I was quite certain that the process involved with staying with relatives in Patna would be challenging, but so far that has exceeded my expectations. On one hand, I feel a bit guilty, as Shivali and I were given a special room with AC and a large, thick mattress. It also has a private bathroom, is on the ground floor and I'm told that everyone is informed not to enter. As much as I dislike being singled out, there are times it isn't just appreciated but necessary. Accommodations here are rustic. This is a word I use a lot here because it is the best way I know how to compare to what I am accustomed to. It would be kind of like you rented a old cabin in the woods. That's the only way I know how to explain it.
There are around 40 people staying at this house, and although it is fairly large in size, the congestion and chaos is borderline insane. Everyone is very excited for the festival activities, but it's difficult for me to get too excited about praying to the 'sun god' and eating strange food combinations. I do my absolute best to not come across disrespectfully, but there is very little for me here. I am here 100% for the benefit of my husband who loves these types of get-togethers with family.
Being raised in a very small family, I may not have the exposure to appreciate a gathering of this size. Everyone seems close and familiar to each other, yet they are many times what I would call distant relatives- if related at all. At some level, I am envious of the strong connections and the sense of genuine fun and excitement they get from being around each other. It is both endearing and lovely to witness. For me personally, it brings up a lot of feelings of isolation and loneliness, which sounds odd being around so many people, but let me put that in perspective for you. Only 10% of people staying in this house speak English. Most of them are not accustomed to speaking it, so don't prefer to and aren't super comfortable. Most of the time, the spoken language is completely unknown even though I know some words there is not enough there to follow along. I've described this before as something like background music. I almost forget that there is a sound because I get so accustomed to ignoring it.
Then comes the food issue. The type of food served at a gathering like this is very typical Indian. Not the type of Indian you get a Indian restaurant back home, but very typical fried vegetables and bread. Sometimes there is rice and dal (lentils), but it all pretty much looks and tastes the same and is rarely something I care to eat much. Being on a healthy lifestyle right now, I am pretty much staying away from it all the time which is both alarming and concerning to my Indian relatives. They don't understand things like protein water and fresh fruit for meals, but it works for me so I just roll with it. I sometimes imagine transporting this group of people to my place and watching them attempt to survive on American food. I can only guess that they would feel pretty much the same.
After 12 days of adventure, I am well past the point of being ready to go home. The problem is we have 4 more days to go staying here at this location. As always, I'll do my very best to survive and get along.
No comments:
Post a Comment