Monday is a lot less depressing when you don't have to go to work.
Its Thursday now, so I can't remember all the small details, but I'll give it my best shot.
I'm sure I woke up at 6:30, I've woken up every day before 7am, but I'm still tired. I think because I've been napping so much my body isn't quite sure what its supposed to be doing.
We decided that we wanted to go out and do some shopping. Poonam decided to go with us and leave Taisha with a non-family member for one of the first times. (Gaurav convinced Seema and Ravi that they should go to work, so they will have enough days off when we come in November). We all agreed it was good practice, since she is planning to go back to work 3 days a week this fall. Gaurav and I gave her a pretty hard time about being so worried and upset about it, but we know it was hard for her. Indians put any American "Helicopter parent" to shame!
There were a lot of normal american/european stores, but since I can get that at home I wasn't really interested. We wandered around, I bought some random trinkets and crap that I probably don't need but is pretty cool regardless. There was a store that billed itself as "slightly naughty" or something to that level. I'm thinking Victoria's Secret,. nope,more like Forever 21. Now...really...with a billion people, how does this country manage to pretend to be so conservative...you're not fooling anyone. Obviously there is tons of sex going on here....
We got the Indian equivalent of "garrett's" popcorn. Obviously it wasn't the same, it was just regular popcorn. But it was some of the best popcorn I ever ate. It was also, seriously, like radioactive yellow in color. I know I should be alarmed by this, but it was too good to care.
Shortly after we got the popcorn I had one of my more disturbing Indian experiences. I was well aware that it existed, but I met my first begging child. I'm sorry, you can't be ready for that. Especially if it is something you never experienced. Poonam shooed him away. He was probably 5. He wouldn't go, so eventually she handed him a handful of popcorn. Of course, as you can expect that only makes it worse and he followed us for a store or two. I know I had to ignore. I don't have enough money or popcorn to feed the entire country's children...much less enough to feed even the begging children at the mall. Its one of those things, you might want to help the one child you can, but the 30 others waiting will see and they'll all come and start begging. I guess you have to draw a line somewhere? It was pretty distrubing.
After buying more crap, we knew there was a bar somewhere in the mall. (its a larger outdoor mall....but don't picture outdoor malls in america. Well...you can, but that's now how it looked). There were no neon "bud light" signs in the window so it was a bit harder to find. They were playing all american music, it looked just like a nicer bar that I'd be used to. We had a drink and it was time to go.
As we were getting to the car we were approached by more beggars. A guy missing 1/2 of his arm and his child. Again...the kids...sheesh...
BUT, as they were asking and asking. (Or what I assume is asking and asking because I can't understand). Gaurav finally offered him one of the bags of popcorn we had gotten to bring home, so it was full. He told Gaurav he didn't want it.
Just like the freaking bums in Chicago, they beg and say they are hungry, but when you offer them food they don't want it. Makes it hard to feel sorry for them. Don't lie and tell me you're hungry if you're not.
So we meandered home. Poonam actually did really well the whole trip, for as anxious as she said she was. But she was certainly glad to go home to see Taisha.
On the way home Gaurav mentioned that we were going to go to his parents' friend's house for dinner. I asked what time and Poonam just started laughing and said "there is no time, you just go when you want...but probably around 9-9:30" I can understand a culture that is maybe late for stuff...but how do you not have even a ballpark time to be somewhere. Its like you just say 'come for dinner'...and people come whenever. (Worth noting, Indians eat dinner about the time Americans are thinking about breakfast. Somewhere between 10 and midnight seems average)
So we go to their large, beautiful home. (These people had come by on Sunday when the family was over so I had met them before). They had arranged for a Dhol performer to come and play! He was accompanied by some random old guy who would periodically yell something that got everyone excited. People also seem to wave dollars around everyone's head and then I think give them to the drummer. I was so terribly exhausted I probably looked crabby and pissed off. But it was really neat. I just didn't have the energy to dance. I just needed to sit an listen. It seemed OK, it was mostly the dudes dancing together anyway. I felt bad that I was such a party pooper, but I just. could. not. do it. I was running on fumes already. Apparently no one gets mad if their neighbors bang loud drums at late hours. It was really nice of them to arrange the drummer for us, it was fun for everyone. (The Dhol is the drum that Gaurav's friend Harish played for a little while at our wedding)
We went back in and I got myself into a conversation about US healthcare with Gaurav's Uncle (Or whatever it is that I'm supposed to actually call him). I sort of perked up during that and started sharing his Whiskey with him. We ended up spending the rest of the night "sharing" the Whiskey. The people who hosted the party were terribly nice. It was a really good time.
We went home...and I passed out....
