It's been exactly a month since I touched down in the Mumbai Airport. That experience alone was challenging, frustrating and liberating all at once. I knew from that start to my 10 month journey that things weren't going to be simple, each day would be a challenge, and I would probably always be a novelty here. I have since seen that that assumption was correct.
I began sitting in on classrooms at the Madhi High School 3 days after I arrived. Thus began my autograph signing career. It's a month later and still today, I was swamped with crazy girls wanting me to sign their notebooks. One of my students taught me to spell my name in Gujarati the other day so I'm going to start using that instead of Khill. I don't think they will think it's as cool and maybe the novelty of my handwriting will wear off when they see something they could forge themselves...here's hoping. But really, the autograph signing is not the most incredible thing that happens to me each day. That title might go to my Spoken English class that I teach each morning of the week at 9:30. These are some really energetic 8th Standard boys and girls. It's an amazing way to start your day; seeing 41 little faces stand and say "Good morning, Madam!" in unison. It always brings a smile to my face. Then comes my Gujarati quiz. I made a deal with them that I would learn 3 new Gujarati words or phrases each day. Now, I must say "Stand up" or "Sit down" in their language instead of English. It makes them so happy to teach me something that I just have to do it.
I know it's taken me an incredibly long time to write this first blog. It's not that I don't think to just about every 2 days or so, but, things move slowly in India. People walk slowly, people react slower, and things get accomplished at a much slower pace than we are used to. Case and point: Internet that was supposed to be up and running before we all got here...1 month later...no internet. "you gotta roll with it".....So, I'm rolling. It should be said that Indians do one thing quickly....and that is DRIVE. I won't describe it for you. I wouldn't do it justice, you would be scared for my life, and my mother would call me straight away telling me to wear that non-existent seatbelt.
Well, I'm going to sign off for now and prepare to celebrate the 4th of July from India! That might look like the 7 of us eating greasy Gujarati food, firing off fireworks with the kids and making a chocolate cake on the stovetop. Yum.