can you take the heat

3/19/08

Snapshot: Can you take the heat?
I think we are finally coming to understand what is Indian heat. The last couple days each prove hotter than the last. Mornings remain cool, a tribute of the desert that when the sun disappears the sand releases the heat with only a quick farewell. But once the sun returns at 7:30 AM the temperature jumps and the earth begins to gather heat again. By the time late afternoon slides by the temperature outside has been reaching 104° F (about 33° C) in the shade. While our carefully sun-deprived and thick-walled rooms slowly climb into the 90’s° F.
It has become our habit to be active from 6:30 AM until an 1 or 2 PM after which we retreat into our darkened rooms, turn on the fan (if the electricity is blessing us) and lay about, slow movements taking precedence. In this kind of heat sluggish motion becomes necessary, and everything obeys this edict except the flies who take advantage of their prey’s lethargy it make their own living. I do this until I can stand it no longer and take a bucket shower with the blessedly cool ground water. Sweat-free skin and wet hair lower my temperature for at least an hour. If you can make it until six the worst is over as the sun begins to sink over the dunes and the wind sweeps in. By ten in the evening the temperature is pleasant and the rooms have given up most of the horrible stored up energy stuff as well. You can move about at normal speed once more. Until the sun rises the again… I’m beginning to the merits of nocturnal living.

On the GRAVIS front there is little to report. We called Rima yesterday to come to right understanding about the situation but she refused to remove us until GRAVIS stated outright that they had no projects for us. This is unlikely to happen, and meanwhile the main office has obviously been pressured enough to instruct the field staff here to take us on field visits as much as possible. This means we have taken two field tours in two days. Today we even had forewarning and a bit of an explanation before leaving: Giriji explained GRAVIS’ self-help groups and how they operate! Although this is an appreciated improvement I think the overall situation is taking a large toll on the other girls, especially as the language gap between Dillan (usually our only interpreter) and the rest of us grows. I find Dillan and I have come to an understanding and my own hindi is improving enough that I don’t have to ask interpretation of every sentence. Unfortunately, if two of my companions go mad, it won’t be long before I follow suite.
Having lost much of my blinding anger with the coming the intense heat, I’m still stuck with horribly confounding decision of what to do. Should we throw a fit and insisting on leaving (despite having done that a little bit already)? Should we wait it out and go on a weeklong vacation without other alterations? Could we survive the latter choice? Should I merely take off and travel with my dad? Shall I view this as a learning experience or a horrible waste of my precious time abroad?

written by

Drie on March 19, 2008 from Jodhpur, India

from the travel blog: Adventures in Hindustan

Send a Compliment

I would suggest that you take it as a learning experience, but what do I know..?

I do suggest however, that how you treat it is a choice YOU can make. It is not imposed on you..like I learned recently, I can decide to be angry or not-irrespective of what the other person has done too me.

Isn't if awful .. you can get such parental meddling advice even over such long distances.

Dad

written by Dad on March 22, 2008

comment on this...