Mussoorie

Hi everyone! Sorry it has taken so long to send an update. The time in Delhi was more hectic than I thought it would be, especially since the trip to Jaipur took five days instead of one. I encountered Indian bureaucracy in its finest form, as I was told that I didn't have the paperwork I needed which was really just a ploy to run me around Jaipur like a chicken with its head cut off. But Ian and I got a chance to be alone together in Jaipur and visit our favorite places while we waited. It was actually quite nice.
All of our students except for one arrived without major problem. The one student who couldn't leave is actually a Bangladeshi citizen and it has taken longer than expected to get her visa.

Most of the students are pretty good though I wonder sometimes why they chose to come to India. They are all very suspicious of the bucket shower (not to mention not using toilet paper) and still haven't quite figured out the whole eating with your fingers thing. I think most of them are looking for the most exotic thing...and they pretty much found it when we arrived in Mussoorie. I've never experienced as much hyperbole as I did in the first hour of being in Mussoorie. "It is the best place I've ever been" "This is REAL India" "Nothing can compare with this." We'll see how long it lasts. :)

Ian and I are doing well other wise. I start Hindi lessons tomorrow and Ian is looking forward to getting some work done himself.

Take care and I'll write soon....

First Days in India

Ian and I arrived safely on Thursday night/Friday morning Delhi time. The flights were okay, besides an unexpected (for us) stop in London. It seems as if our flight was NOT a direct one, and we spent two hours standing in a cue at London Heathrow. Our adventures did not end there as we didn't have a car to pick us up when we reached Delhi. It seems as if there was a miscommunication about the day we were coming in and our boss thought were going to arrive on Friday evening. Ian and I kept our wits about us though and took a taxi to the AIIS guesthouse. It actually worked out very well...we ran into Ann Gold, professor of Religion and Anthropology at SU and got to chat with her for a little while. I also learned that I have to travel to Jaipur in the next 14 days to register with the police. It seems that you have to register where your institution of affiliation is which, for me, is at the University of Rajasthan. So Ian and I are going to take a quick trip down there tomorrow (Sunday) and take care of it on Monday.

We eventually got a hold of Lisa and shifted to the hotel that we are going to be staying while we are in Delhi. It is really nice; it is by far the nicest hotel I have stayed at in India and rivals those I have stayed at in the U.S. I guess they don't want to shock the students too much when they first arrive. :)

I think I am going to do some shopping for some new clothes today as well as take in the sites of Delhi. This is the first time I have been able to spend time here. I also want to know my way around a little bit before the students arrive. I think Ian is going to have a little down time doing his own thing. I think the fact that we have been stuck together for days now is starting to be a little too much; understandably so. That's a lot of together time. :)

I will let everyone know how are trip to Jaipur is in the next couple of days...