Happy Onam!

Not too much ahs been going on since I last wrote. Tuesday was a holiday- a Keralan festival called Onam. It celebrates the coming of the King from some past time. All I saw of it were Hindu temples covered in lights and large flower arrangements on the ground. That night I went to a family get-together at my future host family's cousins' house (I am not yet with my permanent host family because the other volunteer is staying there until next Tuesday). The dinner and conversation were great! I spent most of my time talking with the hilarious grandpa about everything from why the female body wasn't meant to play soccer to the reason there is so much poverty in India (He says it is due to lack of work ethic. I believe this is partly true, but it is also because it is so hard to set up business due to the intensely beaurocratic government.). The dinner was delicious biryani (Indian fried rice with chicken), served with many sauces, and "cutlets," fried beef and potato rounds. This was the first time in over a week I have eaten beef and only the second time I had eaten meat.

For the past few days I have been coming to the internet cafe regularly after school. School is going well, but I have found that the teaching methods are so inefficient compared to what I know. In tutoring the seventh-grade girl in social studies, I was told to repeat the true and false statements then she would do the same. The poor girl ends up memorizing false statements! She would say the sentence written at the back of the chapter, then "true" or "false," depending on whichever it was. This made no sense to me! Today, we did some multiple choice questions in the same manner. The students are in "revision" because they have a one-subject-a-day quarterly exam coming up next Wednesday. Beginning that day, there will be no more teaching for three weeks. What will I do with myself? I have yet to figure tht out. My lonely planet guide will be key in this decision.

Tonight I will attend a pre-wedding reception with my host family. This should be quite exciting and extremely entertaining for me as an outsider. I have never seen an Indian wedding (I will on Monday), nor have I ever taken part in any of the festivities. I hope there is a good dessert table!