. This was definitely a day of firsts...
11 things I never thought I'd do...and actually love.
11. Put coconut oil in my hair. (It just smells so...so...good. Don't worry, I wash it out)
10. Limit my consumption of DC to 1-2 per week. (Duuude it's like expensive!)
9. Eat pizza with ketchup...and omelletes with roti. (I totes recommend)
8. Illegally (sorta) go through a railroad crossing when the gate is down (I say "sorta" bc I saw a police officer do it a few days back).
7. Voluntarily think of switching from a shower to bucket bath (seriously, there's just something about it!)
6. Go on a date with a 9-fingered man...and then find out he's a defaulter. (defaulter= a person with bad character, other new "Indo" vocab that I have now incorporated into my daily speak... latrine= taking a shit, public= referring to lots of people, smart= good looking)
5. Waking up at 7 am when I don't have to be at work till 10 am. (I know, who am I?)
4. Have a mini crush on my mentor's nephew (um, he just turned 18).
3. Go on morning walks listening to Bollywood hits on repeat.
2. Buy an Indian ringback tone (Desi girl what what! aka the weird indo music you hear if you call my mobile...so call my mobile. mobile = cellphone, btw).
1. ...Celebrate my 25th birthday totally sober...but more importantly, totally happy and totally overwhelmed with love from India and the U.S. (thanks everyone!)
10. Limit my consumption of DC to 1-2 per week. (Duuude it's like expensive!)
9. Eat pizza with ketchup...and omelletes with roti. (I totes recommend)
8. Illegally (sorta) go through a railroad crossing when the gate is down (I say "sorta" bc I saw a police officer do it a few days back).
7. Voluntarily think of switching from a shower to bucket bath (seriously, there's just something about it!)
6. Go on a date with a 9-fingered man...and then find out he's a defaulter. (defaulter= a person with bad character, other new "Indo" vocab that I have now incorporated into my daily speak... latrine= taking a shit, public= referring to lots of people, smart= good looking)
5. Waking up at 7 am when I don't have to be at work till 10 am. (I know, who am I?)
4. Have a mini crush on my mentor's nephew (um, he just turned 18).
3. Go on morning walks listening to Bollywood hits on repeat.
2. Buy an Indian ringback tone (Desi girl what what! aka the weird indo music you hear if you call my mobile...so call my mobile. mobile = cellphone, btw).
1. ...Celebrate my 25th birthday totally sober...but more importantly, totally happy and totally overwhelmed with love from India and the U.S. (thanks everyone!)
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