homestay family

Hillside view from Amer Fort

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Well, as I said in my last email, I've moved in with my host family: the Bhatnagars. Each morning I've woken up to new family members in the house. So, I can't really say how many people I'm living with. My mother, Swati has asked that I call her Mama and my host father Anil, Papa. I also have inherited a grandfather, Dadajii, and an uncle, Mamajii. Everyone seems used to having an American member of the family since they have hosted students from SIT four times before me. I am also the only person in the hosue with my own room. This feels really strange, but since they've done this four times before, I'm pretty sure they don't mind.  

My two sisters, Neha (20) and Prachi (12) both speak english very well and have been very welcoming and loving. I thought that I would be embarassed at having a twelve year old help me with Hindi, but she's so much fun that I look forward to it. I've been spending most of the time that I've been at home with them - doing work and playing games. Neha is going to help teach me how to cook a little bit too!  

Courtyard at Amer Fort

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 Dinner in many Indian households, I found out, is centered around the TV. If any of you have the chance to watch an indian soap opera, you should -it's an experience. Their horrible and wonderful at the same time. The effects are sort of psychadellic   - flashing lights that warp across someone's face or something like a strobe light. They also use english when the actors are saying something of great importance or emotion like "Oh my god!" or "I love you!" I was surprised to learn that most soap operas in India play at night so that the whole family can watch. They are also much more risque that I would have imagined. Almost all the cultural taboos that I have been taught to avoid appear in these shows (x10). Men here are as into the shows as women are!  

 I was told that I can have whatever I want to eat or drink there, but they warned me that if I have too many cold drinks, I will get fat. The next morning at school, when we were all comparing stories from our families, I discovered that another girl got a similar warning. She was told that she shouldn't shower at night - she will lose the body heat needed for digesting and will become fat. I can't wait to hear more of these old wivestales...   I don't have any pictures of my family yet, but I'll be sure to update this entry when I do.