Yesterday was just one of those days where after a rough weekend of getting caught in the rain (okay so maybe I did a little bit of puddle jumping and had all the Indians staring (which they do anyways) and laughing at how soaked me and my friends were), and trying to fax something (it took 3 hours), and spending some time talking with my girls about honor, it was a relief to just make it home. The roller coaster was speeding and turning round and then yesterday it felt as if I got off and was ready to do it all over again.
Yesterday started out with one of the most crowded bus rides I've ever been on. I was trying to hold on as I stood in the midst of a ton of people, but it wouldn't have mattered if I let go because I was so close to the girls around me that I wouldn't have fallen even if the bus tipped upside down. There were so many people on the bus, that 4 or 5 people were holding on to the bars on the outside. All I could do was laugh and think, "well at least they're getting their upper arm workout."
I managed to get to the training center just fine though. After my eventful bus ride, I had my hindi lesson where I'm learning the alphabet and got frustrated because I seriously cannot tell the difference in ta and tta, tha and ttha, da and dda, dha and dha. But I think I finally got it in the end. We'll see soon. We had our morning sewing class making sari petticoats (the skirt you wear under a sari), and then I went to see a friend whose mother is in the hospital.
When we got to the hospital, we went right to her room. I was invited into a warm traditional double-sided cheek-kiss greeting by her mom, and gave her a bouquet of flowers. I still am not sure what's culturally appropriate for so many things, but I figure that giving flowers for someone in the hospital was okay. After staying for about 45 minutes just chatting with my friend's mom, we went to grab lunch in town.
A couple of the girls are leaving this week, so they had invited a local mom and daughter-in-law out to lunch at a restaurant. Women don't typically go out to eat much here, so it was a treat for them. After lunch, we headed back to the mom's house for a tutoring program that they have in their home. About 15 kids come and it is always a fun time to interact with kids. I actually go to teach a kid how to do some algebra (such a math nerd...I loved it).
After the tutoring class ended, about 20 women arrived at my friend's home to attend a nutrition class. The volunteers had not prepared for the class, so I said that I would teach about dental hygiene. It was a funny class where I told them to sing their national anthem in their heads as they brushed their teeth, start brushing children's teeth as soon as they have them, and other various things about keeping their teeth clean. After class, I chatted with a friend and was able to encourage him some to keep on seeking reconciliation with some old friends, and then headed out to catch the bus.
On the way home on the first bus, I was standing at the front and a woman accidentally hit her head on my shoulder when the bus slammed on its breaks. I asked her if she was okay, and she said yes and just laughed it off. When we reached halfway, we got off one bus to get onto another. Sitting on that bus, I was smushed on the backseat between 2 sweet old ladies who smiled at me with the warmest smiles and even were so selfless to sit on the seat where there was a hole instead of forcing me there. My favorite conductor (the purple shirt guy with the funny voice) tried to have me not pay for the bus and I forced my 5 rupees on him.
As the bus emptied while we traveled down the hill to the last stop, I looked over at one of the volunteers that has been here for about a month now and said, "Some days I really love my life."
It's hard sometimes to describe what I call my life of everyday adventures, but it sure is a joy when things go well.
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