Full Moon Day

India has servants. This really shocked me. I guess being from the states with our civil and equal rights and now finally having Obama as our president, I find it hard to believe that there are still such things as servants. What is more surprising to me is that many of my new white friends have these servants. They are cooks, cleaning people, nannies and helpers around their houses and businesses. To me that is their job - the nanny, cook, Merry Maids, but they actually call themselves servants. We were walking to breakfast the other morning and a young Indian woman came up and started walking with us and gushing over Maggie. I asked her directions to the restaurant and she said, “You need a servant? I have servant.” The whole thing felt very wrong. I am sure it has to do with the caste system here, but I am going to discreetly figure this one out.

We’re over our jet lag know which is great! Mags is sleeping through the nite and she is even taking a 1 – 2 hour nap in the afternoon. Our days are much better. We are out and about and meeting lots of people. Miss Mags actually has more friends than me. We went to Tina’s house for breakfast. She has turned her backyard into a great little breakfast spot. Tina is a great person and a great cook. She has another restaurant too that serves lunch and dinner. She has been so successful that she just hired a cook from Nepal. He and his family were literally starving to death in Nepal. I guess it is quite horrific there with the people starving and literally no food to eat. Someone in his tribe told him of Tina and they made the trek here with their little 3 year old, Shamilia. She has been very shy as mostly adults come to eat there so she has not been coming out of the house. Thanks to Mags that is over now. Mags just walked into the kitchen and next thing her and Sharmilia were outside playing all morning. Mags even went for bath time when Sharmilia’s mom gave her a bath. Tina gives cooking classes, so I have signed up and this will be Mag’s new play date as well.

We also went to a bday party for Angenea, that is another name for Hanuman. He turned 6. His parents, Jessica and Andrew, are form Encinitas and have been living her a year. There was actual pizza from Domino’s, a magician, sack race and painting. Mags had a great time. They also have a 3 year old, and we have set up play dates as well.

I have 3 new friends too, all are here for 3 months. This is their first time to Mysore. 2 are sisters from Vancouver Island and 1, Shelly, is from Detroit. She is like the Mysore social director, so I have learned a ton about where to go and get things. All 3 of them have wanted to come to Mysore just as I have, they told their husbands they wanted to go for 3 months. Their husbands had no interest in coming to India, so they said, “well we’re just going to go and you can come visit us.” The 2 sisters laughed as they called their lovely men the first week and they thought for sure their wives would be begging to come home. Instead they shocked the men and said they love it and that this was going to be their first trip of many!

Today is a full moon day, which means no practice. It is a yogi holiday so people were out last nite. Staying out late for yogis is going to dinner at 7 versus 5. We were in bed by 7, but this is good as I start at the shala tomorrow. I am leaving the house at 5:30 a.m. and my start time is 6. I have to wait for someone to finish and leave before I can go into the room as it is super crowded. The first start time is 4:30 a.m. Shelly has this time now. I guess the longer time you are here, Sharath bumps you up to an earlier time. It’s quite an honor, but honestly that is early. The gates open at 4:30 a.m., but Shelly said people get up at 2:30 a.m. and start lining up by 3:30 a.m. just to get a good spot and many of them do their meditation outside while waiting in line. I can say I am happy for now with a 6 a.m. start time.