Here ... at last

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1/15/07

I’ve been in India about 10 days, yet my blog still has me somewhere out in the netherworld between here and there. I’ll try to get myself correctly geographically situated.

I arrived in Chennai, India, just before midnight on Saturday, the 6th. After a longish wait for customs, I exchanged some cash and headed for the exit. Thoughts swirled through my head. What will be my first impression of India? What will the Indians’ first impression be of me? Is my ride here yet? Do I look as out-of-place as I feel? (I think I can safely say, “Yes!”) Not seeing a sign with my name on it among drivers inside the terminal, I lingered just inside the door, reluctant to go out in case my ride had not yet arrived and there be no way back in. Finally I asked someone, “Are there more people with signs outside?” “Oh yes, many signs!” he replied.

So, I took a deep breath and walked outside. Indeed, crowds of people with scores of signs stood on the other side of the fence marking the walkway. I tried to look like I knew what I was doing as I walked past all those attractive, if quizzical, faces. Finally, there it was: “ALLISON SCHMITT,” the sign read. Behind it was a handsome young Indian man, who shook my hand in greeting and directed me to an opening in the fence. There he placed a sparkling, fragrant garland around my neck and pointed the way to his car. We were met by another handsome young man. The two of them herded - yes, herded - my bags and me to the car. They saved me more than once from being run over. Finally, Sam and Paul loaded my bags, bought me a Pepsi and we drove off into the neon-illuminated night.

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