Parkes and Rec. We survived India. : Day: 1

Day 1: so imagine if you will, the love of your life 9 months ago, had a successful career, her own house, her family around her, her own friends, the lovliest dog in the whole world, and a very contented life...THEN...you come along, and move her to the other side of the world to a 2nd/3rd world country, where she knows nothing and no one, and expect to her to be happy...and in the middle of monsoon season. so yes, i feel responsible, worried, and yes, a little bit guilty. today was our first day in india, and jenn's first real day in asia (bar the 2 years she lived in the phillipines when she was 2). we had our 'orientation' day from our ex pat 'helper' person. we saw cows in the road, children begging, people pee-ing in the street, concrete, mud, dirt, poverty...and constant rain. needless to say...this was a low day. i know from experience that it will get better...this is my 5th country in 6 years...but i know jenn is as scared as ever. in my wisdom, and as its a holiday next week, i booked us on a flight to goa tomorrow for a few days on the beach...erm...in the middle of monsoon season where everything is closed. i do not feel like the best boyfriend/fiance in the world right now.
Ah but I know I have the best boyfriend/fiance in the world...despite leaving a great, independent life as I had known it ...I couldn't dream up a better adventure. But I won't downplay the culture shock of arriving here our first day in Delhi. It was a audiovisual assault as soon as we landed. I was thrilled to have survived the long flights here (I am scared to death of flying...how on earth do those big hunks of metal with wings get off the ground and land safely???). I realize that air transportation is safer than ground transportation and that fact was proven as soon as we hopped in the cab to the hotel. I can only call it chaos on the roadways. The lines in the road serve as general guidelines for drivers. They are not to be obeyed....no staying within the lines as we are taught in the U.S. You can now drive ON the line or OVER the line...however you see fit. The lanes of cars, tuk-tuks, and bicycles converge in a cacophony of honking horns. Everybody is simultaneously swerving in and out but all are avoiding hitting each other. I was filled with anxiety from all of the honking horns because in the U.S. when someone honks at you they are usually pissed off and honking to tell you just how mad they are! But here it is a simple and polite honk just to let you know "hey, I'm just beside you". Amazingly there are no accidents despite the jockeying for position. I'm still very anxious and Glen is going to have to send me to a 3 month meditation ashram. But this is just the beginning. In the meantime I am soaking up the rain in Goa. Enjoying my surroundings and the wonderful company. As soon as we get back to Delhi it will be non-stop house hunting and furniture shopping and Glen will have to get back to work. Soon I'll be on my own. Eek! Oh yeah, there really are cows wandering in the middle of the road.