Day Two - Getting Acclimated!

Hello all!

Today was my first full day in India (or my first day that didn't include an airport in the mix) and it was very fun and exciting! We took a look around our exchange school, Bishop Heber College, and the surrounding area of Trichy. In comparison with the campus, the town is very busy. People are weaving in and out of traffic, which is going every which way, and vendors are haggling and talking to each other, all the while the goats are eating the trash and bumbling around the way goats do.

It was a little overwhelming at first, but I got used to it very quickly. We went into a supermarket which luckily had everything we needed, such as detergent and name brand shampoo! Victory for this girl, who thought she could go a month washing her hair with dove soap (I realized very quickly in that I had made a huge mistake).

After going out in the town we went to the bank, had lunch on campus, then took a glorious nap. We then went with two of our lovely guides who took us to this department store for Indian clothes, reminiscent of a JC Penny or Kohls, but full of bright indian clothes. We were all very excited. I got two full salwar kameez outfits and one salwar kameez top. Our guides graciously offered to sew the sleeves onto our outfits (they come unattached and you sew them on if you want to) which we accepted, and were then taken to this delicious Indian restaurant the Banana Leaf (A/C restaurant). We were unsure what all was ordered, but it was all yummy and spicy when it arrived. We then came back to campus incredibly stuffed, only to learn that our international dining hall had made food for us as well! So, poor us, we had to eat dinner...again. It was of course super yummy, and though I have no regrets eating dinner twice (its the hobbit way), my stomach is sobbing and throwing a tantrum right now. Its okay...so worth it. Afterwards we retired for the night, getting ready to start our field work tomorrow!

I'm very glad we got this day to get acclimated and to see the city and campus before starting our work, though I am eager to begin what I came here to do tomorrow.

Off to grab some tums and bed, hopefully a post tomorrow, or at least some pictures from the past few days!