Slow Progress

Progress on my project has been slow. I think the local NGO is slightly confused about why I am here, and they are not quite sure what to do with me. I am also confused, because Oxfam in Boston made it sound like it was urgent for me to be here. Now I am here, and there is not much for me to do. I have been visiting villages and talking to people, which is fun, but not exactly what I was sent here to do. It seems that the local NGO has contracted out much of the work to other local NGOs (I guess foreign funding allows you to do that!) and I am not sure exaclty what my role will be. I am actually fine with this...more time to relax, especially after such a stressful year and my work last summer was extremely stressful. I have a vague guilty feeling though...why did Oxfam go to such lengths to make it possible to be here? Why did they want to pay to fly me here on two separate trips? I feel that the work I am doing doesn't exactly warrant all f that expense. Oh well! I am just going with the flow.

So, after a long hot day of sitting in the non-air conditioned office, I walked down to the town. I have found one indoor shop there that has baked goods and fresh fruit juice and cold drinks. So, I like to walk down there, sit under the fan, order a freshly made drink of fruit juice and a cold club soda, and read one of the magazines that I brought. The owners are nice and they have gtten used to me now. On the way home, all of the school children were walking home from school. They are so cute! The uniform includes pig tail braids tied into a loop. Adorable. The girls in the top picture in blue were fascinated by me...one of the them was mentally disabled and she was not able to conceal her curiosity like the other kids...so I took a picture and they seemed happy about that. Also, when the school kids are out (or any time for that matter!) I am followed by a chorus of hellos..."Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello! Hi! Hi, Ma'am! Hello! Hi!" I try to answer all of them, but of course it s imppossible.

At the juice shop, two young girls sat down next to me. They were giggling and peaking at me, because obviously, everything I do (including sitting down and reading) is totally hilarious...at least when I am in India! One of them reminded ome of my sister Maya because they are about the same age...and I started to miss my sisters alot!