new year, beach, whi

Hi everyone... internet is doing crazy, so I will try to write just a short message in english... sorry for dutch people.. but it is easier for me.
I actually just wanted to check my email after one week and what did I found.. waahahhah many messages on my website, I was surprised.. thank you all so much. the messages are very supportive and they make me very happy..

well for everyone a very happy newyear in 2007! I hope everyone had a good neyears eve... we had. at the beach, we were at that small resort which I described last time, it was a beautiful place, in the middle of a small fishing village, at the beach... and everything was done for us.. something this frustrated me while I wanted to help the people there, but they didn't let me. however, we had a very good time, staff was so friendly and beach was great. they organised a kind of buffet/party outside for the guests last night, but we couldn't make it a real party they said, because of the strikes... saddam was killed as you all know, and this caused some reactions in kerala. many people went on the streets to strike and they even called the hotel to ask if there were any americans in the hotel..the strikes were meant against Bush and america.. and since we are white.. people might think that we are americans too. so didn't want us tyo go outside the small resort area for two days.

but we had a good newyear, although different than usual.. it was special.. but actually I didn't had the feeling that it was newyears eve... 33 degrees, beach.. it more feels like summer.

I also went to the WHI a coule of days ago... which was good. They were all very friendly and at wednesday we will go to see one of their projects near kovalam. They are doing very interesting things and therefore I am happy to be a part of it and learn from them.

what else did we do... waahh a lot.. swimming in the sea with huge waves which immediately take you back to the sea.. I was actually swimming with my clothes on, probably the Indians thought I was crazy.

today we went back to trivandrum, tomorow we want to go somewhere, don't know where, wednsesday with whi en thursday we will take the train to cochin... there we will relax on a houseboat on the backwaters, we will meet friends from jeroen and we will probably do more things. from there jeroen is taking the flight back so I will return to trivandrum alone.. but I already explored the city a bit and know some people and places.. the small resort is probably also a place where I will come back.. when I am fed up with researhc, tired or want to meet touristrs, I can always go there. I will also visit a woman who works at that resort at her home.

everything is ok... alyhough I found it ' strange' that something like saddam's execution had suchg a huge impact here as well. and moreover, the more I see of India, the more I don't understand.. but at some points I do... I see India now as one big world, with all kinds of small worlds, and these worlds are all so different... poor/rich... the differences between poor and rich are so amazingly and also visible... and I am becoming more aware of it now.. which sometimes make me feel guilty because for us everything here is cheap..
but of course that is india as well and I still like it though, but it makes me thinking sometimes....

Jeroen is also doing fine... his coming back and my first impression together make an interestinf combionation of how we experience india.. so I am really happy that I went to travel first.

everyone... thank you so much for all the messages.. jelijn and astrid... you are in air now... I am so curious to your first experiences in madagascar.. let,s keep in contact. MIm en karlijn, hope you had a good party at the boat!!! aag, how was newyearsdive in egmond aan zee??? let me know! erik.. have a good time in lebanon, I met a woman who works for the english gvt and is settled in delhi now, her friend/collegae was in lebanon, also during the war and she said that it was ok.. that whart is published in media is not all reality, but I think that you are aware of that. take care!!! I want to say more to everyone.. but it already is a very long story.. imagine I only wanted to check email.. andf I end up writing a message!

I go back outside, sun is almost goping down.. mosquitos are coming.. I will take a cold shower and then eat a curry somewhere.

I hope everyone had a good newyear... for everyone wish you all the best this year, luck, love, friendship, health... sunshine! and for the anthropologists... take care when being on fieldwork..

Love, Brassa's, Hugs, XXXX
and hope you all enjoy reading this... haha

ciaooo ciaooo
froukje