BUSY!

Hellooooo everyone!

Ive typed out and deleted introductions to this post thrice now, and am annoying myself. So lets just get at it from the beginning.
On the 15th, the Alexs and I had the most amazing skype conference call which immediately prompted that email ordering y'all to get yourselves on skype. When I signed off of the call saying I had a lunch date(with my mum before you get any ideas:)) I was speaking the truth.. or so I thought. Amma(that's what I call my mother), called me, asked me to shove as much food down as I could in five minutes. She then dropped the news that she had enrolled me in a driving school and sent the instructor over, all in a span of the ten minutes before this phone call!

First of all lets get one thing straight - I can drive. How? MY WAY! and apparently that isnt safe... grrr

Anyway, after this great display of faith in my (in)ability to maneuver a vehicle on indian roads(trust me - none of you could and i will bet on that!), I pushed off to driving school. Ive been attending this 'school' for three days now and find the entire exercise absolutely hilarious... and interesting. First of all, the guy sent to pick me up defies every law that exists with his vehicle. He hit a cow, drove off the road, kissed the butt of a bus and had me, yeah ME, begging him to go slower! After this I reach the center where they feed me 'the theory of driving(WHAT?)' through videos of this guy, hair slicked back,driving his sedan the 'right way' to the tunes of 'A New Day Has Come' by Celine Dion! So its just me, cracking up real hard, in this dark room with the projector on. I love my life... and im not even being sarcastic.

I graduate to actual driving tomorrow. wish me luck! I need all that I can get, what with driving on a different side of the road, following traffic rules no one else seems to remember on a potholed road with cows mooing me along! If I kill someone - trust me it wont be my fault!

Now on to the other ridiculous thing i had to face over the last couple of days - relatives. Everyone suddenly wants to see me now that I am 'US return'(a term used for people who spend a month or more in the US, come back in tank tops, skinny jeans and a mouth full of gum, with a full blown yankee drawl - hell yeah I fit all of those descriptions!). So anyway, everyone is curious to see if i have metamorphosed.. Some even wanted to know if ive got any fairer!!!

So every evening I have been visiting or visited by relatives, with the same questions(are americans crazy? hehe kidding about that one..). I love people, but not what they do sometimes.. Ive had my cheeks pinched by old aunts, been surprised(to an extent none of yu can comprehend) by sudden pecks on my cheeks by the same species, patted on the back(heavily) by uncles and had to face AWKWARD situations i shall refrain from explaining. Tell me guys, am I five?

Anyway, the good stuff that happened was that I started on yoga classes and as a result, wake up at 5:15 am everyday - the freaking sun isnt up then.. just for those who have never seen the hour. But Yoga and meditation is making me only more giddily happy with life and basically putting me on a constant high! Also, yesterday, I had this amazing 2 hour conference call with my team for the summer program at hyderabad. We were all literally in different parts of the globe - thailand, india, stanford, texas, international airport at South Africa, Paris and Uganda! THE INTERNET!!! - thats all i have to say about that, besides the goofy smile I get when i realise i have my hands on fantastic technology. :)

I surprised my best friend from high school, yesterday, by plonking myself at her place when she didnt expect me to be back yet! It was pretty sweet with our tomboyish handshakes and cool talk(we were tough back in high school yknow? :D). Then said hi to my two new cousins - a pair of twins so small and cute I could carry both of them at the same time - one in each arm(till mum - also brilliant pediatrician- shushed me and said i needed to disinfect myself from head to toe to carry them any longer.)

The food has been transporting me to culinary heaven at every meal(and in between). Im sleeping for 8 hours straight after 7 months. I have some brilliant books to read - the one im at now lets you anticipate something nice.. but i hope it disappoints me in the end by not giving me what i want from it. That would make it so much better! And I have your posts - just all i need!

There Nicole - I trust that was enough detail, even for you!

Im usually on skype when im awake and at home, so buzz me if you wanna chat.
I am loving this summer. Hope each of you are too, just a little more than me :)

love,

Nruthya

PS:this was a pic i had to send you guys.. It begins with a - One evening, in Nicole's room...(like most stories will next year - whatsay roomie?)
Alex and Trac - aw