So, I'll give you a run down of my day and then tell you about the weekend (with pictures) if I feel up to:
- fell asleep on the roof today. I usually go up there in the morning when the power is out, because it is much cooler.
- ate an apple
- picked at a blister between my toes and now I can't wear flip flops
- went to classes... contemporary India, Indian Philosophy, Hindi
- went to a cultural event that the Indians from the North East put on. It involved several traditional dances and songs, a pretty exciting fashion show (seriously, a huge number of random people with phone cameras just stood by the side of the stage and snapped tons of pictures as if they were real celebrities), snacks and teatime, and my friend Pavel even sang an Oasis song. Strangely enough, India is very into Oasis and Incubus. For us, they are so 90s. (background info: the people from the North East are on the border of Nepal, and look pretty Chinese-ish. So, they are often discriminated against, because they consider themselves Indians {and they are} even though they don't look it. They are super Westernized {clothes, American English} because for a long time, Christian missionaries took great interest in them and provided them with education, shelter, protection, etc. Now they are fairly Americanized and all are very Christiany, and it doesn't always seem that they have much connection with other Indians. In fact, universities and colleges have special funds for under represented/ostracized groups, etc. and reserved spots for these students so they cannot be discriminated against. Still, they do have their own traditional song and dances.) Makes me a little sad for the US... as the melting pot, what is truly ours? What would we show at a cultural event that didn't have its roots in some other culture? Not a talent show, a cultural event. What would it mean to us?
- felt a tinsy bit sorry for myself that I was sitting alone at a cultural event that was absolutely packed. Seriously, for awhile, every seat in the auditorium was taken except for the chairs on each side of me. They were taken up later, yes, but this is a common thing, feeling like nobody wants to spend time with me. I don't know why I feel like it is such an issue, but it really does bother me.
- ate 2 desserts that are basically bread that is fried and soaked in syrup. then, didn't go for a run. ugh. hating myself.
- booked a plane ticket to Kerala and back for $80. nicely done, allyn.
- researched more field schools. I am going to kill this project in about 2.5 seconds. I've been researching summer archaeology field schools, because I thought that was my only option. I found out recently from a professor who was confused as to why I was doing excavation work when ethnographic work is more my style... and then filled me in that even though we had been emailing about field schools for like a month, I had a more pleasing option. Frustrated, yet glad. I might be an anth major, but I can't tell you how not excited I was to get out in the middle of Mexico in the summer and dig in the dirt for 7 hours a day. I'm already a naturally sweatyish person. I don't enjoy sweating that much unless I am dancing and I don't like being around uber sweaty people unless they are dancing too. Nevertheless, the idea of going anywhere is way exciting. Now it is just more exciting.
- read about Rukmini Devi
- sweated my skin off
- worried about the state of my skin. Not only does India not do anything for acne prone skin, it doesn't help to have severe 3rd degree sun burns and now my entire upper back and arms are shedding like a snake. I wash my face like 5 times a day, not kidding.
- drank chai
- zoned out to Pretty Lights
- watched the entire house convene on the house porch to light up when the power went out
- power went out twice tonight while skyping with eric.
Btw, keep him in your thoughts, whoever you are. He is leaving again for another cruise ship music stint and yesterday, his father was flown to a burn unit hospital for getting caught in a brush type fire. He is expected to recover quickish and just fine, but has had to have skin grafts and such from his face and other parts of his body moved to burn spots. Scary thing to 1. be wrapped up in gauze, in the hospital and 2. have to leave when this has happened to someone in your family.
Also, he just went through a breakup with someone he really cared for. Which, from experience, sucks incredibly.
So, think about him and send all the love in the universe his direction.
In other news, the Telangana movement is back on, and getting much more serious. Saturday was a serious bandh. There were roadblocks and tons of military out to stop a rally/march by Telangana supporters. It became more unfortunate when a young man from Osmania University set himself on fire in front of everyone. The police put him out and sent him to the hospital but he died yesterday (Sunday). This man was planning this for awhile. He was an orphan, and had a bag with him with certain paperwork and a suicide note.
