Family and Poli

This weekend began the most important journey of my trip, the home-stay. Friday, after classes, we were called from the classroom one-by-one (or in my case in twos) to a small room upstairs where two of the staff members waited to divulge all the juicy news about our families. Unlike me, most of the students worked themselves into a frenzy theorizing, anticipating, and praying about their host families. The tension of the room could have been cut with a knife. To everyone's dismay, Alaina and I were the second to be called. I had little sympathy however because their incessant talking and obsessing over 'which family they have?' 'Do they have kids?', 'what kind of house do they have?' 'do they have a dog?' was driving me crazy. If I had to sit in that room for much longer I would have exploded!

Turns out Alaina and I have an awesome family. We have an aai (mother), baba (father), aji, and a brother, sister and cousin (The brother and cousin are 20 and the sister is 23!) In addition to this loveliness the whole family, with the exception of aji, speaks English on some level which makes things so much easier. The sister has exceptional English, so whenever there is something a bit more difficult she jumps in. She so far has been a big help to Alaina and I. Yesterday she took us out on the town for a little bit so that we wouldn't be bored. A little to my appointment, she took us to the film 'The Expendables' which did not exactly satisfy my desire for a relaxing time. The movie was awash with blood and violence, the likes of which I rarely see in the states. But I think Alaina and I appreciated the gesture. Oh Alaina...

Alaina is another student from the ACM. We didn't really know each other very well before we were assigned our family, but over the weekend we did some serious bonding and now we are pretty close. Thank goodness she is with me! It makes the whole experience a thousand times easier when you have someone to talk to about normal things and in normal English!

As a whole, the family is really welcoming and kind. They are so happy to have us in their house, they even gave us the master bedroom with an private toilet and shower! And their house is huge. There are two floors and beautiful open roof where Alaina and I watched the sun set yesterday. Oh, and I have a dog! I feel so blessed with what I have been handed, Alaina and I really can't Believe how happy and comfortable we are.

I have to go register with the police now, so until tomorrow,

Love from India