emilyintrivandrum?

I was intending to use this time to write about my amazing weekend in Bangalore, but something insane happened today. So you'll just have to wait to hear about my pyrotechnic adventures (gotta love Diwali!).

To give some background first: I'm not happy with my current project and in my current "area," to use TERI lingo (basically my department), so I've been talking to other areas about their projects. Today I met with the "Area Convener" (department head) of another area, because he said he had a great project for me. A new project is starting up that requires a ton of time doing field work in villages, and he said that, as the only person interested in social issues with a technical background, I would be able to play a major role and contribute a lot of meaningful work (unlike now; I'm pretty much an editing bitch in my current department. I understand the need for editing and wouldn't have a problem with it if they actually gave me other work to do too!).

The catch? I would have to relocate to Trivandrum, Kerala. For the entire year. Moving in two or three weeks. (Trivandrum is at the southern tip of India. Check a map here.)

I actually like Delhi now. I feel settled. I have a routine, a great apartment, and a small group of friends. Plus you can't beat Delhi's location for easy weekend trips; a huge variety of amazing locations are just a train or bus ride away. And, maybe this seems like an odd thing to say, but my favorite thing about Delhi is that I can practice Hindi. I really love learning Hindi. Unfortunately, Malayalam (the language of Kerala) is notoriously the most difficult language to learn in India, if not one of the toughest in the entire world. Let's just say that even Angela, who speaks more languages than any other person I know, including three Dravidian languages (Malayalam is Dravidian as well), thinks Malayam is difficult!! Even with a tutor I would not be able to pick up much. The Indian colleagues who would join me in Kerala (2 from the Delhi office and 2 from the Bangalore office) aren't even going to try.

So I don't know what to do. I don't want to leave Delhi, but I hate work right now and this opportunity seems really great. I'm going to ask if it would be possible to split up my time between Delhi and Kerala. But if it's not, I really don't know what I'm going to do...

(I am fully aware I did not describe the project to you. It kinda requires a long explanation and I was lazy. If I decide to work on this project, I will tell you more about it.)