What No Longer Needs to Be on My Bucket List:

1.  Fight off an attacker. 
2.  Drink soda from a bag.  You can get it in a glass and stand at the shop and drink it, or you can get it sealed in a little baggie, out of which you then take a bite, and squeeze the liquid up to drink it.  I didn’t even make a mess!
3.  Eat a blueberry and chocolate ice cream drumstick-like dessert. Blueberry and chocolate? Who does that??? After getting over the weirdness of it, it was good.
4.  Eat rice with my fingers without making a huge mess
5.  Feed rice to children, with fingers.
6.  Drink chai without burning my lip or tongue.  There’s a technique, and I have no idea why I never figured it out before.
7.  Take a shower with a bucket.
8.  Do laundry with the same bucket (some confusion about when the dhobi-wallah was coming)
9.  Order clothes to be made from someone who speaks about 10 words of English.

The story of numero uno: Yeah, so I’m fine, Mom, stop panicking. I had taken the director’s 2 middle girls to the toy/bookstores to get some paint supplies, and we were making an evening of it, wandering around on the main road at all the shops.  On the way home, we had to go through the neighborhood, and there was a guy behind us—not too close, and not (from my perspective) seeming to be overly attentive to us. Then all of a sudden, the guy ran up and drove his head into my butt and grabbed my waist—probably looking for pockets/money, of which there were none.  I don’t really remember it, but I kept my bag away from him, and I think I elbowed him in the head a couple of times.  He was probably intending to knock me over when he slammed into me, but well, I’m not a tiny Indian girl. I’m a 5’9” not-so-stickly-American. Anyways, we’re all safe and have an interesting story out of it!  I wasn’t really scared, just shocked at the man suddenly hanging onto my hips+defensive that he tried to get my bag—but mainly I was just watching out for the girls.  It would’ve gone differently/not ended so cleanly if he’d gone after them, I’m sure. Lesson of the day: I have a little “Mama Bear” syndrome in me.  We ran the next block after the guy ran the other way! 

And thanks, other international travelers, for telling me I needed a messenger-style bag!  You just saved me all of the $20 I was carrying—hey, it goes really far here! J

The downside of being white here is that I’m seen as rich and therefore might see a little more of this in my time in India.  The upside is that I’m white and so all the men+children stare at & pay attention to me everywhere I go, so I might have more of an advantage in getting help if needed, lol.

I know you’re still freaking out, Mom, so stop, and know I’m okay and can take care of myself, and if need be, I’ll hand over my bag to save my life!  I also know to “scream and run and make a fuss” as long as they don’t take me anywhere else, not to go anywhere with a stranger even if they ask me to help them find their kitty (or monkey, here), etc., etc.  J

 Also, after the rough Sunday, things have improved a lot, so thanks all for the prayers. They were needed & are appreciated J