just a lil list.

THINGS I ALREADY KNOW I WILL MISS WHEN I LEAVE INDIA:

1. wearing leggings everyday.
not only is this fashion culturally acceptable, but it's the proper attire. every morning i wake up and have the easiest time getting ready. leggings are paired with a long, loose shirt and pashemina. can't go wrong. and, if by chance i don't feel like wearing leggings, the other appropriate option is a pair of baggy, breezy pants that would, i'm sure, double as a parachute. they're huge and awesome and very stylin'.

2. the vegetable man that comes down my street.
this might be my favorite part of my neighborhood. every morning, while i'm drinking my chai at the kitchen table, i hear a voice yelling "subjhii, subjhii!". this has been a constant occurrence ever since i arrived in my homestay abode and i went out to investigate for the first time the other morning. i discovered an elderly man pushing a vegetable cart up and down my street. every AM he comes, always around 7:45, to cater to the neighborhood's vegetable needs. i have no idea how long he's been doing this as opposed to selling amongst all other vendors in the open air market, but i really love how personable buying produce is in this city.

3. BOLLYWOOD.
i know. i never thought that i'd say it either, but i am obsessed with indian movies. the plots are absolutely outrageous, the interaction between the characters is super unrealistic, it's in hindi with no subtitles so i can't understand a damn thing and, worst of all, there's choreographed song and dance. you all know how i feel about musicals (vomit). but there's something about bollywood that i just can't get enough of. the colors in the scenery and clothes are pretty unbelievable and the music is bangin', but i think what i love most about the indian movie scene is the following that the films gather. each screening of every movie is always packed. you would think that david beckham was performing a live striptease for free from the overwhelming attendance. and, the audience actively responds to the movie. people are always shouting out during really intense scenes, advising the characters on what to do. AND PEOPLE DANCE IN THE AISLES DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE. it's incredible. the music is that good that people just get up and break it down at anytime during the film. the other week, i saw this movie called "dil bole hadippa", translating to "the heart says hooray". it's basically the indian version of "she's the man", except instead of playing soccer, they're playing cricket. words can't express how good it was. berkeley-- it's better than "practical magic". guppy-- it's better than "ironman".

4. my host family.
yeah. how cute am i for saying this? but really. me and my peeps are getting really tight. the other week, we went out to dinner and my host mom held my hand ALL THE WAY until we got to the table. ALSO-- after dinner, we got all of these sweets and my host sister-in-law fed me with her hands (!!!). this may sound a lil unclean (like everything in this country), but it's actually a bigtime compliment and MAJOR bonding agent. feeding someone with your hands is a symbol of friendship and love-- that person physically wants to give you nourishment because they value you. i almost choked on my sweet i was so excited. more good news-- i bought my family this cheese spread because i finished off the container that we had at the house (not surprising...) and my host mom just about passed out she was so excited/flattered that i had brought it upon myself to buy more. BIG STRIDES IN FRIENDSHIP, BIG STRIDES.

5. the SIT staff.
ok. i know this post is getting really gushy and sentimental, but before you call me a suck-up, let me describe my relationship with these fine, fine people. these are the peeps who received me straight off the airplane in delhi and sheltered me during my first week in india that can be described only as one, big panic attack. these are the people who i turn to when i have any problem-- stomach ache, cell phone issues, need for stapler, hindi extra help, shopping advice, etc. these are the people who laugh with me (and sometimes at me) because they understand and realize that my life is one huge series of ridiculous situations stitched together. these are the people who have started calling my "bhahut komal". as i previously mentioned, my hindi name "komal" means "soft" and "bhahut" means "extra" or "very". aka, they're calling my "extra soft". i'm going to assume that it's because there's a popular advertisement for soap on TV that now coins the phrase "bhahut komal" and not because i'm gaining weight like a bear ready for hibernation. they are all temporary moms and dads but we all love them like they've been in our family since day one of our lives.

basically, india suits me really well.

lots of love to ya,
ccf