King in a Castle

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There is a mouse in our apartment. While our landlord upstairs seems to think its hilarious whenever Maelle and I run up to his place screaming, we are terrified to sleep at home.
Last night Maelle and I slept upstairs and in the morning she refused to come down to our place for a shower.
"I'll get ready here," she said "I brought a towel."
So I had to go downstairs by myself and of course the kitchen light was out. With my heart racing, I ran from the doorway to my bedroom in the dark, leaping and jumping around like the floor was on fire.
It's embarrassing, but true.
Work is getting more involved with my life. I attended a meeting a week ago at the DLF Club. I sat at a conference table with the Marketing Team, Event Management Staff, Advertising Agency, and Creative "Guys" for a laundry launch we're working on. I didn't arrive home until midnight and it was definitely my first taste of power conversations. The advertising team wanted more money and the creative guys wanted more time. The event team wanted a celebrity apperance at the press conference and the directors wanted a fashion designer.
"Less money and same media appeal, right?" The director said to me. I was again reminded that I'm on the media team and my input is required when press conferances are mentioned.
Leave it to my boss to save the day. "I think we should have one fashion designer and one celebrity."
I spent last weekend in Rajasthan with Kate, a New Zealand ex-television producer who is now working for Amnesty International for free in India. We took the bus into Jaipur and had a fun time listening to Flight of the Concords on her ipod.
We stayed with her friend's family. His parents were wonderful, serving us great Rajasthani dishes and giving us the most comfortable room in the house to sleep in. They lived a block away from a Catholic Church so I did attend on Sunday. It was nice to be someplace where I could know whats going to happen next. The rituals were all the same.
Yesterday Pakistan's President stepped down and I discussed this symbolism with a journalist at the press club last night. Yes, I finally attended with Gemma. The press club here looks a lot like the Elks Club back home. It's cozy and comfortable and serves really good food. I even ate some of the mutton and enjoyed it. We discussed India/Pakistani relations over roti and vegetables. Gemma is the perfect person to spend a long dinner with. She, getting a masters in anthropology, is equally as inquisitive as I am about people and places and the journalist was happy to answer our questions.
I have less than a month here - can't believe it.

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Photos

Walking through Palaces
In Rajasthan

Learning the Drums
Learning to play the drums with tree branches in Rajasthan

Me, Maelle, Pauline
Wearing saris to dinner to wish our friend Noelle a fairwell back to France

Comments

[Jim Bright]

Mouse in the house
Rachel, I enjoyed your latest posting! Haven't you ever had a mouse in the house before this? Enjoy your final month in India!