So, I have kind of somewhat really exciting news for the week... I GOT MY FIRST TRANSFER!!! :D That's why I didn't email yesterday, because I had to spend my whole day traveling (which included many hectic moments, and many tender mercies as well). And guess where I got transferred?! To THE best place in THE best mission in the world! I got transferred to BANGALORE!!! :D Wow, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to get my transfer call. When I told other elders that I am going to Bangalore, they were all more than a little jealous of me... :)
It was weird these past few days, because I had to say good bye to many of my best friends, and I knew that I will probably never see any of them ever again in this life... :( That's okay though, I told them we will all hook back up in the Spirit World in 80 years (I plan on dying when I'm 100)! :)
And now that I am in Bangalore.... wow. wow. wow! I am literally having culture shock right now. I became so accustomed to living in a small Indian city/village, where people don't even know what a drinking fountain is, to being in a city that is almost identical to America!!!! It's insane..... Let me tell you some of the culture shocks I've already had in the past 24 hours.
-I am now able to have CASUAL CONVERSATIONS with random people! Like, last night I just had a nice casual conversation with a man in the bathroom, about how their was no soap in the dispenser. I don't think you can understand, but really and truly, that is the first time in 6 months I've had a casual conversation with a stranger! No one in Kakinada speaks English well enough for me to just casually chat with them... haha :)
-Along that same line... I CAN ACTUALLY FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING TO ME!!!! Miracle. A true miracle. I remember when I first started my mission, I was in Bangalore for just a couple of days, I couldn't understand a lick of what anyone was saying to me. But now... NOW all I can think is "These people have AMAZING English!!!!" I heard someone use the word "copy cat" today. Wow. Wow. American English. It's SO nice to hear! :D
-There is American food here!!! Like, not even Indianized American food, there is true blue American food here. I just had Krispie Kream donuts with my lunch... divine. :)
-Girls here wear makeup!! Insane, right? After spending 6 months in a place where makeup pretty much doesn't even exist, to a place where the girls cake it on as thick as they do in America... It's weird. Real weird.
-I'm NOT a super hero here! :( In Kakinada, white people are treated as gods, but now people barely even care that I'm white! Sad day.
-There is a "hustle and bustle" here that is so... American feeling. That's one thing that I don't like. I like the laid back village life.
-The church here appears that it's actually fairly functional here! woo woo! :D I'll miss seeing all the funny things that go on in the Kakinada branch, but's it's also nice to be in an Indian church that knows what it's doing (for the most part at least, haha)
Those were just a few things that have shocked me. But really, I am in shock right now. I will need to get used to this new area, but I think I'm gonna love it.
My new companion is named Elder Pilli. He is a very nice guy, and very humble also. He is also my first Indian companion! He is just 19 years old (most Indian elders finish their college before going on their mission, so they are 23-25). And get this: he has only been a member for a year and a half! Wow. A true inspiration.
Also, our mission address changed. Here is my new address for mail and what not:
The Indian Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
No. 2-B, Rear Building, Garudarcharpalya, Mahadevapura Post,
Opp. ABB Tech Park, Adjacent to Brigade Metropolis,
Whitefield Road, Bangalore 560048,
Karnataka, India
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