Sundays: long drives, dead bodies, bathroom issues and elephants.

(you can scroll to the bottom if you just want to look at pictures. I wont judge).

So, today was absolutely insane and felt the need to write it down. Erin (my roommate) and I teach primary at church... soo all of the little Indian kids who barely speak English and definitely don't know big church words. That alone is so draining; I eat a whole pack of cookies to recover. Today we were trying to teach them a song with an activity. Of course, we have no supplies including pencils, papers, or anything so I provided the pens even though I really didn't want to. I can't find pens anywhere so I'm treasuring the ones I have.

The person trying to conduct needed me to sing along loudly so the kids would actually join us, which is torture alone. But as the song started I just sat there stressing about my stupid pens so I wasn't singing very well. I wanted to make sure I got them back because I don't have anymore. Stupid, I know, but for some reason that was a big deal. I watched mothers put them in their purse, kids chew off the rubber grips, and throw them around around. That wasn't even a problem in hindsight. (I got all but one back and most of them are in one piece). The best part of the song was at the chorus, when I was supposed to be singing the loudest, the little girl next to me stood up and peed right there on the floor. Her mother was sitting next to her and watched the whole thing and she didn't do anything. Not even a second glance. I'm sure my mouth was wide open and that's when I just stopped singing for the rest of the song. I was a little distracted. This church building is the nicest building I've been in since I've been in India and someone just peed on the carpet and no one cleaned it. But then again, I'm pretty sure there was nothing to even clean it with and people just pee wherever they want outside so bathrooms aren't something that crosses their minds.

Then the car ride home we were driving on the highway and our driver pointed out this truck ahead that had an elephant on it. I made him weave through traffic so we could get a picture. And yep, there was an elephant just standing up in the back of this tiny truck. My roommate took a video that I'll get posted. That was exciting and one of the most random things I have ever experienced.

After that, the driver pointed out an accident on the road. This may sound crazy but I've been here a month and that was the only actual car accident I've seen. I'll post a video of how insane the traffic is here. There are no lanes or signs. Stop signs are actually randomly placed speed-bumps. People walk across highways and I'm just trying not to look out the window. This accident we passed was really really bad. 3 cars, 2 small ones, and a large truck with pipes on the back. There were no visible bodies in the cars and I was worried that there would be dead bodies on the road but my driver said that an ambulance had already come. There was a hospital up the road? But looking at the cars, there was definitely a fatality. Lots of blood, totaled cars and I know that no one wears seat belts here. It was disturbing. Way worse than anything I've ever seen in the states. Dead bodies aren't really scary here I guess. I saw one the other day on the back of a cart- funeral ceremony? They throw the body on a cart, put some flowers in their mouth, follow the cart with some drums and haul him off for the burial/cremation ceremony. Nothing like the states.

Then I came home and played with crazy kids and laughed the stress off. Sunday is just insane. 2 hour drive to Chennai means 4 hours in the car, 3 hours at church... 7 hours later... yeah.

That is urine on the floor in the church classroom. Lots of people walked through it....

I sponsor this child. K. Vignesh. I asked him to smile for me and he wouldn't. I asked why and everyone started yelling "he has no teeth!". I made him smile anyway. He was excited about the letter I wrote him. :)

I want to take this child home with me!!! Thiyagarajan. :) I drew him this picture and told him it was of him. He colored it and has kept it in his pocket for days. As have all of the kids who I have made origami or drawings. 

And there's the elephant. Indian Highways....