it's no turkey sandwich

June 5^th 2007 730pm

I will make this a short one b/c the power has been out today since about 330 and Im not sure when it will come back. I want to save my computer battery for my life saving emails tomorrow morning; since it is my only form of communication right now. These past two days have been good, just getting into the swing of work. Today I went into the office in the village, just 3km away, where my boss has his office. My neighbor gave me a ridge on his motor bike, so I didn’t have to walk. But man if I had only brought my bike helmet. I know I would look pretty funny, but everyone stares at me anyway, so I might as well at least be safe.

ooh, the power just came back on!! And I just got my dinner. Things are really looking up tonight. Mrs. M delivers my dinner every night in 3-4 stacked tin canisters that are held together with the handle. It is actually pretty handy, and what everyone brings lunch in to work. Im thinking I can bring a set home for my lunches. Tonight Mrs. M brought fresh mango juice, well mango pulp—it is really just puréed mango, and it is delicious! There is also two small dishes of sauce or soup-like consistency , one large one (maybe the amount of a mug of soup), a cup of rice and then roti (the thin bread that you eat everything with). At least that’s what I think it is called. Every night Mrs. M says what the dishes are, and Im sad to say I can not tell you one of them. I just nod and say thank you. Its good food, that’s all I know. Usually there is only one sauce dish and another dish of vegetables or lentils, this cauliflower dish she makes is my favorite so far. Probably b/c it’s covered in heavy oils and spices.

Today at the office in town my fear for the past week came true. I sat down with my boss and 4 of my coworkers to eat lunch. I was hoping to have a trial run with my roommates when they got back so they could tell me what im supposed to do with all the dishes, but it didn’t happen. I had to wing it. I just hesitated for a while until I saw what they were doing, and I think I held my own. The one thing I couldn’t figure out on my own was how to tear off a piece of roti (which is about the size of small dinner plate whole) using only your right hand (since your not supposed to eat with your left). But my subtle glances around the table paid off and I think no one noticed.

After lunch I was able to sit in on a women’s self help group session that my organization runs. They run about 200+ around the area on different topics or areas or trade. Usually they occur in the village where the women are from, but today the Secretary was coming so they organized a meeting at the office. The secretary of what im not sure. I thought my boss meant the receptionist from the other office b/c I asked if I could catch a ride with him on his way over. I soon same to realize it wasn’t that type of secretary. Hopefully my stupidity got lost in the language barrier. I thought I was just attending to observe the meeting, but there seemed to be a lack of communication, b/c before I knew it, the facilitator was telling me “ok, you can ask your questions now. I told them you want to learn about Indian agriculture” I was a little surprised, but I pulled some general questions out of nowhere, although they seemed pretty basic. But where do you start with that subject on no notice. I have a feeling these miscommunications may become quite frequent.

The power keeps coming and going now—hopefully this time it will stay on. It will be hard to sleep without the fan on.

I also had a few more small discoveries after work. I had a little more time to explore my town a little and there are a few more streets that I found with stores on it. So I was able to buy an umbrella and some small snacks. There are more things there than I thought—so that’s good.

As soon as I got off the motor rickshaw at the office near my house it started to really thunder and lightening. As I was walking home it was so close and loud it made me cower at least three times. Im sure I looked completely ridiculous to everyone—carrying my bottled water and jumping at every thunder sound. But then it started raining, and after I got home, it was pouring maybe the hardest Ive ever seen with huge winds. They aren’t kidding about these monsoons. And I think this is just warm up b/c the scheduled ones aren’t supposed to start until next week or so. But it has thundered for the past three nights, so I take that as a sign. Im lucky I found that umbrella today!