#49 Dundeewad to my family. A great experience and having to say goodbye after the marriage.

My experience staying with the family is like no experience I could ever read about or pay a tour company for, it was priceless. Like the other families I have stayed with during my trip, they treated me like one of the family and let me look into their everyday lives.

One day the family and I headed into the city to shop for clothes and things for the marriage. I myself bought a traditional Indian outfit for the marriage. For each persons items they bought it was a family event where everyone would put in their own opinion. While walking around the city I had both of my hands held at all times by the little ones in the family. One man yelled at me because I was holding their hands and you should have seen the rest of the family go off on this guy. When we would see other white people in the city the little kids would point them out to me to say "look, there is your friend".
I spent one day at two schools talking with the teachers and the students. I had an hour at one school where they called an assembly and I spoke to about 350 students and answered their questions. For a punishment kids can still get their hands hit with a stick and I discussed with a few teachers that did this. One in the school I got to agree never to use it again with the help of a card trick. He was sure his card wasn't where I told him it would be and agreed to stop using the stick if he was wrong; he was wrong. I was presented with a flower necklace/chain for being a guest in the school.

If you ever meet a man from India that you nickname RC cola and he asks you to go on a program with him for 25 minutes, don't go!!!
The 25 minutes turned into more than 2 hours of meeting lots of his family and listening to his problems. RC only talks and doesn't listen to anyone. The biggest problem was that the family at home was waiting for me and so I was very late.
When we arrived home I was greeted with hugs and open arms from everyone; it made me feel great.
As far as arranged marriages go it is usually pretty mutual as far as both enjoying each other. RC cola's case is a prime example of how someone can get screwed and someone can get who they don't deserve. RC is the most obnoxious man in the village that I came across. His wife who is about 10 years younger than him is beautiful. He would have never gotten her if it wasn't for arranged marriages. He got married to her when she was around 10 and got her pregnant at 12 years old. There is a downside to every rule.

Every night we were at someones house for dinner and then always followed by traditional singing and dancing until the power went out each night. I was almost attacked by a monkey one day (pink faced one) and had to move faster than I moved in a long time to run into the bathroom. Almost every meal is eaten with Chipatee, a kind of bread. It is the womens job to make it. One night when I insisted on making it and helping there was an uproar in the house and in the neighborhood that I wanted to make chipatee. Many people in the village the next few days new that I made chipatee and asked me why I would do a woman's job. I continued to make chipatee and told the family I wouldn't eat any unless I made it. By the end of my stay they called me when they would make it and enjoyed watching me do it.

To prep for the wedding everyone decorated themselves with Henna tatoos. I got a couple of my feet and one on my hand, it lasts about a month.

On the wedding day I got to see all the preparing and excitement leading up to the marriage. We went to the city at about 6pm and all the people from Nick's side of the family meet in a park. From there the mob of people follows a band for some miles stopping every few minutes to break out into dance. This goes on while nick rides a white horse amongst all the people. The walk leads us to the place where the wife and all of her family and guests are waiting for our arrival. Here there is a big dinner and the ceremony takes place. Through the night the family would head back home and I would say goodbye. They asked me to change my plane ticket and stay longer which made it harder for me to leave. There were some tears from the family members. I know that I will remember my stay with them forever and hope that they remember me also.
Thanks to all the family, I enjoyed each and every one of you!!!!!

Since arriving in India I haven't eaten any meat, that has been quite different for me. I also haven't had alcohol since the end of November, it is amazing how much money I save not drinking.

I have put up the pictures from Kuwait.

Life isn't worth living unless you're willing to take some big chances and go for broke.-- Eliot Wiggington