I’ve been hanging out a lot with my Indian friends. Pradeepa (the coolest girl you’ll ever meet) and I have been driving around, going places just for fun, driving in Indian traffic, and going on shopping excursions. Pradeepa let me drive her scooter in Vizag traffic on beach road!
It was so much fun! I drove all up and down and even up to the top of Kalasgiri. We have a lot of fun together and she honestly is just really down to earth and loves to have a good time. We went to the fishermen’s wharf and had fun messing with the Jalaris, bargaining for prices for fish (that we ending up not buying), and being silly.
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Amy Drake (Purple Drake hailing from the “Natti”) came with us one day and we went looking for nativity sets for her mama (Mama where you be!?!). Pradeepa came with Bharat, one of the guys that came for Holi, and with their two bikes we went on this adventure. Bharat is way too funny! He seriously makes me laugh all the time. We went to this place past “old Vizag” that is one of the coolest places in my opinion. On the top of the hill you can see three different regions: a Catholic Church (where we were standing), a Hindu temple, and a Muslim mosque. It was one of those many juxtapositions Bickford was always trying to point out to us in Forster’s book. India is full of juxtapositions! Bharat thought that this Catholic church would have the nativity sets, but they didn’t have any. He called a whole bunch of people and found out where the seller of these particular nativity sets is located and we all went there. Sadly, they are only in season (as if it was a vegetable or something) in December. Amy was bummed, but I had an amazing time getting to know Bharat better and riding on his motorcycle. I love motorcycles! They are my new favorite thing.
We all ended up at the church where Pradeepa got us street food (the most amazing stuff ever!) and I found out what “Atomic Bombs” really are made of (thank you Bhari). We went to dance class and the boys fought over me again. The boys here in the branches are so funny like that. They always have this need to fight over me and have me as their toy. It’s basically like five year boys and the cool new hot wheel car. It’s really funny, but tiresome.
Having such a good time with people here and making closer friends makes me never want to leave this place. Having a group that you belong to (not that the BYU group isn’t a good support system, but it’s better to have natives in your batch – the Telugu word for krew) and others with whom you can connect. I’m really actually dreading leaving because my new friends are making me fall in love with everything that’s around me that I never knew existed.
All in all it was a great day and I really had some good times.
I love Indian juxtapositions. I love motorcycles. I love street food. I love my friends.
With love from Incredible India,
Jaci
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