The Adventure Begins

After writing my last post, I was able to connect with another co-worker and actually venture outside my apartment walls - now I really feel like I'm officially in India!

We went to Shilparamam, which is described as an "arts, crafts and culture village." It was kind of like a park with bazaar-style shopping. Here's a picture of me outside the entrance:



Thankfully since we went in the late afternoon it wasn't scorching hot, and was a pleasant change from the near freezing temperatures we've been having in Michigan. We strolled around, looked at all of the cool stuff for sale (bangles, pashminas, traditional India clothing, pottery, figurines, etc) and got henna done! I have it on the front and back of both of my arms, almost up to my elbows. The picture below is what it looks like before you scrape off the dried ink:



And here's a better idea of what it looks like when it's done:



After getting our henna done, we were drawn to an outdoor amphitheater in the park that was playing music. Turns out we were just in time for a singing and dancing performance. Excuse my poor video skills, but here's a sample of what we saw:



Good news for those of you who were worried about what I'd have for dinner - we called a driver and went to a Chinese restaurant across town, giving us the chance to experience once again the craziness that is driving in India. On the plus side, it also gave me a good look at other parts of town - very interesting.

Even though I've only been here for a day, I've already experienced some of the things the guide books told me about - people randomly taking my picture (sometimes stealthily, sometimes not), people asking me if I am married for no apparent reason, etc.

Overall though, so far so good! And thanks to the wonders of technology, I've even been able to videochat with people back home. We've come a long way since I was in France 5 years ago and could only call home occasionally from a pay phone with a calling card :)