Back To Basics

So, there is not a whole lot to write about these past couple of days since I have been pretty much just working...so nothing too exciting. However, I realized that I have not answered some basic questions which perhaps I took for granted since I am living it:

1) Clothing
A couple of points to make on this. So, most Westerners associate the sari as the main dress for women in India. The truth is, the Sari is typically worn by married women only and it is also shows much more skin then I ever thought. The Sari is exactly 3 meters of cloth -the most beautiful cloth on the planet I might add. To wear the sari you must be able to wrap this 3 meters of cloth around you body from toe to shoulder with nothing but tucks and fold. Honestly, simply impossible for someone who is about 6 feet. The only other component to the Sari is a tiny little top. The top covers only the bra and typically has cap sleeves (For the boys reading this that means sleeves which go just over your shoulder) So...the sari actually leaves most of the torso bare. Interesting given the the culture is conservative. I would feel very uncomfortable working while wearing something which exposed my entire toros (with just one broad band of fabric stretching from the waist to the shoulder diagonally).

What do I wear...the Kaftan. The kaftan is nothing close to the sari. It is the ugly step child of the sari...the sari's armpit. I am guessing most know what a kaftan is but it is an over-shirt which drops down to your knees for the purpose of covering your bum. The 'shirt' has large slits which go up both sides to about the waistline. This allows for a lot of air-flow and breathing ability. Typically, the kaftan has 3/4 length or long sleeves and is very conservative in nature. It is rather shapeless but I must say it is extremely comfortable. I now have five. The prints are nothing as wonderful as the sari's (remember, the armpit) but some are pretty nice. The kaftan is paired with a pair of Indian leggings. The leggings are cotton and also extremely comfortable. However, they are rather bizarre. They are very roomy on top and sort of sag around the crotch/thigh area but are very tight at from the knee down. All Indian pants are tight at the bottom because the streets are so dirty - you do not want anything dragging. period.
They are so long (yes, even on me) that they bunch a lot at the ankles, which is the style. When you look at them when they are not being worn they look like clown pants. I have one cream pair and one black pair and five kaftans...is that too much information.

The final note about Indian clothing is that it is, by far, the most comfortable clothing I have worn. I might not be singing this tune when I have to wear pants and long sleeves in 110 degree heat but for now it is working just fine.

Men here wear western clothing. In fact, they dress just like men in America. As a Western woman I could wear Western clothing but it would lead to much more leering and staring in general. Also, my clients are very poor and traditional and I think wearing clothing familiar to them and their culture helps to bridge the gap.

2) The Food
In general, everywhere in the world consumes less food than America. The portion sizes are smaller, the availability is less. Hyderabad actually has quite a few American chains. The most popular, by far, is Subway...which is great for me since I don't eat fast food. Otherwise, there is a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Bread is not a part of the Indian diet. The main carbohydrate is rice. The other carb is chapati which is a tortilla of sorts made of whole grains and typically spinach mixed in. The chapati is the Indian tortilla.

Hyderabad is famous for 2 dishes: kebabs (goat, lamb or chicken, cow be sacred! Yummy). The other is Biryani which is a jasmine rice dish mixed with lamb or goat and lots of spices. I had homemade briyani last week and it was superb.

Eggs are also very popular in Hyderabad. This makes me happy because they are one of my favorite foods!

Most days I eat fruit, rice and eggs. My diet is mostly vegetarian here with the random kebab mixed in.

Things I miss: nachos, mexican food, cheese, grapes, hummus (I can't find hummus! who thought) champagne and steak and of course the random box of mac n cheese. I think that about covers my diet outside India. They DO have tofu here.

Hint, hint to those who visit..champagne please!

Okay, that is all for now.