It's about time...

I have finally gotten smart enough to do two things:
1.) switch over to gmail
2.) start a blog so as not to have to send out big huge mass emails

At the moment I am stuck in Ahmedebad, Gujarat after coming back here for the last 4 days for our first Indicorps workshop. Alesha and I were stuck here because of the rains/cyclones/floods in Chennai. The trains are going through, just about 6-8 hrs delayed--which tacked on to the end of a 34 hr train ride is difficult to bear. However, it seems that we are just delaying the inevitable, since we will be getting on the same train tomorrow morning at 6:30am. As far as being stranded goes, I couldn't hope for a better place. I'm at the Environmental Sanitation Institute (ESI), where all our workshops will happen, where the grass is green and kids are playing on the lawn outside of here and all the staff are friends. The only downfall is that there is a mouse in this office where I am currently sitting (with my feet up on the chair, of course.)

Tomorrow I return to Cuddalore. I came here and got recharged with fresh ideas and motivation for my project back with LEAD. It seems that a lot of what I need to be doing in these intial months is "hanging out" and just navigating my way around the area, the environment, and the community. Hopefully I will start being more creative about how to go about this project when I get back. I have spent too much time locked into specific ways of envisioning my project.

Anyway, I need to try to take advantage of this time I have at ESI to use the library and other resources here. I have spent enough time on the internet! If I get a chance this evening I will post some pictures before I leave back to the land of infrequent internet use and spotty cell phone reception (the LEAD office)!

I'm missing home and all of you a lot, especially after spending the past few days with a bunch of Americans.

By the way, if you want to send letters :), my address is:

c/o LEAD
#1 Radha Nagar
Vannarapalayam
Beach Road
Cuddalore 607 001
Tamil Nadu, India