Random 8
Rebs JH tagged me-good thing I read her blog, b/c she didn't tell me she tagged me. (normally I don't do these things...or respond to forwards that promise 7 years of good luck and weight loss if you send it to 89,000 other people) Now that we're clear that I NEVER do this here are my random facts.
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
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1. Currently reading, "The Alchemist" by Paul Coelho. Just finished, " The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy, "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri ( and I hear there is a movie based on this book, which I want to see)
and "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini --I've had a ton of time to read in Bangladesh and have discoverd some new authors from Asia. I've also enjoyed reading stories that are set in Muslim countries. I have had a new level of understanding and while reading and can picture exactly what the authors are describing and some of the words are the same as some Bangla words, they all have roots in sanskrit. It's pretty cool.
2. I am in love with Convents. I don't know if this will ever go away. You should go to one sometime. Don't try to "do" anything while you are there. Just go.
3. I only got to see the Taj Mahal for 3 Minutes last week. Ask me to tell you the story later.
4. I am a stomach sleeper. I hear this is bad for your back. It doesn't seem to be bad for mine. and I only have a one inch matress and a pillow as hard as a brick right now.
5. Last week one of my highlights from India was seeing Sikh's (the ones with turbans that never cut their hair and that carry swords) making music at the Golden Temple, with instruments I have never seen before, singing in an otherworldly way.
6. I am a member of the Traveling Shirt Club. But the Traveling Shirt never made it to Bangladesh. (beth tried though, it's waiting for me in PA :) )
7. I once made all my housemates dance to Ace of Bace's "I saw the Sign" (which found its way onto the House CD)
8. A conversation with a shop owner vying for my attention, in India (he was following us and being pesky) Man: Hello. Me: Hello. (picking up the pace and trying to look intent on something) Man: Where are you from? Me: Turkey. Man: I want to talk with you. Me: I do not have time to talk with you. Man: Do you mind? Me: Yes, I mind. (walking even faster) Man: "I have no mind." Me: uprorious laughter.
I am tagging: Miriam, Alaina, Reba, Robin and Emily...
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
a few words
back from india....too exhausted to say much of anything but here are a few words and phrases to describe the last few weeks and the transition i am anticipating in coming home.
-amazed and the dance of differences between cultures..india and bangladesh.
-wondering if I'll ever be able to speak and write in english without so many spelling and grammar errors. even though i've been teaching english...i forget a lot of which phrases people use, how to spell words, how to use prepositions (my brother, a member of the grammar police will not be happy about this and will have all kinds of fun correcting me at first i am sure) what is normal to say, what american english sounds like--i haven't been in a room full of white americans in a loooong time.
-mmm. dosas. need to find a place in GR with Dosas.
-happy about coming home, not looking forward to saying goodbye to the Sisters and the kids at the mission.
-ugh. packing. how did i accumulate so much crap?
-i am SO ready not to be stared at and commented upon all the time.
-wondering how i'll be different. i don't know yet.
-thinking about how i can come back in the future for a visit.
-not wanting to leave the pace of Bangladeshi life behind. Don't want to get too busy. still want to drink cha and have lots of conversations with nobody looking at the clock. i'm still not going to wear a watch.
-looking forward to lake michigan...
-can't wait to see my friends.
-dark chocolate and red wine, on the harambee sunporch with katie and miriam, andrew and ruth..(as well as any other former members of harambee) listening to music sounds fantastic. or any of the above elements.
-happy alaina gets to pick me up in Philly. we also are going to have dark chocolate and red wine.
-thinking i will miss conversations that go like this: me, showing up somewhere: "hello." other person. "hello. do you want to come inside?". Me: "yes." other person. "okay, come in, have tea, have lunch." (that was at L'arche in Kolkata...)
-i really don't like transitions, but also trying to keep an open mind about this one.
-i might be socially awkward--which will probably be funny. hopefully to other people as well as myself.
-yikes. i have only a month and a little bit before I start school at Western Seminary. (not thinking about all the things yet that have to get done before then.)
-can't wait to see my grandma, other family members...and celebrate her 83rd birthday in ohio...
