Reverse Invitations

First I want to thank everyone who is following in my adventures, I'm glad you are enjoying my ramblings.  I started this last year for my family since they always wanted to know what I was doing while traveling for work and since there are too many of them to update individually (sorry guys), I figured, why not blog.  It's also a good online diary for me, and a good way to clear my mind at the end of the day.

I'm done talking about garbage and poverty for a while and I'll try and talk about some of other things I'm seeing/doing/experiencing.  Please let me know if there anything in particular you'd like for me to ramble about, I do take requests. :-)

This Sunday is Holi, the Indian Festival of Colors.  It is a very interesting holiday, where everyone throws colors on each other.  And I mean just that, colors, as in dye.  Here is a street vendor selling packs of "colors" and the plastic guns to shoot them with.

We will be celebrating here at the homestay, and I haven't decided yet if I'm going to venture out on the streets.  Supposedly it is quite an event, people are rubbing colors all over you (and I mean all over) and you will get covered.  It could be fun, just not sure how I'd get too many pictures.  Also, not in the mood to be fondled too much so I might just watch from my balcony, where I'll get some good views with my telephoto.

There is a young kid at work, an intern who is finishing up college.  He is very outgoing, talks a ton and is kind of like the workplace clown.  He's an aspiring actor and wants to be a filmmaker.  He is interning at the NGO because he wants to learn all about it so he can write a film about how NGOs don't work.  Yes, doesn't make sense to me either.  His sense of boundaries seems to be a bit off.  The first time I met him he asked if I was on facebook and if we could be friends.  I gave him my email but he hasn't sent the request yet :-)

I brought some trail mix into the office for my lunch yesterday and he asked if he could try some, I said sure and the next thing I knew it was all gone.  I brought more today and he took a huge handful.  Just a funny kid.  But the best part is yesterday.  He asked Pawel and I what we were doing for Holi.  We both said we didn't know the plans yet, since the owner of the homestay was out of town for the night.  He said, okay, when you do, let me know, because I want to come with you.  A reverse invitation of sorts.  He wants to meet the IBMers and see where we are staying.  I'm not knocking him for being friendly, I just find him thoroughly amusing.  I am sure he will be quite successful someday.

I don't think a reverse invitation would work too well at home.  I'll have to try it sometime though...

Here are some pics from my walk around the neighborhood this afternoon.  I'm wearing my new purple kurta in front of a samosa vendor ( I think).

street vendors and random men who wanted their picture taken

 this guy wasn't too happy, probably because the crowd was at the place down the street

 these guys wanted me in the picture too, maybe next time...

and finally, a stroll by the statue circle before sitting down for a yummy dinner at the homestay

clockwise from bottom... chicken, eggplant, mint mango chutney, parathas, dal (lentils), potatoes, and roasted tomato salad.  i took this before the yellow rice and spinach chapatis could make it on the table.  there were 8 of us from the group eating tonight.  everything is made in house, yum!