Oct 27 - 29
Strange. Everyone seems pleased to see me. Unusual. Slightly disconcerting. Paranoid. Why?. (nice though!).
Thursday woke late tired kovalum surf sun sorted work.
Washing machine wipe out about 4 times in the space of 30mins + i'm chokin' sea-water spit eyes stinging but actually fun. WavesWontWin!
Renjith (Ren....er.....Jith!!) is a really top bloke - he must be related to Happy guard somewhere 'cause he is always smiling/laughing. He works in the tech team and his shift mirrors mine (we are the only 2 in the office on lates - well except for the T-boy who's job is to bring me food/water/T/coffee during my shift!!!! IAMASPOILTCHILD!!!!!!). Arrive at office + greeted by Shaba!, Muhammed, Sanjith + Sameer who had come in especially to see me (? - i hope madness isn't catching). Chat about stuff + gave M book on London i'd picked him up for his 1st trip next month.
Malayalam dictionary growing:
Lekshmy - Hindu Goddess of Wealth
Nagar - Town (Renjith lives in Lekshmy Nagar!)
Pokoo - Go Away! (Handy for hawkers!)
Erive (Errivay) - Spicy
Aaharam - Food (also Bhakshanam - both fantastic sounding words - i'll use Aaharam as it is my new favourite word!)
Erive ulla aaharam....... Spicy food!!!!
Indian Curse/cuss - Oh Kashtam! - I am told this is not rude (gullible - doh!), but my colleagues/tutors in this new language are apparently embarrased to swear in front of me - Fuckin Nutters!!! - think/thought it means drat!/pity......Led to me saying loudly Oh! Kashtam just as Deepa had come over to welcome me back - silent pause is met with hysterical laughter that ripples across the office as chinese whispered versions of this obvious insult/request are relayed (Still not sure what i said, but smiled + nodded knowingly! - hope i didn't accidentally ask her for special favours..................Oh Kashtam!)
Tried to explain to new cook Aji that we wanted spicier food-Erive ulla aaharam. Hope my latest attempt is more succesful than when i asked for an electrician to fix the water pump in the atrium/fish pond only for a man to turn up shortly thereafter and replace our perfectly good computer modem! - As i was explaining a pained/disturbed/disgusted looked appeared on Aji's face, and in hindsight i think i was showing off my new Malayalam skills + used Oh Kashtam! in the same sentence as Erive ulla aaharam. Now Think Kashtam might mean Shit! - Think i might eat out for the next 2 months.
Athe - Yes
Illa or Alla - No
Friday Struck up conversation about stuff with Anupama (who sits next to me on day shift) + mistook name of BIG Bollywood star for Aloo Gobi (so famous, i mused, they named a veg dish after him) - silent pause is met with hysterical laughter that ripples across the office etc...as tales of the crazee Englander + his crap hearing/understanding amuse many. Mr Gobi (as i now call him) is apparently a big action star - not a spicy potato/cauliflower dish.
I had been invited to a wedding for the coming weekend, and i received my invite. Praveen (from the office) is wedding his beloved (well, he's met her twice) on Sunday. As it is a 4-5 hour destruction derby/trip to the venue, followed by the same hellride/dodgem/trip home (in a coach on roads i dont trust), i have declined,(i know it's a lame one, but i really need to catch up on sleep/India time zone + i'm sure my deathwish is snoozing somewhere on the fast lane of a busy Keralan road near here) I wish him + his all the v. best. Not 30 minutes later, I am invited to a wedding in November of 2 co-workers. Saiju (sigh Jew) is a lovely bloke, and one of my favourite Keralans....ever! (his soon-to-be is Sangeetha) - The wedding will be in Trivandrum (local) + i hope to be less light-weight + attend this time.
Saturday found us occupying sunbeds at Kovalum and back in the surf. Initial experiments with 'Illa' seems to discourage hawkers really quickly - they soon suss this by striking up chats in local language + taking the piss! - One man starts saying blubblubblubblubblub + sticking his tongue out to my mirth - consider just giving him some money as he's so funny!
Carlu is a fruit-seller who ALWAYS comes over and wont 'Pokoo' for ages. She calls me/us 'My Darling (s) + refuses to understand my garbled attempts at communication in Malayalam (which basically consist of 'ILLA' + POKOO!) - After about 20 mins she realised that i hadn't been lying, + really didnt want any fruit. She then began pleading poverty as there were so many other fruit-sellers + she had 6 mouths to feed after her husband died + her head/neck hurt - I tried to offer some free advice + suggested that maybe she should try selling something that no-one else offered, as opposed to competing with probably 30 other fruit-sellers. This was met with a bemused silence! - I was only trying to help, I also opined that at least with all that fruit about her family were having a healthy diet + YES i said, your neck probably is sore from walking about with a bucket of fruit on your head all day so perhaps you should try one of these (motioned to rucksack). She left. Thing is, I like Carlu, + I do buy fruit off her (and only her) on occasion - but if you just give in and start handing out money you will never get rid of her, or her friends/family/people who happen to be passing/hear of charity etc...The abject poverty that a lot of the locals live in is disturbing + upsetting, particularly when you are fortunate to have been born to a country of wealth, and i do really feel guilty because the wonderful/beautiful people here have so little materially, but are far richer than me or anyone i know in the generosity of their spirit + hearts. I'll be sure to give Carlu some cash later- just before i leave.
Sundown exit beach enter Beatles bar for beer/footie/snacks. Kingfishers gave way to cubalibras. CigaR (YEUCH!) Fish fingers; Fish-Fry Kerala stylee + Veg spring rolls all YUM! also ordered 'Chicken 65' (liked the name plus it had no description on the menu) - (hope it isn't chicken reheated that many times...!) tasted fantastic though, guess i'll find out sooner/later if it has been aged that long. Staggered back to cab 'The only Drunks in the village'
Bed.
