Happy Birthday Esty

The homeopathic medicine seems to have worked well on me, I am much recovered- but Esty the skeptic is still phlegmy, hmmmm. Yesterday was her birthday, and to celebrate we all went to The Kurry Klub (a fusion restaurant in our neighborhood) for Mexican food- Indians definately have the spiciness down, though the subtle flavors (and even basic ingredients) are quite different. After lunch some of us went to the Fine Arts Museum; India's concept of historic preservation is completely different than our own. The museum had its doors open to the street, there was no entrance fee, and the three rooms full of paintings were ungaurded, perfect for a leisurely stroll. Some of the art was amazing, and some simply did not belong there, either way it made me feel incredibly creative, I wonder what field I will create in...

Our host mother, Professor Sreela Roy, took our whole group to the American Centre, where we saw Fulbright Scholar Dr. Brian Russo perform in two plays: "Love Letters," by AR Gurney, and "The Zoo Story" by Edward Albee. What an amazing education I am getting here! At the end of The Zoo Story, the main character runs into the outstretched knife of Peter, the accidental co-star, and says (as he lays dying) "Peter, I have come unto you, and you have conforted me." Brandi Googled the line, as it sounded biblically familiar, and we discovered that "I have come unto you" is a common phrase used in the Egyptian Book of the Dead upon reaching the kingdom of heaven, and "And you comforted me" comes from the Book of Ruth in the New Testament. Perhaps unintersting to some, but unravelling allusions is quite entertaining for those of us without TVs.

For Esty's birthday we had a big dinner with our host family, Sreela even blew the conch shell and served us a sweet Indian rice pudding with nuts and raisins in it. I only had a bite before passing mine off to Zach, who is fond of saying that he and I have a symbiotic relationship, "I give him my deserts, and he gives me nothing." He makes me laugh, especially when he speaks to Choto-da in waht Esty and I have dubbed his "caveman voice," you know the tone people assume when speaking to people of another language as if they were slow children.

Speaking of children! We took all of the handicapped Shishu Bhavan kids onto the roof after breakfast this morning and played in the sun alllll morning. It was wonderful, and I think the kids really enjoyed it. I have really found an affinity with the few blind children I have worked with so far, and I really think I have found my calling.