1 month anniversary ;)

Hello Everybody! ;)

Now, let's sing all together - Happy One Month, Roberta! :)

Must say, this month was full of everything!
Loss of precious things! Cultural shock! Homesickness! Exploration! Excitment! Happyness! Surprises! Amusement! everything..
My most used word: ''different!''

Last week I have poisoned myself mistakenly by mallaria pills.. not that I had enough of them already.. - I overdose.. But the stick has two ends, right? So I stayed up all night and could catch up with some of you :) Time difference makes it much harder to get to people and hold connections.
Keep in mind - true connections never break! ;)

I do not know whether I have mentioned.. But it was some time ago I had to decide where I come from :) It's only natural when people meet me for the first time, they ask where I am from.. And I was really confused!! Initially - Lithuania, praktically - Denmark.. this answer would only confuse others.. beause then I had to explain what and why - who cares :P.. And then I found it hard to make my mind up! It's actually been 1/4 of my file that I spent in Dk.. and have created other chapter of my life in there.. whatever I have become, Denmark had left a mark on that and it would not be fair to jsut cross it out, moreover, if not experience in DK, I would have never ended up in India :).. On the other hand, Lithuania - my Mother Land! That's where I grew and developed main values and principles for life! I would have never been who I am if not LT...
Anyways, after all I decided I come from Lithuania.. This is what it says in my passport :) Not only for that..Cpuple of days ago I was asked: '' so when you are finished with India, you're going home, right?'' This triggered me in a weird sence! and I replied: ''I do not have home''..
I left LT a while ago, I do not even have my own bed there..All my social-world is built in Dk, I got nothing to hold on, but my Family!, and in DK -.. friends only..and some stuff that I was not able to pack with.. and the only bond there - university!
So my  mind is in both laces! neither I have true home here :P Just people I count on..
Then, I received a good counter-question: ''where is your heart?''
I got no questions afterward..
So from now on :) I come from Lithuania! The small country, everyone refers to Russia.. so I always picture it as a neighboring country of Poland, first.. :) and if people are in doubt, mention Germany and Baltic sea.. and then.. Russia..
At least this way I will spear the word about little cute country in East Europe.

So.. within a month I have got a lot - cultural knowledge, self observation and development.. I do meet nice people and they are so open and friendly.. I try to be as honest to them, as they are to me and it works out fine so far.

It is definitelly a highly spiritual land - one might get so good comments from a total stranger! People seem to be more genuine, not that superficial!

I am always invited to some parties :) of people I barrely know..

Sometimes I pose to people :) because they ask to get picture of me with their children or husbands (the strangest thing). But they are harmless..

So.. I started horse riding course ;) Now trying to get to the stable three times a week!
After training I have a possibility to join for walleyball match! treid once :) OMG! :D
The first ball broke my nails! The second I just missed :D the third flew so fast, I did not notice how it flew into me.. No wonders, I was playing with strong men! who play walleyball every night! and are very very good at it!
My possition was at the second line in the corner :) the guy in front of me was trying to step on my toes, so I was backing off.. and he'd take all my balls! :D so at the end of a match I started getting cold :) Later, I got some chances to take the ball..(out of pitty or something :D) I did pretty well (that's what I have heared afterwards :P) The thing is that they are so into the game, so passionate that I hold a responsibility not to let my team down... and they fight for every point! (actually the rules are little different, too :) they do not change the possition when take over the ball from other team, and there's only couple of guys who serve! well.., their field - their rules ;) ) So.. with all the preasure.. and lack of confidence :) and broken nails :D I left the field with my head as hight as it could hang :D
Next time, as I was offered, I will leave my head home :) and just play :) if I get the ball :D

So.. kinda exploring further and creating new network.. One girlish in aerobics :) other, malish - at the stable.. Neither of places are visited by other gender! The aerobics - because of the rules! it is strictly only for women.. and it has its own beauty of it :) and the stable - just that it is perceived that women should not mix in.., depending on a cast, position, etc.. so this way I get little bit of both :)

So, I am still enjoying high service here :) in a very good places I receive super-service.. with drop off to other destination, etc.. (but because of the network, I guess that is not too common, anyways) and I would not trust every shop owner.. etc.. I am naive.. but have some sence..
So.. I still spend a lot of money for souvenirs.. but many of them, decide to keep :D so.. too bad for some of you.. I do promise to replace them somehow..
One for sure, I will get another luggage for my flight back and I will very much need your help carrying everything home..!

