After a week in
Chennai I have just about gotten used to the concept of a maid, but I still have a massive sense of guilt when I see her sleeping on a rug in the front room. To a Westerner it is degrading, but to Indians it is a way of like. As someone pointed out to me, if the Sheela wasn't sleeping on the lounge floor, chances are she would be sleeping on the street.
I have not gotten used to being stared at all the time. Its a little bit creepy and I feel the need to make sure I am presentable when I leave the house (hair brushed etc.!) It's quite hard finding clothes to wear everyday that are acceptable in India, I have gone shopping a couple of times (there are plenty of places to shop!) and picked up some Indian style clothing- tunic tops (kurtas) and trousers (churidas) otherwise known as Indian pyjamas! I feel a bit silly in them but some school girls on the bus were giggling at me and finally worked up the courage to tell me that I looked 'cute'. Score.
I have just about worked out how the buses work, and have perfected the technique of jumping off a moving bus (they don't so much as stop at bus stops, as slow down a bit.)
Work is hard, the people in the office aren't quite sure what I am doing there, and they seem a little bit shocked when I walk in everyday. I have no ID but the security guards just let me in (mostly because erm, I have white skin.)
My sanity has been saved by the knowledge that I can escape the pollution clogged city at the weekend. On Sunday the Gap Guru lot and myself went 50 km south down the coast to the beach. It was fab. We ate and we swam and we were going to go sightseeing but we decided to sunbath instead. Good choice.