Pooja day

Hi!

Yesterday we went to Maa-Beti Mela which was a great success. We didn't end up too involved since it was all in Hindi but there was a good turnout (maybe not enough mothers though) and many girls did performances in the theme of mother-daughter relationships. Our decorations looked great though! My camera battery was dead so I didn't get any photos but I'll try to get some from the others and put them up. I wore my new, tailored outfit which is very nice. The craftsmanship is really amazing! Nice details and everything and it fits well. I hope to get another when new, winter fabrics come in.

Today we went to Pooja (worship) and lunch at Dr. Kusam's. Dr. Kusam lives below us so we didn't go far. First I got up and went to Nishtha, the local health clinic where Dr. Kusam and another important woman, Dr. Barbara, work. They use all homeopathic medicines I think. She gave me some 'beads' (not sure of the proper name) for my motion sickness and also some for my cold. I have a cold right now and I imagine I'll get more with the basically-outdoor-showers and lack of heating and everything. So after that we went down for lunch but the Pooja wasn't over so we sat with many women who were praying and singing songs. That was very nice although I was pretty hungry. Lunch was really good! Served much like the wedding but on a smaller scale. Maybe for 30. The workers from Nishtha also came. Also finished with sweet rice- did I explain what that is? It's like warm sugary rice with almonds. At the wedding it was pink but today it was orange. I liked the pink better..I'm not really sure if there was a difference though.

After that the others went to work at Jagori campus but I was feeling sick so I slept all afternoon. They got organized in terms of our projects for the next little while. Ceinwen and I will be in charge of preparing a nutritional kit and teaching curriculum which I'm very excited about. There will also be a similar project on body literacy (sex ed). Also there are two research projects that need our help. One is to compile about 300 surveys on health in the community- basically enter the data into a computer database for analysis- and the other is a continuation on a project a past McMaster student did on access to medicine in rural India.

Last night also Jane and Marie (who live in a different house) came over for the night. All six of us ate chips and watched a movie (Stardust)- good bonding time for sure. I'm glad we can fit them here.




Ceinwen took a video of our place! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DinJ-kxgawY

Ceinwen spilled ALL of our soya sauce (maybe 750ml)!! And we have no drain in the floor (which for some reason I'd expect here) so she just sopped it up a lot with a rag. 

Another beautiful view! This is from the red bridge. To go to Marie and Jane's house or to walk to Khanyara Knowledge Centre we have to walk up the hill, past Jagori, to the red bridge. Then we cross it to go up the hill to Khanyara or downhill to Jane and Marie's. So this view is from our side of the red bridge looking up towards Khanyara. Behind the house on the lower hill you can sort of see some village-like spots- that might be Khanyara. Not sure.

Thinking of you all!