Makes you wonder what goes through the mind when a decision like suicide is made definite. I have no idea how someone would get to that point. What is the next step? What is the next day? Is there still a to-do list, emails to write, class to attend, lunch to eat, performance to see? How quick is that decision? What do you do with your stuff? What is the last thing you make sure you say to people in person? Do you talk it through with someone? In this case, how does it feel when people perhaps support your suicide decision and tell you yes! commit suicide for this cause!...?
Saturday evening:
Some people here at the house had bdays but we didn't really know them so we didn't go to their party. We went salsa dancing. And had the best time. We had the hardest time trying to get people to go with us, but now everyone who rejected us want to go!
Found this website, Meetup, where groups form and meet and I found a salsa club, founded by (as listed in my phone) "Rishi Salsa" (he gave me his card - his profession? Promoter, haha isn't that bizarre?) that meets on Saturdays at the top of this high rise with clear windows out over the city and light up couches. We went, and danced with Indians that aren't afraid to touch you, and even a Norwegian, Sven, who has been in Hyderabad for a week on business. He asked me if there is a salsa belt in the US like there is a Bible belt, haha. I told him no, but more in large cities. He asked me if I was a country girl and if I could drive a tractor and then told me he likes a girl who can be in charge.
ew much?
They all told us to come back.
We will. Who can pass up experiences like salsa in swanky rooftop with Norwegians that hit on you in India?
Anywho,
Because of the agitation, a trip we were supposed to take on Saturday, we took on Sunday.
We took a trip to the Qutb Shah Tombs and Golconda Fort.
Riane and I had been the to tombs for that super cool dance performance, but this time, we went in the day!
The tombs:
More marble hallways/stairwells. I love them.
Golconda Fort:
We had a guide here and he kept insisting we take pictures of certain things and also that we stand in certain places so he could take a picture for us. He must have known about my modeling in Indian mission.
We are like Christmas.
Way To Up.
Ok.
Up we went, 725 stairs. That is why I have blisters between my toes.
I had trouble getting up there at times, mainly because of the heat. The heat here is smothering. But right past us went women in saris and heels, and they were not even breaking a sweat. Our guide kept stopping in places where he knew we would get the best breeze. "Take the Breeze" is what he told us to do. So we did. We took the breeze, because we were gross sweaty Americans whose noses dripped when we looked down.
We had to walk, our guide told us, because we did not have, like the King/Queen used to have, people to carry us up the mountain. These people were impressive - they put short people in the front of the carry carriage and tall people in the back so when they went up stairs, the King didn't sit lopsided. That is the life.
It gets cooler - they made their entrance pretty impenetrable with a gate and first wall too close together that enemies couldn't get elephants back there to gather speed and knock down the gate. They also had a hot water and oil mixture pool to pour over the enemy head through a hole in the stone at the front. They also had a clapping portico where way at the bottom of the fort, a person could clap, and at the very top, people could hear it. Their version of a telephone system.
We saw a ritual. At the top of the fort was a Hindu temple devoted to Kali. They apparently had slaughtered a goat before we got there. they showed us the blood stains.
I'm supposed to be standing in front of a view of the Qutb Tombs in the back.
I learned the significance of the color orange, but it is a very long explanation. Basically, it is the strongest color to explain to world and its energy.
That person on the left is Abhishek. He is barreling down a staircase. He likes to run down them. Riane made a video because it really is very strange to see the largest Indian (he isn't large, just compared to other Indians) seriously running down a mountain. The best part was that it wasn't just him. At like the exact same moment he started down, our guide did it too!! So, all the way down 725 stairs, the two of them ran. People were looking over their shoulders only to move over to the edges as quickly as possible in fear of dying by being bowled over.
Riane and I inched our way down. The stairs were titled down, the direction we were going, which made the going a little tough.
Riane got in trouble.
Actually, I am standing in the opposite corner doing the same thing. Whispering, we could hear each other through the stone. Early telephone cups.
Oh. Hi perfect ending to a hot, fun day!
CCIC...
