Yesterday we had some time to go shopping, and it seems that all of us wanted to buy clothes.  Well, the ready made clothes in India just don’t come in XL+ sizes.  I tried on one salwar kameez (drawstring pants with long tunic) that made me look like a sausage.  My host family mom who was with us said that we could just buy some material and get the suit stitched.  I found the perfect fabric for 630 rupees (about $16) and it will cost about 200 rupees ($5) to have it sewn.

Life in India really happens on the street, and tailors are no exception.  All the streets are lined with stalls and shops and services.  We went to the stall where the tailor that my host family mom uses yesterday afternoon. There was a small line of women waiting to get measured for their suits.  I could tell that they were wondering how in the world this white woman ended up in the middle of their city.  (This is definitely NOT a tourist town!)  They were all very polite, though – no one stared or asked questions.  After a few minutes of this I said, in my very broken Hindi, that my name was Arleen and that I was an American.  (I need to learn how to say “exchange program” in Hindi.)  Then it was all smiles and shy laughter and them trying to talk to me in Hindi.  This suit will be the best-fitting piece of clothes I’ve ever had — the tailor must have taken over a dozen measurements.  And I got to specify what kind of neckline, what length, short or long sleeves.

Last night my host family mother told me that my suit will be ready on Sunday.  She also said that the tailor was very proud to be sewing a suit for an American lady.  In India, guests are treated like gods.  Say what you will about the pollution, the dirty streets, and the poverty — I truly have been treated like royalty the whole time I’ve been here.

Namaste, ya’ll.
Arleen