Self-inventory, Vol I

I'm not phased by crossing the street anymore. I weave around the cars without flinching, I push off from the sides of rickshaws and put my hand out authoritatively to indicate the driver's need to stop (in the face of my obviously superior entitlement to cross the street).

If I accidentally touch someone's foot or step on it, the gesture of asking forgiveness by reaching your fingers out towards the other person's body and then kissing your fingertips while wobbling your head comes to me pretty naturally.

I don't feel guilty about paying less to the taxi or rickshaw wallah if he drove the wrong way or did something else which inflated the fare.

I'm increasingly interested in continental food (which is a problem, because it's usually more expensive. Or McDonald's).

I think more about watching TV on a comfortable couch at home.

Most of my head space is taken up with thoughts of my upcoming travels, instead of the here and now in Mumbai. Only about 3 weeks left...

In other news, Benji left for Bangladesh (on a bus right now from Kolkata, as I type) on Sunday night, which was a rather sad goodbye. We were quite the spectacle at the airport, as open physical affection between opposite sexes is rare. Batya is in Ahmedabad for work for two weeks, and with Manor, Robbie, and Danie gone from here, it's just down to me and Erin. And then she goes to Goa next week for Shavuous and a JCC youth camp, which I don't think I can afford since I'm traveling there 2 weeks later, so I'll be the last one here. Crazy! Maybe I can finally go see those touristy places I've been meaning to visit.