India, the Land of a Billion _______

For the first time in my life I find myself in a country that my dad's never visited. For most people, this might not be a very remarkable thing, but I almost passed out when my dad said he hasn't been to India. It's kind of too bad that he's never been since I'm pretty sure that this is an experience that can only truly be understood through living it.

My initial impression of India (I'm staying in Delhi) was, "I've felt this way before, but I can't figure out where." After thinking about it a bit I realized that I felt similar to the way I felt going to my first area on my mission. There was a certain bit of unbridled happiness, it's so cool going to new places and seeing new things, there is a certain disorientation at how different things are, and there's a mix of sadness and respect for the people that call it home. It is an amazing amalgamation of smells, sights, and sounds- truly one of a kind.

The people we are working with here are among the nicest and hardest working I've ever met. They're extremely conscientious of the American palate, almost to the point that I had to beg to get some real Indian food. They are quite polite (despite the fact that they eat with their hands) and apparently very genuine. In addition to all that, they're incredibly proud of their country. I have loved being here.

The hardest part of this leg has been the time difference between home and work. We are almost 12 hours ahead here, it is actually 11.5 (I said some things are disorienting) hours ahead of home. Everyday I wake up and think, I should call and realize that it's either dinner (when I've woken early) or bed time (and I need to head to the office). In the evening I think of calling when kids need to go to school or be picked up from school, at least in Brazil and Germany I could work out a time to call. Instead I've posted twice to keep Andrea up to date as much as anyone.

Due to the recent political events in India, everywhere has heightened security. We all saw the tragedy in Mumbai and it is the Indian national elections this month. Anyway, one funny side effect of this new level of security is the omni-presence of security. Every hotel, building, or restaurant that we've entered requires us to pass through a car check, a bag check, and a metal detector. Since we're almost always carrying laptops and cell phones we tend to get stopped and given the pat down. Some of these pat downs are cursory, nothing more than a quick pat down the sides and check of the pockets, but some are much more than most Americans would expect (last time I asked if they provided a free cigarette).

There is more, much more, but for now I need to cut it off and try to get some sleep. From Nehru Place (more specifically the InterContinental Eros), good night or good day.