Just before Old Delhi..

Had Orientation week this week, lots of Hindi and LOTS of culture class which was basically "Indians have closer family bonds than Westerners because the sons stay at home forever and the women get married off." Smile and nod smile and nod. Hindi was kind of cool - the class not so much basically just "here are words, learn!" but practicing some in rickshaws when we are lost!!

Already done a massive New Delhi tour, Lotus Temple was amazing so absolutely beautiful and pure and white and SILENT!! First time I have heard silence since benig here. The noise is quite comforting though once you are used to it. Rickshaws are still awesome, every ride is a new adventure! We had 5 in one the other day for a shortish trip, that was cool we felt like real Indians then!! Seen lots of the markets, been hassled a lot, but getting used to just shouting a them if it gets too much (which hasn't actually happened that often, just gets a bit annoying when you are just walking through and you get a "mam see this mam Rs500 mam do you need sunglasses mam mam mam" ahhh well...

Street food is delicious.

Bad tummy every morning but don't care too much as haven't got sick (yet?).

Food at the house is getting a bit repetitive - sick of watery dal!! But making use of nicer cafes around and street snacks to fill up on, and so cheap doesn't matter. May try to buy eggs one morning and cook them. Still thinking about what to do for Christmas (as no oven..) any ideas?

Planned trip up to the Golden Temple at Amritsar next weekend with 3 other volunteers and really looking forward to it - it'll be my first train and bus experience! Well long term bus.. took a local one the other day and it was not that packed so actually just cheap and such an experience! No doors (I was standing right next to it as not much space further in the bus, so every turn was like weeeeeeeeeeeee I'm going to fall out!), and a big hole in the floor leading to the ground.. the driver was on the phone most of the time, and the ticket guy was this snake like man he was so tall and slithery!

Went to Dilli Haat which is a pay to get in market, with stalls and food from around India from all the states. Had some beautiful things, but so weird as SO empty ni comparison to the market we were just at and everyone was white or SE Asian!! Crazy.. Had to walk past my first slum to get to it (well, we got lost...), which was a bit different, not too much to say on that. A couple of the girls have their placement in a slum and yeah, very real.

Have to run off to see Red Fort and the rest of Old Delhi today. Went to movie there last night - Paa - which was a this old theatre and this girl behind us kept touching my ear it was funny but the first time I jumped out of my skin, far too in te movie not concentrating on her!! About 80% in Hindi, which was tough, but made you look at more to get what was going on. Highly recommended! Great acting and so touching!

Last 2 nights I have had 0 mozzie bites, yay! So happy! Just wearing socks to bed with 2 types of repellent and a plug in thing!

Missing the shower at home so bad, but the other volunteers here are so lovely you sort of go through it all together and I'm actually having such a wonderful tmie, already thinking about my next trip back!

Love and hugs :)