One more interesting thing.. I was kinda sceptical about all the astrology and everything, but once I appeared to be in this environment and had heared some reasonable stories, decided to try it out myself.. So.. now my horoscope is about to be build according to the planet locations, etc! and I had my first palm-reading experience! Telling you... not always very pleasant.. and if you think knowing it all is helping a lot - you might be wrong.. I just got confused! well.., life is what it is.. and I will continue the path.
For all the curious ones - I will be fine ;) will be happy at some points, not too happy at others. You'll see ;)

But all in all.. I am trying to mix in ;) getting little tan :) clothes! looking forward to my first trip to Agra and Udaipur ;) (other two tourist beloved destinations I have never been to..) and my B-day is comming..! :)
I expect people, who really love me - to show up at the door :) (kidding ;) )
I had a chance to try making a cake here! Not everybody liked the taste, must say... but give the circumstances and tools :) I did really, really good job! :) and I loved it :) so fresh! so easy! creamy! soft and wet! :) jsut perfect! They are used to dry and tasteless! :P (have tried some 'chocolate' ones... could not feel much of a taste..) mine was probably too tasty :D
Not bragging, just pointing the taste differences here.. I will probably not be surprising them with good-taste-dishes made by me, anyways.. the tastes are so different.. however much i will try, they will need more chilli! and salt! or chappati (roti, the bread) on it :D

I am having a good experience here.. ;)
Hugs for all who cares!
Missing You!
Missing My People! :)*

The horse shed!

Oh.. and today (15 10 2011) I got a brilliant chance to visit the horse shed and see the horse polo!! ;)
Here is how the horse shed look down here..

 The horse polo!
Apparently, the very rich business men come here to play it daily.. as well as play wolleyball after the match.. I loved the place and planing to join them any time soon! :) .. keeping my options open for a rich husband! :)

I feel so lucky to know the hosts! They have an amazing network and all are trully nice people!

At the moment I arrived to the area, I was introduced by the place owner to all the staff members and best polo players, as well as the manager of the place and they were all so nice! and they told me I can come there as often as I want! and ride horses.. and spend time there.. get to know people! Extra activity in my schedule :)

I will definitely go there! Would be awesome if I learned to ride a horse! :) properly..

Cross your fingers for me! I will try to do my best to get there asap.. :) so I will need your minds for me not to fall down too hard :)

Hugs! ;)

Mehndi (henna) :)

Well.. it was just a matter of time when I will get a natural tattoo :) Called: mehndi (henna) painting!
Here is what I got couple of days ago..

yes, yes... you might have guessed.. - own made mehndi :)

 And that I got by a professional ;) no difference, right?? ^^
 A professional takes around 15 min. to complete this art!

Looking forward to making some bigger ones.. :)

Ok, now the interesting story behind the scenes:
This is not just a regular day today (15 10 2011) in India.. ;)
This is a day for praying for men's long life!
In this occasion women fats the whole day: no food! no water!, they only get food in the night, when they complete the prayer in front of the moon light!
Then, they are given water from the hands of their husband and can have the meal.
Not that it is too much.. women dress up! they even wear wedding dresses, all the jewellery! (and there are 16 type of jewellery on a women - not all is seen for public, though ;) ), they draw mehndi on their hands, are all pretty and tidy.. and during the day of fasting, they are the ones to cook the meal as well... (interesting stuff, ha?).

While men, in return, if they feel like it..- they bring a gift to wifes.

