Insects, Monkeys, and Incredible Heat Oh My!

Welcome to my latest adventure in India. I chose to come to India because I was intrigued by a job description of “creating a world of autodidacts”. I’ve wanted to branch away from teaching for a while so I thought this job would be the perfect opportunity since it claimed to be more along the lines of problem-solving…

Well, in the words of my mother, maybe I’ve bitten off more than I could chew. Maybe.

True, this job, while I understood that it would require a lot of initiative on my part, mostly leaves me with the sensation of being left in the dark. I’m two weeks in, and while the teaching side exists, I’m not entirely sure about the other 40% of my responsibilities. There are just some stark language and cultural barriers that are quite difficult to work with.

I’m also stuck with certain “living realities”. No privacy, lots of insects, mysterious bites, itchy skin and living in 95+ degree weather (plus humidity). The weather, in particular, is the worst. Everyone is miserable. The teachers, principal, students, and me. Having to dress conservatively aka wearing long pants and shirts is a reality that I do not care for.

Even though they are cotton, it does nothing in the face of this weather. The heat is THE WORST. The most troubling part is…it won’t get cooler. If/when the power gets cut, several times a day, it’s 10-60 minutes of AGONY.

So, where does this leave me?

For now, it leaves me here. I know that I haven’t painted the prettiest of pictures but, I also don’t want to be 100% pessimistic because there are some good moments too.

As of now, it’s still a new experience. I’m two weeks in and maybe things will change?

PS. Oh, and those monkeys mentioned in the title? This morning, for example, I was going about washing my dishes when I looked down. Three monkeys were picking through the compost. I go back inside. I come out and look up at a nearby ledge. BOOM! There is a monkey, chattering its teeth and seemingly about to jump on me. They also hang out on the roof where I do laundry. It’s a jungle kingdom. I thought they were cute. Nope! More of a heart attack waiting to happen than cuteness.