My First Week in India!!

Hello,

Wow, India is an amazing place! My first day here, we had a dinner appointment with a member family. They fed us some really spicy curry and tortilla type things. You eat it with your hands. You also eat rice with your hands. It's super nasty to do that, but I've gotten used to it. Food is really really cheap here. I got a massive bag of oatmeal for about 190 rupees which is about 3 dollars. My companion is super nice. Really selfless and great. It's nice to have him as my trainer. There are two other elders living in the apartment with us. It's a pretty good apartment. It's made of concrete, and all of the paint is peeling off the walls. 

My first area is in Bangalore. My travel companion, Elder D'vaz is in Rajahmundry with his trainer right now. We don't really spend any time knocking on doors or anything, we mostly work with members. We are trying to get our branch into a ward, and Bangalore into a stake. Yesterday, we went to church. It was the primary program. There were 10 kids in the primary. It was really funny to listen to the little Indian kids give their talks. Elder Grimmett and I had to teach Gospel Principles, because the teacher didn't show up. Apparently, that's pretty common. The members have trouble actually doing their callings. But they are all pretty nice. There were some guys from America, there for work. It was sooooooo nice to be able to talk to somebody that actually speaks really good English. 

The other day, we helped a man named Savio move from his old house to a new house. I thought the new place was pretty gross, until I saw the old one. The old house was literally the size of the food storage room back home. It had no ventilation other than the front door. It was hard to breathe in there because it was really moist, and I'm sure there was lots of mold in there. He also had to pay 3000 rupees a month for the old house, and the new one was free so that's lucky. His new place is a much bigger room, with a couple windows. 

India is super great. My first day here was really shocking, but I have adjusted to it really fast and well. My jet lag is almost gone already. I'm not too tired during the day anymore. 

We drive around in little three wheeled cars called autos. I attached a picture Of the four of us riding in one. They're pretty fun. 

So some crazy things about India:

1. There is trash everywhere! It's pretty nasty, and it stinks whenever you are outside. 

2. The only rule of driving is that there are no rules. You don't assume that the other driver will follow the rules, you assume that anybody can do anything at any time. Also, Everything is on the wrong side of the road, and the steering wheel is on the wrong side as well. 

3. Any time is a good time to cross the street. I'm still getting used to walking out in front of on coming traffic. If you hold out your hand, people will usually stop or at least slow down for you. 

4. You pretty much bargain for everything. My companion bargained hard, and got me some sweet fake Ray Bans for 120 rupees, which is about 2 bucks. 

5. Guys hold hands with guys, and girls hold hands with girls. It doesn't mean they are gay or anything, they are just being friendly. Weird.

6. Everybody has a cell phone. It doesn't matter if you life in a house the size of a closet, you will have a phone. Also, they are never on silent or even vibrate for anything at all. 

7. There is always room for one more person, or one more thing. People cruise around on motorcycles with an entire family, or a major load of stuff.

8. Motorcycles are called bikes, and Bicycles are called cycles.

9. There is a military school right by our apartment complex. They drive the kids to school in armed army trucks, and the school bell is a bomb siren. haha

10. You eat rice with your hands.

11. People take pictures during sacrament meeting.

12. If they are muslim, don't teach them. It is dangerous for them if they leave their religion.

13. There is a muslim mosque near the church building. Whenever they gather for prayer, they blast the prayer song throughout the entire city with this huge speaker. 

14. Indians LOVE honking. The bikes all have car horns. I'm not sure if it helps or not, but they honk a ton. 

15. There are wires hanging down over the sidewalks from time to time. Watch your head.

16. There are random cows chilling out in the city. Apparently, they are all owned. They like to eat garbage. There's also lots of stray dogs.

I think that's all. India is great!!! 

Let me know if there is anybody that would like to be on this list.

Elder Rees, Elder Grimmett, Elder Thompson and Elder Mckammey in an auto