Introducing Nirmala

So this is Nirmala... my language helper. I told you she was as skinny as a rail! I look huge compared to her! Now I see why the Indians say that we are so big. :) Really she is so sweet. She is wonderful teacher too. We have our lessons on Mondays and Wednesdays. She also comes to our place on Thursdays to teach Danielle and Marcy. We keep her busy... but she seems to enjoy it. This past Wednesday I read some of a conversation to her and she corrected my pronunciation. I really feel like a 4-5 year old just learning to read and recognize words. At other times I feel like a two year old just learning to speak! Still I am excited to be here and I am excited to be learning Hindi! It will be great when I can understand more and surprise people with how much I know and speak. In time...

On another note! The RAINS have come!!! Wow... I didn't know it could rain so much! We had some flooding last Saturday and it was fun watching people on TV walking through thigh high water. There were buses driving through water that was up over the wheels. It seriously is impossible to stay dry during monsoons here. You PLAN on getting wet when you leave the house! And an umbrella... just doesn't cut it. When the wind blows and it is raining (which is often) every part of you from the shoulders down is wet. The chacos I got before I left have been a life saver. They are the only shoes I will wear now in monsoon. They will stay straped to my feet if I have to waid in water and they don't flip so much water and street muck up on the back of my legs when I walk down the street. I have also established my monsoon clothes. They are entirely synthetic but they dry fast even while still wearing them. When I wear my jeans (occasionally) they are rolled up to capri length to avoid the water. My ankles are showing, which draws some unwanted looks and gazes, but my pants aren't soaked half way up my calf. All in all, I am learning to manage the rain. There are still many times when it is just pouring down and I have to go out. I just have to psych myself up for it and go knowing that I'm going to get wet and there isn't anything I can do about it. Some say... that you haven't truely experienced Bombay/Mumbai until you've experienced the monsoons here. I guess that I got initiated fast.