It is currently 5:30 am on Sunday here in Coimbatore.  I guess jetlag must still be affecting me because I am wide awake! Since we have no internet and everyone else is asleep, I figured why not blog? Having to write things and then not post them for who knows how long is proving to be difficult but it will be good for me, just like having to eat food that I don’t love and sleep on beds that feel like rocks and use squatty potties and take bucket baths…its all part of the experience.  So far, I’m loving it, especially eating with my hands.  I’m bringing that back to America with me! Lets be real, who needs silverware anyways? Not this girl.  We have had such crazy busy days since we’ve been here that it feels like we’ve been here for weeks.  Its hard to believe I was actually home a week ago! 

Our days will start falling into a routine tomorrow, as we start school at 9.  It is a rule here that you may not be able to stay in class if you are not present when the teacher walks in.  You must also stand when the teacher walks in and remain standing until they tell you to sit.  So, we are planning on being plenty early to class.  It is also essential to ask permission before taking a drink of water, which will be a big adjustment.  But, it will be so nice to get into a routine over here.  For school, we also have to wear sarees or salwars, as it is mandatory.  To remedy our problem of not having appropriate dress, we went shopping yesterday.  It was easily the most difficult thing that we have done thus far.  It was insanity in the shops and the workers were pushing so many clothes on you.  We went to two different shops and it took a good six hours.  It was nuts and all of us Americans were so stressed and overwhelmed when we left.  To make the whole situation even better, we each have only about one wearable outfit.  Salwars are outfits comprised of huge drawstring genie pants with a dress-like top and a scarf.  Most of the salwar tops that we liked were sleeveless, so we were not allowed to purchase those because they are much too risqué and couldn’t be worn to school or church.  So, I ended up with one outfit that looks pretty much like bright green scrubs.  At least if sociology and psychology doesn’t work out, I can go into nursing without having to buy scrubs! Just kidding. 

Today, we will be attending All Saints church.  It is part of CSI, or Churches of South India.  CSI is comprised of all Christian churches in south India because India didn’t like the division that denominational differences were causing in peoples and churches.  In turn, they all joined under one blanket denomination.  I found this fascinating and really neat.  I think America could learn from that.