My Favorite Things

One day last week, my teammate and I rode home from school with two of our students. We somehow started talking about musicals and discovered a common love for "The Sound of Music", then spent the rest of the ride home belting out its songs. This was one of the highlights of that day and got me thinking as I looked out the car window. As we were singing "Favorite Things", I began listing my favorite things about South Asia one month in, and I thought I'd share a few with you.

1. People stare. If you know me at all, it probably shocks you that this is the first one on the list. I did hate it for a while, but then started having fun with it. Since it's inevitable that I will get stares, I make eye contact right back. The women typically have wary looks on their faces, but when I smile at them, they have time to process this and smile back before we pass on the street. Then we are both happy :)
2. Things are cheap. Pretty self-explanatory. But if you need an example, I bought three tomatoes for the equivalent of 2 cents today. And an $11 meal was ridiculous. I almost walked out of the restaurant.
3. Clothes. They are colorful, modest, cheap, and you get to design your own. It doesn't get much better than that!
4. Animals. I greet cows, dogs, goats, chickens, and the occasional monkey on my daily outings. I've even had cows outside my building to welcome me home. Almost like Brody....
5. Autos. The best way I can describe an auto rickshaw is a three-wheeled scooter with a roof and a bench on the back. We play "How many Americans can we fit in an auto?" often. I believe the current record is six, but we can do better than that. The drivers don't like this game as much as we do though.
6. Food. I have always liked a little kick to my food, but South Asia overwhelms my taste buds at times. And the freshest fruits and vegetables. Pretty amazing.
7. Our guard. There is a very nice man who stands outside our building and helps out with anything we need. He also practices Kannada with me, even though he spends the majority of the time laughing at my attempts to sound like him.
8. Birthdays. In this culture, you give gifts to your friends on your birthday, instead of the other way around. I think this is how it should be, so I'm going to try it on Monday.
9. Two-wheelers. What I like to call "scoot-scoots". It blows me away how many people can fit onto a small motorcycle. I'll see families with a child up front holding onto the handlebar, a parent driving behind the child, another squished child, and a mom on the back holding one or two more children. Typically only the dad has a helmet. I'm not saying this makes sense, but it's hard not to smile.
10. Chai. Incredible conversations happen over a cup of tea.
11. Lack of shoes. I hardly ever wear them here. And there are a lot of people who never do. Anytime you enter a building, you leave your shoes at the door. My feet feel so free.
12. People. My neighbors. Becoming my friends. Seeing my Father at work in them.

It will be interesting to see how this list changes over the next few months :) Thanks for your encouragement and support so far. Know that your prayers are felt, and He is continuing to meet our needs. Please fill me in on what is going on in your lives. I would love to be lifting you up as well! Love to you all!