What am I writing -- a script for radio? Sorry about the LACK of photos here (again). Just wanted to pass along that I had a little bit of the USA today here in India -- and it was very, very strange.
I was invited to a party at the U.S. Embassy for an"Independence Day" celebration. It was actually quite fun and nice to meet a new batch of people.
I feel like I'm "friend dating". I'm happy to meet new people, enjoy having a meal or drink, chatting etc. -- but I don't really know ANYONE -- so it's all new. It's like going on a first date and then going back to talk with another first date about the OTHER first date... because you really don't know ANYONE that well. For instance, there is this guy who moved to Mumbai who I know through a friend (we've never met) and we've only emailed a few times... but he's coming to Delhi in a few weeks (with another friend of his) and I'm actually quite excited to meet him for dinner -- and I found myself referring to him as my "friend" today in conversation.
It's odd to leave a world of having dinner reservations made a month in advance for this (the opposite) -- but I'm finding it fascinating.
So, back to the US Embassy... getting in (we needed our passport numbers) we went through layers of security, counters... it was, well, like going to a party at an embassy. Leaving the streets of Delhi beind we walked into the massive walled compound and through an archway of red, white, and blue balloons. Inside... It was ALL red, white and blue -- there were U.S. Marines selling beers, hotdogs and hamburgers (made with Buffalo meat), a "Tex/Mex" counter -- it was very odd. Then... the fireworks started and this booming music began (playng along with the fireworks). It was certainly a bit odd (it felt pseudo-apocalyptic)... I thought, "Now, is this what it'll be like if we continue irritating the rest of the world -- will Americans just wall themselves off, drink beer, eat hotdogs and listen to Neil Diamond?"
Anyway -- Meredith (my other new friend) and her (new) friend Donna were there and we met lots of other people that don't have any friends here too. Also prominent were U.S. Department of State employees (embassy staff) that seemed to be on the "Ambassador-track" (or so THEY seemed to think). It was fun... glad I went. I was hoping to see more of my U.S. tax dollars at work, however, as I was quite sad to learn we had to PAY for beers (and Buffallo-meat burgers). So, India has started to "click" with me -- thanks to some cool places that Tess (my new colleage) took me to. We found a very cool furniture store and the owner is going to send someone to my apartment tomorrow to take some measurements so they can design and build a bed, couch etc. It'll take about a month for the bed and couch to be made -- so that'll work WELL. I figure it's only about THREE WEEKS of sleeping on the floor. (Don't worry... we don't have ANY bugs, rats, monkeys, mice, lizards etc. in India). The furniture guy designs and builds stuff for Pottery Barn and Donna Karen and he's Indian and thought that he should open up a little store here. We were lucky enough to meet him and he seemed to like us -- so hopefully the stuff will work out well.
Tess also took me to a few very cool restaurants -- just a taste of the India I've been looking for. It's not walled-off hotel life... or complete poverty -- but a cool "middle" -- I'm excited to look for more.