Two days left....

So today is Thursday which means that we only have two days left in Kanpur. Then we will be going up to Delhi Saturday to attend church this weekend, then off to Amritsar on Monday. We get back from Amritsar Wednesday and then hang out in Delhi until our flight leaves Friday night.

I have to admit that this week has been going by very slowly. Not that that is bad... I think that it is because it is a major change, so we are anticipating it more. Also, Kevin is finally really busy so I spend more time alone. It is....I don't know what it is but we are leaving in two days and Kevin was finally given work to do last week. Now his prof. is shocked that we are leaving so soon. I don't get it. So Kevin has been working day and night trying to get as much done as he can and writing up reports for the students that will be taking over the project once he leaves. He also has to close the bank account and tie up all the loose ends here. I would do it to help him out but everything is in his name. Oh well, at least he'll have some work to show for all our time out here.

So I went today to pick up my Salwar Kameez. Sheba went with me to the tailors to make sure he made it the way I wanted. She also made sure he said it would be done by Thursday (today). When we left she told me that I should stop by every day to ask how it is coming. I was asked her why (cause it is HOT and I honestly don't want to go out there every day to check on him), and she said, "well, if you want it done by Thursday you need to keep reminding him."
I think it is so strange that he would say it will be done on Thursday but actually not really mean it. I stopped by the next day and looked in, but got busy on Wed. So when I went to get it today, of course it wasn't ready. The guy seemed upset that I actually expected it to be done. I said "but it is Thursday. You said Thursday." He would just frown and look at me like I was the crazy one. I told a fib and said that I was leaving Friday. I felt bad saying that, but I have had some experience now and I know that if I don't push him, he won't have it done. He asked if I could get it on Friday and I said, "maybe, if it is in the morning." He frowned and said that he would have it for me by 8 pm tonight. I agreed. But as I walked away, I was worried that he was going to do a shoddy job of it because he will be in a hurry and isn't happy that I actually expected him to have it done the day he said he would. Maybe I worry too much though, it will be fine.

The thing is that that experience is strange and a bit shocking for me, but it seems to be the norm here. I guess if that is just the way that things are done, then people are used to it and so they keep doing it. He was probably shocked at my confusion that it wasn't done on time.

I guess this hits me more than other people because it is one of my pet peeves when people just tell you what they think you want to hear and don't mean it. That has always bothered me. Here I just have to deal with it a lot more often. And for a profession to do that is nearly unheard of! Or was for me. I soon won't have as many of those encounters though, I look forward to that.

Tomorrow I get to see if we really can fit all of our stuff into our luggage! I am starting to doubt that it will all fit. I have packed up most of it, but it is the odds and ends and little things that we need to use every day that don't have a place yet. Wish me luck!

Well, I am off to teach! Only two more violin lessons left. I have been sure stacking on the new things for Stephen but he soaks it all up. I pointed out yesterday that I was giving him a lot of new stuff, and if it was confusing or too much for him to just tell me. He responded that he wants to learn as much as he can before I go. I loved hearing that. I am sad to leave him, he is a great student, hard working and a real love and thirst for it. sigh.....