-yes. no open sewers, that i accidently fall in.
-mmm. real coffee. its amazing what you learn to do without.
-feels strange and makes me sad that i am leaving....and get to have my freedom back, while so many women here will never get a chance to know what that is like.
-feeling much less cynical. must be the blissful nostalgia taking over.
-wondering what this year will mean to me in the future.
-will miss each morning the sight of men holding babies...as they brush their teeth and watch the traffic go by..
-i'll miss the sisters a lot.
-i won't miss the humidity.
-will not miss these questions and phrases from random people on the street: "what is your country?" "do you speak bangla?" "i would like to introduce with you" "i would like to marry you and come to america" "hey sexy" (and worse, not appropriate for the blogger audience.) "are you married?" "why aren't you married?" "do you ever want to get married" (why do random people care about this?!) "my brother lives in america" (everyone's brother lives in america or the UK)
-i should be getting on another bus to mymensingh. a little sick at the moment....waiting it out.
-using water from the tap seems extravagant. (how do you spell that?)
-what will look super weird when i come back? what will i notice?
ah, another 10 days......
peace to you all....
Cicely
-amazed and the dance of differences between cultures..india and bangladesh.
-wondering if I'll ever be able to speak and write in english without so many spelling and grammar errors. even though i've been teaching english...i forget a lot of which phrases people use, how to spell words, how to use prepositions (my brother, a member of the grammar police will not be happy about this and will have all kinds of fun correcting me at first i am sure) what is normal to say, what american english sounds like--i haven't been in a room full of white americans in a loooong time.
-mmm. dosas. need to find a place in GR with Dosas.
-happy about coming home, not looking forward to saying goodbye to the Sisters and the kids at the mission.
-ugh. packing. how did i accumulate so much crap?
-i am SO ready not to be stared at and commented upon all the time.
-wondering how i'll be different. i don't know yet.
-thinking about how i can come back in the future for a visit.
-not wanting to leave the pace of Bangladeshi life behind. Don't want to get too busy. still want to drink cha and have lots of conversations with nobody looking at the clock. i'm still not going to wear a watch.
-looking forward to lake michigan...
-can't wait to see my friends.
-dark chocolate and red wine, on the harambee sunporch with katie and miriam, andrew and ruth..(as well as any other former members of harambee) listening to music sounds fantastic. or any of the above elements.
-happy alaina gets to pick me up in Philly. we also are going to have dark chocolate and red wine.
-thinking i will miss conversations that go like this: me, showing up somewhere: "hello." other person. "hello. do you want to come inside?". Me: "yes." other person. "okay, come in, have tea, have lunch." (that was at L'arche in Kolkata...)
-i really don't like transitions, but also trying to keep an open mind about this one.
-i might be socially awkward--which will probably be funny. hopefully to other people as well as myself.
-yikes. i have only a month and a little bit before I start school at Western Seminary. (not thinking about all the things yet that have to get done before then.)
-can't wait to see my grandma, other family members...and celebrate her 83rd birthday in ohio...
-yes. no open sewers, that i accidently fall in.
-mmm. real coffee. its amazing what you learn to do without.
-feels strange and makes me sad that i am leaving....and get to have my freedom back, while so many women here will never get a chance to know what that is like.
-feeling much less cynical. must be the blissful nostalgia taking over.
-wondering what this year will mean to me in the future.
-will miss each morning the sight of men holding babies...as they brush their teeth and watch the traffic go by..
-i'll miss the sisters a lot.
-i won't miss the humidity.
-will not miss these questions and phrases from random people on the street: "what is your country?" "do you speak bangla?" "i would like to introduce with you" "i would like to marry you and come to america" "hey sexy" (and worse, not appropriate for the blogger audience.) "are you married?" "why aren't you married?" "do you ever want to get married" (why do random people care about this?!) "my brother lives in america" (everyone's brother lives in america or the UK)
-i should be getting on another bus to mymensingh. a little sick at the moment....waiting it out.
-using water from the tap seems extravagant. (how do you spell that?)
-what will look super weird when i come back? what will i notice?
ah, another 10 days......
peace to you all....
Cicely
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