‘India’ Category
Is it just me, or is it hot in here?
No, it really IS 109 degrees F. Sigh. There are ice cream men that roam the neighborhoods, calling “Ice CREAM” and slamming their frigerated cart tops for emphasis. I myself go for the Big T (short for Big Treat) cone, with chocolate and crunchy toffee on top. It’s one of the few things that can […]
Becky’s guide to Benares finances
(Rs. short for rupees, the Indian currency; currently at around 43 to the dollar.) 120 Rs. — a dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in Varanasi, including a banana yogurt drink, fruit salad, and tuna fish pasta ” — also for a pedicure, which takes about a half hour and includes scrubbing, foot massage, […]
Holi Moley!
Happy Easter! Yesterday, it was Happy Holi! I holed up in our program house due to rumors of terrorising that goes on during this holiday, starting on Friday. Friday evening, a gang of young boys, some with drums and others with flaming sticks, knocked on gates down the road, demanding money. It’s like evil trick-or-treating. […]
Lucknow, heat, and morale
Last weekend our group took a trip to Lucknow, capital of the UP. To help give you understand what that was like, let me supply this analogy: Varanasi is to Lucknow, as St. Peter is to Mankato. Yeeeeee ha!!! Lucknow is a step up from Varanasi, with streets that resemble Delhi’s (wide, lots more cars […]
Summer’s here!
I arrived home from my break to Delhi right on time, eabout 8:00 on Wednesday morning. I had Hindi class as per usual, then in the afternoon we had a group tour of one of the most famous parts of Varanasi, ie, the Ramnagar Fort complex. Our guide, an historian who seemed quite ancient himself, […]
Delhi vacation: II
On Saturday night, Mike and I headed out in search of a club. The Lonely Planet isn’t helpful, with a “it changes from week to week” entry under what’s hot for dancing. So we tried a few different places: one was a bar called Shalom in a southern suburb, the next called DV8 in Connaught […]
Welcome to summer
I’m in Delhi this sunny Saturday morning. I arrived right on time on the Shiv-Ganga Express with my friend Mike. We have next Tuesday off, since it’s Shivratri, a holiday celebrating Shiva’s wedding, so it’s a four day weekend for us. Thus, we thought we’d take advantage of it and leave our beautiful Benares for […]
The long haul
1. Long Haul: I’m staying in Varanasi for the ____ _____. Due to 1. fourth major stomach ailment: giardia and 2. giardia medicine- induced allergic reaction, I was seriously considering going home early. The more I thought about it, though, the more it made sense to stay the whole time because leaving early wouldn’t give […]
Monsoon Wedding: A Circus Animal’s Perspective
That’s what I’ve been getting into these past few weeks. I may finally be getting better, after seeing a specialist about my stomach problems. I interviewed the district secretary of the Communist party yesterday as part of my fieldwork research. I went with an assistant of the program to the party office, which is quite […]
Into the swing of things
That’s what I’ve been getting into these past few weeks. I may finally be getting better, after seeing a specialist about my stomach problems. I interviewed the district secretary of the Communist party yesterday as part of my fieldwork research. I went with an assistant of the program to the party office, which is quite […]