Hello from India

Those of you who know me well enough, know it doesn't take me being in India to be horrible at staying in touch. But I am in India, and as a visit to India is much more interesting to write about than a visit to the states, or my life in Israel... here I go...
The flight was good - I slept the whole way... what should take about 3-4 hours to get from Tel Aviv to Mumbai takes 7.5, due to the need to avoid flying though Arab airspace when leaving Israel...
My first sign of being in India was asking two airport security guards where the bathroom was, and having them point me in opposite directions... I was pleasantly surprised however to find that the bathrooms were both western style and equipped with toilet paper... on my last visit I grew to like the squat toilets... though I can't say the same about giving up on toilet paper ...
For those who still aren't sure what I'm doing in India, I'll explain in brief. I'm spending a month at the Art of Living ashram with a group of 45 young Israeli's who were invited to participate in 4 courses. Ashram is the hindi (maybe sanksrit) word for school - it is simply a center. The Art of Living is the organization I have been meditating with since 2003... Which brings me to when I was last in India... in 2003, as part of my undergraduate studies. I stayed in Bangalore for about a month with a wonderful host family organized by the program I was on. The family has since moved from Bangalore to Mumbai.
Last night I was picked up from the airport by my host father who quickly found us a rickshaw (those vehicles with 3 wheels, open sides, and crazy drivers)... It was an interesting ride, I soaked in Mumbai at nighttime - dark, rainy, and still reeling with activity. I was relieved to find that Sanjay (my host father) was almost as horrified as I was when our driver nearly got smushed between other vehicles, or hit other cars.
We arrived "home" to receive a hug from my little host brother (Veneeth, 9) who was then off to sleep. And my host mother (Hema) who had prepared us dinner. Sanjay, Hema, and I sat and talked... reminisced and caught up for a while before heading to bed.
My host sister, Deepti (who's 7) hasn't been feeling too well, so today after she retured early from school we spent a few hours playing cards and watching Indian cartoons and tv. I learned that even in India cartoon characters like to show their "bums" and act "naughty". That Indian pop singers dress less modestly than Britney Spears in her innocent days. And that tattoos are actually becoming quite accepted... even mine.
Other than that I have been battling between accepting my lactose intolerance... which has already meant turning down chai, ginger tea, and indian yogurts... and accepting bellyaches. I'm happy to report that so far the intolerance is winning.
Tonight I'll be teaching them rummykub, and we'll go out to see the city. Tomorrow afternoon I'm flying to Bangalore to head to the ashram...
if you don't want these emails let me know. and if you write me i'll write back an individual email
love
Roni
ps. for those of you who were up to date on my tel aviv living conditions owe me a mazal tov for FINALLY moving out. thank you michael!
pps. Liza - tell Oren he needs to come see India for himself. bring little itamar and come travel with me!