Happy Diwali
It has been exactly a week since we have arrived in Jaipur. I feel as though it is summer again, it is so warm and sunny here almost all the time (there is the occasional nightly shower). I have such an amazing home stay family and I have become so close with my homestay sister so quickly that I can hardly believe that it has only been a week. Our days have been packed but extremely exciting. We have started out Hindi lesson and it is fair to say I am rather terrible, but I have been enjoying it non the less. My family always helps me review at night and I am sure they find my attempt at speaking hindi as humarous as I do. All of our lectures have been so different, and our speakers never dissapoint, they have all been extremely knowledgable in their respective topics and I can't believe how much I have learned in just one week. I have especially enjoyed our lecture on Jainism and I hope to learn alot more about it during my stay in Jaipur and from my family. I have started my ISP of yoga with shivani and it has truely been inspirational due to her commitment to not only teaching me asanas but the philosophy and lifestyle which are essential to the practice of yoga; we have also been practicing some meditation and I look forward to our morning visits to the ashram this coming week. Today is Diwali and I have been wearing a sari, bindi and bangles for the occasion. FIreworks and crackers have been going off all around the city for days now and I will miss the decorations of lights on every building after the holiday has passed.