First day in Bangalore

            Before I begin, please feel free to read all, parts, or until you get bored of listening to me ramble, of any and all of my entries.  I am trying to recall everything and record it , but also of course for entertainment- enjoy!

After almost two full days of traveling, I'm finally here!  My flight from New York to Heathrow airport in London was quick and easy.  As I sat down at my seat, I waited with the hope that no one would be seated next to me so I could sleep the whole way. Instead, Rachel the Jewish doctor, originally from South Carolina but is now living in New York completing her residency, sat down next to me. We got to talking and she told me about her destination which was Uganda.  She is going to be spending a month there at some kind of medical facility although it is unclear as to just how much of a facility it really is because of the conditions there.

Once we had covered the basics and I was done with the talking, I had to nicely say something to get to her to stop talking before I literally fell asleep on her.  So I just said I was enjoying her company, but that I needed to get some sleep.  She went on to read her medical journals for the remainder of the flight as I slept, it was wonderful.  We went through security together once we arrived in London, and from there we wished each other luck and we parted ways.  I proceeded to search for coffee and found myself sipping my usual Starbucks drink, a grande, non fat, extra hot latte, just the way I like it in London. I couldn't have felt any closer to home, it was a rather surreal feeling.  The time in Heathrow airport consisted mostly of trying to keep myself awake so I walked around for a while and finally when I couldn't bare walking anymore, I sat down and watch an episode of Friends before heading to my gate.  When they called for those passengers to Bangalore I could not believe that I was actually on this flight! Although it was a relatively open flight, I kept myself situated in my little corner on the plane where I slept, ate my first taste of India, and watched Get Him To the Greek, part of Toy Story 3, and what else but more Friends!!

This nine hour flight did not pass quite as quickly, but eventually we landed, I said shechecheyanu, and was thrilled to be staying on the ground for a while. Gaus was there to meet me and take to Anne's flat.  Anne is the country coordinator who made sure that I didn't stay in a hole while I'm here- thank goodness for her! She is a nice, older, British woman who help found the school.  Gaus and I picked her up and brought me to Gina's flat which is only two blocks away.  We woke up Gina, but she is the sweetest and has been offering to feed me almost every minute.  I couldn't be less hungry, but after I took a short nap it was time to eat something if I was going to attempt to stay up for the rest of the day.  Gina's servant, Shema (interesting right, although she is Muslim) made me some food, none of it I could even attempt to pronounce but it was good.  Actually the one thing I can remember is Daal, which was yummy. Gina generously offered to hook me up with a an old phone of hers so she took me to a shop so I could buy minutes. Gina and I went downstairs to meet her cab driver who she offered to lend me when I feel comfortable to use before she gets home from work during the week.  Anyway, we went out to a store in search of minutes, which I found out costs about $5 for something like 200 minutes- it's insane.  Dad, you were write almost everything costs about a couple of dollars.  After we went into town, I met Gina's sisters.  The land that her flat is built on is actually now three flats in which her mother and one of her sisters live.  Originally they all lived on this land in a house, but her father broke it down and made it into three flats (for you friends lovers: "wow, my flat is twice this size.")  Her sister was very nice and then I also met her sister Rhoda who works at the school. Side note, could these names be any less Indian? Turns out they are originally from Goa and apparently Goa is not India according to Gina.  I look forward to finding out for myself while I'm here! 

An interesting fact about Gina is that she is a travel agent! So after I met her sisters, we went upstairs and she pressed some buttons on her ancient computer (but it has Internet so I will NOT complain) and found some potential flights and tours for me in the coming week- it's going to be incredible! Now I just have to find people to travel with! Rhoda suggested that I talk to some of the French students who just arrived who are about my age.  Apparently, they are here for two years in some design program and have recently arrived so there is potential in that I suppose.  Also, Gina knows friends everywhere who she insists would be happy to take me in and show me the places I want to see so it's all very exciting and I've only been here 12 hours!  Now I'm just struggling to stay awake but a determined to sleep through the night.  Cant wait for my first day tomorrow!!