A little bored

Tomorrow marks two weeks since I've left Chicago.  Though I'm grateful and excited to be in India, I don't have much to do.  Consistent work won't start until the end of next week.  It's been good to get to know my colleagues, I'm just ready for some work--I know I'll regret saying this in two months.

Yesterday was relatively uneventful, though I did go on my first run here.  It was horrible, there are so many bugs flying in and around my mouth and it's way more humid than I prefer for running, but it is helping me feel a little better.

I think I'll just do a little photo purge to prove I am actually having a good time here, despite the first two paragraphs.

The above photo was taken at India Coffee House in Delhi last week.  We had rose soda, iced and hot coffees and were told to skip the water--it's not worth the risk of getting sick.  I was very thirsty, so iced coffee it was.  One large gulp later I discovered a large, dead ant on my tongue.  It was nasty, but didn't ruin the experience.

This delectable delight was from Wenger's Bakery in Connaught Place (Delhi).  Mango Pudding--it was as good as it sounds and looks.  I was too eager to try it before taking a photo.

And here is Nina, Susannah, me, and Chimi in an auto(rickshaw).  It's a small covered seat that's driven by the equivalent of a motorcycle.  They don't go very fast, but they are an easy, cheap way to get where you're going.

These photos are from the third night we were in town--very jet lagged.  We had an opening ceremony and dinner, so naturally we chose to document ourselves.  

And last for today, here's a blurry shot of the complexes we live in, it's called a society here, and the pool.  We were yelled at after taking this photo for being in the pool, so I don't know if we'll be able to actually use it.

Oooh, one more for TTHT because in a few hours (for me) we can say we've been together for a year and 8 months.

It's a Tom sandwich :D <3

First Week

All right, I'm well overdue for my first post.  I arrived in India on Saturday and got to my apartment that night.  I'm staying about a two hour drive from Delhi which makes me feel a little isolated, but in the next few weeks we'll probably be more creative in how we get into the city.  

I'm already making great friends, both American and Indian.  And I'm being fed so, so much delicious food. Below is what was delivered to our rooms (unbeknownst to us) because the mess hall here at the apartment complex is closed for lunch.  The YIF (Young India Fellows) live here at this complex as well, so we eat with them at breakfast and dinner when they're here as opposed to on campus for classes which started yesterday.  The YIF are equivalent to graduate students, so they start early--we'll start classes with the undergraduates on Sept. 1.

I also was able to travel into the city yesterday after attending a book fair with my colleagues and faculty members to decide what will be in the library.  We went to two separate malls to get some basic necessities.  I got toilet paper, hand lotion, and two really awesome pieces of clothing.  I got a kurti which is like a tunic and some very summery pants:

We have relatively good internet, though we have power surges for a minute at most quite a few times a day.  The water pressure in the shower is great, though there's no hot water--we don't need it though because it's so so hot and humid right now.  It's rained today for the first time since I've arrived.  The monsoon season is very close, it might even be starting today.  Once the monsoon comes through it'll be cooler.  And I've been told that October will be so beautiful and the winter is really lovely.  I have a lot to be excited about.

Tonight I'll be traveling with my writing center colleagues to our boss's house for dinner and a sleep over (so we won't have to travel back a long distance late at night).  Until next time, lvoes!