| December 20, 2007 First on the agenda after finishing fall term was to catch up on my sleep. Then I had to do my Christmas shopping, wrap all the gifts and decorate the tree. With the rest of my life finally in order, it’s time to get ready for India! I’m actually surprised at how relaxed I am about this trip, and I owe it to Mother Centre for making me such a seasoned traveler. My previous terms abroad – a semester in London and CentreTerm in Indonesia – have given me confidence in my abilities, as well as the hunger to travel. The breaks before those trips were a frenzy of shopping and packing and hoping I didn’t forget anything, but now that I have all the necessary gear, I’m spending my time getting acquainted with the culture of India. My dad’s business partner Shirish Patel, and his wife, Darshana, are from India, and I spent an afternoon getting advice from them. They said that bargaining is a must, and I should only pay about 30 percent of the original asking price. I’ve never been a good bargainer, so I’ll have to be careful not to get ripped off!
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Guava, papaya and chikoo will be in season, but Dr. Patel advised not to bargain on fruit because the vendor will give a rotten one. They said the best shopping and cheapest prices would be found in Agra and Jaipur, with items like shawls, mosaics, marble sculptures and leather goods. |
