Optional supplementary reading

My friend Emma, errr I mean Schmemma, has some really nice descriptions of our life on her newly-created blog, which is at http://schmemma.blogspot.com/ , and I've obtained her permission to let you all read it if you want. I'd especially recommend her "welcome to kolkata" post: it's really really accurate, and pretty much sums up my feelings about this city and this experience. So happy reading! :)

Happy birthday to me...

I'm 21, yay!!!! I gotta say, it feels an awful lot like 20, only divisible by 7.
So now I enter the phase of my stay which is sort of equivalent to finals, my finals being performances. I actually had one last night, Kathak, at a nice respectible venue with other nice respectible dance groups. I performed in a group piece with other students my my guru, and thankfully it went really well, despite me being sick and dressed in a costume that felt like a corset (pictures forthcoming, don't worry). There was also a video taken, so whoever wants to be subjected to it, let me know when I get back. So that was one performance down, two to go: I got asked to perform with Jogesh Dutta's mime troupe, so on Thursday I'll be whisked away to somewhere outside of Kolkata to spin around slowly while holding a sign... fun fun fun! And then the night before I leave Emma and I will perform an abhinaya (expression) piece at an event to honor our guru. Given how much of a performing addict I am, this schedule suits me very nicely!
As much as I've been wishing to come home, now that the end is nearing I find myself wanting to come back. The people I've met here have been so wonderful, and the arts scene so rich, that I could definitely see myself coming back, at least for a visit. Right now I'm holding in my lap a bunch of tuber-roses that Jogesh Dutta gave to me (after finding out that it was my birthday): he told me that I was like his daughter, and that whenever I come back I can stay at his house. And then he made me eat five roshogolla... ;P(sugar overload!)... but that's the kind of love I find here, it's really quite amazing. I am so grateful to be coming from this amazingness to all of you back home and all of your love: I don't think any 21-year-old could be more lucky. :)

Stupid IWay grumble grumble

So yeah, the internet cafe I go to normally won't let me update, so I finally found one that will: woohoo! And now that I can say things I honestly don't know where to start...
Oh, because the post got lost, you should see The Namesake because it features Calcutta, albeit a nice cleaned-up version, but you can get a bit of a sense of life here, just imagine it with more dirt and smog. Plus, it's a good movie.
And exciting news: I have a performance in two weeks (gulp), on April 27th, with other students of my guru-ma (teacher). It's going to be absolutely crazy, and don't worry, I'll show it to everyone when I get home (no video, probably, but I can just dance for you instead!).
A freak series of rainstorms has brought unseasonably cool weather here, so instead of the usual 90's it's more like 85, pretty darn nice!
I'm starting to realize how little time I have left here (one month exactly, to be precise), and frankly, I'm glad: as awesome as this place is, I do miss home (or rather, I miss bagels, cheese, peanut M'n'M's, not being stared at, and of course you all). A guy in my dance class was telling me, "Why go home? You should marry and Indian man and stay here!" Hah, that was funny, trying to explain why I wouldn't ever do that...
Anyway, I've been sick (again... sigh) and am still not totally back to normal, so I'm going to go "take rest" now. Be well everyone, and keep in touch! :)