In India, they fast a lot!! before I mentioned 9 Goddesses day (people were fasting for 9 days, including men).. and also the last three days, before the Men's Day, they had some God's fast because that God did some Good stuff!!.. (I am so sorry to express my lack of knowledge..) So you can imagine women's stand at the day - after the whole fasting.. (be aware, fastings differ in type: one - they can drink water, have fruits and eat once a day, other - drink water, have one meal per day and eat only the fruits and things that they themselves have paid for.., other - one meal a day, with no water in between.. fruits- I think optional)

And Indians have 33 mlj. Gods! anr thei worship everything who gives them benefit! (there are not enough days in a year to fast for all of them :)  ).

New-born-child Celebration

Hey there.. ;)
Decided not to take it for too long to share this :)
Couple of days ago we were on our way out of the neighborhood, when suddenly my host was stopped and asked to join the upcoming party - our neighbor became a Grandfather, so they are throwing a celebration for this! (it is a tradition, every new family member gets this fest ;) ). And then I got to know that I am invited too.. because it works like this: one gets invited, and everyone, who is with that person, is invited too :)
After this official invite :) the day has come and we went to congratulate our neighbors :)

Meet the place ;) and try to get what I mean..:

This is the entrance! Note, couple of guards at the gate!.., red carpet and few photographers by the entrance...

This is the lounge for new-born-child's attention!.. Women gather there with their children, eat.., talk, give presents, sit by the new baby..

I wonder how his 'sweet 16' will go by :)

Isn't it child's paradise?

staff, I think there were around 50 people of staff only.. (caterers, cooks, waiters, trash collectors, photographers, guards, servants.. etc...

Some unfamiliar food...

It is a leave with spices, one should eat it all...

Vegetable table :) (mansion)

The area..

My favorite!! - nan! :) a bread, very very tasty!!!

Roti/chappati.. and the cooks

Dhal! (soup)

Only for children..

This one is very good! - spinach with some sauce!!! aaa - yammy!

This is a little stall for yoghurt and some doughnuts..(tasteless), but here are all you need - salt, pepper, chilli! to make it taste good :) (did not really like it..)

This is kinda nut-type of dry dressing for the salad.. (goody)

This must be some sweet, which I did not try.. :S was full already...

Salad table

This is very traditional dish.. one can find it everywhere in the streets, I wrote before.. it is to be broken from the top and filled with some stuff.. this time it was potatoe with something else.. (I was happy not to try!, to be honest)

 Ice cream wagon!!!

 I must be expecting new FB-friends very soon!!!! These were my stalkers of the evening :)

 Baby gifts ;)

 This is a sweet.. also served in a leave (tried - and learned a lesson.. ;) )

It was a good experience to see it happening.. Well the whole celebration is a dinner, actually.. The hosts are greeting people by the gates.. everything is pretty much pimped up with all you see! All relatives, friends, neighbors come to congratulate you.. and eat the food! chat and have little fun.. I got an impression that people tend to stay for a hour and leave.. Maybe it is the way it is done.. 

Sleep tight, Tigers!!

Roberta

I am an inspiration to someone ;)

Hey there!
So.. being a simple, white person in India might help a lot :)
During the 9 Goddesses Day, there were couple of girls coming over and talking to me :) it is kinda nice, too! they are always so shy to speak.. asked someones permission to speak to me.. and whispered things to one another :) Popular questions:
what is your favorite food?
what is your favorite color :)
Where are you from?
then, something about education..
And me, I like asking them what would they like to become... :) singers, dancers, actresses :) (you remember yourselves ;) ) and then I ask what post curricular activity they do.. and etc :)
Oh.. and of course.. what subject do they like the most - they all answer: English :) (wonder why :) )

Anyways, so one morning, my host received a call from one man, who is a father of one girl. And he said that that girl enjoyed so much talking to me and was so inspired that would like to arrange a visit and bring me some vegetable sauce (that we eat here together with chapati/roti).. Uh! so nice! ;) Really :) Well, kids enjoy talking English here, cause most families do not use English at home and this is one of the opportunities for them.. Unfortunately, I was not available that day (felt like a real busy person :D), but I had to work! and went for aerobics.. and then plenty of other stuff came up in the evening..
Maybe other time I will make up for that girl.. cause she showed up anyways and had a chat with my host :) and left me some vegetables! :) which I enjoyed during my lunch...

