05.19.07
In Which I Arrive
I deplaned and started to pull out my earplugs. No, I realised, I probably need these on the tarmac more than I did on the plane. I walked past a beret-wearing soldier with a machine gun slung over his shoulder and to the terminal (no bus was necessary for such a short distance). I claimed my checked bag and walked outside. I did not see a sign with my name on it, so I got change for a 5 Rupee coin (which led to another, I could have sworn I had five, but now I have four.) and had my first experience with an Indian pay phone. The dial tone sounds a lot like ringing. When I was able to get through after a couple tries, I was surprised to hear a ring-back tone. It was We Will Rock You (by Queen, of course). My host brother said he would be there in half an hour.
He arrived. We loaded my bags and started toward home. Driving in Tamil Nadu is scarcely mellower than in Delhi. On the way we talked a bit about why I had come and what I would be doing while I’m here.
I learned that the family I’m staying with are Gujaratis and not Tamilians. They know enough Tamil to get by, but it is not their first language, they do not speak it at home (they speak Gujarati) and they do not know the letters. One of my host brothers will probably not do as a language mentor, then.
Along the way we stopped for fresh mango juice and a “mouth refresher,” something very much like ‘after mint’ wrapped in some kind of leaf.