Mussoorie - Yeah!

I have been in Mussoorie for 2.5 days now and I am extremly happy.  This is the BEST town to get adjusted to the constant staring and even racial comments.  I say that because it is not as much.  There are many foreigners as well as British people.  The town is an old retrete for parlement people.  This used to be a summer palace area for royalty.  Now it is a little bubble of happyness in the foothills of the Hymalayas.

I have had 4 classes thus far in beginning Hindi and I am hoping all will continue as is.  The 2 instructors I have - one for grammar/vocab and one for reading/writing are very patient and happy to help me.  I hear there are impatient teachers and I dread having them.  Learning a new language is hard and anyone who can pick them up by ear alone is amazing.  I feel like a small child while reading.  The school is located almost at the top of one of the peaks, so the walk in the morning takes me about 15 minutes and I think I increase about 300ft in elevation over 1 km.  I will have to check those numbers, but just take for granted it is STEEP!

Today is the first day that Internet has been working on the mountain.  The server has been down for a while from my understanding.  This weekend is Diwali which is a holy holiday for Hindu's - the festival of lights.  It is much like our Christmas.  Wait...no...more like celebrated as much as our christmas.  Diwali is a time to prey with family, honor ancestors, give sweets and small gifts and clean the house.  Every member of the house will clean (which is something considering many never pick up a broom because they have servants).  Sometimes they go as far as repainting the entire house.  They will light the houses with candels and twinkle fairy lights and the children have already taken to lighting firecrackers.  The not so funny thing about the firecrackers is that they are like the M80's - is that right?  Those firecrackers that are just a big BOOM.  In this country there is no regulations on fireworks so, many shoot flames as well as make a big boom.

Soon, I will post pictures, but until then...I hope my words are enough to tell you that this is a wonderful place.