Idle Time

I have been relatively idle the past few days, but there are a few events that I think merit sharing.  First, my sister (the one from the Raksha Bandhan picture) is seven months pregnant and so there was the Hindu equivalent of a baby shower for her last night.  The event was held on the outskirts of Pune in the clubhouse of an incredibly nice community.  It was made up of a huge apartment building and many large "bungalows".  In case I have not mentioned this, it is extremely rare here to not live in an apartment and is therefore a sign of wealth to have your own house.  Residents of this community also have a basketball court, pool, cricket field, gym, spa, and access to the clubhouse I mentioned.  These were some of the nicest buildings I have seen here, and certainly the best I have had the pleasure to enter.  The way the ceremony worked was that the couple sat for a few pictures in traditional dress, then the bride was blessed by every female relative in attendance, followed by an open buffet of Indian food (what else?).  I greatly enjoyed trying some new dishes and conversing with my relatives.  They are all very kind and interested in what I think of everything here.  They also enjoy reading my blog and compliment me on my writing.

The other event was my trip to the vegetable market.  It reminded me of a crowded St. Paul farmer's market, but here you won't find any cool soaps or a variety of bison meat-it's 100% vegetables!  It is packed with sellers surrounded by their mountains of natural vegan-friendly wares.  It was truly a sight to see, and a fun atmosphere!  This may not make up for missing the smorgasbord of foods belonging to the on-a-stick persuasion at my family's annual trip to the beloved Minnesota State Fair, but it was an enjoyable experience nonetheless.  

In between the more noteworthy events, I dedicate long stretches of my time contemplating how I want to spend my year.  I have come to realize that allocating my copious amount of free time is one of the more difficult parts of my exchange thus far, and I am currently in the midst of creating a list of worthwhile ways of occupying myself other than writing this blog.  Reading books is already on the list, and I am close to finishing The Kite Runner.  Idle time is the least enjoyable part of my exchange because I came here ready to be proactive and to get out of the house and learn the culture, but instead find myself alone, unoccupied, and missing home.  Becoming at-peace with myself and finding ways to occupy my time will be a large part of my experience here.  This will only get easier as the year goes on and I make more friends, exchange students or otherwise, and learn my way around the city well enough to find my own fun.  I hope that comes soon!