Day 3

I nailed my protein assay today. Nailed it. Perfect standard curve. I should frame it. In lab, they breed mice so they can kill them to have mouse antibodies instead of just ordering the antibodies from a catalog! There are so many steps of preparation before you can even start an experiment here. I'm surprised they can get anything done. Although it may be the stopping to talk and eat between every step. The work ethic was explained to me: "We are in lab for 10-11 hours but probably only work 6-7 hours." This is so frustrating to me. I want to come into work, finish and leave so I can relax and explore. Instead of leaving at 7, going to the store, getting home at 9:30 taking a shower to scraped off the cakes of dirt, and decide I'm too tired to go out and find food and just go to sleep (last night.) Maybe it'll be easier when I start my own project and can work when I want.

I was working hard all day, but while we were waiting for something to autoclave Momita (my mentor) wanted me to sign her up for facebook. We were doing that when Sir (what they call the lab director, otherwise known as Dr. Chaterjee) walks in for the first time all day and asks what we were doing. *sigh*

We had a birthday today. I walked with 2 women from the lab to this beautiful bakery to get cake, ice cream, and...chicken sandwiches for the party. On the cake walk, I learned to press my ring finger and thumb together when I see stray dogs--wards them off, to walk on the edge of a street when it's being occupied by football, and how to say "cho"- come, "donobaad"- Thank Y0u, and "Dukatu"- Sorry. They made me repeat my words to everyone we met, after which they would all laugh. I'm apparently hilarious.

Our party was on the rooftop of the institute. The skyline was haunting. Once beautiful big buildings, now without roofs or windows. The slums looked like a stretched circus tent from all of the fabric roofs. Hundreds of crows circle the city dipping in and out of the hovering cloud of pollution.

After work Michael and I were taken to the Big Bazaar. An indoor huge superstore. A man stood at the door with a microphone emphatically repeating all the sales and the many "buy one get one free" sales. Signs said "we keep the price low at any cost." The snack isle had food called "tasties," "nice," and "snackies." Women's creams boasted to make their skin lighter in 7 days! The store was a mess, and beside every 10 items was a person asking if you wanted any help. We got our purchases: laundry soap, towel, sheet, pillow, mosquito repellent wall plugs, shampoo, bottled water and toilet paper.

Dr. Sandipan went to the tenants of our apartment to convince them we were actually married, students, and good kids. He took with him: a copy of our passport, CV, and a picture of Michael and I trying to look as non-threatening as possible. It worked. "For now."

Day 3: Not sick!