Sorry I haven't written more or contacted people on skype yet. We don't have internet sticks (how we will connect to the Internet at our apartment building) yet so we just come to an internet cafe to email. Between 12-2 it becomes so hot that everyone just stays in their houses so it'd be very uncomfortable to come to the internet cafe at that time. Except yesterday was cool which is why I came early then. Everyone keeps saying that everyday it will keep getting hotter and hotter until it peaks between June 1- 15th. I'm starting to understand what they were saying. We were taking two showers everyday but Dr. Nuckolls told us today that he usually takes 3-4 showers. All of us are definitely going to take his advise. And let me tell you...I'm getting really good at showering out of a bucket!
The food is good but a little overwhelming. It is spicier than what I've ever had before but not in a hot way. It's more of a ridiculous amount of flavors that can be a bit too much. We had a traditional Telegu meal today. We sat on the floor and ate off of banana leaves. The meal consisted of fried dough (almost like a banana sweet bread), Fried plantain (first one ever), eggplant dish (first time for eggplant too), potatoes dish, some sort of fried bread but it was as thin as a potato chip, tiger rice (which takes 24 hours to make), curry and a banana. It was good. And I never have to worry about not getting enough fruit. There are always bananas to eat and a friend of Dr. Nuckolls sent him some fresh mangos. Andhra Pradesh is apparently famous for mangoes (which explains why we are getting mango smoothies all the time) and the mangoes we got are suppose to be the best ones in the province. One kind we just eat like normal mangoes but the other ones it sounds like we poke a whole in them and then drink them...but we'll see when we actually eat them.
We haven't given gifts quite yet. Dr. Nuckolls is explaining to us how and wants to look over our gifts before we give them just to make sure we're giving the right ones to the people that will appreciate them the most. Though he did say if we brought Krishnayya a book to just give it to him but we haven't had time yet.
We started the Telegu class today and can say a few basic things like what is you name and how are you. We're suppose to know the alphabet by the end of the night which I'm a little intimidated by. In Telegu you have your basic alphabet (which won't be too hard) but when you start forming words you combine the symbols to make a new symbol...so it seems that the number of symbols are endless. Wish me luck!
We normally have class every day for an hour in the morning but we are skipping tomorrow to go to Mumuksha's first rice feeding which will take place in a temple about 30 minutes north of here. He just turned 6 mos a couple of weeks ago so we came just in time!
Most women wear Kurtas almost everyday except married women seem to wear more sarees. I was a little hesitant about sarees at first because the blouse that you wear with it is only a half shirt, but I talked with Dr. Nuckolls to see what his wife did and he said you just wear it. At first I was like 'typical non-helpful advice of Dr. Nuckolls' but then we're at church and he was right. Women that wore garments made sure the back came up higher and that the part in front that drapes over covered more but if they move just right their garments showed. So we'll see how it goes with mine that I just bought. I just need to get a blouse made before I wear it.
As far as calls go I can't quite yet. We just got our cell phones but haven't put enough money on it to call home. Same with skype. I can't skype here (at the Internet Cafe) since we are right by the road, but once I get the internet stick I will be able to. I'll keep you updated on the process.
I love and miss you all so much. Oh, and thanks for calling my mom! I know it meant a lot to her!
Love,
Kendra
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