An Upcoming Trek and Some Food for Thought

 An Upcoming Trek and Some Food for Thought

I am getting ready to go for a big trek this coming week! It’s called Kuari Pass, and I am leaving tomorrow at 6:00am! I’m so excited to be even closer to the peaks of the gorgeous Himalayas. I am taking a week of school and going with five other women I have met here. We leave tomorrow and overnight in a lodge after about 10 hours of driving (yuck!). Then, we are off on Monday to start trekking. We will be out for either four or five days before spending our final night in the lodge and then coming back to Mussoorie on Friday or Saturday! The weather is going to be really cold at night (maybe even snow), but I was lucky enough to borrow a friend’s down sleeping bag and fleece liner. I think I am set for the trek! 

In preparation for my trek, I had the adventure of buying dried fruits in the bazaar. It’s amazing what kind of delicious treats you can find here! I got figs, dates, coconut, apricots (imported), and cashews! I also sprung for some dark chocolate to mix it up a bit more! The figs come on a rope which is pretty interesting, and then you get to pick the amount of each item you want! Everything is sold out of bins (which I am hoping are clean). =) I only have to worry about my snacks for the trek because we are going through a trekking company. They will make all of our meals, and mules will carry our belongings. All I have to do is bring enough warm clothing and enjoy the beauty of the mountains!

My Hindi is still going well. I watched a really great Hindi movie which I actually recommend. It’s called 3 Idiots and has great songs, dancing, a good message, and beautiful scenery. I have discovered that some of the Bollywood movies are not for me because they are too long (3 plus hours) or the story is too cheesy. I am glad to have found one that I really enjoy and am going to keep my eyes out for more recommendations because it’s a good way to practice my Hindi. I even turned off the English subtitles for this one!

Here are the highlights on the other things in my life currently. I have been continuing my cooking classes once a week – this week I learned to make kitjeeree and pakora. (see the picture below) I am working on coordinating the next lecture series which will be special because we are entering into festival season. Last night, I had an amazing Navartari thali (which is basically a sampling of a bunch of different kinds of food for the nine day festival). My thali had a special parantha (made of buckwheat because you can’t eat flour for nine days), puri (also made of buckwheat), pumpkin (without onion and garlic – another no during the festival), potato kebabs, malai kofta (a creamy dish with dumplings), special rice (normal rice is also not allowed), and kheer (an amazing sweet made of milk, millet, and sugar). It was absolutely delicious. I really wish I had taken a picture!

Apart from food, I have been doing some upcoming trip planning, research preparation, Hindi study, etc. It’s really nice to feel like a part of the community here in Mussoorie. Being here for two and a half months has allowed me to get to know some wonderful people through cooking classes, Church meetings, and the lecture series. Yesterday, I even was invited to a one-year old girl’s birthday party. I knew the family from Church, but it was really nice of them to include me in the festivities. The birthday party was almost like an Indian wedding! There was a big tent, tons of food and sweets, and the little birthday girl wore a sari the color and style of a bride’s sari. 

I almost forgot! One of my Fulbright friends performed traditional Indian dance, and I attended the recital. They introduced her as Sarah from America. =) See the pictures below. The dance was about the state of Uttarakhand. A little boy was dressed as the state and the girls around him were the 13 districts. Sarah from America was the Ganga river.

All in all, things are going well. I am absorbing the Indian culture through my study of language and interaction with the community. I am looking forward to my trek tomorrow, upcoming travels, and research! 

Best wishes and lots of love to everyone!

Margaret

There is Uttarakhand under an umbrella with the region of Kumaon.

This apparently was the only exciting thing happening in Mussoorie. The press and the parents were anxious to take pictures. Note: They are all front and center.

Note the dress on the left is different from the right. The left represents the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, and the right represents the Garhwal region.

A little blury, but this is Sarah from America playing the Ganga river.

 Yum! Pakora! Made of chickpea flour, mashed potatoes, onions, and spices. Then, they are fried. Also good with ketchup.

 These are my handmade shoes that I bought a while back to match my sari.