ive been slowly utilizing the wonderful google to map a bit of this new place. so far, its the basics, but i hope to get a little more creative in the coming months, and eventually have a fantastic archive of book stores, snack shops, amazing buildings, etc.
mumbai
31 March 2008
i love khitchdi
for the past week, ive had a fairly steady diet of grilled cheese toasties, yogurt, bland biscuits, rice, and tea. and for the past week, ive not retained much of it. im not exactly sure whats going on, but its obvious that my system is lacking in nutrients, even with the fortified biscuits and probiotic yogurt. i am wary of moshe’s café, runny nutella, and close-talkers.
think its also safe to stay away from my beloved round-the-corner grocery, as i suspect their refrigeration system is partly to blame. dear friends have given me some grapefruit seed extract, which is foul, but promised to be a great anti-microbial. so is alcohol, so will someone please be sure to bring a bottle of scotch? maybe it’s the heat? the ‘real-feel’ temps quoted for the next two weeks are well in the 100’s.
because its been a week, and ive also been a little fevered, i have a field trip to bombay hospital later today.
until things get better though, this is the magic food:
khitchdi + kadhi
if this truly is the indian penicillin, i will eat it everyday because it is comforting, delicious, and most importantly, it stays.
think its also safe to stay away from my beloved round-the-corner grocery, as i suspect their refrigeration system is partly to blame. dear friends have given me some grapefruit seed extract, which is foul, but promised to be a great anti-microbial. so is alcohol, so will someone please be sure to bring a bottle of scotch? maybe it’s the heat? the ‘real-feel’ temps quoted for the next two weeks are well in the 100’s.
because its been a week, and ive also been a little fevered, i have a field trip to bombay hospital later today.
until things get better though, this is the magic food:
khitchdi + kadhi
if this truly is the indian penicillin, i will eat it everyday because it is comforting, delicious, and most importantly, it stays.
28 March 2008
26 March 2008
new digs
i am off to explore the world of reality, within-budget 1bhk's and pg's. so far the housing quest has done nothing to offer anything feasible, although the limits of comfort and economy have been tested by the amazing places ive seen.
after covering the ground between kala ghoda and churchgate, on foot, at least twice daily, ive been thinking that a change of scenery might be nice, even if it means a longer commute.
25 March 2008
brokers...
are such the tease.... with seductive views and promises of laundry service.
anyone who knows can believe that an ocean view will make me swoon, peeling paint can be art, tangible texture turns me dizzy.
almost enough to feel like you can make that completely-out-of-the-budget rent work. so im glad ive had the company of friends who have given me many, much needed reality checks.
picturesque beauty is not worth a potentially psychotic landlord, even with the crumbling blue plaster and gilded vintage furniture. look, notice how there is a large gap of nothing sealing the window to its frame? but see the water, the view....
sigh.
next?
karma
maybe i need to check the attitude a little. in all sorts of irony, i locked myself out of my room, and had to utilize that wonderful window in the common bathroom to avoid a night on the floor. with a little gymnastics and mauvering of louvers, mission accomplished.
and although it was by far the most fantastic weekend ive had since arriving, or actually, the second weekend ive had… reality check of the trip was a nasty bout of tummy upset after a delicious salad for lunch. lesson learned, don’t eat salad quite so eagerly, and don’t complain about dry heaves in the room next door because it will be you in a few days.
there is nothing like your insides being turned out to make you really appreciate all the comforts you do have.
24 March 2008
happy holi
after being told repeatedly by people to ‘stay inside’ during holi, i was lucky enough to get an invite to play, and not miss a festival id been really hoping to see. and better than hanging out of the hostel window hoping to glimpse some action was actually getting decked out in some more-or-less disposable clothes, meeting new friends and a whole bunch of neighborhood kids in a frenzy of color and water. i don’t think theres really anything like this in the states, or europe, color and water aside. we tried (as an American, a European, and an Indian, to try to think of an example, and the conclusion was that there was really none, maybe new years?, maybe sports, think world cup scale comradery and celebration, if everyone was supporting the same winning team… the beauty of the festival was not only the amazing visual display occurring all over the city, but that it seemed to be so inclusive among everyone we met along the way.
ironically, 22 march, 2008 was also ‘world water day’, something i think the WHO came up with to advocate and promote the conservation of this highly abused resource.
