Begginig for Supermarkets

First, there are two topics i'd like to address.....

1. Begging

• I believe that there are two main types of begging....

• 1. Passive Begging- The type where someone sits or stands while holding a sign and/or an empty cup with a few coins in it, occasionally shaking the coins at you. This is the type of begging you see in Grand Central Station or at the on/off ramp to the highway.
  
• 2. Active Begging- The type where the person doing the begging follows you, tugs at you and your belongings, and quazi-heckles you. This is the type of begging that happens in India.

2. Driving School

• In American driving schools they teach you how to drive safely.
• In Indian driving schools (I saw a student driver today) they teach you how to drive like a maniac. True Story.

3. Supermarkets

• Like inner-city Rochester, there are no supermarkets here. The difference here is that there is produce and livestock at the bodega-like stores. Thus, the people here don't get obese from eating crap/junk food because they buy, eat, and prepare healthy food.
  

The administration of surveys is finished in the village of Kullapalayam. It was an interesting week where I learned that people don't boil water because it makes it taste bad, that people shit outside on the streets and in their yards because the public toilets are too dirty, and that some people believe that all water, regardless of where it comes from, is good water. It is great information to help with my study and I look forward to starting the administration of surveys in another village next week.

Last night I slept outside on the roof of the hostel because it was way too hot in my room....even with the fan on! I saw a few shooting stars, woke up 12 times due to loud noises (more to come on that in a few sentences), and saw the sun rise. So, there may or may not have been a wild animal fiesta all around me last night. Between the crickets, tree frogs, cows, peacocks, monkeys, and other birds, there was enough going on to please the most avid outdoorsmen. I will sleep outside again tonight if it is too hot in my room. Case closed.

Today, I went tp Pondi where i walked around the fish market, bought a Lungy (indian men's wear), some fishermen's pants, some more CD's, and two small wall hangings, all for the price of $10. I bargained pretty well, I'm not gonna lie. Follwing this, I went to the stone carving shop to polish my carving (Dad, the picture follows.....) and then went home to the hostel where I had a cocktail on the roof, had henna put on my hand by the girlfriend of a hostel-mate, and made plans to go visit Anil (a guy from Bangalore who is staying at the hostel) at the beginning of July.

Finally, I sprained my thumb yesterday playing soccer. That is the anti-cool. I expect that it will be healed enough by tomorrow afternoon's game so that I can score tons of goals. Side note: In the process of spraining the thumb, I scored a goal.

Now for some eye candy.......

Child and Mother in Village

My Stone Carving

Henna on my Hand

Village Street

Stairs of House

Tailor in Market

Village Boy

Village Man