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This is an email I sent to my family about my first experiences in S. Asia. I apologize in advance for some incoherency of this email. I'm very jet-lagged :)

Dear Mom & Dad,

Ahhh, I made it! Can you believe it? The flights were all fine, although I just barely made my connection in Frankfurt. On the last and longest leg of the trip I met up with several people I knew (such a wonderful sight!) and actually slept a little for the first time that day/days. I'll also have you know that the food on Lufthansa airlines is amazing.

A few minutes before our plane landed, a flight attendant came to tell me that one or both of my pieces of luggage had not made it. Honestly, I really didn't care at all by that point. I was exhausted, didn't know what day it was, and was actually a bit relieved that I'd have one or two less bags to carry. After waiting for my luggage at the carousel (getting your luggage is a total free-for-all - you have no idea!), I spotted one of my pieces of luggage, but the second was indeed not there. After waiting in line for an hour and a half to report my lost luggage, I finally was able to exit the airport! Than about a 30 min. ride to where we are staying (which is really nice and I'm so grateful for). We got in at 5AM India time and then slept for 2 hours and then have been up today starting right away in orientation and exploration.

I don't even know where to begin in describing S. Asia. It's like nothing I've ever experienced or imagined. It's kind of surreal really and mostly still a blur in all my jet-laggedness. The only way I can think of describing it to you is that it's a carnival-like atmosphere with lots of dust and honking horns everywhere. Also, there is different smelling smoke that mixes together in the air and creates this strange amalgam of smells. A mix of potatoes smoking, incense being offered, etc. It's not as smelly as I had imagined though.

The hardest part was today when I was out shopping for some "culturally appropriate" clothes and there were several children tugging on my shirt begging me for money or begging for me to purchase what they were selling and I just had to walk by because I knew these kids are part of a "beggars circle" where they don't see hardly any of the money given them and give most of their money to a sort of ring leader type (think Oliver Twist).

Bartering is a big part of purchasing things here, especially transportation. We use autorickshaws to get around the city. Basically, it's expected that you will haggle with the driver to bargain for a better price and you have to pretend to be extremely disappointed when they give you their first offer in order to get a better fare. I've noticed that it helps to talk to them using an Indian accent. Even though many people here speak English, it's still difficult for them to understand Americans at times. Also, being in this little autorickshaw in the traffic - kind of scary I have to admit, but I'm honestly at the point where I'm like, "these people know what they're doing, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride." But it is insane. It's like NYC traffic on drugs or something. Red lights mean nothing and the bigger vehicle always has the right of way.

Anyway, I'm completely exhausted and going out into the city really wears on you, but hopefully this will get better once I'm less jet lagged. One good thing is I never go anywhere alone in the city even during the daytime. Slums are a very real thing here. This is truly a land of contradictions - slums next to beautiful buildings. There's so many new and different things to take in here - my brain is on overload and I know that I'm only aware of half of the things that are going on since I'm so overtired. I can't imagine this all becoming "old hat", but maybe it will over the next few years. Time for bed!

Love,

C