The power finally came back in the middle of the night last night. I was laying wide awake in my own sweat when the fan started spinning, and I actually gasped. I'm feeling 100 times better, and it looks like Physics may make a full recovery.
Long before the 2004 GSP group ever realised coming to India, the 2002 group was offering some of us advice about survival skills while we were here. The conditions were a bit different when they were here. They had no hot water, limited access to water throughout the day, and it sounds like the general infrastructure was in a bit tougher shape. Nonetheless, they did say some things that stuck with me.
They warned of windows that didn't close and cold nights in January and February. Both were true. Students foretold of the water running out, and needing to make trips to the water truck that comes around every other day with a minimal supply. People called me Howard Hughes when I began amassing bottles of water under my bed. Not able to bear their jests, I dumped them out just last week. Who's laughing now? Nobody. One student described living in the hostel as "camping for five months." Last night it certainly started to feel that way. Camping with Pizza Hut delivery.
We sat around in my room last night, forced by a lack of electronic gadgets to entertain ourselves. I put on a wool hat and did my very best Blair Witch impression. The already watery eyes and runny nose helped the effect. Hugh had us all in stitches telling college prank stories of flaming bags of shit and BenGay on the balls. On reflection in my AC office the next morning, it was a pleasant way to pass the time. Maybe we should all try and turn those gadgets off more often. Nah, the Brahmaputra Movie Club is just too much fun.
And at the epitome of globalisation in action, Eleni the Greek could be quoted last night saying "nigga' pleeze."
Flown by mariposa at 11:01 AM on June 01, 2005
