I wish the geckos would quit pooping in my shower.

But luckily my housemates don't. That would be worst. So in honor of their sanitary ways, a post to let you know who I'm living with:

Anita: Anita is a 29 year old student from Vienna, Austria, studying for her masters in Cultural Anthropology. She is getting credit for being here and is writing about the role of volunteers in overseas positions. Or something to that affect. She admits to not being sure yet. She's here for three months as well and is great for impromptu dancing and games of backgammon. Really like her. She lived for a year in Malawi previously. She's known her boyfriend from birth, but they started dating after a party. Everyone fell asleep on the floor and when they woke up, they looked at each other and said, "Yeah, this is o.k." and have been dating for five years. She loves anthropology, but thinks she will continue in social work, which she's been doing for years. I like her a lot.

Steffi: Steffi is a nurse from Germany. Maybe 27? Maybe 30? She has been to India three times now and last night was telling me about a camel trip they took through the desert in western India. She said that one morning they woke up (middle of the desert!) and found that their camels had wandered away. Luckily they found them. She is working with a different nonprofit in the slums (literal, horribly destitute slums) that runs a health clinic and food kitchen. And she wears beautiful sari's and is such great company and usually up for most adventures

Nico: Nicolai is a woodworker from France. He just turned 25 and specializes in really fine wood craftsmanship. He is here working with another nonprofit that is teaching practical skills to kids from the streets. Which, in his case is the art of woodwork. His other amazing talent is cooking - especially amazing French sauces from which we all benefit. We bought him an apron for his birthday that he now wears every time he cooks - which is great.

Stan: Stan is a Laotian Frenchman who's age remains a mystery, as he won't tell it for some reason or other (though we've found that he has an older sister around 34 and a younger sister around 28 - so he's some where in the middle). Stan works with Mother House as well -and he has been here several times. He always seems to be working and to know people. Currently he works with the kids that live in the slums around the train station. Yesterday he was telling me they had a really fun day because they bought them all new clothes and the kids were ecstatic (which puts once again, into perspective the teens I used to work with who hated the free clothes we offered - which I guess is the difference when you only own one shirt. All American teens should be shipped here for a year, I've decided). On Friday he is trying to rent a car to take them to the beach, as they've never been before. I might join. He's also really good with anything computer or electronic - which has helped me a lot when I almost threw my re-chargeable battery away in irritation because it wouldn't charge. And he pointed out that I had it in upside down.

Felicity: Felicity is in her fifties. 57, I think she said, but that might not be true. She is from Dublin, or at least has called it home for the past 30 years. She will return there in November for good. She had been planning on staying in India to work, but as she recently discovered, "It takes people here at least 7 years to accept you as not being an outsider, and I just don't have that kind of time." So she is planning on going home to work with refugees, as she appreciates what it feels like to be an outsider, and because she thinks she can do more affective work in her home country. She's been self-employed all her life. Currently she's here working with yet another non-profit working with kids and spends her nights coming up with lesson plans - she's really dedicated. And prone to gentle teasing and swearing. And is extremely kind when you're sick and will bring you tea and fruit and toast. And when playing scrabble uses words like "shat" that pass tense of shit.

Esther: Esther is an 18 year old German girl (18 and a half, she stresses, because everyone is so much older) who speaks really good English because she lived in New Mexico for three years when her dad was flying planes. She is an avid skydiver -she has her license and has jumped over 8,000 times I believe. She's working with mother house as well on the team of volunteers that finds the people on the street, literally dying, and brings them to kalighat or prem dan (the other house/hospital for the sick).

And there are about four other people that live in the common area -but they work different hours and keep more to themselves, so I don't see them as much, except when I'm sick (which I guess is often) and as some of them are pharmacists they offer me sympathy and medicine. Both of which are nice.

It's a really great group of people. Almost always doing something interesting. At any point you can sit yourself in the courtyard and someone will be cooking, playing games, or doing something interesting. For example last night: I got home from work at about 7 and someone handed me a plate of dinner (do you have any idea how nice that is to come home to?! It's the nicest!) and several people went out to look at the puja festivities and came home with an american from seattle who was carrying a clarinet in his backpack and pulled it out and started playing jazz. Stan invited me to join him and Nico -I asked in doing what and he said, "I don't know, wandering around until maybe two or three in the morning." I laughed and declined - it sounded fun, but I'm still recovering. And someone was going to a Bollywood movie. And someone was going out with Indian friends, and someone was going to go see about volunteering with an organization that rescues child prostitutes. And others were playing scrabble and smoking cheap Indian cigarettes (that taste like swishers).


I'm happy.