from http://www.idswater.co.in/water/india/News/2489/newsrelease_content.html:
"World Water Day 2008 (March 22) calls attention to the critical need to protect and sustain water resources and “highlights the significance of cooperation and importance of an integrated approach to water resource management of water at both international and local levels,” according to the World Water Day web site (www.worldwaterday.org). This global appreciation of water also recognizes the fact that all consumer products use water as an ingredient or in production, including foods and beverages. Bottled water companies have an outstanding commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible use of resources to produce a healthy packaged beverage. And, recognizing that water is necessary for life, the industry brings to people bottled water with consistent safety, quality, good taste, and convenience."
ironically, 22 march, 2008 was also ‘world water day’, something i think the WHO came up with to advocate and promote the conservation of this highly abused resource.
from http://www.idswater.co.in/water/india/News/2489/newsrelease_content.html:
"World Water Day 2008 (March 22) calls attention to the critical need to protect and sustain water resources and “highlights the significance of cooperation and importance of an integrated approach to water resource management of water at both international and local levels,” according to the World Water Day web site (www.worldwaterday.org). This global appreciation of water also recognizes the fact that all consumer products use water as an ingredient or in production, including foods and beverages. Bottled water companies have an outstanding commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible use of resources to produce a healthy packaged beverage. And, recognizing that water is necessary for life, the industry brings to people bottled water with consistent safety, quality, good taste, and convenience."
20 March 2008
serenity
maybe it was all about venting frustration? this past night and this morning were some of the most peaceful ive had since i arrived. the noxious fumes are almost gone, and the birds outside are louder than the throat-clearing. maybe the guys next door checked out? no idea. but at this rate, staying here for the interim looks within the range of my now slightly expanded comfort zone.
also, i have a working phone, something that feels wonderfully empowering. i am so grateful for all the help i got with that.
on the walk home, i saw people exercising along marine drive, something that gave the hope of at least going for a brisk walk without attracting too much attention. that made me almost giddy, it was the first time i had seen something like that, but also the first time i think i noticed…
there are a few things that still need work… the perpetual housing issue, research proposal clarification, and buying healthy meals… i seem to have developed a steady diet of junk food and dahi, and chai.
this weekend should be interesting because its holi, and easter. ive been told on more than one occasion to keep well indoors during holi, although it would be pretty amazing to see it. i might be able to get a spot in the stairwell looking over the street? as far as easter, there are a few churches nearby.
and besides, every day looks like this:
also, i have a working phone, something that feels wonderfully empowering. i am so grateful for all the help i got with that.
on the walk home, i saw people exercising along marine drive, something that gave the hope of at least going for a brisk walk without attracting too much attention. that made me almost giddy, it was the first time i had seen something like that, but also the first time i think i noticed…
there are a few things that still need work… the perpetual housing issue, research proposal clarification, and buying healthy meals… i seem to have developed a steady diet of junk food and dahi, and chai.
this weekend should be interesting because its holi, and easter. ive been told on more than one occasion to keep well indoors during holi, although it would be pretty amazing to see it. i might be able to get a spot in the stairwell looking over the street? as far as easter, there are a few churches nearby.
and besides, every day looks like this:
19 March 2008
score
its been almost a week. it feels like forever. my foreign registration is complete, ive successfully met with my host organization, even if they don’t quite know what to do with me, and i am unbearably close to having a phone that works.
ive switched temporary locations, because for the price of one night at the initial place, i can get four here. and housing seems to be nowhere in the foreseeable future right now. im generally not pessimistic. maybe its just the continual pissy mood im in. i know i gave up the nice hotel for budgetary reasons. i know that for location and price, this place is a great deal. and is clean. its also under continual renovations and i go to sleep with paint fumes and plaster in my face because the common bathroom that vents into my room, is being renovated. so much for hepa filters and low-voc paint. the gentlemen in the adjacent rooms (probably the guys who were doing the painting) seem to have upper respiritory infections because i go to sleep to, and wake up to, continual, massive dry heaves. permethin is my new best friend, because it successfully keeps bed bugs away, and doesn’t smell too bad, but i wouldn’t really know, because i think i burned my nose on the paint earlier. i just know that the bugs are gone. i have a pretty good system of showering before and after bed, but the dry heaves are a deterrent and its been harder and harder to wake up and motivate each morning. i know that there are other backpackers staying here, but never see or hear them. maybe they leave after one night, ive stuck around for about 3 now. and honestly, i don’t even care. as long as i am safe, and i feel somewhat safe. the staff is friendly, its just as clean as the one i left, for a quarter of the price. and it’s as close to living on marine drive as ill ever get. i just hope that housing of some sort comes through soon, because as much as id love to ignore it, im dying here.
