This post is about random things and the day before yesterday. I have been so busy that I have had no time to blog. I will mail you all apology-cookies .
The day before yesterday was a normal day. It was the day that I had tea out with the monks. After the tea we had class one more time. Then at 5:30 we were freeeee!!!
Characters: Me, Dad, Korean woman, other teacher.
Setting: Town on the edge of a mountain called McLeod Ganj. A suburb of Dharamsala.
Purpose of trip: to kick back, relax, and apparently to talk about everything I have no idea about.
Happenings:
We arrived out on the town with spring in our step. Mountain air in out lungs! Lurking danger of (literally) falling off the mountain! I has happy to be in town with people who knew their way around. They led us right to the stoop of their favorite restaurant for a nice mountain supper. It wasn't much different from sea level supper. ANYWAY. Wait, before we made it to the restaurant we were walking through the town. I was actually skipping, if I remember correctly. All of a sudden, out of the nowhere blue, a little Indian boy with big brown eyes popped up next to me and said, "Oh wow, nice haircut!" I thanked him and continued walking... But he ran to keep up! So we talked. Well, mainly I interviewed him. Question question question. He answered me in nearly perfect English. I told him he was the best English speaker I have met in India so far. He was flattered. Some of his answers to my questions were: I don't go to school. I don't have parents. My name is Sourage. I live alone over behind there. I learned English by talking on the streets. I am begging.
By the time he informed me that he was a beggar... We had reached the the entrance to the supper place. The boy asked for rice. I said I had no money. He said he doesn't need money, he needs food. I had to follow my group and I got scared of getting lost... So I told the boy to wait until we were done. "Wait on this street, I will find you!"
The restaurant was Indian. It had many stories, many nooks and crannies, stairs, many tables, and then- rooftop!! So duh we ate on the roof. We all got big Kingfisher beers. Kingfisher 'strong' for men, and Kingfisher 'light' for us little baby weak girls. We sipped and talked for forever. Also, we took pictures on the roof with the mountains behind us. How romantic. So we talked talk talked talk. I asked the two professors all about their work and research, followed by burning questions I had about the color red, hypnotizing chickens, optimal reading light, and graduate school. Most of the questions I had they couldn't really answer. So I just ate my food. Talk talk talked. The majority of the time they talked about their grown-up lives and grown-up travels and grown-up situations, all of which I was completely uninterested in. I think we were there for a day and a half. They all told me about their school experience and getting their confidence knocked by advisors (this was helpful and inspiring). Finally, with a few beers in all of us, we left the restaurant in search of a taxi.
But then I remembered Sourage.
I don't see him anywhere...
So I just left town. That was the 2nd time I had left a begging child empty handed.
We made it home safely in the dark down the mountain. We joked and laughed. Good folks.
Now, some quick random facts.
-as many of you know, I like picking up free money on the ground. Last semester I picked up a free $50 in coins. I always say- "every time you save a penny from the floor, you have more money." Sometimes I say, "the only thing free in this country is coined money on the ground."
Uh, no. The only thing free in THIS country is dust, dirt, and sun. Not a single piece of money to be found on the ground here. (even so... My eyes are locked on the ground out of habit.)
-this is the best place for a beginner vegetarians like me. Every single place has a large and well-labeled vegetarian section in the menu. Also, no one asks you where you're getting your protein from or WHY you have made such a dramaaaticccc life choice. It's just normal. Everyone is so helpful about telling me if there is meat in a dish.
-The Korean teacher is not Korean. Her parents are not from Korea. She has never been Korean and never will be Korean. So now I'm just gonna call her by her name- Lena.
- Momma, I'm looking for a spoon still.... :-/. Everyone else, I'm dealing with small amounts of my father's money to buy gifts. That's just the truth. I didn't bring money to spend. I'm just saying... Don't get your hopes up about sparkling gold gifts and spices from exotic India.
- love y'all.
No comments:
Post a Comment