two ladies and a camel

Mom complained that I hadn't put up another blog, but not too much has really happened thus far. In any kind of school program the first few days are generally designated for the tedious logistical and organizational things that take a lot of time. In India, where organization and timeliness are foreign concepts, these first days of school take even longer. I remember this was a huge culture shock during my first days in Hyderabad last year. This time around I have a better understanding of how things work and I've been pretty content to just sit back and sip my chai for hours while I wait for my stars to align.

One issue that's been plaguing me for the past few days has been the (dis)organization of our housing assignments. I had thought I would be in a homestay for this program, but not everything is quite as it seemed it would be and it now looks like I'll be living in a strange and shabby little hotel called The Gem Inn. Of course, everything could change at any moment.

The homestay vs. hotel issue has all kinds of pros and cons, but the Gem does have air conditioning. I suppose I realized it was really hot when I stepped into my room from the 115 degree heat and the room felt icy cold with the thermostat set to 80.

The other major draw of The Gem is the picture of two sexy ladies and a camel hanging in my room which I am particularly fond of. It would be a pity to leave that behind.