Hand (y) tips for the beginner......
Sept 14
For this mornin’s wacky races we came to work by a different route. We seem to have 2 drivers (the first i know as MAD as he races a large people carrier with us in it narrowly escaping death (or at least vehicle damage) for the entire 30 minute journey. The second is simply MADDER (I call him MADA as it has a local flavour to it!), He drives a Ka…..fast. I don’t know how we manage to get here in one piece, but the small parts of the journey where I have my eyes open are really quite exciting). Today’s route took us through forests of palms and my first view of the backwaters which looked lovely.
On arrival i was greeted by my colleagues who are excited about the Onam festival - MERRY ONAM! I chirped to blank looks and awkward silences. Yesterday myself and Suzie (colleague from UK) were invited to a special Onam meal - basically we would eat with the guys from the Indian office (i will do a seperate post of the whole Onam deal 2morrow). Suzie quite fancied sandwiches, so i volunteered us both to the full Onam meal haha! - basically eating a curry with the right hand (left a nono due to poop cleanie) off of a banana leaf - haven't had this much fun with food since.....I just wanted to WEAR IT! - nuff said. (Suzie now hates me!)
Forgot to mention desert which was basically milk - eat that with your hand in front of an audience and tell me it isnt funny.
Learnt some new Mandalayalam today (for cook):
Nalai kanam - See you 2morrow
Pinnai kanam - see you later
Choodu - Hot!
Thanuttu - cold
I am confident that i will be able to ask the cook for cold water (thanuttu villem). But i am also confident that i could go to the fridge and pour myself a glass......i want to get a laugh out of him sometime soon though, so might greet him with 'Pinnai kanam' and then run off and hide for an hour whilst he tries to work out what planet i actually live on.
Quick note about a couple of guys from the office - Dennis & Vikas - they had finished for the day, and now have 4 days off due to Onam!. (imagine doing this at 5pm on a friday BH w/e) - i had asked them where i could get beer, and they went off and returned with a case of sandpiper (took them ages!) - legends!
After work MADA careened through pot-holed, dog-sleeping-in-the-road-look-out-eyesshutcantseenowallispeaceful roads to the regency where i met some Alamyites for a few drinks. Got invited to an Indian wedding on Oct 30th (1000 people!! (so i must be really important!!!....haha!)). Looking 4ward to it though as im pretty sure 99.9% of the congregation dont drink, and i've never been sober at a wedding (and dont ever intend to be!). On the way home Suzie whispered (shouted) in my ear about being inappropriate in front of our Indian colleagues after asking them numerous questions about arranged marriages (whilst thinking we were in a taxi), i had earlier gratefully accepted a lift home by our colleague Prasanna! ..... awopdiddydiddyandahoohaheyho!
For this mornin’s wacky races we came to work by a different route. We seem to have 2 drivers (the first i know as MAD as he races a large people carrier with us in it narrowly escaping death (or at least vehicle damage) for the entire 30 minute journey. The second is simply MADDER (I call him MADA as it has a local flavour to it!), He drives a Ka…..fast. I don’t know how we manage to get here in one piece, but the small parts of the journey where I have my eyes open are really quite exciting). Today’s route took us through forests of palms and my first view of the backwaters which looked lovely.
On arrival i was greeted by my colleagues who are excited about the Onam festival - MERRY ONAM! I chirped to blank looks and awkward silences. Yesterday myself and Suzie (colleague from UK) were invited to a special Onam meal - basically we would eat with the guys from the Indian office (i will do a seperate post of the whole Onam deal 2morrow). Suzie quite fancied sandwiches, so i volunteered us both to the full Onam meal haha! - basically eating a curry with the right hand (left a nono due to poop cleanie) off of a banana leaf - haven't had this much fun with food since.....I just wanted to WEAR IT! - nuff said. (Suzie now hates me!)
Forgot to mention desert which was basically milk - eat that with your hand in front of an audience and tell me it isnt funny.
Learnt some new Mandalayalam today (for cook):
Nalai kanam - See you 2morrow
Pinnai kanam - see you later
Choodu - Hot!
Thanuttu - cold
I am confident that i will be able to ask the cook for cold water (thanuttu villem). But i am also confident that i could go to the fridge and pour myself a glass......i want to get a laugh out of him sometime soon though, so might greet him with 'Pinnai kanam' and then run off and hide for an hour whilst he tries to work out what planet i actually live on.
Quick note about a couple of guys from the office - Dennis & Vikas - they had finished for the day, and now have 4 days off due to Onam!. (imagine doing this at 5pm on a friday BH w/e) - i had asked them where i could get beer, and they went off and returned with a case of sandpiper (took them ages!) - legends!
After work MADA careened through pot-holed, dog-sleeping-in-the-road-look-out-eyesshutcantseenowallispeaceful roads to the regency where i met some Alamyites for a few drinks. Got invited to an Indian wedding on Oct 30th (1000 people!! (so i must be really important!!!....haha!)). Looking 4ward to it though as im pretty sure 99.9% of the congregation dont drink, and i've never been sober at a wedding (and dont ever intend to be!). On the way home Suzie whispered (shouted) in my ear about being inappropriate in front of our Indian colleagues after asking them numerous questions about arranged marriages (whilst thinking we were in a taxi), i had earlier gratefully accepted a lift home by our colleague Prasanna! ..... awopdiddydiddyandahoohaheyho!
posted by nidpor at 5:47 AM
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