So I met the president of the local Rotary chapter...it was kind of an unsettling experience. First off we talk about how he was an exchange student to NY back in the day, and then he starts on the question that EVERYBODY asks me, "How are you liking India?" (the second one is, without fail, "How are you liking the food?" Gujaratis are very particular about their food). I tell him I'm having a great time, and he says comfortingly, "The first week is always the hardest, I know." To which I reply "No, I'm really enjoying myself here!" He looks at me wisely, then says, "Don't worry, things will get better after this week." Okay. Apparently I should be crying my eyes out on his shoulder at this point.
Anyway. Started school....sooooo boring. For those of you who don't know, Indian students have to make a choice in 11th grade whether they want to go into Science or Commerce. Science is Chemistry, Physics, Bio, the works. It's the harder of the 2. Commerce on the other hand is Economics, Accounting, Business Studies, Statistics, Computer Programming. That's it. I got put in commerce. Elective classes are few and far between - all they get is "Games", which is 40 minutes which we spend playing an Indian version of duck duck goose. Being approximately a foot taller than all the girls (and most of the boys), I did well at this game. Unlike most Indian schools, my school (Essar) gets out at 2:35 - normally it's noon for other schools. And I have each class 2 times a day. I've mostly been sleeping, except for the afternoon, when it's so hot and humid that sitting upright seems preferable to laying my head down on my sticky arm. But they said that tomorrow or the next day I can start some interesting classes, like Hindi lessons, India music and dance...yay.
I have to wear a uniform as well. The best way I can describe it is to say that I look like a milkmaid. A very unattractive milkmaid, wearing a tie.