Just a quick little post to let you all know that I'm still doing well. I've finally recovered from the illnesses that plagued me for days. It seems I'm back on a regular schedule, if you will.
The days are filled with Hindi, lectures, yoga, Bollywood dancing, and commuting to and from the program center. The lectures are seriously good, if incredibly broad. This week we have had lectures on Orientalism/Occidentalism, Art Music in India, Indian History Pre-1947 (yes, 5000 years in one lecture), and on Who's Who in Hindu Art. It has been illuminating, though I often find that I'm just reeling and cursing the entire academic world when the lectures are through. Mostly I'm astonished at how much knowledge our lecturers have and I've realized I don't hunger for that much knowledge about one specific thing. It's amazing but kind of scary, or awesome? God, I don't even know anymore.
And then there's the Bollywood dancing and the yoga. Yoga is amazing, even if it is at 7 am and I have to get a rickshaw from my neighborhood at 6 am. That's okay. Really, it's fine. Bollywood dancing is just pure joy and full to the brim with everything tacky and sexy. Taking that workshop is a much needed glimpse into Indian modern life (the real India of 2009). SIT is so much about the ancient civilization and "culture" that it's totally relieving to have one part of the day devoted to Indian pop culture. Our teachers, Maher and Inder, are the most awesome and hot people ever. Maher was a semi-finalist in "India's Got Talent" for belly-dancing, and Inder just won the title of the BEST Salsa dancer in India. Of course, because I have two left feet, they just laugh at me as I try to shimmy and twitch my hips around... but they also invited us out to some salsa clubs (Indian salsa clubs??) which will be awesome. So, so, so fun. I'm very excited to see the young hip Indian population and "mingle."
But here's how I really unwind every night: Aunty loves, loves, loves "Friends." Yes, the NBC show. Of course she does. She sits there and giggles about all the weird sexual scenarios and says how "sweet" everything is. "Friends" is apparently the international language.
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Wow Galen, I never knew Indiana was so....so exotic, i thought it just smelled of corn. Speaking of corn, we just picked some from the garden. Its good to be back on the island. I know have a cheese belly from France, maybe that's like yer Deli Belly?
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could we get a description of the Bollywood dance outfit? I'm imagining.......remember the pink tutu? XXX Mom
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