My New Home

A few weeks ago, I moved into my new home, an apartment in McLeod Ganj. I love it. It has a full kitchen (which in this area does not include a fridge) and attached bathroom with hot water. It's VERY clean and located further up a road in McLeod that's away from the hustle and bustle of town. It's owned by a Tibetan couple who are expecting their first child shortly. They take good care of me and feed me every now and then with delicious momos, pancakes, and porridge.

After I do my morning meditation and hygiene ritual, I open the door and drapes to let in the sunshine. Between 8:00 and 9:00 or so the sun shines directly through my door and whenever I'm home, I leave it open to warm up my room and enjoy the beautiful view. After I cook breakfast, I enjoy eating it in the sun on my apartment floor balcony walkway. Since my apartment is higher up, I have a beautiful view of the mountains and the town below, especially from the rooftop.

When I first moved in, the husband owner gave me some cautionary advise: when I go to the bathroom, shut my apartment door because the monkeys might come in and take something. And if I'm in the apartment while I have the door open, have a stick handy to chase them away. Monkeys are a problem in this area and they get blamed for everything. I understand now why everyone here has a pet dog - because of the monkeys. The wife owner of my place has a slingshot with an arsenal of rocks that she shoots at monkeys who get too close as do many people in the surrounding apartments.

When I first moved in, the owners gave me a bowl, plate, one set of silverware, a pot and a pan. That day I went to the market in lower Dharamsala to complete my kitchen. My Hindi teacher in Bellevue would be proud of the full Indian kitchen I've set up. I'm damn proud of it too. My kitchen is equipped with a pressure cooker, belen and chakla (a short wooden platform and rolling pin for making roti/chapati), roti pan, a dabba masala (Indian mult-spice container), and a variety of stainless steel containers and plates. I love my heavy bottomed pot for deep frying, something I always wanted in the States but was reluctant to buy for one reason or another. These are all things I'll send back home when I leave because they're costly back home. Naturally, the first thing I put on the stove my first evening in the new apartment was a pot of chai. A wonderful housewarming.

The Indians that I've met so far get a kick out of me because I can read and write Hindi (although like a little kid), I cook Indian food, and I know all the Bollywood actors. They ask me what I cook and when I tell them, roti, parotha, gobhi ki sabzi, egg curry, veggie cutlet, cilantro and tamarind chutneys, they chuckle. They're surprised when I read the newspaper, but I don't understand what I'm reading. They ask if I speak Hindi. Toda I say. A little.

Since arriving in Northern India, I try to read as many signs as possible so I can become faster at reading. I also track my expenses, so now I do it in Hindi to practice even more with writing, especially numbers. It's also good for building my vocabulary. When I get better at Tibetan, I'll do it in that language too. Right now I'm still learning the alphabet. While shopping, I also talk in Hindi as much as I can, even if it's just asking "Kitna yaha?" over and over again. How much is this?

When I was in Delhi, I was surprised at how much I could say in Hindi to the guys at the tourist office who helped me out. It wasn't much at all, but more than I expected with the many lengthy lapses I've had in my Hindi study.

Being in a predominently Tibetan town, I miss being around Indians. There are Indians here too, but McLeod is a predominantly Tibetan enclave. Going to lower Dharamsala is refreshing. The Kotwali Bazaar is there with a variety of shops and markets. It's where Tibetans and Indians in this area do most of their shopping.

I love the stainless steel store. It has a variety of pots, pans, plates, cups, containers, pressure cookers, urns and more. I'm like a kid in a candy store there and often have to practice self restraint. It's my new fetish. I buy fresh produce at Kotwali Bazaar as well or at the market in Mcleod every few days.

So gradually I am settling in. I am exploring my options for learning Tibetan and volunteering. All my options are like separate puzzle pieces that haven't quite yet come together to create the context of my life here, but it will in due time. It's also winter season, so all classes and many restaurants are closed until March. Many people go away for the winter because it's so cold. Right now there isn't much that I can plug into, but Losar (Tibetan New Year) is just around the corner, which initiates the tourist season. It is also followed by teachings by the Dalai Lama. I'll have much to look forward to very soon. Until then, I'm enjoying, savoring really, my alone time.