drinkin' tea and eating a rusk - a super-toasted-slightly-sweet-half-piece-of-bread

New Delhi is hot hot hot. It's supposed to cool down in about a month. It's actually not that bad - about 95-98 during the day. But it's also really humid, and no one has central air conditioning, just some units in certain rooms of the houses and ceiling fans. I get all sweaty at night, yuck.

Other than that, life here is good. I wish people in the US could just take it easy sometimes, like most other countries. Of course, people here work, but the pace of life is more relaxed. But I guess that's not really the case for anyone to isn't middle to upper class.

It's about 6:45 on Sunday evening, and we got here at 11ish on Friday night. Pretty much all we've done so far is shopped and met with some family. My mom has been buying Indian clothes left and right and looking at fancy jewelry, and of course, I tag along. Usually, I'm horribly bored, but this time my mom has been pretty quick about looking at stuff. The last time we were here, my aunt, my sister, my mom, and i went together. My mom and my aunt spent hours in certain stores, and I'm really not exaggerating. I took some photos in one of the clothing shops today. I'll post them as soon as I can.

Yesterday we went to see my grandfather - my mom's dad. I guess it either didn't hit me last time, or I forgot, but this time, I really realize how old he is. He kind of shuffles and waddles instead of walks, and he's really hunched over. He used to be quite tall, but I kind of dwarfed him this time (in heels). My mom and I talked about how we feel bad that he lives all alone, but that's the way he wanted it to be. (The rest of my mom's family lives in the Baltimore area.) Hm, maybe next time we go to see him, I'll bring my laptop to show him family pictures...

Tomorrow I'm going to talk to my sitar teacher's friend on the phone and start figuring out my lessons, and all of that. I think I'm finally really excited about being here, and looking forward to it. Everything that I'm getting myself into hadn't really sunk in at all until now. I forgot about the traffic, the dust, the heat, etc. (These aren't complaints, just observations. I definitely love being here.) The traffic, if you haven't been here before, is absolutely absurd. Most roads have no lanes, and there are little to no laws for the road. (If they exist, they aren't enforced.) So people honk at each other, cut each other off left and right, pass each other everywhere, and have no regard whatsoever for pedestrians. People also park on sidewalks and in other inconvenient areas.) Someone said - I think maybe my sister's friend...? - that coming here and seeing how the traffic is without accidents could make anyone believe in God. (Or that seeing the traffic proves that God exists in this country. something like that...)

Anyway, we're going to the movie theatre tonight to see whatever the current big three-to-four-hour blockbuster is, and naturally, I'll probably fall asleep. O my god, I just had a samosa delivered to me that is the best samosa you will ever eat. yum.

ok bye!