Happy Eat Day!

The end of Ramadan came with joy to the people of Kashmir and to me! I woke up the next morning and everyone was saying "Happy Eat Day", so I thought. I was excited to eat in company for the first time since I got there. I only shared dinner with them before. I later found out that the two day long festival following Ramadan is called 'Eid Mubarak' so what I was thinking was 'eat' was actually 'eid.' I found this absolutely hilarious when I saw the words on the television!
The days were pretty quiet and relaxing. I did a lot of embroidery work and read the book, 'A Map of the World' It's a good read for sure. The second evening, I was wondering why everything was so quiet around the house. Most of the family had gone to visit other family members. The silence only lasted about an hour or so until the chaos happened! Around 8pm the family plus more extensions of the Badyari clan arrived. 10 children total all under the age of ten. I often find myself just sitting and watching the people here, not realizing what I'm doing. They're fascinating to me. After I had my fill of watching/hearing all of them run, scream, and cry, I went to my room and went to bed early!
I woke up very early the next morning to the same ruckus in the house. I don't remember what time it was that I actually left my room; Baba was sweet enough to bring my breakfast to my room. I went out occasionally, but it made me want to run away back to my room almost instantly. They were everywhere and it seemed someone was always crying. Also, a great majority of them had a cold and were putting their hands and mouths on everything. Easy to say where I got this cough I have now from, haha.
They left after three days. I did a lot of embroidery to keep me settled.
The evening all the cousins left we had a small birthday party for Madira, who turned three. She's a cutie and a devil, but aren't most three year olds? They asked me to take pictures, which I was happy to get some photo time of the family in without them feeling that I was weird.
I woke up the next morning to find out that Kashmir was put under a curfew. Everything in the town was closed and no one was allowed to leave their houses. One of the uncles took me out and tried to get a curfew pass saying that I needed to go to the airport because I was American. I thought it quite funny and was happy to see the odd quietness of Srinagar. The streets were empty except for police officers and soldiers checking passers by.
Martin arrived later that afternoon. He's 21 and from Switzerland. It's nice to have a new comer after Tajma left. He was a quick on the hook of the uncle who loves to play cards. Even though he's never serious, I love watching him make others think he is. The curfew lasted two days, so we were stuck to our own entertainment, which I have become very good at in the house.
I've also become good friends with Gigi, Sana's mother. She's trying to teach me how to cook and make Kashmiri tea. She comes into my room everynight before I go to sleep and we chat about the differences in America and India, politics, religion, marriage, the family. I love those conversations. She's so sweet and the house wouldn't run without her. Her health isn't great, so please keep her in your prayers. She is so sweet to me and I love our new friendship.
I love the family so much and am starting to cherish my relationships with them. I love the smiles between Mama and I, even though we've never actually been able to communicate in words with each other. Baba is the cutest thing in the world. I sit outside with him and watch him smoke his water pipe with tobacco and he says a few words and shakes his head. He's always quick to give me a chunk of "Holy Mama" sugar from his pocket.
Lative, who takes me everywhere is absolutely hilarious to me. When all the kids were at the house, I would find him sitting at a distance and he would invite me to sit with him. He always shakes his head in the craziness of the house. I think we relate the most to each other in this wacky family.
It's funny to me how I haven't 'seen' much of India, yet I feel I'm getting the best feel for it by staying with this family. Family is what ties India together. It is the strongest force. The government, as twisted as it is, can't touch the strength of the Indian family. It's beautiful to me to be an outsider looking in and still feeling so much a part of it!
Even though I'm settled here and loving my time, I often get homesick. I miss little things from home all the time. I'm constantly craving chicken chimichanga's and beriyo smoothies. Also, oddly enough, I've been craving chocolate milkshakes from chick-fil-a. I miss my family and friends tremendously. I read my letters religiously and try to convince myself that three months really isn't as long as it seems to be.

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