if i were moving to new york, i would give myself at least a month to find housing, so i try to remind myself that it might take a while. that’s the part that is fairly easy to understand and tolerate. my sense of time is sped up because im becoming desperate for a home base. what is so frustrating is the communication about the whole issue. i have asked for assistance with this well in advance of arriving here, and it seems like the subject is a huge game of hot potato. the host org thinks the sponsor org is doing it, and vice versa, even when i have said repeatedly that neither have done anything, and ask, please can someone help me find accommodation. contacting a broker on my own is just not something i feel comfortable doing, and before contacting the friends of friends i have been referred to, i wanted to see what my sponsors had to say. things seem to be in the hands of the host organization now, and they are trying a range of options that although im not entirely on board with, seem to be the channels that i need to go through because at least options are being eliminated. and i understand their reasoning based on my situation. its not new york, and i guess it really is not advised for a single girl to get a flat on her own, to live in all by herself, even if budget allows. so dorms, ywca’s etc are all being checked. and its still less than a week, i try to relax. unfortunately this weekend will be lost to two religious holidays, so when i think that it will probably be monday before i can even go look at a place, i get a little sad. and then the dry heaving in the showers, or the yelling on the phone starts and i want to scream and cry and kick the wall. there is nothing i can do except leave, and the effort of moving is still not worth leaving my bug-free and relatively safe bed, sights and sounds included.
at first, i don’t think anyone knew really what to do with me, except for the sponsors who had my official police registration as their main priority. going into any situation that has already been established is a lot easier for all involved, for example, a grantee working with a school that has had grantees come each year. in my case, i don’t think that people really understand what the grant is, why im here, and how that fits into their own normal situation. and theres the back and forth hot-potato between everyone again. maybe my expectations were unreasonably high, but ive been reading the grant info packet word for word since october, practically memorizing it, because it contained an outline of help and official assistance that allowed me to feel comfortable heading into this transition. in the end, everything is getting figured out, its just a little awkward. but it makes me think about why im really here, what exactly im doing, and how i need to go about it, very important things to have to define, even if on the spot. and its helping me learn how to ask, specifically, repeatedly, for things i need, even if i sound like im crazy, and imposing unreasonable demands.
so that’s enough to make me feel like a whiny bitch most of the time, and i hate giving that impression. i am beyond thankful for all the help ive been offered, and i have had immense help so far, from everyone ive met. that has been really amazing and reassuring. its not my intention to complain, or be ungrateful, im trying to record the frustrations i face on a daily basis so i can understand why they occur. obviously there are other solutions to these problems, im not so sure where to look. i know i have a network of resources, im not sure how to access it… these are things i try to work on a little bit every day. maybe in trying to be sensitive to this new culture, im holding back too much? im reluctant to call people because im not sure how to explain myself sometimes. i get take away for dinner because i get the impression that single ladies dining alone are not the accepted norm. i keep my eyes down when i walk. i refrain from sitting along the beach at night because im by myself. there is a huge bubble of self pity and doubt that i cross in and out of daily. its not pleasant.
despite the negative attitude expressed as a summary of my first week here, ive had an amazing time so far. fun, no. amazing, yes. i think there is progress every day, which keeps me from wanting to turn around and go home, leaving it all. im seeing beautiful art, buildings and people everyday. i got a bowl, and spoon so i can eat yogurt. i found my stash of bandaids, and vitamin c powder, i love mango juice boxes, and there is a good take-away place around the corner, and indian vogue is more interesting than the u.s. edition. the horns don’t bother me, im getting used to the heat, the roads, the dust. i have internet access now. these are the things that keep me going. someday i will unpack and find all the rest of the ‘important’ things i brought from home, to heel at home here, but the transition has me wondering if its even really all that necessary.