Its Thursday now, so I can't remember all the small details, but I'll give it my best shot.
I'm sure I woke up at 6:30, I've woken up every day before 7am, but I'm still tired. I think because I've been napping so much my body isn't quite sure what its supposed to be doing.
We decided that we wanted to go out and do some shopping. Poonam decided to go with us and leave Taisha with a non-family member for one of the first times. (Gaurav convinced Seema and Ravi that they should go to work, so they will have enough days off when we come in November). We all agreed it was good practice, since she is planning to go back to work 3 days a week this fall. Gaurav and I gave her a pretty hard time about being so worried and upset about it, but we know it was hard for her. Indians put any American "Helicopter parent" to shame!
There were a lot of normal american/european stores, but since I can get that at home I wasn't really interested. We wandered around, I bought some random trinkets and crap that I probably don't need but is pretty cool regardless. There was a store that billed itself as "slightly naughty" or something to that level. I'm thinking Victoria's Secret,. nope,more like Forever 21. Now...really...with a billion people, how does this country manage to pretend to be so conservative...you're not fooling anyone. Obviously there is tons of sex going on here....
We got the Indian equivalent of "garrett's" popcorn. Obviously it wasn't the same, it was just regular popcorn. But it was some of the best popcorn I ever ate. It was also, seriously, like radioactive yellow in color. I know I should be alarmed by this, but it was too good to care.
Shortly after we got the popcorn I had one of my more disturbing Indian experiences. I was well aware that it existed, but I met my first begging child. I'm sorry, you can't be ready for that. Especially if it is something you never experienced. Poonam shooed him away. He was probably 5. He wouldn't go, so eventually she handed him a handful of popcorn. Of course, as you can expect that only makes it worse and he followed us for a store or two. I know I had to ignore. I don't have enough money or popcorn to feed the entire country's children...much less enough to feed even the begging children at the mall. Its one of those things, you might want to help the one child you can, but the 30 others waiting will see and they'll all come and start begging. I guess you have to draw a line somewhere? It was pretty distrubing.
After buying more crap, we knew there was a bar somewhere in the mall. (its a larger outdoor mall....but don't picture outdoor malls in america. Well...you can, but that's now how it looked). There were no neon "bud light" signs in the window so it was a bit harder to find. They were playing all american music, it looked just like a nicer bar that I'd be used to. We had a drink and it was time to go.
As we were getting to the car we were approached by more beggars. A guy missing 1/2 of his arm and his child. Again...the kids...sheesh...
BUT, as they were asking and asking. (Or what I assume is asking and asking because I can't understand). Gaurav finally offered him one of the bags of popcorn we had gotten to bring home, so it was full. He told Gaurav he didn't want it.
Just like the freaking bums in Chicago, they beg and say they are hungry, but when you offer them food they don't want it. Makes it hard to feel sorry for them. Don't lie and tell me you're hungry if you're not.
So we meandered home. Poonam actually did really well the whole trip, for as anxious as she said she was. But she was certainly glad to go home to see Taisha.
On the way home Gaurav mentioned that we were going to go to his parents' friend's house for dinner. I asked what time and Poonam just started laughing and said "there is no time, you just go when you want...but probably around 9-9:30" I can understand a culture that is maybe late for stuff...but how do you not have even a ballpark time to be somewhere. Its like you just say 'come for dinner'...and people come whenever. (Worth noting, Indians eat dinner about the time Americans are thinking about breakfast. Somewhere between 10 and midnight seems average)
So we go to their large, beautiful home. (These people had come by on Sunday when the family was over so I had met them before). They had arranged for a Dhol performer to come and play! He was accompanied by some random old guy who would periodically yell something that got everyone excited. People also seem to wave dollars around everyone's head and then I think give them to the drummer. I was so terribly exhausted I probably looked crabby and pissed off. But it was really neat. I just didn't have the energy to dance. I just needed to sit an listen. It seemed OK, it was mostly the dudes dancing together anyway. I felt bad that I was such a party pooper, but I just. could. not. do it. I was running on fumes already. Apparently no one gets mad if their neighbors bang loud drums at late hours. It was really nice of them to arrange the drummer for us, it was fun for everyone. (The Dhol is the drum that Gaurav's friend Harish played for a little while at our wedding)
We went back in and I got myself into a conversation about US healthcare with Gaurav's Uncle (Or whatever it is that I'm supposed to actually call him). I sort of perked up during that and started sharing his Whiskey with him. We ended up spending the rest of the night "sharing" the Whiskey. The people who hosted the party were terribly nice. It was a really good time.
We went home...and I passed out....
Did you see any tee-pees?
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