SIM cards,internet and much much paperwork.

So after endlessly reminding my volunteer team not to forget their passport photocopies and photos, I put mine safely in an envelope, placed it prominently on my table-and left it there. I spent a merry afternoon locating a photocopy shop and getting my passport photo taken by a very helpful man who kept telling me to look serious “But not so angry Madam.” One of the other coordinators John, went ahead of me to the post office. I went to find him, stuck my head in the door, and 40 Indians turned and pointed “He went that way Madam!” Good to know we’re blending in. :)

After a delicious break in an air conditioned coffee shop I set off with my fellow coordinators to buy an Indian sim card for my phone and a dongle for the internet. The 5 of us trooped into the Vodafone shop where we spent a perplexing hour and a half discussing our options with an employee whos' passion for unnecessary paperwork clearly outweighed her love of interacting with the public. After much polite smiling (me) exhasperated sighing and eye rolling (her) I finally persuaded her that purchasing a one year contract for a smartphone was not in my interests given that I’m going home in 3 months and have an 8 year old Sony Erickson.

Chuffed with myself for finally having my documents ready, I handed them over and filled out the form (which included a section to fill in my guardian’s name-my father, brother or husband. Be still my feminist outrage.) I then discovered that to purchase another sim card for my dongle I would need to fill out an identical form and hand in another passport photo, visa photocopy and passport photo copy. These were safely tucked away in my suitcase in my room. After many deep breaths and visualisations of soothing ocean sounds, I eventually got everything I needed only to be told it wouldn’t activate for 3 days as it was the weekend.

Nursing a migraine from repressed rage and burgeoning terror at the thought of repeating the whole ordeal with 12 tired, sweaty volunteers, I found an internet café. Well actually I found 3. The first refused to let me in the door unless I gave him my original passport to hold as ID, the second smiled, ushered me to a seat and then informed me he was closed, and the third was a wonderful human being who gave me the gift of internet, no questions asked. I logged on joyfully to be told that Hotmail were blocking my account because someone was trying to log into it from India. I gave a sweaty shrug and spent a happy hour on Facebook reading lovely birthday messages from my wonderful   friends.

Lessons learned: 1.Indians love documentation. 2. I am not as patient as I thought I was. 3. It all works out in the end.

Sweaty yet serene.