#22: Receive Love from the Fam!

It’s Christmas!!! I have received my first ever care package… I’ve taken my first ever ‘look at my goodies’ pictures… I’ve tilted my head in total, consuming contentment and let out a blissful sigh. 

When my roommate gave me this big, mangled box… I didn’t do the outwardly excited gestures I’d predicted, I just stared at it like “I finally got something” hahaha. Then…I smelled it because I could tell there was something delightfully scented on the inside. I want you all to know this because it’s easy to really take simple things for granted. Something that smells good? That was beautiful…especially with the stench of burning trash crashing into my room.

Things you take for granted until your original supply starts to dwindle and you look at the local prices to replenish them: Tissue, air freshener, cereal, NAIL POLISH REMOVER! (Because it is just impossible to find it), Ritz crackers, Ramen, Popcorn, soap that wont kill your skin. (I think the voice I just wrote this in was similar to the one you use while listing people to come accept their awards lol)

Thank you fam!! Gosh, I appreciate it so, so much. Happy Holidays to me! YAY!!!

#21: Conduct a Business Development Program 

Class 8 has been participating in a Business Development Program and set up shop of their Stationary store last Saturday. This program was created to practice spoken English, critical thinking and goal setting. The students were required to start developing objectives and ideal brand identity for the business, create plans, train personnel and were only permitted to speak in English for the full program.

The class split into 3 company departments for the program: Executive, Marketing and Operations. Each department developed a separate strategy to fall in line with the company goals. We had several meetings in which I sat and listened to them brainstorm and submit themselves to the beauty of the drawing board. It’s funny because I kept offering to do things for them and they point blank would not let me do anything…not even print. A few times I got the “Madam, if we need you to do something we will ask. I promise” speech lol!! 

These last few weeks were probably my favorite ones at the school. I absolutely loved seeing them work so well together. I loved that the HR Manager was a girl and she was challenged to speak up in a room full of boys. I loved that the President was always five steps of the game—he even had me playing catch up a few times! The Vice President was amazing at working under pressure and trusting his task delegation chart (I was so surprised he even thought to create it…tear!). The Creative Director was selected perfectly: he was really great at listening to ideas and creating a product from it. And the Head Artist…I mean, I already adore this little girl, but I was so excited to see her come out of her shell and be so enthusiastic about creating the marketing materials and the details of the campaign.

GEMS Stationary turned a pretty impressive profit and attracted a nice size crowd with their promotion strategy and inventory list. For their first business, they were not playing! The next step is the debriefing presentations which they will be conducting through PowerPoint presentations using a S.W.A.T. analysis model. This component will help them with using computers, public speaking, and reassessing outcomes. 

Y’all…this was great great great! I’m so proud of them. They stuck it through the whole time, did everything themselves, and really showed a passion for their work. It was beautiful to watch, really. Really. 

#18: Awwwww DIWALI

Diwali! Puts Fourth of July and any act of even turning on the light to your room to shame. Diwali is the Festival of Lights and includes several days and nights of fireworks. You know how for Independence Day the fireworks are an event and you go to a specific place to watch em for about an hour? Welp…during Diwali everyone,everywhere is popping them non stop for a week. In between fearing the state of my eardrums and wondering if my hair products are flammable I was able to have truly an extraordinary experience.

Imagine being able to go to your rooftop and just watch fireworks go on for miles. Or watching the kids get so excited about it all. There were so many different kinds and it was a great opportunity to interact with the community outside of answering the standard “Where are you from, What is your job, When will you leave, Why is your hair doing that?” questions. 

I can’t even imagine how it was in other cities of India. If Hyderabad wasn’t really poppin for Diwali (no pun)…wow! Because I was certainly wide eyed and giddy lol. 

#17: Enjoy the Nightlife

I’m not a club person…it’s a pretty awkward situation if you ask me. But I like to have fun. Here is my idea of a fun weekend…

1st! I, of course, went to see something creative and informative. There was this Spanish and French documentary festival some people in my housing group jumped in an auto and tracked down. There was even a movie named after me “Malika is Gone”. Okay! I’m big time y’all!

2nd! My beautiful Anita and I went to track down a hookah bar. The one I’d been eyeing was a hookah and ice cream bar…sounds decadent huh?? …And messy. We found it but soon also found that the sign is inaccurate and they only have ice cream. Not ready to give up, Anna (Anita) and I asked around for a bar. After a few tries, we found one and reeelllaaxxxxeddd! It was so funny because I’m such a bad smoker so I looked crazy in there choking on hookah lol. But it was great and I’ll definitely go back.

