A List

 There are many things about India that, a few months ago, would have made me do a double take.  Now, they’re about as common as seeing a squirrel run across the street, or someone riding their bike back home in the US.  Here’s a list to give you some perspective:
1-    Cows.  They are everywhere-- casually strolling along the sidewalk, standing in the middle of traffic.  Seeing a cow meandering towards you as you navigate the hectic city is not at all out of place.  Fun fact: Because it is revered as holy in Hinduism, hitting a cow with your car is a higher offence than hitting a person.

2-    It is not uncommon to see fires burning along the side of the road.  Don’t be alarmed!  This is not an act of arson, but how many get rid of the insane amount of garbage piled around.  With the size of India’s population, more trash is produced than can be effectively removed, fueling the horrible pollution and litter problems plaguing the country.

3-    If you see a man standing by the side of the road with his back to the traffic, there is a pretty good chance that he is peeing.  A friend and I decided to count how many urinating individuals we saw over the course of a two and a half hour car ride.  The final count?  58.  We didn’t know whether to be horrified or amused, but after being in India for nearly three months, we certainly weren’t surprised.

4-    Prior to this trip, “Madam” was a title I never heard outside of French classes.  Here, it is how most people refer to women (well, at least that’s how we, as obvious Western women, are addressed.).  I realize it is out of respect, but it always makes me feel just a little bit…old.

5-    The first time I saw a baby wearing eyeliner, I was alarmed.  It turns out, this superstitious custom is undertaken to protect children from “the evil eye.”

6-    The amount of stray dogs you encounter in the streets is unbelievable.  I thought I saw a lot when I visited Italy, but there are hundreds upon hundreds here.

7-    Mandalas, circular designs filled with shapes, are often drawn with chalk on the pavement in front of homes and stores – I even saw many sketched on the dirt paths of the slum we visited.  They are seen as a welcoming and hospitable symbol.  I love seeing these colorful designs as I walk the streets!

8-    On one of our trips. We stopped by the side of the road for a snack.  There, a man with a produce stand had a massive pile of coconuts.  He simply struck the top of the fruit with a sharp (and rather terrifying looking) instrument, stuck a straw in, and handed them to us.  Voila, coconut water!  This is a common occurrence. 

9-    When out in more rural areas, monkeys are about as common as squirrels.  But don’t get too close!  (They, disappointingly, aren’t especially friendly).

10- Frequently, when walking the streets, loud music can be heard randomly being played over speakers.  I have yet to figure out the source of the music in these situations, (or for that matter, why it’s being played).  I usually take these moments to pretend that my life is a Bollywood movie, and that the music is my soundtrack.

11- I cannot figure out how animals manage to climb up so high, but I frequently spot creatures ranging from goats to dogs lounging on top of walls.  I never expected that I would think seeing a goat casually perched on top of a 6-foot wall was an ordinary sight, but in India you learn to expect the unexpected.

12- Motorcycles are a common mode of transportation here.  Often, entire families (kids and babies included) will pile on for a trip.  Our record thus far is a family of five crowded onto one bike.

13- Everything in India is colorful…including the trucks.  I used to instinctively think that I was seeing a flamboyant “hippie van” driving up the road from a distance, when it would turn out to be a tractor or some other piece of machinery.  Trucks and other pieces of equipment are often painted with intricate colorful designs and adorned with tassels and bells.

Peace,
           Zoë