So, while I was writing here, I got a visitor - my new Indian-Friend, Himakshi :) To make it up for her afternoons goodies, I ran quickly upstairs to pick some candies, actually, Polish candies :D (they are called "Cow" in Lithuania "karvute" - very very tasty ones). And when I handed those to her, I saw a bag in her hand...

As you can see, she came with hands full of presents... TO ME!!! :)

Here is what it says on the paper: "Dear, Robita, with lots of love and care, from your loving friend Himakshi :) " Isn't it sweet!!!??? 

And this is what I found
 in the package :) Meet my forst statue of Indian God for "a good start" and my first "Friend" bracelet! :)

We sat for a little while, talked.. and for my surprise I realized her secret wish to become a foreigner.. And the argumentation for that was that she does not want to wear sari, she does not want to be Indian, she does not like that people throw garbage in the streets and she does not like the dust.. So she wants to become a foreigner.. I wish there would be an easy way to do it.. But I am sure, with a good attitude and clear vision of what she wants - she can definitely get there ;) (Good luck, Himakshi :) )

I enjoyed our little talk and after she left, felt like a child myself :) had a huge smile in my face :) Just like that!

Another thing :)
I started aerobics :) At the same place i mentioned a while ago.. My first day was Wednesday, as it is a day for the new starts ;) (in hindi religion).. and I really liked it! I sweat my ass off there :) They have nothing! and the thing we do I would not call aerobics :D It's just exercising and the only inventory they have, some weights, I think 3 kg..
It is extremely interesting how everything goes :D

Let's say, the session is scheduled for 10:30, I am there already 10:25, all set!
Everybody who comes, has to weight themselves before and after the training! and leave a note in the exercise book! As well as every new girl is measured up: weight, waste, legs, ass-line, chest - everything! arms.. and taken a photograph... :)
Well.. since the tricks they do there are very similar.. I tend to stay longer, for some time to do some more and stretch.. and when they saw me (was doing some regular tricks).. started taking these pictures as well :) (I guess my photo will be put up on the wall pretty soon :) ) for a reason to brag for other international visitors.. or something like this.. :)

So.. I am there on time, when everybody comes only at 10:40.. slow gatherings.. small talks :D apparent glances to me.. as I am so not patient, so I am warming up by myself.. I do not understand hindi, so they talk freely about me, stare and wonder what am I doing on the floor :) crazy feeling :) but I just smile.. what can I say.. :)
And suddenly I notice that my coach will be a big girl, 3 times bigger than me :D she starts to show the exercises.. and as a simple member follow her :) until she runs out of breath .. as well as other girls and I am there all alone, standing and doing exercise in the middle of the room :D, right by the coach (of course, as I came the first one, I took the first line, by the mirror, to see if I do exercises correctly..).. and then I feel that everybody is staring :D and laughing.. :D and I keep going.. cause this is what I came for :) and kinda wait until my coach gets her breath back and we continue.. but surprise.. she asks some other girl to replace her :) cause probably she also ran out of the ideas :) and we continued..
until the real coach came.. around 30min. late :) and continued :D by showing 50% of the moves that we already did :)

Also, as a new girl, I had an external 'guard' watching me :) to see if I do everything correctly.. but from the first day, as I was standing in the first line, the coach (real), shouted on the other girls and pointed eyes at me and asked everyone to look at me when they do things :D so the 'guard' got the message...

