Sleeping With a Smile on my Face

Guest post by Emily Goligoski

February has been a months of firsts--my first trip to India, a virgin post on Blogspot, and the only time I've ever worn a bindi (or, as my dad described it upon seeing my travel photos, "that sparkly dot between your eyebrows and above your nose."). I've had a good time regaling San Francisco friends about seeing Ms. Bhatia in Raipur, Bhilai and Delhi, and riding on her pink Scooty was the motivation I needed to start looking seriously into a Vespa purchase.


A Wednesday wedding was a perfect way to celebrate my first 48 hours in Pooj's home away from home. Although I didn't get mendhi on my hands until Jaipur, we had a blast stocking up for the night at a mall with Western-style lattes and a big box store where I bought a plastic Ganesh and a DVD set of Shah Rukh Khan's greatest films.



We suited up at a forgettable hotel and tried to track down the Bharath, which we heard before we saw. A mobile DJ, fireworks, and 50 of the groom's family members and friends singing as they made their way to the outdoor wedding ceremony were hard to miss. I loved seeing the women walking with massive lightboxes on their heads as we approached (though I worry about their necks).

We arrived to find a beautifully decked out bride, pounds of fried food, and a light-up dance floor primarily used by men and boys age seven to 30. What wasn't to love? The other guests' attire ranged from rich colored saris to jeans (in the contradictory nature of many things I found in India, the brother of the groom was the one wearing denim while the husband-to-be was covered in gold fabric).

Halfway through the event, which can't truly be called a ceremony or a reception as the couple is being married while their guests eat and dance, two young gentlemen came up to us with a wrapped package. Assuming they had to leave early and wanted us to give the couple their gift, I took it, which made Pooj nudge me and whisper, "Say thank you...it's for you." We opened it back at the hotel to discover that it was a secondhand English copy of the Koran (I guess I really have "Midwestern Christian" written all over me), but not before we accepted the gents' offer to take us back on their motorcycles.

We took bucket baths and recalled what was possibly the most fun sober wedding of all time. Pooj said she saw me sleeping with a smile on my face--honestly, who wouldn't be after getting a colorful new outfit for a wedding for $12 and dancing the night away with 500 of their furthest friends?

a few of my favorite things...

10. Watching Grand Slam Tennis (in Bhilai) + Betting on Nadal beating Federer = Winning a homecooked meal consisting of daal fry & butter chicken. MMMM. Gotta love the Spaniard...and the Indian chef (thanks, Sanjay!)

9. Larger than life Buddha sculptures in caves that were discovered randomly by hunters. The Ajanta & Ellora caves were awesome. Highlights included: Michael convincing the Indian authorities he was from Thailand to get in for free, the Kailasa Temple at the Ellora caves which was constructed from a single rock from the top down and my 4 am train back to Bhilai in 1AC. Regards.

8. Bucket baths (w/the little plastic seat). I've never felt so clean! Seriously though, the water pressure from the shower just doesn't cut it...and if it's gonna be cold water, why not be sitting down, jamming to Bollywood hits in the background? (Actually, to be honest, listening to bollywood hits in the background can make anything fun...)

7. Mexican food in Delhi. The restaurant is called Sanchos in South Ex 1, and the head chef is straight from Mexico... seriously, so so good, it is even better than some restaurants in Cali (I know, right!). I recommend the Santa Fe Burrito. Oh, and the margaritas. I've been there twice and will go back there every time I'm in Delhi. Check out the assortment of salsas :) Ask Hemant about the dog he met outside...

6. Being part of an Indian wedding, specifically an Indian Bharath (the groom's wedding party procession). We danced for hours in the procession that was probably less than 3 km and which included (but was not limited to) fireworks every 2 minutes, women carrying lights on their head, a fully decorated car for Anup (the groom, a teacher at the youth Employability center) and Emily and me, the only two foreigners for hundreds of miles.

5. My "I hate mosquitos bc I'm scared to death of malaria and dengue but am more scared of the scary dreams and the damage to my liver so I quit the anti malarial medicine" kit. Is it bad that I think Mortein smells kinda good?

4. My gumcha. You might think it's a scarf (it's not) or a shawl (it's not) or just a piece of fabric (probably the closest thing)...but it's a gumcha. I wear this amazing accessory (of which I have many) when scootin' around Bhilai (with my helmet on top, of course) to keep away the dust. Meanwhile, most people where it to keep their skin safe (from getting tan) and according to Animesh, girls wear it to conceal their identity when riding around with their secret boyfriends...ooooohhh.

3. Goa. From the gorgeous beaches to the delicious seafood (jumbo prawn and promfret) to the scooty's availaible for rent and the crazy nightlife...what more could ya ask for? Oh, also included in #3 are cows on beaches and Diego's amazing photography skills, too.

2. My anti-hair falling treatment. My daily supplement of Biotin (a vitamin for your hair and skin) was recommended by my chachi (my dad's brother's wife, who is a homeopathic doctor). Also, I recently found a store down the street (read: small street stall) that will deliver to my house two huge jugs of mineral water weekly for 90 Rs. so I can wash my hair with non-hard water (is that technically soft water?). Oh and yes, I use a separate bucket for this water in order to avoid contamination. I'll keep you updated on the progress, if any, if not, well, I'll be bald come summer.

1. Fab India. Need I say more? Oh and I just found one in Raipur (only 45 min from Bhilai)...just what I need to add to my over 1 dozen items that I already have from there...also included in #1 are insanely bright colors and the tasty organic dried fruits they sell.

white like me

a conversation between Moni (my mentor's 7 year old niece...the one wearing a helmet and sunglasses in my blog) and me.

Moni: You have a friend visiting?

me: Yes. She is coming from America.

Moni: America? Is that where you're from? You told me you lived on the moon?

me: Oh yes, the moon. Well, it is very close to America...and people from both places speak Spanish. Anyway, yes, she is coming tomorrow.

Moni: Is she like you?

me: What do you mean?

Moni: Like, is she white like you? (the actual word she used was "Gori" which means fair/white)

me: Um, no? I'm not white...

Moni: What do you mean?

me: You'll see.