In the Distance

As I stood on the fourth floor of the intern house later this afternoon I caught a glimpse of the surrounding hills around Jaipur. These are the hills that I saw in all the pictures on google of the city, and I have looked forward to seeing them for the last couple months. But from where I am right now they are very far away. My house is on the opposite side of Jaipur from the Old City, where all the beautiful bazaars and old temples are located. The last couple days I have literally spent in the house as I don't how to take the bus into the city and haven't had anyone to go with as the three interns that are staying here have been on a lion safari. The hills are in the distance but I hope to bring them closer soon.

I feel like many things are in the distance. In the future I will be more independent, able to take public transportation, speak a bit of Hindi, and barter at the markets. I will know my job description and whether or not it's okay that I'm going to take about 5 days off of work to travel with Rachel. Soon I plan to post pictures of me close to the mountains and one in the middle of a bazaar (in an outfit that I bartered for without getting ripped off). I know that these things that seem so hard now will work out and I'm excited for the day when I am able to navigate this intense and beautiful place on my own.

Some highlights from the last couple days:

• Driving in my first Rickshaw and buying my first set of Indian clothes (more to follow tomorrow)
• The cheerful "hello bibi" (bibi as derived from Bethany) by the young daughter, Nanu, of the live-in servant. We played lots of cards together though it is difficult to explain the rules of card game without speaking the same language.
• Drinking Chai tea and talking with the two Indian girls who live upstairs
• Showing pictures of Chicago, Seattle, Bellingham and Vancouver B.C. to my host family
• Eating delicious home cooked Indian food
• Watching fireworks and lightning from the fourth floor of the house in the cooler air of the evening
• Noticing the Winnie-the-Pooh sticker on the refrigerator
• Getting my internet back tonight and receiving encouragement from friends back home

Riding in my first rickshaw, with fellow intern Parisa from Sweden.

View from my room

Me and Nanu

Indian Sky