Here we go!

Well, the day is here. We are on our way. Bags are packed, passport in hand the adventure is about to begin. I love the way the visa looks, it's written in Hindi and English.  What I love the most is, it's taped to my passport. There is something weird and cool about reading Hindi and English on the same document. I have been busy practicing my Hindi. I don't have much opportunity to speak it here.  Last night, I could not remember the word for sweep. I could remember it in Swahili, since I grew up in Africa. I finally had to just give up, thinking I  am not going to have to sweep anything!  But, it did finally come to me. So, now I am ready, just in case I have to ask someone "Can I sweep"?! 

I am looking forward to seeing people that look like me. I will gaze into brown or black eyes for the next little while.  Everyone around me will have dark hair. There will be no blond, red, light brown hair-- all dark. I will be surrounded by brown people and I won't be in the minority... hard to wrap my mind around that. I will eat Indian food for breakfast lunch and dinner. On the menu there will be a ton of vegetarian choices, instead of just one item. In this wonderful state of ours, eating out is a challenge.  Veggie choices are few and far in between.  The comment I love the most "We have salad". When I tell my wait staff I am a vegetarian. I calmly tell them, "I am not a rabbit". 

No doubt I will miss Oklahoma. It's wide open spaces and people driving in a somewhat sane manner! In India no one pays attention to staying in their own traffic lane. It's free for all. Everyone drives with their hand eternally on the horn. I know I will have a headache. I am armed with plenty of tylenol!

My next entry will be from India. I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity. I will get to walk the banks of the holy river Ganga. There is so much I am looking forward to. I appreciate you joining me in cyber-space.

Until next time.

Sunita.