bunch of stuff and the ambassador sucks

Jet lag was kicking my ass, leaving me each day in a bloody pulp. But it's stablizing. So far I've lost all sense of time, I've acquired the desi head nod, my hindi has improved dramatically, I've a bunch of newly discovered opinions on development, my life in the US seems like another lifetime, I'm grateful when I get 6 hrs of sleep all in a row. I've also had odd moments when I'll be in some swanky pub in Delhi or dinner someplace and I'll totally forget I'm in India. These are weird moments. Surreal. It feels like DC, and I'm getting ready to head back to my Namaste House. Then I'll step outside, and that humidity will hit me like a ton of bricks, I'll haggle with the rickshaw-dude, and it will hit me for the 20th time that day...umm, I'm in India and will be staying.

Life is chugging along:) In a couple of days, I will be shipped off to Bangalore which I'm very much looking forward to. I'm a touch worried about the settling in process, but not overly. let's see...update.

The US ambassador to India is thoroughly obnoxious. In his defense, I must say I was already irritated when we sifted through security to find a huge expanse of lawn complete w/ two (not one, two) huge water fountains pouring out copious, disgusting amounts of clean-looking water. He had a small one inside his house too. Irritation. The US embassy has that "natives stay away" feel to it. After we arranged ourselves, and drank some fantastic iced tea, smooched with a couple of foreign service officers who were incapable of saying anything that didn't feel processed and packaged like cheese. Oh and the kicker was when the ambassodor introduced himself to a group of us, and when he got to a fellow who was placed in Gujurat had the apalling bad taste to say, "well when you get back to the states you will be staying in motels for free." *what?* *oh no, he didn't** The man knows about as much about development and human rights, as I do about investment banking.

I'm ready for orientation to be over. I have been for about 3 days. The staff have been wonderful, the NGOs we've heard from have been great, and the two sites visits we did were really fun. But I'd still like it to all be over, so I can start work. Two more days.

I'll try to do pictures. Right now that's not gonna happen. My future roommates apparently must have internet at home, so I might have regular connection when I get to bangalore.