Oct 11th: Things I Didn't Know

About Indian Culture Before I Came Here:

1.  Married women are signified by black beaded necklaces and rings on the second toe. Some rural cultures also put a line of red powder in the part of their hair
2. Indians don't feel obligated to give you change. If you have a large bill, you might be screwed. Sometimes, if they don't have the coins, they will give you a little candy, or a pack of gum. I once got a 5 rupee stamp instead of change. 
3. All their dinnerware is aluminum. All of it.
4. In a lot of situations there are separate sections for males and females. Trains have women/children only cars and festivals have gender segregated dancing sections. (the women's dancing sections are boring and they suck. patriarchal societies ya'll.)
5. The whole culture is about as homophobic as the mid 70's/early 80's, but boys and men who are friends will often hold hands with each other in public. They also ride double, or even triple, on motor cycles. 
6. All milk, unless otherwise marked, is buffalo milk.
7. Hermaphrodites or "transgenders" are almost all part of a community called "hijras" which are synonymous with beggars and prostitutes. 
8. Don't eat your rice with your chappati/naan. Stop even thinking about it right now. JUST DON'T DO IT. 

Oct 8th: I FOUND A PUPPY

 Some classroom sketches I have been working on for a while. I have an actual shapes addiction now. Shapes and Biscuits.

BUT WHILE I WAS WALKING AROUND PUNE UNIVERSITY I FOUND A PUPPY!!! I also have fleas now probably. Totally worth it. 

Oct 7th: Temples

I've been to tens of temples. TENS. (I've been trying this new thing where I don't constantly speak in hyperbole. It's not going well, obviously.) But of all the idols, shrines, and altars i've seen, this is my favorite:

Hahahahahaha. I don't even know what god this is. He just cracks me up for some reason. 

Oct 5th: Some pretty things

That I Haven't Posted to Facebook Because No One Cares:

Just let me re-live my high school delusions of thinking that I was good at photography

Yeah, I like the Rule of Thirds. Wanna make something of it?

Oct 1st: Directions

In the past two days

I've been stopped twice on the street and asked about directions. I have no idea what these people are thinking. I could hardly direct you to the Woodmans in Appleton, much less the Shivajinagar Bus Stand. 

Is THIS the face of a strong-hearted Pune resident who can fearlessly direct you on your journey?

 No. No it is not. 

Sept 28th: An India craft

This may have happened while I was ill and didn't want to leave my room

The stole is from Pune Festival, a performance/festival for Gunpati that treated us like VIPs because we were, with some obvious exclusions, white.  I wore my new shirt to school and the Indian ACM workers loved it. They said I should make these weird, rave-esque, gauds for everyone. 

Sept 26th: Sometimes

In a country where unscheduled lectures are frequent and transportation is reliant on rickshaw drivers accepting your pleas for a ride, one channels all of their control-related insecurities into drawing shapes.