Hey all!

You would not believe my current situation- it could not be more ironic. Here is why: I am staying at a nun convent in India. (Me, allison newell hanging out with a group of nuns, when I have spent all my life so frustrated at the missionaries who have depleted so many indigenous religions); all I want to do is learn about Hinduism...because I have traveled across the world to do so...haha; and finally I am going to be teaching my first yoga class in India- at a catholic school to top it all off. IT is hilarious and every time I think of it in this way I wear a huge grin on my face.

The nuns are the most amazing people I have ever met- they all come up to my nipples, wear saris, and talk and laugh and poke fun at eachother like a group of sorority girls. I think they have the best life India can offer. The convent is beautiful and it is doing so many great things for the community without pushing their religion on it. It is fascinating.

I went to a house warming party with them and I have never met so many beautiful people. I am learning to eat with my hands (which feels like some crazy regression, but really it is a cool way to interact with your food- that which sustains your existence- why make it an indirect experience with an utensil?)

Anyway I am just praying for a strong stomach because the last few days I have been eating all kinds of crazy food because it has been "Pongal" the harvest festival (a 4 day festival for all of Tamil Nadu- it is a government holiday and thus everyone is celebrating all around because they are not at work)

During the 2nd day of the festival I was pulled into the middle of a circle where a folk dance was taking place and was gestured to get on my knees, put my arms together and hold them out in front of me at a 90 degree angle (like a table). The man then preceded to put a bandanna on my arms and 2 parsnips on top of it...which a blind-folded dancer who was balancing some sort of crazy paper-mache fruit bowl on her head, then cut with a machete into 4 slices each.

The whole time I was thinking I was going get a rusty knife stuck in my arm at the start of my Indian adventure. That was when I was 12 hours away in Chennai. Now I am in the mountains getting a much different experience. Here I celebrated the 3rd day with the nuns- this day honors the cows for giving us milk and ghee. we decorated the cows and did many other rituals.

 Today has been interesting, things have slowed down, and there was no school as it is the last day of the festival (family day), so the nuns spent the day gardening and I walked down into the city, around the lake and back (4.5 miles ish). Everyone wanted to take pictures with me...not only am I the only fare-skinned person here, but I am also taller then everyone by a whole head...I felt like a giant (literally) movie star.

Everyone in India knows kodia for it's beautiful lake...but it is filled with pollution and their is a chain-link fence around it...the trash really gets to me.

I could work in the dirt in a garden all day and not feel dirty- but one walk around an Indian street and I want to take a shower. The people here are so clean,   even the poorest of the poor makes it a point to wash their clothes as often as necessary and the government pays people to sweep the street...but then they little throw the trash 2 meters to the side of the road. Where do they think it is going to go? India was not prepared for all this plastic packaging.

The girls will be back in school tomorrow, and I will teach my first yoga class! I have no idea how it will go because i won't be able to rely on verbal queuing since we don't speak the same language. I will also be teaching English, which will also be interesting.

I miss you both and give you all my love. Please feel free to share this anyone if you want...maybe i should keep a blog, it might be easier or you can just tell everyone what I tell you. I hope all is well, pat the dogs and cat for me and kiss those beautiful nieces of mine! 

Love you

Allie