Sleepover

I don't know why I thought this would be a good idea two days before I am suppose to leave for a another foreign country. But yesterday, I went to go visit our old language helper. It had gotten dark and she asked if I just wanted to stay the night. I was just about to decline her offer and just head out but then she reminded me that I had some old clothes at her house that I could wear if I stayed. Staying for long periods of time in a strictly Hindi situation always does my language skills good. It was a cool starry night. So, I thought why not? This family that I stayed with takes care of water buffalo and they live in this little house right next to them. They usually sleep up on the roof of their house because its cooler. (the family, not the water buffalo) The idea of laying underneath the stars all night sounded nice. But I didn't keep in mind that mosquitoes LOVE water buffalo. And my lily white skin. They immediately start attacking every exposed surface on my body the minute I laid down. To top it off, I kept getting the Hindi word confused for mosquito. I kept calling them fish. "Oh the fish keep eating me". And of course that made everyone laugh at my expense. The family decided that I needed to move into the little room that is on the roof to get some relief. So, I laid on the concrete floor in the stuffy room. I was willing to be hot and stuffy if that meant no more mosquitoes. I laid there in peace a short while and THEN...the cattle started lowing.... Apparently water buffalo don't sleep the whole night. The family's youngest daughter decided that she would sleep in the room with me. And this is just so typical...she decided to sleep RIGHT ON TOP OF ME. She really had plenty of space for herself. But oh no...she needed to be right there with me. There is an expression here that says "come sit in my armpit" It just means, sit close. Well...she was sitting close alright... Just about the time I drifted off to sleep, the sister in law decides its time for everyone to get up. There is work to be done. Cows to be milked. Food to be cooked. It was still predawn. I drug myself off the concrete floor forcing my bleary eyes open. Of course everyone wants to talk right away so they are up in my face. My goodness is EVERYONE a morning person around here? I sip on my chai and then excused myself to go home. They are actually a very sweet family. And the experience did help my Hindi. But still, as I climbed onto the rickshaw I thought "now why did I do this again'? Sleepovers are just not what they used to be. :-)