Anyway, so I guess this will be my blog while Jarrod and I are in Kolkata, India. I'm not there yet--actually, neither of us are. But Jarrod is at least in the country (New Delhi to be exact), while I'm still awaiting my visa. Well, it will come eventually. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow so that I can pick it up on Wednesday and be out of here on Friday, but no guarantees.
I really just want to book the flight before prices go up. As it is, I'm looking at about $1,000 to get there. I actually could get a cheaper fare if I wanted, but Jarrod has advised me not to have any layovers in India, as the domestic terminal is where people get mugged. Yay.
To be honest, I'm pretty apprehensive about traveling to Kolkata by myself. The plane ride is really no big deal to me, and neither is handeling O'Hare. It's once I step off the plane in India that worries me. Where do I go? Are people going to try to scam me or rob me, or will everyone be staring at me? Jarrod mentioned that I'm not supposed to change money from anyone but the official guys in the moneychanging booths, because the other guys just running around the airport change for counterfeit money. Joy. What else has he not mentioned to me?
What if I get there, get through, and Jarrod isn't there? Then what do I do? Or what if I can only get through with Jarrod, since I'm going as a dependent?
So these are the kinds of mental qualms I'm facing these days. Oh well, it will work itself out.
Hey, a word on the url. All the titles I wanted, like "emilyinindia.blogspot.com", were taken. Now, a few years ago, Jarrod and I decided that one day we would open the Panda Express of Indian fast-food chains, basically serving Americanized versions of Indian food. The name we came up with? Bombay to Goa. Which of course was taken when I tried to register this site. So I decided that since we were going to be in Kolkata, I'd try Calcutta To Goa, but that was also taken. So I landed on kolkatatogoa.blogspot.com. (Kolkata is the new way of spelling Calcutta, since the British left).
Anyway, enjoy. I don't want to spend my days blogging and missing out on, well, India, so you can expect a post most likely every Tuesday and Thursday (but maybe that will change...we'll see).
Peace out people. Hopefully the next time I write I'll have a visa in hand and a plane ticket booked.
--Em
Oh, PS. Goshen News's article about Jarrod came out today. Check it out: http://goshennews.com/local/x1316177195/Fulbright-scholar-Jarrod-Huffman-is-headed-to-India
Good luck Emily!!!
ReplyDelete