Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Latest Rambling Blog Entry from your Favorite Brady Nordstrom


February 17, 2011

So, here we go again. I figure that it is about time that I write another entry. Today marks my first month in India. Time surely flies. Many things have happened since I last wrote... I now am rated 7/10 on my hand-eating abilities (as told today at work), I now have an apartment with my Kiwi friend Troy (we moved in 3 or so days ago), I have learned two phrases in Tamil (“have you bathed?” and “I am going to study”... very impressive, no?), I can now barter with an auto driver with very little timidity (I might even go as far as to say confidence!), my (now less) delicate digestive system has pretty much adjusted to spicy Indian cuisine (still waiting for what is apparently an inevitable battle with food poisoning though), I have learned that if you posture your body right while walking (I like to imagine that I’m pissed off and ready to punch a dog in the face) you can pretty much go right through a pack of stray dogs with few problems (although I saw a man the other day who had to pick up a huge rock to scare them away), and I have even learned how to barter with furniture dealers on crowed, dusty streets by cutting out any words that might confuse them (“How long will it take you to put the cushions on these chairs” becomes “how much time... cushion on chair” ...while pointing, of course). 

I am far from being an expert (... although I can say two whole phrases in Tamil...), but many of the things that originally surprised me have begun to become expected. In general, I have begun to exit a stage where I was habitually in thought about what was happening, and have begun (slowly, of course) to get into the habit of just living. I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing.

To mention one particular account before I end this entry, I went on a work retreat a few weeks ago in a place called Coorg. We were on a plantation next to a river. It was a very peaceful time where I got to go swimming in the river, play my guitar, and drink tea (and watered down black coffee which you have to special order). I took a short walk with two friends from Kerala (a neighboring state to Karnataka) and they showed me how to pop the pit of a coffee berry into my mouth. It was subtly sweet, but delicious none-the-less. The bus ride to the resort and back was so bumpy that you would get popped into the air every minute or two and standing without being thrust forward or backward was a serious challenge. Somehow a big group of us managed to play charades for almost 3 hours straight... mostly to keep our minds off the bumps. I just remember laughing.The son of my co-worker called me uncle, which is a common term for older people in India, on the bus ride. That was my first time being called that. I don’t know why it stands out so much. In any case, I look back on the weekend with warmth. It was a nice break from learning my new job, which I am just now starting to get the hang of. I am relieved that it is starting to click because I want to be useful to this organization that I am here to serve.

Many interesting things have been happening that I don’t have the opportunity to mention here, but I think that I will have something more substantial to write after this weekend when I get back from a trip to Hampi (which is apparently an historical site that houses an ancient Hindu temple) with some of my fellow interns. I will be a full-fledged tourist there so you can finally expect some pictures! 

Thank you all for your support and prayers.

Peace and Hope,

Brady Nordstrom