jugar and my car

We learned a term this week that I thought I would share with you all. We were sitting in class one day and Storm-ji (Academic Director) couldn't get the powerstrip to work. She informed us that this was the product of the uniquely Indian concept of "jugar." I guess it's actually a verb, and the definition is a bit hard to explain but basically instead of fixing things permanently it is common for Indians to fix them temporarily.

Now, some people had a real issue with understanding this term, but I have to say I'm familiar with the verb jugar. We jugared the Cabriolet all summer. In India it would not be surprising to see a car like mine--with a duct tape roof, apoxied door handles, and a ratcheted convertible top. Add in the fact that we have to blast the heat during the (might I say quite cool) Maine summers in order for the engine not to overheat and I'd say we've jugared the hell out of that vehicle.

So, India's not too far off from home, I guess. I mean, in many respects it is obscenely different - but then there are concepts like jugar that remind me of my dad and Pete.

I've got a little cold, but nothing terrible. My immune system is pretty down (Pete, I should have brought some ImmunoSea, but forgot... it would have been worth it for sure!). Yesterday I went on the first of four "heritage walks." They are led by this fascinating Indian man who is an architectural encyclopedia. He took us to all of these beautiful old ruins that hardly anyone goes to. We ended up wandering through narrow alleyways in a predominantly Muslim area of Delhi. Fortunately, our walk coincided with not only the month of Ramadan, but we were also in the area just before sunset. The men had just gotten out of the mosque and there wre kabobs being roasted and dishes being prepared for the nighttime feasting. It was an awesome spectacle. Not to mention the fact that whenever we enter a place like this (a part of Delhi that is not frequented by tourists) we are followed around and stared at and there's sort of an automatic party feeling. That's a strange way to describe it but... I don't know, it's hard to explain.

I'm running out of time on the computer. India is hilarious. Mom, no costumes yet. I'll tell you about them when we get them.