I'm loving it

I suddenly seemed to have disappeared from the blog space after the last post. Hehe... Too many things have happened... and generally, the more interesting your life is, the lesser you tend to blog. Initially I was too amazed by the stuff that happens here and started out thinking I must note down everything and tell all my friends back home. Anyway, the novelty has worn off, and now I've gotten used to the place.

Its so cool... The alarm rings at 7.15 am.. use the snooze mode for about a loong time, then stroll towards the kitchen somehow, prepare breakfast (thank god for cereal), have tea (Yay!) get ready, miss the 9.17 bus which would have gotten me to college before time, just make it in time for the 9.27 bus (sometimes I miss that one too and then cycle down), reach Room 100 of NEB at 9.36 am, attend the lecture that Dr. Wiens takes for undergrads. Then on the schedule changes.

But, I've gotten used to it.

I'm loving the independence. Loving the fact that I'm earning the money that I spend now, and that I save for later. Loving the fact that I'm responsible for doing my laundry, making sure that I have breakfast, lunch, dinner. That as long as I have my priorities right, I get to do whatever I want. Love the fact that I now have some friends from China, Korea, US, some acquaintances from Romania, Venezuela, Palestine, South Africa, Taiwan. Love the fact that I can play almost any sport I want, and yet have someone to play with. Squash, badminton, soccer, racket-ball, pool, bowling, basketball. Or just cycle.

I'm enjoying this part of my life.

Tomorrow, I head to Ichetucknee Springs... Have already gone to Lake Wauberg and St. Augustine and will plan to go to Orlando for Thanksgiving.. and Atlanta sometime soon. Will post about those and tomorrow's trip some time.

Ciao

Culture Shock: Part 1

A) You flinch everytime the car/bus takes a turn because you think you are on the wrong side. No matter how many American movies you have seen, you will still find it confusing to see cars on the right side of the road.

B) If its hot, wear less clothes, is what these people think. Even the profs wear shorts to work. Dunno how many shirtless guys I must have seen.

C) Pseudo-culture shock: Its 8.00 pm and there is still enough daylight to conduct a full-fledged cricket match. So, couple that with jet-lag and you are thoroughly confused about the time and date of the day.

D) Cars actually stop to let the pedestrians cross the road. No honking or anything. (of course, the people are less, but still!)

E) You are actually glad to see an Indian, and they also take time to help.

F) You finally understand how those firangs in Koregaon Park feel like when being stared at for being "different".

G) The roads are sooooooo huge! And everything is so greatly planned! There is proper lane demarcation even at entrances to housing complexes and so on.

H) Water is expensive compared to Coke, Pepsi or any cold drink. You also give up the idea of thinking of managing on veg diets. If you aren't cooking and want to keep expenses low, it is simply not advisable to stay vegan. (If you are prepared to eat beef, costs come down even more)

I) You realise that the variety of cars available in India is nothing compared to the various cars parked in just one parking lot.

J) Kilometers, kilograms, litres, centigrades dont mean much. Re-orient yourself to miles, pounds, gallons and farenheits.

K) All doors open outside. So you keep banging into them and then realise that the thing wont open. And all americans stare at you :D.

(Photos will be clicked and put up soon)

The last "Indian" Entry

Hey!!!

I leave for Gainesville, Florida day-after-tomorrow (technically, since right now is officially 5th and the flight is on 7th). The last 48 hours in India until a long time, I think. So effectively, this is the last entry in India.


Arrangements have been made, apartments have been booked (thanks to over-zealous Samaritans :P) and I just have to fit in teensy-weensy leftovers in the bags. I'll miss this place.. and probably all this will hit me sometime soon. Hell.. whatever.. I'll savour it all!

Anyways... really sleepy now.. and the next entry will be about my first non-stop 16 hour flight.. i think..