I cant sleep. Its 5 in the morning and i've been lying around trying for a couple of hours at least. Finally i gave up and am now sitting at the PC at my cousin's place, eating a giant banana. Its been 3 days since we landed here, my jet lag seems to have finally caught up. If you ask me, jet lag should be more about feeling hungry at odd times, rather than feeling sleepy. I dont see how you can expect your tummy to take it lying down if you suddenly start to starve it throughout the day and feed it 3 times a night.
My entry into this country was pretty undramatic. After a 22 hour flight, where the only notable thing that happened was a failed search for vegetarian food at Hong Kong airport (i had to make do with a giant chocolate muffin and most of the dude's fruit salad), we landed at SFO. And rushed to the immigration queue, which, thanks to President's day holiday, was both long and slow. I feel like i've entered a country only after the immigration guy lets me through. This one did, after some questions about whether we were carrying pickles, at which we laughed. A part of my brain was observing which leg of mine first crosses the line. It was the left one.
After that was baggage claim, where we again answered questions about pickles and then a short distance later we ran into my cousin and her elder one. From then on (and even now) US has for me been her and her family. About her and her husband adjusting their already crazy schedules to chauffeur us around, about her elder one and his boundless energy and TV viewing and the amazing sentences he makes up for homework ("No one will steal a dog just because they have dog food"). About the little one, who forgets my name every morning and makes do with "aunty" until she remembers. And when she does, comes up to me with a big smile and says "tannu thitti" - which i remain for the rest of the day. The dude on the other hand, is always called by his name (her distortion of it, to be precise). You cant have such a big name and expect a 2 year old to add chittapa after it. You just cant. When we landed they were both more comfortable with him, since he had stayed with them on his previous visit just a month ago. They crowded around him on the sofa, and all three of them spent the afternoon watching curious George. I was the stranger, the one they had to be shy of. A state of affairs which lasted less than 3 hours. Thats what i think i like most about kids - this almost magical ability to let people into their world within no time at all, to take them as they are and to get from them whatever they are capable of giving.
Its almost 6. Someone with a written test for learners license scheduled today is supposed to be up and studying. I suppose i better go check.
Later!
My entry into this country was pretty undramatic. After a 22 hour flight, where the only notable thing that happened was a failed search for vegetarian food at Hong Kong airport (i had to make do with a giant chocolate muffin and most of the dude's fruit salad), we landed at SFO. And rushed to the immigration queue, which, thanks to President's day holiday, was both long and slow. I feel like i've entered a country only after the immigration guy lets me through. This one did, after some questions about whether we were carrying pickles, at which we laughed. A part of my brain was observing which leg of mine first crosses the line. It was the left one.
After that was baggage claim, where we again answered questions about pickles and then a short distance later we ran into my cousin and her elder one. From then on (and even now) US has for me been her and her family. About her and her husband adjusting their already crazy schedules to chauffeur us around, about her elder one and his boundless energy and TV viewing and the amazing sentences he makes up for homework ("No one will steal a dog just because they have dog food"). About the little one, who forgets my name every morning and makes do with "aunty" until she remembers. And when she does, comes up to me with a big smile and says "tannu thitti" - which i remain for the rest of the day. The dude on the other hand, is always called by his name (her distortion of it, to be precise). You cant have such a big name and expect a 2 year old to add chittapa after it. You just cant. When we landed they were both more comfortable with him, since he had stayed with them on his previous visit just a month ago. They crowded around him on the sofa, and all three of them spent the afternoon watching curious George. I was the stranger, the one they had to be shy of. A state of affairs which lasted less than 3 hours. Thats what i think i like most about kids - this almost magical ability to let people into their world within no time at all, to take them as they are and to get from them whatever they are capable of giving.
Its almost 6. Someone with a written test for learners license scheduled today is supposed to be up and studying. I suppose i better go check.
Later!
2 comments:
Sahi hai.. And about the left foot, I have also noticed these small threads running all the time, no matter how much rationality I claim..
I know, i do it too. Maybe its best to see it as an involuntary reflexes and be amused.
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