Christmas time in Bangalore is quite warm and comfortable. News from home says Christmas time is exactly how I'd like to have left it: miserably cold. While I miss Christmas activities and my cute husband and family, I am so relieved to be on the other side of the world of Utah snow. I miss my students, too, but will be surrounded by students next week. So far it's been a comfortable transition coming to India as a teacher. It's nice to have pieces of my American life stay constant while away from the things that I love.
Bangalore, India is filled with ideal weather, endless culture, business & technology, good company, and although it's part of culture, it needs to stand alone: good food. The weather is beautiful--t-shirts and pants work fine and there are rare moments in the day where I may want a sweater, but overall it's dream weather. I love the sound of rickshaws, bikes, and cars weaving through each other like wild animals, but still in the end all making it out of the commotion unscathed. Jingling jewelry lets you know someone is near, and adds charm to a stranger right away. So many sounds permeate, my favorite being religious chanting. Although the people are solemn and peaceful while they worship, there's also an element of happiness and joy in the process that comes off as a strong, almost visible feeling, as opposed to a gesture. The sights too! The saris, the gold, the bindis, the paint, the temples, the buildings, the hairstyles, and then there's the frumpy western business suits. Business and technology have exploded in this city, metropolizing it and somehow inadvertently calling for western business wear. The city is fast-paced and ever-growing, while at the same time slow and easy-going--Indian style. Although I've heard many lament IST (Indian Standard Time), it's actually another charming part of the culture I'd love adopted in the U.S. Probably less teeth would grit to alarm clocks until the inevitable trip to the sanatorium. IST is evidence of the unique love and value Indians have for human life. Meetings can go longer because it's okay to really sit down and get to know the person, which has been another treasured experienced while being here. Such great company! Both deep and shallow conversations have developed into lifelong friendships with people from completely different backgrounds, but similar feelings about love and life. And lastly and most superficially, the food is rich, spicy, multi-textured, and so pungent that it tells a story. FOOD'S HERE NOW. SO THERE'S JUST NO REASON TO BE ON THIS POST ANYMORE.
