Adjustments

Today was a interesting day. It had it's nice shiny moments but overall, challenging. Day started off with a trip to Airtel, my mobile service provider (you may guess where this is going...). Airtel has been sending me automated voice and text messages saying that they need me to submit my identification documents or they will disconnect my service. Already I submitted these documents when I purchased the SIM card but apparently there is some issue. I try calling customer care, but each time I try "all lines are currently busy". So I go into the Airtel office in Besant Nagar with copies of my passport, visa and passport photo duplicates. I take a number to talk with someone and wait about an hour before my number comes up. Finally the number is called. I'm thinking this is going to be simple. Problem is, I purchased the SIM card at a different Airtel office and apparently the systems don't talk (in India? IT prowess!). The customer service rep who is helping me is clearly stressed out. But even thought I have a Tamil speaker with me, she prefers not to talk to either of us. She is looking blankly at the computer and fidgeting with a rubber band, the pen, her hands, picking at an adhesive. We sit there like this for another hour before she finally manages to get ahold of the other store on the phone. We learn that the documents are there but have not submitted them yet. The store confirms they will submit the documents today. Meanwhile, I've already received another threatening text message from Airtel this afternoon. I think there's about a 90 percent chance my phone will be disconnected.

After the Airtel experience I return to the office, where a staff meeting is taking place. The meeting is in Tamil so I can't really participate. I don't have any work that I can do independently at the moment, and I do not have nearly enough work to in general. I'm racking my brain to figure out something productive to do. Not a whole lot is coming to mind. I read up on another Indian NGO that we're going to visit in December, read the news and do some chatting. I am very disturbed that I don't have enough to show for my time.

In the later afternoon I attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new office of my NGO. We travel there on a divided highway and I spot a cow sitting in the median looking pretty blissful among the traffic chaos. The ribbon cutting was quite interesting and I really enjoyed meeting the community members in this area, which is a fishing village directly on the shore.

On the drive back from the ribbon cutting, we run over a dog. This was terrible. I still feel sick from it. I've never hit an animal in a car and I had a very strong emotional reaction. The whole thing was easily preventable - two dogs walking across the street in plain sight. The driver just did not slow down. Nobody else in our packed let on that they were particularly bothered by this.

I came home feeling dirty from the beach and the hot day, looking forward to an evening shower. Turned the faucet - no water.

Not that I'm complaining (even though it may sound like it). I'm happy to be here.