All in all, what they call 'aerobics', I would describe: a meet up with some interest group! with same music :) (I like one indian peace (emplifier!).. and Justin Beabers' song which is put in the very beginning :) ).. They gather, chat, do some exercises and wonder around.. are little lazy to move.. :) (have I mentioned that I could finally feel myself smaller in India..:) those women are really big)
And one came to me after the session and said that I am her inspiration :) When the coach heard that, she said..:" and mine desperation" :D.. So.., maybe I am not that bad after all :D

Whatever said, I enjoy it so much! ;) it's just interesting cultural observation and I am always drained.. so - all just for the better.. :) women are really nice here.. whatever they say, I do not think that they bad-mouth, they are just making comments and wondering.. and whenever they approach me, they are really positive ;)

Hugs! ;)
Robertele

Some exhibition of garments, jewellery..etc.. businesses

Alrighty.. I did not take too much pictures from the exhibition, it looks like a regular market, full of unnecessary stuff :) all blinking, all golden, all so useless for me :) But here I met the local snack stool :)

This is what I tried: some bread, which is very hard and is round until broken in the middle for purpose- to fill it.. I asked to make it not spicy.. So they poured some spicy things and some sweet things :) did not taste good, must say :/

And then she brought me some simple stuff.. with no filling and nothing. pure dry corn rice and backed bread :) with no salt, just oil :) did not taste good, either :)

Then I decided to buy some not seen stuff :) and took not spicy thingy :) it looks like a very very thin sheet of dough.. is very crispy..got home.. tried.. and taste is no good either.. :) like.. nothing :D says :"cheese" but would doubt :)

A lesson :) Do not buy snacks :D they are weird and tasteless..
What to add.. bought some chocolate :D was not happy either :D they are so buttery.. and flavorless and the type is different.. I should import some "Milka" here! they would eat it with their fingers :D
And all the pastries and pies we bought.. - no good, no good.. usually very dry and cream is tasteless..
Hopefully, that will turn to the better for me ;)
You know what I mean :)

That reminds me of a good story.. but I guess.. it is enough for today :) Been writing to you, guys for the last 3-4 hours!!

Peace ;)*
Roberta

Dashara - 3 Bad Gods Fest

ooook, now something from the previously mentioned 3 Bad Gods Fest :)

So.. there is a legend about a gooooood God who concurred a Bad God and his supporters. 

It says that there was a pretty pretty Goddess, who was captures and hidden from people. She was captured by that one Bad God, who had 10 heads (you can see him in the pict, he is in the middle). Initially, he was very powerful, wise and Good God, until he made this mistake.. and those two other Gods are his brothers, who helped to commit the crime!

This Good God wanted to fight the Bad God.. But it was very hard! He had so many heads! and every time Good God would cut one of them, they would grow again..and it was even harder because of the supporting powers from other Bad Gods.. Luckily, the Good God realized the weak spot! He stabbed him and won the battle! and released the pretty pretty Goddess ;)

And everyone is celebrating the victory! that the Good God won! 

as mentioned in the prior post, those are located in many places, different stations, areas.. public places.. and celebrations are everywhere in the city..

Sorry for the quality.., I am still working on my skills..

I got a pleasure to stay away from all the hassle and join locals on the roof top ;) (kinda good to know the right people).. It took very looooong to listen to the story - it is run every year during the celebration so people know what they are celebrating ;)

and in some 3 hours of the story listening :) we got to see the battle!!! Followed by the fireworks!! ;) some nice ones, must admit! but not as we could see in the New Years eve..

And this is the traffic :) of course, two way traffic :D

Oh, same day we went for little shopping :)
When I saw the variety, went from one bangle to another.. and finally, could not make my mind, so went out with nothing in hand :D Crazy, ha?? Which would you choose???!!! all did not fit to the pict..

BTW.., this is English language exercise book of a 5 year child!
Note: "Cow is a pet animal" ;)  we can definitely see the influence of the culture in here :)
When I took this picture :) one women said: "and you eat cows, right??? o.O"
Just as camel, and buffalo and elephant, probably :)


Yours,
Roberta!!!