I remember after being in Montana for several months some of my classmates commenting on how they felt claustrophobic since they were used to the open skies of the prairie. Well, being here has a whole 'nother definition of claustrophobia.
I'm not really a city girl. But then again, I'm not really a town girl. Nope, not a country gal. Perhaps just a nomadic gal.
But back to the claustrophobia. I've never really been claustrophobic. I mean, I've climbed inside snow shelters that could cave in on your head, and carved out a living area with only a headlamp. If I see an empty coal or gold mine, I will be the first to rush in. And having people touch me isn't really an issue either, you can imagine I have had hundreds of hands touch the weird 'orange' hair, just to see if it is real (believe me people, it ain't going no-where, no matter how hard you pull). But this past week was the first time I ever really felt claustrophobic. Imagine this, you are sitting in an autorickshaw. So I'll stop there for a more accurate description. You are seated on a semi-padded bench. Three walls around you, two people on either side (and even though you are good friends, closeness in this context is an understatement). Yellow are the walls and there is a driver not 4 feet from your face, seated on a similar bench holding the "wheel". This wheel is the same as a motor-cycle, and controls the entire cage-like vehicle. The motor, well, although I don't have the specifics of it, sounds like, well...a scooter without a muffler, and goes about the speed of a go-kart. Now, you are seated in this yellow cage, and everything is close. And I mean everything. Exhaust is puffing 3 feet to your left, out of a dump truck filled with sacks of potatoes, a cow is standing 10 feet to your right, staring right at you, people weave in between the stopped cars (and by stopped I mean turned off...save the gas!), beggars tap your knee asking for money while you try not to make eye contact and every car begins to honk their horn the second the light turns green (though you know...I never actually see the lights we are stopped at for some reason, I'm not sure where they are hidden). Now, this normally does not bother me, really, I don't mind it. I might even prefer it over the air-conditioned van in North America where the greatest interaction you have with anyone is waiting for them to finish with the hand-dryer at the rest-stop. But for some reason, that day, I felt very crowded. I wonder why.... ;-)
I am beginning to love life here. I'm not sure what exactly has taken me this long to "adjust" but I've decided I'm not the typical foreigner. I don't arrive and love everything instantly, on the contrary, I notice it, but don't appreciate it until I've been here for a while and begin to love the people, and then appreciate the culture and then "things". We have almost finished our 3rd week of school, wootwoot. My two two students have been wonderful to me, and very gracious. They smile as they play my lame math games, and point things out to me when I'm marking something completely wrong. They even teach me how to do long division (my multiplication tables are better now than ever before!).
One thing to please 'keep in mind' is that I have recently been getting sick off of certain foods that we either order in, or go out to eat. Problem is, we don't know which foods are making me sick (this isn't just the rumbly tummy sick, it's the...well, the detailed sick. :-P ). Besides that, ask Dad to allow me to be willing to love honestly and openly, without shame and without pride. Blessings have been showered upon me that I am so unworthy of, so thank you for those as well.
I'm going to bed, it is 2313h, but hey, you are starting your day. So I hope your day is just as good as mine was. If you want to know what happens in the future, just gimme a call!
Beth
ps. Now that you have a mental scene of what claustrophobic is like, I guess I can give you peak at the limited view a picture can provide (and this is quite calm! My objective this year, kiss a bus while sitting in an auto....maybe not sanitary, but have YOU done it?).
