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Elif Karatas-- SITA Program
34-B H.A.K. Road, Chinnachokkikullam
Madurai 625 002
Tamil Nadu, India

Ok, so let's recap. I've just somewhat settled down in Madurai. Classes set. Whew. Here are some previous entries that never made it online:

Aug 10
    After travelling for 3 days, we are finnally in Thanjavur, where we will stay and have "orientation". Yesterday we were in Chennai for a few hours-- it made me sick and queasy. An amble about the neighborhood was shocking. Everything is broken. People are constantly on the move, but where are they rushing to? I didn't see anybody actually doing anything. Constant blares of horns, cries of children (SO MANY CHILREN), gossip of neighborhood women-- its no wonder meditation started here. It's the only way to get some peace and quiet.
But I could get over all that. What made me feel queasy was the smell. It is almost tangible in the heavy moist air but hardly maleable. I ran into it like a brick wall. There would be pockets of hope, like a waft of jasmine or sandalwood, but beware taking a second whiff in hopes to hold on to the pleasant notes in the air because the wind will have changed and suddenly find yourself surprised with the new variety of shit that your olfactory is processing.

Aug 12
    I was blessed by an elephant.

Aug 13
   We visited a sacred grove today. I was amazed by how this little patch of land had been left untouched. The gnarled tree was surrounded with offerings and little idols. A man with aged skin of leather greeted us and happily showed us the villages surrounding the grove. I just wanted to touch his feet-- the texture seemed so... grotesque and yet intriguing.

Aug 17
   We were given cycles by the STA center, and assured that in time, we would grow accustomed to the flow of traffic. Surprisingly, after a few near hits (by buses and rickshaws), I did in fact find myself comfortable cycling along.. I made it home in one piece to find a cow in the entrance-way. Confusing left and right as I usually do, I rang the bell (right hand) instead of hitting the brakes (left hand), and almost ran into the cow (as some of you may know, cows are considered sacred here). The cow just gave me a blank stare as if to say, "Who do you think you are?" and a lady on the street started yelling at me in Tamil as I scurried upstairs. Even though I don't know Tamil, I'm pretty sure I knew what she was saying.