Catch-22: Happy Pongal!

So this week is Pongal, the multi-day holiday where the people consecrate their last harvest to the God's. I'm pretty certain it's only for Hindus but everyone celebrates by dressing up and taking time off of work... to eat? That's all I see happening probably because most of the people I see aren't actually Hindu. It's like Christmas in America. You celebrate it with lots of food and family.

Well, due to the holiday I haven't been able to visit any of the colonies. So, I've just been sitting around for days and I can only entertain myself for so long. I've started my taxes, I emailed important people, I'm starting personal research projects about leprosy. I've read all about Dengue Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, and TB. I've almost memorized all of the mosquito types that carry certain diseases. Yep...One thing I should work on is getting the lice shampoo out of my hair. We did some delousing with the kids last week and afterwards I usually head home to a shower and I use lice shampoo (just in case the buggers decided to jump into my hair as I tried to kill them). The first few times I treated my hair it was fine. However, the last time something was different. I feel like I put super-glue in oil form in my hair. I've washed my hair probably 10 times and I still have gunk in it. Buckets showers just aren't good for things like this I guess. At least I wont be getting lice stuck in there anytime soon. :)

Lots of fun things have happened this week despite my nasty hair and weird hobbies. We went to a really small colony last week and we danced with the patients. Probably one of the greatest things I've done so far in India because they actually joined us for some dancing. I could not stop laughing. This place is just funny to me. All of the people just want you to sing and dance, not with them, but for them. And this may sound rude, but it's not, it's just how it is. I have never met so many tone-deaf people in my entire life. I'm laughing every time we sing a song together because it's just all over the place. I'll have to record it sometime for all of you to understand. It's just great. I have finally found a place where I don't feel stupid singing in public. It's just fun here. I can't tell you how many solos I have been singing for the kids. Particularly the Baby Bumblebee song as well as I'll make a Man out of you from Mulan. They also love Call me Maybe and Justin Beiber but who doesn't?

Dancing in the colony.

Some cute village kids leaving for the long weekend.