Hot hot hot!

I walked to the presser (iron guy; he 'presses' our garments) at 9:15am under the pretense of getting my clothes. I knew he wouldn't have them ready, because when I dropped them last night he said tomorrow 10am and I said "9:15" and he said OK and naturally I knew he was lying. Nevertheless, I had to go at 9:15 and ask angrily why he hadn't finished my laundry (or even started), in order to assure he finishes it by 5pm when I go back to get it before packing; if I didn't go this morning, I would go at 5pm and it wouldn't be done. It's just part of playing the game.

When I left the fan-cooled breeze of my house to walk 3 minutes to the presser's shop (which is more of a makeshift hut with a tarp that he pulls over the hut when he is closed), I broke into a sweat, even though I had just finished a somewhat cool bucket shower. When I returned to the house I ate breakfast under the fan. I went in my room to pack my bag, and as the fan was off I broke into a sweat in the 45 seconds it took me to pack my bag.

Tonight I am taking an overnight train 14 hours South to Chennai/Madras, a big city. I'm nervous about the journey because I am going sleeperclass, which means no AC and lots of hot, sweaty people all packed together. I checked the weather this morning and the projected highs for this whole week in Hyderabad were 40Celcius, which is 104F. We have two more months until the monsoon, and my coworkers say it gets up to 45C (113F). I don't mind the heat so much, except when it's so hot that I can't sleep. The ceiling fans help a lot. Our India supervisor is reconsidering the AJWS policy of air conditioning not being considered essential for volunteers' houses here (she is living in Delhi).

I am going to Chennai for Passover. I am meeting several friends and several random people, it should be a good time. My Spanish friend Blanca is there; Nalasa is going to be there; the brother of my Hyderabad friend (also now our friend) lives there; Leah and Rachel form AJWS will be there; and some more. Armed with 2 haggadot but lacking matzah that the Mumbai Chabad Rabbi promised yet failed to send us, we are going to do an elaborate makeshift Sedar in an ovenless house in South India.