Minor Updates

Hiding out in a Hostel, to get a break from being in the house.   (Mustache Hostel in Kailash Colony, New Delhi, it's very nice if you wanted to know)

 Just finished my first Hindi lesson which went supremely well.  I was riding some mild euphoria at finally getting out, doing something, learning something.

Finding out about all these cool things I could do, but seems I'll have to branch out on my own IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

Ahhh it's been so hard to do anything.  We were going to go to Agra yesterday to see the Taj Mahal, but his dad pronounced it "too foggy" and said we couldn't go.  So his friend went without us instead.  We spent the day at home.

I really get frustrated being cooped up like this.  I'm starting to get snappy with him, and I really don't want to turn into one of those sitcom wife-types.

I found a place that has salsa dancing on Tuesday nights, but his mom already said I can't go out dancing because it's too dangerous.


Aiiya.  I told him I won't come back to see him in India till he moves out of the house.  I think I mean it.  Never thought I'd be relieved to finally get back to Fargo, but it's sorta looking like that.


Anyways I just bought a round trip plane ticket for Bangalore so I'll be going there in two weeks.

___

Also:  I have almost one hundred percent decided to do El Camino this summer.  (This is a pilgrimage in Spain.)


Considering buying a smaller camera.  My nikon D700 that I bought in high school is VERY HEAVY.  I need something more low-key.

here's a Punjabi song for you.  12 saal - bilal saeed

Brussels

Have you ever wondered what's so good about Brussels during the Holiday season?  I've got two words for you:

Christmas

Market.

(Also waffles.)

Okay just to clarify I'm not in Brussels anymore, I'm in Delhi.  Which you should know already.


Anyways, now to experience the magic of Belgium.

 Part of the main plaza

 For some reason the Christmas Market has very strange carousels, with such delightful steeds to ride as this ostrich.... and a giant cockroach.  Very steam-punk macabre.

 MMM :)  I can almost smell the gluewein. Or however you spell that.

 So we rode the ferris wheel, and as we're getting on, I realize it's the same one I rode during Tomorrowland... Not that huge of a coincidence, since Tomorrowland is quite near Brussels, but it made me happy.

 People from Brussels go to the Christmas Market for two reasons... to drink.. and to see the FUNNY CHRISTMAS ICE MONSTER! HAHAHHAHA.  I"m laughing just looking at it. so funny.

 St. Catherine Church makes a nice backdrop.

Right as we began making our way back through the main plaza, a light show began!  The eery music fit with the overall mood of people from Brussels (seriously I've never seen such dour Christmas spirit).  But the best part was when everything lit up red and Kate yelled "WE'RE IN HELL!"





Current plans:  I have a Hindi lesson scheduled for this Monday and Friday.  Also, I booked tickets to Bangalore for mid-January, to meet up with my Desi friend who hosted my friend and I in Liverpool (via couchsurfing.com).   I love getting the chance to meet up with people I met on my previous travels. 

Also Bangalore will be a WELCOME BREAK from Delhi. 

Delhi

Alright babes... As of right now I have no way to retrieve my pictures from my camera which is why I haven't blogged yet.. I will ATTEMPT to do it tonight, no promises.

People keep asking me how I'm finding India and the answer is I'm bored out of my skull.   Boyfriend's mom essentially has me on house arrest,  can't go anywhere unless I go with Divyesh, during the day.  Problem is he often works, which means I'm stuck in the house. 

His mom got wind that I'm thinking of going to stay somewhere else and so she's all worried and paranoid that I won't be safe without her to watch out for me.  AUGHHH I'm 22 years old. 

Going to look at a language school today, possibly looking to take some Hindi classes. 

ANYWAYS.  Will try to put up some pictures. Soon.  Getting crabby from staying in the house so much. 

ADVICE:

If you are going to Delhi, do not stay with anyone's MOTHER.


I really like her, but mehhhhhh I'm dying! She won't let me go out dancing because it's "too dangerous".    I REALLY want to go dance.  I think I'm going to find a hostel near city center so that I can do some things and meet some fellow travelers.  She won't let me, I'll have to tell her I'm staying with another friend.


Feel like I'm 12 again. 


oh and I saw P.K.  very good movie.  had to make the boyfriend translate everything for me.

Travel updates

Well here's an update for the two or three people who still read this thing:

I was all set for my flight out of Belgium on Monday... knew there was going to be a huge government strike but FOOLISHLY thought I might still be fine since my flight was with Quatar airways who are not affiliated with the Belgian government.

WRONG.  The airport in Brussels is completely closed today.

So I had to grab a bus to Paris yesterday because that was the only place where I could get a different flight to Quatar.  

So I just woke up in a VERY fancy hotel next to the airport.   At first I was sort of angry that I had to spend all this money on getting to Paris and a hotel room... but sometimes it is nice to do the luxury thing for a night.  It's also good for me to have to let go of money sometimes, because I am so miserly in general.  And somehow I've managed to meet a few nice people...

Dude from Mozambique on the train studying to be a doctor.  I asked him if he liked Paris and he's like, well.....  Then he showed me a video of the beach in his country and I'm just "you poor poor man..." He said people in Paris aren't very friendly.  Well yeah.  Stereotype confirmed.  They're not friendly unless they aren't from Paris, or unless they're trying to hit on you, or sell you something. 


Also met a dude from Bangladesh at breakfast, because I'm wearing my only Indian dress and he wanted to know why.  I guess a kurta isn't a very common thing for a white girl to wear.  He has the same first name as my Bangladeshi friend in Fargo (are they all named Rahman or...?)

SO!  I will post pictures from the Brussels Christmas Market as soon as I get a little break from my Delhi family and access to a computer.  

Adulting

Sometimes I just want to run away away away...   I wish I could make a decision based on my own wishes instead of having to worry about other people.  I've always been responsible for myself.  Why do other people need me to take care of them too?  

I feel so aimless. A long distance relationship is all of the worst parts of being single and none of the fun parts.  I need him here to help me with things to talk me down from these ledges and he's just not.  Seeing him on monday but already thinking about all the time I'll have to spend apart from him when I come back.

I am BAD at drama and I'm not very good at standing by my own decisions and wishes.  When I do it apparently goes very badly.   Because I'm not good at handling the anger of other people.  Thank god for my closest friends who stick by me.

I hate feeling trapped.

A series of Random Thoughts

The thing about being an adult is that there is so little to worry about short-term, and so much to worry about long-term.

Also, I danced Salsa at the nursing home yesterday.  It was really fun.  The old people were ridiculously happy.  I'm glad I did it.

Leaving for Brussels in less than a week.  Then India a week after that.


Feel funny.  Hopefully seeing him makes everything better.  But there's still the small problem of getting him back to the U.S.  aaaaand other things.  Many other things.


Fargo is a place for stagnancy, once college is finished.  Not moving, not growing.  This place makes me so restless.