My Home
I'm staying with Pramila Aunty, her husband, and her grandkids who she is watching over their school vacation. I really appreciate their company and their hospitality as I adjust to this culture. I especially enjoy playing with the kids 
Kannu and Ammu! I also spend half of my time at Sarada Aunty's house. She is the woman who invited me here to India and arranged everything for me. She is a small indian woman but she is full of life! She is in her 50's and works at a nearby university as a Professor of Psychology. She also is a clinical psychologist and in her free time helps victims of child prostitution, or victims of the tsunami. She truly is a blessing ot me and I am very fortunate to have her guidance while I'm in India. The reason why I call them aunty is because in this culture, people adress older people as aunty or uncle and people of similar age as chi-chi (sister) or chetta (brother), even if they are not related. All these are considered to be terms of respect, and it is interesting in this culture how much respect is shown to older people, and also how tight knit the family unit is.
Kannu and Ammu! I also spend half of my time at Sarada Aunty's house. She is the woman who invited me here to India and arranged everything for me. She is a small indian woman but she is full of life! She is in her 50's and works at a nearby university as a Professor of Psychology. She also is a clinical psychologist and in her free time helps victims of child prostitution, or victims of the tsunami. She truly is a blessing ot me and I am very fortunate to have her guidance while I'm in India. The reason why I call them aunty is because in this culture, people adress older people as aunty or uncle and people of similar age as chi-chi (sister) or chetta (brother), even if they are not related. All these are considered to be terms of respect, and it is interesting in this culture how much respect is shown to older people, and also how tight knit the family unit is.Climate
Right now it is the monsoon season which lasts from June to November. It rains almost everyday, and it is beautiful because everything is so green and full of life! Along with that there is alot of humidity, its the kind that makes me sweat doing nothing. There is so much rain that they rely on hydroelectric power, however; there is a shortage of rain this year. This shortage results in the power switching off for 1 or 2 hours every night, or even during the day. It used to surprise me because I'd be eating or reading, but now i'm used to it. You can see how beautiful it is behind Pramila Aunty's house.Food
The food here is delicious! I'
m in the south part of india, so my meals usually consist of rice or dosha (a type of flat bread), curry, fish, yogurt, and vegetables. Everyday tea (chaya) is served with milk at breakfast and in the afternoon. Even though it is hot here, the chaya tastes good and also cools my body. The main thing that I've had to learn about the food is how to eat with my hands! It's harder than I realized because I can only eat with my right hand because the left hand is considered to be dirty and only used to go to the bathroom. I've gotten pretty good at it and don't even miss silverware!
m in the south part of india, so my meals usually consist of rice or dosha (a type of flat bread), curry, fish, yogurt, and vegetables. Everyday tea (chaya) is served with milk at breakfast and in the afternoon. Even though it is hot here, the chaya tastes good and also cools my body. The main thing that I've had to learn about the food is how to eat with my hands! It's harder than I realized because I can only eat with my right hand because the left hand is considered to be dirty and only used to go to the bathroom. I've gotten pretty good at it and don't even miss silverware! Culture and Clothing
India is considered to be a much more conservative culture than
the U.S. in terms of dress and language. Even though it is hot and humid here, women wear a long loose top, and loose pants to their ankles. Their shoulders and knees are not usually shown. The men usually wear a button up shirt and pants, or a moondu which is a cloth that is worn as a skirt. It usually falls to their knees. Foreigners that come here usually wear their own clothing, but it is best to fit into the culture and wear the typical clothing because of the sexual harrasment that can occur with less conservative clothing. Even though it is more conservative than I'm used to, it's not that hot because of the lightweight fabrics, and I really don't mind because the clothing worn here is very beautiful. In terms of how society is, I find it very different from the U.S. For example, there are still arranged marriages here in which the parents find a suitable spouse for their child. They can only meet one or two times before marriage. There are still marriages in which people can choose whom they can marry, but it is usually done in the bigger cities where society is more modernized. The difference is so prevalent, that people usually categorize the terms as a "love marriage" or "arranged marriage". Arranged marriages are still more common than "love marriages". I've found that the U.S. is very open about issues such as sexuality, homosexuality, drugs, etc.; while India is very reserved about it. These things still happen in India, but it is concealed. Therefore, many things are considered to be taboo. India is truly an intriguing country that is full of beauty and mystery.
the U.S. in terms of dress and language. Even though it is hot and humid here, women wear a long loose top, and loose pants to their ankles. Their shoulders and knees are not usually shown. The men usually wear a button up shirt and pants, or a moondu which is a cloth that is worn as a skirt. It usually falls to their knees. Foreigners that come here usually wear their own clothing, but it is best to fit into the culture and wear the typical clothing because of the sexual harrasment that can occur with less conservative clothing. Even though it is more conservative than I'm used to, it's not that hot because of the lightweight fabrics, and I really don't mind because the clothing worn here is very beautiful. In terms of how society is, I find it very different from the U.S. For example, there are still arranged marriages here in which the parents find a suitable spouse for their child. They can only meet one or two times before marriage. There are still marriages in which people can choose whom they can marry, but it is usually done in the bigger cities where society is more modernized. The difference is so prevalent, that people usually categorize the terms as a "love marriage" or "arranged marriage". Arranged marriages are still more common than "love marriages". I've found that the U.S. is very open about issues such as sexuality, homosexuality, drugs, etc.; while India is very reserved about it. These things still happen in India, but it is concealed. Therefore, many things are considered to be taboo. India is truly an intriguing country that is full of beauty and mystery. There's still alot more I'd like to write, but I'll save it for next week. Everyday is a new learning experience for me! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and send emails, I really appreciate it and I'll keep you all updatde weekly from now on!
P.S. I just had to add this picture of this elephant. There is something about elephants that I makes me really respect this beautiful animal. I saw it on the street admist all the traffic and ran out and took a picture of it! 
