The Long Overdue Post

            Sorry I have not updated this in a week!  Time has escaped me.  To begin, last weekend was awesome. The weather was cool, the showers were hot, the food was awesome, and it was a nice little break back in civilization.  We met some other Americans who were working in the IT Park at a bar on the top of a skyscraper, walked aimlessly through the city, and also saw touristy sites such as the botanical gardens.   The hotel had a really nice workout room and pool so we capitalized on those amenities. After probably what will be/was my most frustrating week in India, it was a perfect weekend getaway!

            When we got back, I promised Mukesh, the son of the woman who is in charge of the guest house, a swim lesson, so Shawn, Leslie and I took him to a nearby pool.  We ate oversized dosas while we waited for the pool to be free and then worked on some fundamentals of swimming.  All in all, it was a great afternoon. Later that evening, Sonia and I paced up and down the street we live on about 20 times having a good conversation.  It was a refreshing way to start off a week, especially considering the week before had been so repetitive. 

            For the rest of the week, Shawn, Leslie and I have been going to the nearby field and playing basketball and running pretty much daily at sunset.  It has been a great way to get rid of some energy. We have gone to the good ol’ Hotel Sangum, the new huge Arun ice cream shop, and other new places to eat.  This past week actually went by pretty quickly.

            As for the reason I am actually here, the work is coming along pretty well. Our field visits this past week were very productive. We solidified our intervention, and I finished my part for the first major paper.  We observed a woman cooking, met with a survivor from a stroke, conducted food audits in nearby markets etc…  Monday we have our first presentation to update our partners in how everything is going. 

            Right now the electricity shut off (again), and Shawn, Sonia and I are sweltering in our cozy (or “Tiny@$$”) room. He poses a very good question: In a country with so much of its economy based in the IT field, shouldn't they be able to have reliable electricity for a bare minimum?   Please feel free to comment!

            I will write more later as the heat is putting me to sleep.