Letting it out

I finally found the time for the emotional breakdown I have been meaning to have since arriving in India. It only took me three minutes. Somewhere between consuming my ump-teenth plastic water bottle, struggling to find a filtered cup of coffee, worrying about what Oliver was going to eat here in rural India and scrapping camel poop off my shoe...I lost it. I made my way up to the roof of our hotel and broke down quietly in the corner. Cursing the dirt, water, annoyingly persistent men, my empty stomach and under-caffeinated head I cried it all out. Once I was aware that there were three waiters watching me, concerned, I pulled down my sunglasses and finished up. "I'm fine" I answered without being questioned and went back to my room. It felt great. I really needed that. I am so happy i finally gave myself the three minutes i needed. This country is no joke; you let your guard down for one minute and you could be drinking bad water and someone you don't know could be walking around with your kid. I am tired of being vigilant, tired of my eyes being so open all the time.
I found Andy and Oliver and announced that we were going on a search for a filtered coffee. We found a place just down the road. It didn't cure my growling stomach, the mounds of poop in the road, or the men who will continue to try and sell to us, flirt with me and hold Oliver...but it was a good place to start.

Tourists

An Indian tourist was staring, not particularly discretely, at me and Oliver for about two minutes. I knew she was going to approach us, but I thought she would just come up, pinch he cheeks and go. You know, our usual interaction with strangers.

To my surprise, here's how our interaction went...

Tourist: excuse me ma'am, if you don't mind I would like to hold your baby.
Me: you have got to be kidding.

Asking to hold a strangers baby? Why? Seriously, why?

When we were in a national park in Bharaptpur, at least five people asked us to either take Oliver's photo, or have their photo taken WITH HIM. No, sorry. Was always our response. One couple even got upset; the husband wanted to know why his wife wasn't allowed to take Oliver's photo. You have to ask?

When we were at the Taj Mahal, Andy was walking hand-in-hand with Oliver out in front of him. A stranger walked up to Oliver, placed his hands under his armpits and attempted to lift him up without even ACKNOWLEDGING Andy. Andy and I both yelled "No!" and the man sheepishly released oliver and slinked away...again without even looking or speaking to Andy. Amazing. I would have asked "on what planet is it okay to pick up a strangers baby without even making eye intact to see if it's okay?" But apparently it is totally acceptable here in India.

Now not only do we try to be present in our surroundings so we can learn something about them, we have to be on alert to run interference for Oliver and delflect not only the aggressive paparazzi, but the man-handlers. Only in India.