seven days in india

It has taken me forever to get on the Indian clock--I was waking up at 5 ready to go, dying at like 11 am, lying awake for hours at night, etc etc--but I think I have FINALLY done it. This was evidenced by the fact that at 540am wakeup for yoga I looked like this:

and spent the morning walk to class muttering to myself and seeing if it was possible to walk with one eye open and the other one resting. That seems just about right for my normal pre-sunrise self.

Classes have started, and GAH. The Indian style of teaching seems to be straight teacher to student lecture for the whole class period (and then probably ~20 minutes more, or maybe 30 if the end of class was supposed to be lunchtime), with very little interaction/discussion. From classes as well as some of the events we've attended I'm finding that the general Indian attention span seems to be muuuuuchhh longer than my own. Luckily the subject matter is really interesting (ex. tomorrow in health and environment the lecture is entitled "snakes in eco-system - an interactive session") and I think I'll be learning a lot. Did you know Delhi has legalized gay marriage?!?! COME ON, CALIFORNIA.

I've been having a little bit of trouble in my Sanskrit class...we have to open the session singing an ancient Sanskrit chant to Ganesha where we follow the teacher in call and response...the problem is that some of the words are 40+ letters long and two of the four students are admittedly tone deaf, so the woman will sing something like "Nitantakantadantakantimantakantakatmajam" (yes, that is one word) in this beautiful tune and our response is this wildly horrible (but very loud and hearty) jumble of every possible flat/sharp note sounding something like "chipoonatankalankasooooooootaramajammmmmm" and I have been breaking into hysterical, uncontrollable laugher. Like, it's RUDE. But I CAN'T control it!!!!! And we will be opening the class with this thing every time!!! So yes, until I can get myself under control sanskrit is a little troublesome (but otherwise SO FUN)

Our days have been packed from 6am to sometimes 10pm, so there is too much to share all that has been going on. I will just say that I am continually inspired, challenged, overwhelmed, and overall sooo soo glad that I made the decision to come here.

Here are a few pictures, and I'd love to get an email/update from anyone who reads this--how is life?!

ನಮಸ್ತೆ