It's official

Now that I'm going on my 7th week here in "the Motherland" I've taken a little tally of how it's made an impression on me. There are some key signs that India has officially seeped through my pours and changed a few internal perspectives.

1. I have had my picture taken (mostly with cell phones) with more Indian families than I have fingers and toes.

2. The other day I caught myself being an "Indian line stander", leaving no more than 5 inches between myself and the person in front of me. It's the only way you get anywhere!

3. I don't really feel all that different than everybody else and get surprised when I find people staring at me.

4. I wouldn't dare think of leaving my room/ Ashram without my roll of toilet paper (they don't use any here).

5. I've come to expect that nothing is ever as you expect it to be.

6. I've actually become accustomed to getting a really good night's sleep on extremely hard surfaces that by most standards around here are called beds.

7. I more or less know when to dodge, hold on, plug my ears, assume disinterest, haggle, avoid inhaling (smog), all while keeping a keen eye not to step in that next pile of cow dung.

8. The yoga that happens on my mat is a pure luxury. The real yoga practice is the rest of the experience.