Sunday, December 28, 2008

The First Day

...about to pass out hard, since my first day is over.

(I've chosen to begin this thing in medias res. Getting blindly thrown into things (think Fred Armisen's David Patterson on SNL, or even silently pushing Hellen Keller down a flight of stairs) seems to be the M.O. here.)

Now, paradoxically, I'll attempt to write about wordlessness. Just call me Jacques Freakin' Derrida.

The plane rides were long, and we were appropriately welcomed (but not "hartily" or "hug-fully" [sic] --seeing as that was reserved for some cricket team with the same arrival time and a welcoming committee who made up spraypainted banner) by throngs of people. Then we got on a big ol' white kid bus and drove through slums on the way to the school, where two stereotypes were confirmed: (1) moustached men hold pinkies and sort of spoon with each other on mopeds, and (2) people actually live under blown tires, cook over burning styrofoam, and shit in the street. For real.

None of this potential fodder for culture-shock, however, was real until we got off the bus, walked inside our guest house, weren't told anything, and were quickly demoted from traveler to silent, panicky observer. At this point, I enjoyed a near-spiritual nap. For four hours. In the middle of the day. Amazing.

All we really did today was go on a tour of the campus, which is huge and filled with really fucked-up-looking rabid stray dogs. And people (some fucked up looking, some apparently stray, also potentially rabid). There is garbage everywhere all over the ground (despite the garbage cans everywhere that implore the passers-by to follow the stencils and "USE ME"), which sucks because this place COULD BE stunning. Not judgin', just sayin'.

There is a gecko on the CPU right now, and I'm trying not to type too loudly so it doesn't move.

I still have this crazy stomach ache, and I think I've pinpointed the origin as Malarone on an empty stomach. Oops. I'm just sitting here eating peanut butter and crackers I brought, seeing as I've skipped the last few meals. What I think is going on is they are trying to make us feel comfortable by giving us "American Food"--that is, "normal" food that is fifteen times sweeter than any Coke or Edy's I could even begin to think about. Also, there is carcinogenic bug-spray all up in my Tums. So...shit.

The gecko just moved onto the monitor...and despite it's impressive agility, I'll name it Loris. Represent.

Okay, she just jumped off.

The people all seem pretty cool, and we're just sitting in a circle wondering what the hell we're all doing here. I don't know if anyone has figured this out yet, seeing as we're pretty uninformed regarding what we will do, can do, have done, and are doing. I think, however, that I've isolated my unnervedness (new word?) moreso to temporality than experience. I can accept the dirt, the poverty, and Loris (with her friends the dogs, monkeys, and boars (think LOST)) in due time, but the fact that it is NOW and for A LONG TIME is the problem. We'll see about this place...

I think I'll stop bothering you guys now, since I'm getting a little garrulous with delirium (it's been a long, three-day-long day), not to mention I'm hogging the internet.

Also, Loris is back, and may have just singed herself on one of those old-school illegal fire-hazard fluorescent lights, the same one that makes me look paler and more strung out than Michael Jackson on the balcony.

I'm so done with this computer room. Lorisss you bitchhh...

Hyderabad 12/28

2 comments:

  1. P.S.--Clever Title Credit to Jeremy Reich.

    ReplyDelete
  2. hahaha, I'm actually laughing out loud at the gecko ...they're harmless and cute! (though I must admit I've never seen one on a computer screen in Boston...hmmm) I sent the link for this to my mom, so she'll be keeping tabs on you too :) Love you!

    ReplyDelete