What a difference a day makes

So Friday I was in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh visiting the field. It was really hot (like 100F) and like most trips I spent most of the time walking around slum areas. Nothing was particularly dirty or upsetting, it was a fairly normal trip. The one moment of note was that one of the areas we do communication activities is in a chili packing area. This is an outdoor "plant", which is where farmers bring their chilis, sell them, and they are packed into burlap bags and then distributed through out the region or country or where ever. As everyone knows, Indians like their chilis (mirchis) and these red ones are apparently the hottest, and therefore best, in the country. I stepped out of our car and immediately could taste the chilis in the air. Mind you I was probably 100ft away from the nearest chili pepper but the spice had infiltrated the air! In the open air!

So I, and thankfully everyone I was with, started coughing, tearing, sneezing, and sweating immediately and continuously throughout the street drama I was observing. About 100 men stood around watching this performance and everyone was coughing and sneezing the whole time! I'm not even sure how our performers made it through. I then tried to interview the audience members, as I always do to see if they are getting the messages we intend, and really was a mess trying not to succumb to the reaction. Can you imagine working there - and apparently never getting used to that?

Then Monday (okay the title of this post says a day and that's three days.... whatever) I'm back in Delhi (with my mom visiting) and have a lunch with Ashley Judd who is in town to promote our activities (She's a PSI board member) and a cocktail/dinner reception with her at this amazing mansion of a rich Delhi-ite in a beautiful garden with waterfalls and stunning flowers on a really nice and warm evening. The contrasts of my stay here in India are pretty stunning sometimes. I attach a picture of Ashley visiting our Delhi staff - she's in the middle with a shawl and flowers. I'm on the right in a brown shirt, in case you were tempted to confuse us!