Today there were many highlights. Lately I've been going to the Knowledge Centre to help prepare for the festival. Making posters and flags and things. It's sort of boring but I'm coming to know the people that work there better and I like them a lot. They are so nice and caring and they really look out for us. I'm getting more familiar with how to take the bus, and yesterday morning I was all ready to pay the right guy but then the woman from Jagori with me had already paid. It's like...even though I'm not completely clueless anymore they are still so generous! It makes me realize how genuine it is.
Anyways, today--- Ceinwen and I had to walk in the rain up to Knowledge Centre because the bus never came. The clouds were really high today which was new weather and it was windy which was also new. My umbrella is almost finished. So the walk was no good. BUT when we got there, after waiting around for a bit, we went to a wedding! It was such a great experience. It was day 2 of 3 of the wedding and it was a woman from Khanyara (where Knowledge Centre is) marrying a man from Dharmsala. I didn't see the bride and the groom wasn't to arrive until this evening, but we had a big lunch with maybe 100 people. We sat on plastic rice bags that had been sewn together and for each person there were leaves stitched together to make a plate. There was a full rectangle of us sitting cross-legged all facing in plus on row in the middle. I was worried I was under-dressed (not in local clothes) but it was okay because it wasn't too fancy. I sat across from about 5 little boys though who laughed and pointed at me the whole time. I felt sort of self-conscious but it wasn't mean they were sweet. So these men would come around and dish out food onto every leaf-dish really efficiently. There was rice and then a series of maybe 7 curries with more rice and water in between. We ate and ate and you had to cover your plate to decline or they'd just keep piling it on. It was so great. Such a good cultural experience and such good food. They bring around a basket full of chilis too- I took one to eat with my food but couldn't eat much of it. I did well eating with my hands but Ceinwen and Marie struggled a bit. First time for them so it makes sense. Oh also, beforehand they sat us in a room for chai and some snacks while we waiting for the big feast. At the end they brought sweet rice which is slightly pink and warm and sugary with almonds and other flavour in it. It was good. When you finish you fold your leaf, and then at the end you go to the side to pour water over your food-y hand.
Anyways, that was a very cool experience. It made my day.
After that we went back to make decorations for the festival, watched some local girls learning a dance (Manju taught them- she is so good at dance and I've heard everything else. Manju is 25 and has been with Jagori for 10 years. She offered to come over to teach us to cook! She also took us to buy fabric and go to her uncle who is a tailor), and then took the bus home. When we got home the sky had cleared and we saw the MOUNTAINS. The for real mountains. They were so much bigger and more amazing than I expected. To be honest I didn't even know they were sitting behind the clouds all that time. Even when we caught a glimpse it was like 1/100 of what's really there. I sat and watched the view until the sun went low and then came inside. ...power just went out... (normal).
I hope it doesn't rain again tomorrow. The weather has definitely been changing since the 'end of rains' festival 2 days ago. It was quite cold today unless the sun was out, and my feet are cold right now. Apparently even though winter here isn't bitter like in Canada, it's drastically different because of the lack of heating. I will probably wear my winter jacket for 1.5 months straight. I don't know how I'll shower!
xo Clarke
Anyways, today--- Ceinwen and I had to walk in the rain up to Knowledge Centre because the bus never came. The clouds were really high today which was new weather and it was windy which was also new. My umbrella is almost finished. So the walk was no good. BUT when we got there, after waiting around for a bit, we went to a wedding! It was such a great experience. It was day 2 of 3 of the wedding and it was a woman from Khanyara (where Knowledge Centre is) marrying a man from Dharmsala. I didn't see the bride and the groom wasn't to arrive until this evening, but we had a big lunch with maybe 100 people. We sat on plastic rice bags that had been sewn together and for each person there were leaves stitched together to make a plate. There was a full rectangle of us sitting cross-legged all facing in plus on row in the middle. I was worried I was under-dressed (not in local clothes) but it was okay because it wasn't too fancy. I sat across from about 5 little boys though who laughed and pointed at me the whole time. I felt sort of self-conscious but it wasn't mean they were sweet. So these men would come around and dish out food onto every leaf-dish really efficiently. There was rice and then a series of maybe 7 curries with more rice and water in between. We ate and ate and you had to cover your plate to decline or they'd just keep piling it on. It was so great. Such a good cultural experience and such good food. They bring around a basket full of chilis too- I took one to eat with my food but couldn't eat much of it. I did well eating with my hands but Ceinwen and Marie struggled a bit. First time for them so it makes sense. Oh also, beforehand they sat us in a room for chai and some snacks while we waiting for the big feast. At the end they brought sweet rice which is slightly pink and warm and sugary with almonds and other flavour in it. It was good. When you finish you fold your leaf, and then at the end you go to the side to pour water over your food-y hand.
Anyways, that was a very cool experience. It made my day.
After that we went back to make decorations for the festival, watched some local girls learning a dance (Manju taught them- she is so good at dance and I've heard everything else. Manju is 25 and has been with Jagori for 10 years. She offered to come over to teach us to cook! She also took us to buy fabric and go to her uncle who is a tailor), and then took the bus home. When we got home the sky had cleared and we saw the MOUNTAINS. The for real mountains. They were so much bigger and more amazing than I expected. To be honest I didn't even know they were sitting behind the clouds all that time. Even when we caught a glimpse it was like 1/100 of what's really there. I sat and watched the view until the sun went low and then came inside. ...power just went out... (normal).
I hope it doesn't rain again tomorrow. The weather has definitely been changing since the 'end of rains' festival 2 days ago. It was quite cold today unless the sun was out, and my feet are cold right now. Apparently even though winter here isn't bitter like in Canada, it's drastically different because of the lack of heating. I will probably wear my winter jacket for 1.5 months straight. I don't know how I'll shower!
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| The view from the street outside my house. There is a convenience store to the right and another one behind me that you can't see. The rest of the photos show the view from our porch! |
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| The house on the right is mine! You can see the door to one bathroom and the door to the kitchen to the right of that. |
Clarke! So nice to read your blog. Miss you and so sad I didn't get to see you before you left, but oh boy you are having a time! the photos are breath-taking and you're already experiencing so much- hustle and bustle and the mountains holy cow.
ReplyDeleteWe all miss you here in Montreal where winter is already creeping up and I'm already holed up in the library.
MUCH LOVE, JENNY <3
It's great to hear from you!! I don't have my blog set up that well so I didn't even see that you wrote. Glad I found it.
DeleteI really am having such a nice time. It's an amazing location and the people are amazing as well. It is too bad we missed each other! I hope the rest of your summer was fun fun and school isn't too bad this fall. I'll see you at Christmas!!!
xo
I feel like I would have loved those little kids... hehehe
ReplyDeleteI can't get over these photos - postcard life, huh?! I can't believe you're so close to the 'For REAL MOUNTAINS'... pretty phenomenal..
Also PINK HOUSE :) how cutie pie..
Can't wait for your next post
XXXXXXX
Thanks!!! And yes you would love them. Today I looked at the mountains and couldn't imagine them up-close at all. For the first time it literally looked to me like a backdrop on a set or something. My friend Marie says it's like we're in a snow globe and at the mountains the world just ends.
Deletexo