Goat Heads

Tuesday, September 6

    Yesterday was Collins' and Summer's first day of school!  We were so giddy we picked out our outfits and took pictures on the car ride there (mom you'd be proud).  There are six of us in the class-- Kyle and Jenna who are teachers from Texas and married, Phillip from New York who's girlfriend is also doing work in India, Matthew from New Zealand (hehe this one is for shmeggles!!) with same story as Phillip, and the single ladies… Colleen and me!  I absolutely love our teacher, Sangeeta.  She's gorgeous (just like every other Indian woman here) and an encyclopedia of info regarding languages, religion, history in India.  These three weeks will be intense for sure, but so much fun.  The first day was more introductory…although I did learn some Setswana (language of Botswana).  Dumella rra, o tsoheli jung?  That means "hello, how are you?".  We learned more too.  The point of this was basically to show us we could learn it based completely on listening, repetition, visual aids, and inflection.  We sipped our chais and chatted, and Phil, Collins, and I went out to eat at a fancy (I called it Aladdin/Jasmine status--they had shiny pillows!) restaurant. We all shared stuffed button mushrooms (they have them dad!), dal, more dal panjeer, and na'an.  Again, delicious, spicy, full flavored…ahhh so good.  In a nutshell, first day of school = exciting and I actually cant wait to do my homework.
    Since Collins and I have an extra room since we have AC slumber party in one room, we asked Phil if he wanted to stay with us.  He was living all alone in a sketchy area, and who doesn't want more company?  He didn't want AC anyways so he's staying in my old room.  So I am living with Phil Collins…hehe.  I must say though, I've turned the AC up each night as I'm getting used to the heat.  During the day its perpetual perspiration but at night its kinda pleasant.  Speaking of night, because the entire country of India elected to stay on the same time, the conveniently placed Kolkata in the far east gets light at about 5 am and dark at about 6 pm.  It throws you off at first but you get used to it.  This is probably why I'm awake so early because I wake up with the sun… its that solar-powered-ness.  After 6 pm the city is booming all around!  More so than during the day.  Phil and I went out exploring and found lots of fun places to eat, get clothes, mobile phone shops, little veggie markets, raw meat just chillin' for sale, sweet shops (Kolkata is famous for its sweets),  and people EVERYWHERE!  I still don't think I can describe the amount of people.  I heard this statistic (and I need to confirm its validity) that India gives birth to the population of Australia every year… and China does too!…..yeah, crazy!
    After waling to and from the apartment several times I keep noticing this butcher shop that always has like 3 goat heads just sitting on the counter, while bodies (I don't know which body belongs to which head) are dangling from above… waiting to be sold.  One time I'll walk by and the goat heads are black and furry, and then when I'm coming back they'll be skinned but with eyes and tongue still.  Then the next time I walk by theres another head with fur and another dangling body.  Ugh, I know I'm grossing people out but I am somehow intrigued by this vendor and the high demand for goats here apparently.  I probably shouldn't mention that across the dirt road to the left and down 10 yards are some little goats tied up :-/    Ok I'm done… on to why we kept going back and forth from apartment to stores...
    Last night we had to stock up on some food for today.  Today is a political "bandh", meaning strike.  Kolkata is a communist state, and there have been a lot of price increases lately.  Due to the inflation a lot of people are losing jobs and things are more expensive and people are angry so they strike.  Sageeta said this has happened 3 times in a month before!  This strike is primarily for all transportation; however, we were told that pretty much the whole city shuts down, everyone pretty much stays either at home or close to it because nothing is open.  Sangeeta said that children play in the streets that are normally swarming with cars, bikes, rickshaws, and people.  As Americans, we were advised to stay at home or near it for our own safety.  So right now I'm drinking my instant coffee with my powder milk, dipping my little Indian sweet cracker things in it while waiting for Phil Collins to wake up. 
    I got an instant meal of Rajma Masala, Colleen has some spicy ramen, we got eggs, and Phil's gonna make some crazy pasta tomato somethin' or other dish that I think he'd like to share :) We'll see how being cooped up will work out for me today…we all know how much I hate being inside for too long.  It does look like its going to downpour pretty soon though, and I doubt my sparkly magenta, $1 umbrella I purchased on the street would suffice anyways.