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Last night, I went for drinks at the Fairlawn. It’s a huge old colonial house that has been turned into a hotel- either budget or midrange- not sure. People-generally expats- go for the ambience, as it is outdoors and green (some real, some fake green). It’s a place to go before moving on to another location. At Fairlawn we met up with an Australian who has been here since March (and just got married to a Bengali), her daughter of 20 or so, and a German woman who has been volunteering for M. Theresa for 7 years. The Australian bride showed pictures of her small wedding on the Hoogly River just a few days ago. Her husband, who is 20ish years her junior showed up later and talked about his studies at the University of Wisconsin. The two had known each other for only a few months before getting married. The Australian woman said that she wasn’t exactly sure what prompted her to get married, but it probably had something to do with wanting to give her daughter an excuse to get out of Australia and see some of the world. I am considering this option in order to get you all to come visit me. Hahaha.

After the Fairlawn, we stopped at a street vendor for a tasty hot koti roll. Mmmmm. A koti roll is roti (bread/pita like) folded like a wrap and stuffed with either chicken, mutton, eggs, veggies, and/or paneer. I got a spicy paneer koti roll, which was tast-Y. We later stopped briefly at a bar that I am getting tired of, where a crappy cover band that I’ve seen too many times was playing the best of Nirvana and Pink Floyd (Pink Floyd just should not be part of a cover band’s repertoire!). Then onto a lounge where salsa music was played and dancing lessons given. I cut out early because I wasn’t in the mood for the club scene, which last night was swarming with the scantily clad Brit Barbie doll kids who claim they are here to “help” street children. From what I can tell, however, methinks they are really here to live cheaply, look hot, and have sex with other Brits in Cal on gap year.

Oops- how did I start sounding like an old spinster? I think my landlady’s attitude is starting to rub off on me. Did I mention that Mrs. Banerjee keeps giving bullshit excuses for why she is not providing water- or sufficient water. Yea- she offered me a banana yesterday instead. Great. Thanks. Just what I want- a fucking banana! How does that help me brush my teeth, wash my dishes, and take a shower? My boss told me about a similar landlord he had when he was first married. In order to get back at his landlord, and to force him to provide sufficient water, he and his wife went on holiday for two days and left all the taps in the flat open- which caused all the water for the house to go to their apartment, leaving none for the landlord upstairs. It worked. My boss and his wife played dumb, and said that since they didn’t have water before they left, they didn’t realize that the taps were open. Thereafter, the landlord provided water. As a priveledged urbanite (you may be aware of the severe water shortages in rural areas) , I can't really justify wasting water, so I now keep a bucket of water in the bathroom so that I can wash. However, standing water attracts mosquitos, which can carry malaria, dengue (which seems to be sweeping the country), and a new one chikungunya! So, to shower or disease. . . that is the question.