Today I am...

... sad, angry, frustrated, melancholic, happy, touched, confused, ambitious, brave ...

Being in India is like being at a huge party with a different atmosphere in every room. But the rolling beat of the music always gets you going again.

I wasn't happy in the morning. I met my professor today. She gave me only some vague instructions what to do. Just "play around" with the software I'll use for my project. I didn't feel taken care off. When I sat down on the same slow computer as yesterday and noticed that the software wasn't installed properly I became frustrated and almost angry when none of the technicians (there are 2 technicians in each computer lab) was able to tell me how to get the software or when they could solve the issue. I felt totally alone, only given a task but no help at all. Surrounded by people who were incapable of helping me.
I was deeply touched when I came back from lunch break and on my desk I found a new, much faster computer with all the necessary software. So after all the technicians saw my need and put quite some effort into getting me what I wanted. Only in a way that I'm not used to. While in Germany they might have told me in the morning, we'll get this computer ready for you, here all they say is "yes, yes" and "maybe", and than it's just there. I feel a bit guilty for condemning them in my thoughts. Maybe I'll present them some of the Haribo sweets I brought from Germany tomorrow.

With this positive experience my bad feelings from the morning are completely revolted. Also after staying in the lab for the second day I recognize the faces of the two technicians there (as it goes with the unfamiliar, I had some problems discriminating the faces of some Indians in the beginning). I feel a bit connected to the place and can glimpse the imagination to work there for the next three month.

I had lunch today with an Indian student whom I met in the computer lab yesterday. Following my agenda to get in touch with locals I got his phone number and we met in one of the many cheap restaurants today. He showed me some good food and we had a nice conversation. When he gave a ride back on his motor bike we passed by an elephant standing on the street. When I later when back to that corner the animal had magically disappeared. You have to expect everything in this country!

Thanks for your emails and comments. I'm very happy about every message I get from the familiar world. Just as I still didn't get my laptop connected I use internet only from work or internet cafe and haven't gotten trough to write more personal messages yet.

Stay tuned!