i have yet to realize that i've really left home for a year.

i'm so accustomed to traveling that this seems normal, though i was missing family, home, friends, today.... i'm not on the internet very often but know that so many of you are in my thoughts.

India does not function like America. many of my values are being challenged: i can't expect people to do exactly what they say they will do, or to be on time. there's a different, organic view of time, life, people...

i have at least ten mosquito bites on my ankles, i sweat a lot when i eat curry and have already gained weight from eating too much rice(!) , you can find Hershey's kisses, Pillsbury cake mixes, GreenGiant canned vegetables, Heinz ketchup and practically any american brand you want at the grocery store, i'm excercising each day on the treadmill and hope to enroll in a yoga class soon, i'm listening to classical music and German leider (art songs) and taking voice lessons again, finally... i'd started studying with a teacher in Italy and quit after 3mths... i'm anxious to really take it seriously now.

i am only beginning to understand the caste system here. what i see are poor and rich, seemingly nothing in between...

today i had an appointment with a skin specialist, an extremely kind, retired doctor who treats patients for the joy of it, accepting no payment but a good humored conversation in the midst of his diagnosis.

and yes, the questions of life continue. i've been extremely self-centered and miserable for way too long.
life is precious.
let's live like it.

i have rechargable batteries for my camera, which i have not been able to recharge! so needless to day.. photos shall come soon!

so it's been a little over a week....
...i've learned to make roti (the indian work for bread, which is similar to pita)
...met a girl from Dayton, Ohio (!) who has been here for three months learning the language Urdu
...i'm learning to speak Telegu and studying German
...saw a baby buffalo
...ate my first custard apple and a fresh fig, fresh from the tree
...saw a family of at least 7 fit into a tiny yellow auo (taxi)
...wore my first kameez, the traditional long tunic styled shirts worn here...

i'll have solid news about my job tomorrow.. finally!

namaste! hi.

so i plan to actually update this, now that i'm overseas again...
you'll find some of my old entries here from my time in Rome, Italy, and new thoughts and lessons being learned during my time here in Hyderabad, India.
I had an extremely long and uneventful trip here, and though i'm 9.5 hrs ahead of you all, the jetlag has been minimal.
yay!

more soon.