This is a compilation of events and truths regarding our team’s stay in Ongole India. The purpose is to share experiences in a light and humorous manner as all ideas about ‘Do’s and ‘Do not’s have been thrown out the window … entirely.
Thank you India for the memories and being the introductory country to shattering our worldview.
ONLY IN INDIA:
100 degrees is normal, GOOD weather.
Everything is “SUPER” – The American term that is used over and over again almost like it is going outta style.
Horns are encouraged and it is considered rude not to use them. All day every day!
Does your tut-tut driver take you to get “Fried Chicken” in the slums of India, park in front of a bunch of cages of live chickens, then turns to give you a giant smile.
Does your room flood like a monsoon hit like yesterday. IPod touch screen: black is back.
Chocolate Chip cookies taste like straight up cardboard.
Candy bars are melted entirely in the store before you purchase them.
Is Toilet paper hard to find but there are places ‘To-let’ everywhere.
Motions are an every day part of life. We aren’t talking about being sea sick … (think harder).
There’s a river on the side of the road that consists of an array of waste.
Trash cans are your backyard.
Do 5 legged cows exist. No joke.
A 3 legged monkey on a leash will bite your team mate more than once.
Dots are in fashion.
Lice crawl as much as the ants do.
NOT washing your hair becomes lice prevention.
Hi, How Are You, and Bye are all said before you can even respond.
White people are like celebrities.
Tea tree oil is your best friend.
Any other color hair besides black is extra “SUPER!”
Nail polish will melt once applied.
Water evaporates quicker than you blink.
Do Americans eat ‘little’ portions.
Spicy is NORMAL. Every time. Every meal.
Bananas become a treat.
You get excited when you see random white people and just automatically assume they will be your friend.
You cannot identify your food 90% of the time, EXCEPTIONS: (rice aaaannnddd more rice)
Electricity goes out every other day at random times.
Water goes out … constantly.
Sweat becomes a shower.
Not wearing a scarf is scandalous, watch those ankles, and braids are life.
Baby powder is an accessory.
Soda pop is the new water.
Tut Tut sits 4 is a suggestion… add an extra two people hanging out the side and you got a party.
Grease is a seasoning, the more grease the better.
Random people will stop and take random pictures with you on YOUR camera. (i.e. “Sister Sister just one picture!”)
Peanut butter makes everything taste better.
Do you pay more for ice cream than you do ANYTHING else.
Utensils? What are they? Fork? Spoon?
Do not use your left hand to eat … ever.
One hand is for eating and one hand is for wiping … do not mix the two up!
White anything is “SUPER!”
Head bobbles are the way to communicate responses to anything and everything,
Scarves become team mops that inevitably get thrown over your balcony into a power line that blows up the block’s electric transformer. Power out, loud explosions, and a lot of upset native neighbors waving their fists.
Figuring out how to turn on air conditioning becomes a fun game.
A single REAL silver item is literally the cost of a pair of pants in the United States. Any celebrity could get a full grill for a bill.
I love cows … but Only in India, they are a bit of an epidemic.
Vandanalu!
Written in light and laughter,
Nikki & Eric (Team Agape Ethne)
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