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Dear All,

I must begin this letter with an apology for the "mass" email style, but my access to computers is quite limited at this time. For many of you, this is the first time you are hearing from me since I left the continent about a week ago. For most, you would prefer it to be the last. To give a brief summary of my journey so far, here is what has been happening. I departed LAX on Friday June 18th and arrived in Delhi on the 20th. The plane ride was long and arduous, but at least the bathrooms were nice (no). The ride actually wasn't that bad. Once arriving in Delhi we were greeted at the airport by our liason, Viji Uncle, and the incredible heat and humidity. We were transported via air-conditioned bus to the local YWCA where we were to reside for four days before embarking to Mussoorie, a village in the foothills of the Himalayas. In Delhi we shopped till we dropped (of malaria) and quickly got to know the fellow students in the program. Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world and the poverty is unimaginable. The streets are filled with brown people, most of which make less in their lives than we make in a few months. There is however an overwhelming sense of family that supercedes wealth. The ride to Mussoorie was fine with the exception of a small case of Delhi Belly (I have the runs). Mussoorie is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The air is clean and the monkeys are swinging. This morning I thought I was feeding a monkey some toast, but then realized I was just mashing pieces of toast against a mirror. Later I actually fed a real monkey, one of the very ones that had woken us up in the morning after repeatedly jumping on the thin aluminum roof under which we sleep. This is an extremely vague account of my adventures so far, but I figured I covered the two most important things, my bowels and monkeys. To be honest, this is an amazing experience so far and already I feel like a baby in a fresh diaper; changed. I also miss my friends, family, and girlfriend incredibly. The days are easier because we are busy with activities, but the nights can be difficult and filled with longing. I am living in a completely different manner now. I am grateful to have a shower and toilet because in Mussoorie, the power and water often go out. For some reason, this is okay and in India, one seems to simply accept things rather than complain about them. I have been taking a ton of pictures and in many ways, India is a photographer's dream. Today as I gazed at the Himalayas in the distance, I thought about life back in Los Angeles and how different everything is here. I also thought about having a Big Mac because it seems impossible to find beef anywhere. I would request that someone send me one via air-mail, but my fear is that it would still be edible upon arrival, which scares me more than the thought of being without beef for so long. I will continue to write when I get a chance and please let me know everything that is happening in your lives as I am eager to get a taste of home (and beef). My thoughts are with you and please rest assured knowning that I am in good hands (and opposable big toes)...

with love,

Zameer Noordin Rayani