A GOOD WEEK

Today I got a nice surprise. I am in both Time and Newsweek's Asian and Middle East editions. I have been hitting the pavement pretty hard the last two months working on a project and trying to cover the election issues a bit(see below). I got a double truck in Newseek and half a page in Time. To say I am over the moon is an understatement. The ego boost helps but it's really good to get the sense the I have good news judgement. After being sick for the better part of the week and suffering a great deal of heart ache this is the sort of thing to lift the spirits.

THE STUMPING GROUNDS MASALA STYLE

After all the ramblings on politics and elections for the last two years, pretty apparent that I like elections. Hell, I love elections. I honestly believe in the idea that good government can make a difference. The idea of by the people, for the people means something to me. In my mind, if there is access to the polls, to health care, and to education that the playing field is leveled for all of us. No matter what our station is life is. Rich, poor, black, white or what ever. I'm not sure if India is the place for me in the long run but I am enjoying seeing it go through this transition. It's the world's largest Democracy and I am getting a front row seat to a pretty heated election. I don't quite understand all of the issues or parliamentary politics, but by putting myself on a familiar story in unfamiliar territory I am helping myself understand my new "home" a bit better.

SEPARATION ANXIETY

It's easy to see why I would be so home sick as I write this post. I am in the state of Orissa to cover Christians celebrating their first Easter after secular violence against them last August by Hindu fundamentalist. All of this with the upcoming election as a backdrop. So far things seem pretty quiet with everyone on their best behavior since there are a ton of para-military soldiers keeping watch. I am sitting around boiling because we are going through the second power outage in six hours. Another reason to get a wireless card and a bgaan asap. It's not just the feeling of missing home but the loss of high speed internet, the cool breeze of an AC or at least a fan, Starbucks coffee(yeah I know it's corporate evil, but I'm addicted), and consistant power. All these things I take for granted at home. All of these things come here when they come and not a minute before. People stretch out relax in the shade and wait it out. I stress that my pictures have not filed. My pal Scott Eells who spent years in the trenches here says patience needs to be my new mantra. With that in mind I am taking a deep breath, drinking chai on a hot street in a dusty town and enjoying the site of beautiful women in pretty saris. I realize I am actually starting to like it here.