Monatsbericht Januar

Dear Mr. President, dear Rotarians!

Staying in Mumbai, the year 2010 began really well. Besides the New Year festivity, which I already mentioned in the last report, there were important birthdays to celebrate: Two of my host mothers, Vidya and Ujwala, became one year prettier. On these days we had a great and tasty dinner once at the Hotel Sitara and once in the house of Jiandanis in Kalher, where at the same time also Ganpati was celebrated. Both the times the cake was very enjoyable!

Also Amelie, an inbound girl from Belgium, invited all exchange students and our Indian friends for her birthday to Thane. Becoming 20 years old she is the oldest of our group.

But not only people's birthdays were celebrated. The country can be proud of the 60^th anniversary of the Indian Republic. The live TV coverage of the presentation in Dehli, where every different region India's showed their typical dresses, dances and occupations, was really interesting and well done. On this very day, also the building complex where I live, Garden Estate, presented different kinds of dancing and singing, ending with a fashion show. Pooja, my host sister, took part in the presentation. She performed Indian Classical Dance and did it really well.

Living in Thane, I was introducted to the traditional way of drawing and painting in this area: Warli. I had only one class till now, but I like the simple manner to show men and women, their actions and their instruments. It is very different of the way to draw I am tought in Germany, where I have to deal with perspective and shadows. However, if I want to show a wedding ceremony with dance and music, I think the Warli paintings are a good way to point out the happiness of the people.

I now also got to know an Indian communion ceremony, which was more celebrated in the American than Indian way, though it was interesting to become a part of it. In Germany, more than we dance on loud music, we would sit together with the family, sing Christian songs and chat.

A really exciting event that was organised by the Mumbai inbounds itself was the trip to the well known amusement park Essel World. We took a lot of pictures, screamed till our voices were almost gone and simply enjoyed.

Not to forget is the Car Rally organized by this Rotary Club, that took place on 3^rd of January. Surprisingly I already knew so many places we passed during the ride through Thane and Mulund! I feel how every month I get a better orientation of the city and how to get where as fast or comfortable as possible.

Travelling now takes a lot of my time everyday, since the dance practise for the District Conference is going on. They are held in Santa Cruz, which is about two hours time from my actual home in Thane. Also on the weekends I used to take the train to Bandra for the Salsa Classes that Michael and I won in the ballroom competition of Mood Indigo last month. Moving trough the city so frequently, many times it happens that people ask me where I am from, why I am here and how do I like the country. With the greatest honesty I always can assure, I am fascinated!

Looking foreward to the North Trip coming up on 22^th of February I thank you for supporting me and giving me the chance to make all these experiences I surely will never forget.

Shukria! Phir melengue!