A Glimpse of life downtown

First of all, Happy Independence Day India and Pakistan! So far, the day has been mostly all about flags of all sizes and materials and closed businesses. We haven't seen any Fourth of July-Style barbecues or parades, but have seen lots of families and groups of guys out walking.

We spent the day with our first adventure to downtown Mumbai with three friends. To get there, we took the commuter train, which after spending a bit of time talking to locals was really easy and fast -- 15min! Remember, on the first day when we had to go to the Foreign Registration Office we drove and it took 45min. The train trip down was easy and very uncrowded by Indian standards and we got off at Chowpatty Beach on the famous Marine Drive. Across the train station was a beautiful oval shaped bay surrounded by high rise apartments and lots of soft sand (and just a bit of garbage). We enjoyed walking along the sidewalk in the bright hot sun.

After the beach we explored the market areas. Since it was Independence Day, most were closed, which was actually good because that cut down on the crowds. The markets were huge and sold everything from watermelons to European chocolates to puppies (clean and well-cared for puppies by the way). As we meandered through the market our senses were assaulted by crazy-intense smells -- both good and bad. One astounding part of the market was the sheer number of stalls selling the exact same thing.

We then made our way down to the famous Gateway of India and the Taj Hotel, site of the 11-26 terrorists attacks. Since moving to Mumbai, this was the first time we really felt like tourists and we were approached by many touts selling postcards and ferry tickets. A highlight for me was getting approached by a salesman asking: "You have beard, you want weed?" After declining smoothly, I reflected on the general impression my beard has as this was the third time I'd been approached to buy drugs -- no other new teachers have been approached. Maybe I'll shave this week. Rachel and Twyla were approached many times to have their picture taken (being blond and white makes you essentially a rock star).

After a very pleasant lunch, we walked to Churchgate train station, which took us through a multitude of British-era colonial buildings. The architecture was amazing. The design blends formal colonial styles with Indian elements. We'll post pictures later for you to see. This part of the trip was my personal highlight.

The train back was very crowded. Rachel and Twyla took the "Ladies-only" car while Tom, Greg and I hacked it out in regular second class. The masses boarded and deboarded like an ocean wave at a few of the stations and we had to hold steady to keep our coveted spots near the door. Again, the train got us home so quickly, but the return trip was way more intense. I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like on a Monday morning during rush hour.

We've had to spend some time shopping for clothes as our shipment has been delayed due to a shipwreck in the harbor. I had two pairs of pants tailored as well as buying four Indian-style shirts, which will actually be way more comfortable than any Western shirts. Rachel hasn't had anything tailored yet, but has found girlfriends to go clothes shopping with and been very happy. Our apartment continues to collect household items as it slowly creeps towards feeling like home (emphasis on slowly). It will be very exciting to get our shipment, but with the accident and ensuing oil spill, there is no time frame for getting it in so we wait, we adjust and most of all, we remember that we are so fortunate with what we have as so many around us have so little.

TEACHING- our first couple days of teaching went very well. We are both amazed at the amount of prep time and support we have. Rachel is excited to actually have the kind of time to really prepare quality visuals with the technology piece and make all those Kodaly and Orff materials she learned about at St. Thomas. The students are fun and have a high level of skills, but, it's hard to put into words the difference- it also seems that they are used to doing whatever they want (but not in a snotty way or anything). I think as we get to know the students more and build relationships, we will have much more to say. We are both very thrilled with our teaching partners- very helpful, welcoming, and fun to work with. We're socializing with the staff and feeling more and more like we are a part of this crazy city of Mumbai.

Love to all!