Thursday, September 27, 2007

Photo please?

Yesterday, we took a visit to the printer to see how the October issue is coming along. It was about 110 degrees in there. Looks pretty good, this guy is working on it and the coloring.


Took a rickshaw there, it's the easiest way to get anywhere that's not in biking distance. I took a minute's worth of video on the way.


They also print a lot of fireworks boxes, especially for Standard which is the biggest producer in town. Who doesn't want demented Santa fireworks?


Yesterday was Laura's birthday, so Jeryn and Annie got some fireworks and we set them off in a field near the house. The host mother bought a cake and we ate it with our right hands. Finally, everyone (the family and us four) sat down together -- but only briefly. Better than nothing. Sivakasi's main industry is fireworks and printing so there are fireworks almost every night (testers).

It's been feeling quite hot lately even though the weather has been the same as always. It's perfectly clear during the day and cloudy at night so the stars are never out. The night clouds are always really high in the atmosphere and kind of tiled; it creates a violet dome over Sivakasi.

The kids here are so funny. One little girl in the neighborhood either has foreigner-radar or has learned our schedule because she will come running from up to a block away, screaming in high-pitched little girl, "Photo please? Photo please?" then strike a model pose. She's the one on the far right in the first photo; the others are the giggle gang who live in the house behind. I think they are interested in the instant photo gratification; I haven't seen anyone else with a digital camera here besides us. All the kids say the same thing, "Hi! Hi! Photo please?" And if they are gutsy, add "Pen?" The third photo is the next door neighbor's little boy. He's too young to talk but we took about twenty photos of him last night and by the end, he thought the flash was HILARIOUS.







I forgot an important part of local women's fashion. They all wear beautiful jasmine flowers in their hair! Literally, at least 80% of the women you see will have the flowers. Today, we got some, too.

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