grub and toilets

Meals here are so different from what you imagine. There are no plates in most houses so food is dished out on banana leaves. What a fantastic idea - no more washing up! After a week I am slowly adjusting to eating with my right hand (no knives/forks). To start with I got more down my front and smeared around my face than in my mouth, much to the family's amusement. Most of the meals are rice (plain or in the form or pancakes or little steamed cakes) with spicy sauces, ghee, or coconut chutney. We also have hibiscus juice and sweet tea (which tastes nothing like tea!). Although it's lovely it takes a lot of adjusting to and I am getting very familiar with the Indian style (hole!) toilet! There's even entertainment in the loo - small lizards regularly run past and at night there are minature armies of ant busy carting things too and fro. On my way to work I pass what used to be a river but now is sadly a rubbish dump. In Puliangudi the sewers are open and they drain into it. I always see people going to the toilet there (it would be a very appropriate place to play poosticks!). Some men/children also squat on the road side so you really have to watch where you step! Very noisy spitting is also the norm as it coughing your lungs up whilst not covering your face - the Dr's are the worst - I can hardly believe my eyes!