Skkkkrrrrr! Before hookah my chick, Tice, and I went to a nightclub for Ladies’ Night called “Bottles and Chimneys”, which was also hip hop night. Okay then! Free drinks, and the least conservative atmosphere I’ve been in in India so far. Crazy how I absolutely hated “Racks on Racks” in the States but hearing it here will make me act a fool lol. Note, I do not know the girl in the photo.  

#16: Let People Feed You!

Oh because people will feed you until you run and hide! My neighbors literally brought us full meals for about 2 weeks…with each meal being large enough to last AT LEAST a few days. Everyday at least 15 people will ask you “Had your lunch?”. I’ve learned to just say “Yes, thank you”. It dawned on me when one of the teachers became frustrated with me that I hadn’t had my lunch that day yet saying, “Why do you do that?? Why do you starve yourself?”. I literally burst out laughing…I couldn’t help it…and reassured him that I certainly do enjoy food! 

Twice in the same day last week I was scolded for not knowing how to cook Indian food lol. The first was during an errand I was running for Madam. I was going to ask a teacher a quick question about her progress in implementing the new spoken English exercise Madam is creating…but it was lunchtime…and I wasn’t eating…instead I was the crazy American trying to work through lunch! lol. That was not going to fly. She sat me right down and didn’t answer my questions until I ate what she sat in front of me lol. I took a “snap” of my hearty and delicious lunch that day.

Later that day I went walking with my homie. We were both dirt tired from our days and wanting to get our blood moving to create a more plausible space for productivity later. She and I were talking about life in Hyderabad, as usual, and when she found out that I only cook American food she was like “Oh no, our exercise session ends right now!” She took me to a stand and bought me Aloo Toast, walked me back to my apartment and upstairs and didn’t leave until I’d gotten started good on my “sweet”. There’s a picture above of her too buying it. 

The point of it all is…eat! Make sure people see you eat. When you say you’ve had your lunch be prepared to say what you ate, who cooked it and what you’ll be having for dinner. A num tea-nara? (That is DEFINITELY not the spelling, but it’s how to say “Had your lunch in Telegu)

#12: Chill With The Neighborhood Kids

…These aren’t my neighborhood’s kids, I was just waiting for someone when they approached me signaling at my hair lol. Kids will make you forget about the craziness here because they don’t know yet to disrespect you. They’re just these energy oozing, clingy, curious little people who want to crawl up under you.

The kids at my school are rambunctious and crazy to the point where I can’t even actually do any planning or work on site because someone is constantly having off of a leg or arm. The thing is, some people here will make you forget all of your dignity and home training dealing with them…so it’s really refreshing to be around this group of people constantly happy to see you. Aw…I feel special!

The kids in the picture were in Banjara Hills, a wealthier part of Hyderabad. I have no idea where their parents are and when I asked where they lived and no one answered I just dropped it. But they were SO excited to play with the lady with the big hair and camera. And check out these cute Target ad campaign ready smiles! Gosh! :) Love em.

#11: Go to a Hindu Wedding

Last night I went to a Hindu wedding! This was one of my goals for my time here. AND I’m going to a Indian Muslim one in December. Yeaaahh. I’m thinking because it was the last day of the ceremony there wasn’t as much going on. The bride and groom came out and there was this confetti gun they would shoot when they were presented with the floral necklaces. Then you had the blessing…in which people go up and give them money. During the entire event there was a dj playing music and if you’d closed your eyes, you would’ve thought you were in a club lol.

My friend said at a Punjabi wedding she attended recently and said the blessing consisted of people dancing around the bride and groom and throwing money for hours. She said everyone stood in line to feed them a piece of wedding cake…one by one……resulting in them eating most of a three tier cake. I’m not sure if the marriage last night had similar activities during the earlier days or not. Imagine how annoyed someone from either culture may be with all of the stringency of an American wedding and people smashing cake into each other’s face! lol. 

Now the meal…the meal was amazing lol. Absolutely a-friggin-mazing. A banquet hall full of food stations. Huge dinner plates packed to the max. standing on your feet, fingers mixing up the flavors, wrapping things in naan, trying to breathe through the spiciness…and pigging out. Yes. Amazing. I love it lol. Gearing up for December! This one will be a love marriage, (not sure if the one last night was one or not) and the first love marriage in my friend’s family so it’s a pretty big deal. yup, I’m excited!