ive switched temporary locations, because for the price of one night at the initial place, i can get four here. and housing seems to be nowhere in the foreseeable future right now. im generally not pessimistic. maybe its just the continual pissy mood im in. i know i gave up the nice hotel for budgetary reasons. i know that for location and price, this place is a great deal. and is clean. its also under continual renovations and i go to sleep with paint fumes and plaster in my face because the common bathroom that vents into my room, is being renovated. so much for hepa filters and low-voc paint. the gentlemen in the adjacent rooms (probably the guys who were doing the painting) seem to have upper respiritory infections because i go to sleep to, and wake up to, continual, massive dry heaves. permethin is my new best friend, because it successfully keeps bed bugs away, and doesn’t smell too bad, but i wouldn’t really know, because i think i burned my nose on the paint earlier. i just know that the bugs are gone. i have a pretty good system of showering before and after bed, but the dry heaves are a deterrent and its been harder and harder to wake up and motivate each morning. i know that there are other backpackers staying here, but never see or hear them. maybe they leave after one night, ive stuck around for about 3 now. and honestly, i don’t even care. as long as i am safe, and i feel somewhat safe. the staff is friendly, its just as clean as the one i left, for a quarter of the price. and it’s as close to living on marine drive as ill ever get. i just hope that housing of some sort comes through soon, because as much as id love to ignore it, im dying here.
if i were moving to new york, i would give myself at least a month to find housing, so i try to remind myself that it might take a while. that’s the part that is fairly easy to understand and tolerate. my sense of time is sped up because im becoming desperate for a home base. what is so frustrating is the communication about the whole issue. i have asked for assistance with this well in advance of arriving here, and it seems like the subject is a huge game of hot potato. the host org thinks the sponsor org is doing it, and vice versa, even when i have said repeatedly that neither have done anything, and ask, please can someone help me find accommodation. contacting a broker on my own is just not something i feel comfortable doing, and before contacting the friends of friends i have been referred to, i wanted to see what my sponsors had to say. things seem to be in the hands of the host organization now, and they are trying a range of options that although im not entirely on board with, seem to be the channels that i need to go through because at least options are being eliminated. and i understand their reasoning based on my situation. its not new york, and i guess it really is not advised for a single girl to get a flat on her own, to live in all by herself, even if budget allows. so dorms, ywca’s etc are all being checked. and its still less than a week, i try to relax. unfortunately this weekend will be lost to two religious holidays, so when i think that it will probably be monday before i can even go look at a place, i get a little sad. and then the dry heaving in the showers, or the yelling on the phone starts and i want to scream and cry and kick the wall. there is nothing i can do except leave, and the effort of moving is still not worth leaving my bug-free and relatively safe bed, sights and sounds included.
at first, i don’t think anyone knew really what to do with me, except for the sponsors who had my official police registration as their main priority. going into any situation that has already been established is a lot easier for all involved, for example, a grantee working with a school that has had grantees come each year. in my case, i don’t think that people really understand what the grant is, why im here, and how that fits into their own normal situation. and theres the back and forth hot-potato between everyone again. maybe my expectations were unreasonably high, but ive been reading the grant info packet word for word since october, practically memorizing it, because it contained an outline of help and official assistance that allowed me to feel comfortable heading into this transition. in the end, everything is getting figured out, its just a little awkward. but it makes me think about why im really here, what exactly im doing, and how i need to go about it, very important things to have to define, even if on the spot. and its helping me learn how to ask, specifically, repeatedly, for things i need, even if i sound like im crazy, and imposing unreasonable demands.
so that’s enough to make me feel like a whiny bitch most of the time, and i hate giving that impression. i am beyond thankful for all the help ive been offered, and i have had immense help so far, from everyone ive met. that has been really amazing and reassuring. its not my intention to complain, or be ungrateful, im trying to record the frustrations i face on a daily basis so i can understand why they occur. obviously there are other solutions to these problems, im not so sure where to look. i know i have a network of resources, im not sure how to access it… these are things i try to work on a little bit every day. maybe in trying to be sensitive to this new culture, im holding back too much? im reluctant to call people because im not sure how to explain myself sometimes. i get take away for dinner because i get the impression that single ladies dining alone are not the accepted norm. i keep my eyes down when i walk. i refrain from sitting along the beach at night because im by myself. there is a huge bubble of self pity and doubt that i cross in and out of daily. its not pleasant.
despite the negative attitude expressed as a summary of my first week here, ive had an amazing time so far. fun, no. amazing, yes. i think there is progress every day, which keeps me from wanting to turn around and go home, leaving it all. im seeing beautiful art, buildings and people everyday. i got a bowl, and spoon so i can eat yogurt. i found my stash of bandaids, and vitamin c powder, i love mango juice boxes, and there is a good take-away place around the corner, and indian vogue is more interesting than the u.s. edition. the horns don’t bother me, im getting used to the heat, the roads, the dust. i have internet access now. these are the things that keep me going. someday i will unpack and find all the rest of the ‘important’ things i brought from home, to heel at home here, but the transition has me wondering if its even really all that necessary.
