Letter to Laura A

hey my beautiful cousin!

How are you? I really wish I was there to hang out with and talk and work in your garden and just be there for whatever… I know writing isn’t the same but as long as you can hear the love between the lettersJ

I’m so happy in India! Bombay is such a crazy city, and all the people I’ve met and even talked to on the streets have been so friendly and patient.

I was just thinking about what it must’ve been like to be in India as an art student – all of the sensory experiences and colors and sounds. I’m learning to embrace bright colors more and more – at first when we’d go out to buy kourdas, we’d all gravitate towards whites and blacks but I’m starting to feel more brave about being as colorful as this city is itself. I haven’t started my travel journal yet, but I’m looking forward to sketching a little – like we used to with Carrie in the backyard in Navarra…. I really miss you.

I bought tiger balm! It smells so good and is helping with the loads of mosquite bites I’ve collected. thanks for the good recommendation!

I’ve been working on starting a Photovoice project with children from the slum communities we work with. It was so funny – I had to give a presentation to a group of doctors to convince them it was a worthwhile project, and at the end we gave them a camera and asked them to take pictures. Everyone was laughing and taking silly self portraits (40 year old Indian matriarchs in saris!) you would’ve loved all the laughter and expression.

You would’ve also had so much fun at this club we went to the other night -- it’s supposedly the best club in Bombay. The music was a mix of techno, latin and bollywood songs, but there was a little drum and bass feel every now and then. J