18,000,000 + 2

Well, here I am in India. I arrived just less than two weeks ago, joining John in this place that seems about as different from Iowa as a place can possibly be. The first few days were quite difficult-- I had a lot of adjusting to do. The time change alone, 11 1/2 hours (don't ask me about the half, I have no explanation...most people I ask just say that it must be because of something the British did) took its toll on me. I was always wanting to sleep and eat at the wrong times which manifested in three days of headaches and stomachaches. But keeping very active and doing a lot of exploring the first few days helped to accelerate my adapting to a new schedule. I was so happy that John's boss gave him leave for half a week during my first few days, so he and I could spend some time together and he could show me around the city a little bit. We did a lot of errand-running and exploring, and John introduced me to a few of the people he's already met. After long days out and about in the city, I was suitably tired and before too long, I was able to sleep through the night.
But most significantly for me, Iowa is a state with just 3 million people and a very low population density. Mumbai is a city of 18 million and counting (some friends here estimate 20 million), and very densely populated. It is a very busy place. At any time of the day or night, there is activity. And because there are people living or working on literally every square foot of the city, you're always intersecting with someone's projects. Our flat is a remarkable little haven of peace and relative quiet, though the open-aired nature of life here means that there are always background sounds of cooking, hawking, cricketing, honking, sweeping...
At times though, the city is already feeling a little smaller, thanks to the great location of our building. We live in an area called Malabar Hill (You can find this on GoogleEarth, a landmark near our building is Teen Batti, for the curious, this means "three lights"). Malabar Hill is a small peninnsula, extending out into the Arabian Sea. Because it is sort of out of the way of most major roads and commuter routes, there isn't really any through traffic. The people here all live or work in the area, which helps to keep things a bit quieter. I am starting to recognize some faces of shopkeepers, veggie vendors, and security guards (every apartment building has a couple) and I'm sure people are starting to recognize me. I am quite conspicuous, especially over here where there really aren't any tourists. The neighborhood is quite green- the banyan trees are amazing! It is definitely clear that before this was a megalopolis, it was a tropical jungle. We also have a real blessing just a few kilometers away...no, not a temple, though there are plenty of those in the neighborhood, a public park! In the evenings it is the gathering place of families with small children, picnic-ers, and speed-walking sari-clad ladies. There is a really peaceful, communal feeling in Priyadarshni Park.
This week is last in my interim adjustment period. On Wednesday our good friend Mark, from Cardiff, arrives for a long stay. He and I are spending some time traveling in north India, so I will have lots of stories to share. Then he will be with us through Christmas and the New Year, heading back in January. I can't wait to see him, and have another adventure.