पतिएंस इस अ विर्तुरे...

The water slowly trickles out of our spigot…warm. Inwardly I sigh, trying to be thankful that at least now we aren’t dealing with ice cold showers. There are times when I seek refuge from the scorching temperatures, but the moments I find a cool spot are few. That’s why the purchase of an Indian cooling system this week was such a blessing. I have never seen anything like it and it is certainly not comparable to an A.C. It is a combination of a large fan, water, straw and a hose. From what I can tell, it simply soaks the straw on the insides of the box and the fan proceeds to blow tiny droplets of that water into your room. Yes, it increases the humidity a bit but the difference it makes in temperature has been so wonderful to experience and Jess and I actually sleep a whole night through.

This week we not only had the upgrade of this air cooler but pest control came and our friends downstairs paid to have our room sprayed for bugs. The ants that would attack our food and soaps by the armies have seemed to disappear! Jess and I have been very thankful that the only price we had to pay for such a blessing was the rancid smell of the pest killer. And of course one other devastating circumstance…

The day that pest control came, Jess was at the ladies jail and I was the only one home. I was told to stay in our house while the man did his job, so I worked on preparing the next day’s school lesson and designing jewelry. The smell caused me to sneeze and feel as though I had a head cold but I figured it would be worth it. When he was finished I stood up to go downstairs and there, almost completely camouflaged on our marble floor, was Alfred {the pet gecko}. I jumped back a bit, scared I had nearly stepped on him and was about to leave when I realized he wasn’t moving. I put my hand in front of his face knowing that getting within a foot of him would typically make him run as fast as possible in the other direction. Still, he didn’t move. I crouched down on the floor beside him and looked in his little beady eyes. He looked so sad. “ALFRED!” I yelled in his face. Still nothing but an occasional body tremor. “Alfred you gotta pull through!” Jess coming around the corner heard me sniffling from the pest control and saw me sitting on the floor. She told me she thought I was crying. I informed her that I wasn’t but that we had a dire situation on our hands. She looked down and saw little Alf lying on the floor, struggling to move away from us. At least fifteen minutes I sat there looking at him…oddly sad that he looked near death. Jess splashed some water on him but to no avail. We decided to put him outside on the balcony and I carried him slowly to his final resting place…or so I thought. Later that evening we returned to his spot to find that a bird had carried him away.

And that was the end of Alfred the First. Thank goodness Alfred II, Alfred III, Alfred the IV, and V survived or I might have been a bit more upset at this sudden death.

I’m sorry to bring such negative and surely depressing news about the death of our little Alf, but no worries…I can lighten the mood by informing you that India is still sunny and the mangoes are still plentiful. Jess and I have enjoyed creating new ways to enjoy the fruits and vegetables of the land and are happy to be here. Saturday, our scheduled day off from school, was spent relaxing and enjoying our current home. We also had the opportunity to dress up in saris and attend an exciting and very interesting Indian wedding. What more could we ask for?

Well, I know one thing I would ask for is a small taste of my mom’s home cooked, American food. I might want to feel cold for just five minutes and a hug from my friends and family would be like the cherry on top. But if there is anything I am learning while on this trip, it is to be patient. My dad used to talk to me about delayed gratification. “No one knows what it is to wait for something good,” he would say. Little on up, I quietly listened to his words. Maybe I am beginning to understand what he meant for the first time in my life. And if not for the first time…I know it is definitely sinking in. So I have no complaints about where I’m at. In the moments where I am frustrated or missing home, I remind myself of my dad’s instruction and also of the words of a friend that I know will ring true when this is over…”It will be that much better in the end.” Until the day where I can look back and see how this trip has shaped me, I will enjoy the experience and continue to grow in appreciation for the people and culture of India.


Love Always,

Nebin