First Entry in India

I have arrived safely, and spent a week in New Delhi, though it feels like I've been here a lot longer. My volunteer placement is at SPYM's Drop-In Centre for IDUs (IV Drug Users) with Annu and Manish. There are 35 clients there on a daily medication to reduce cravings for opiods. It's has a fairly modern 'harm reduction' approach which is similar to ways of thinking in Canada. Another part of our job is to go around with the outreach workers and look for people injecting so we can offer them safe needles, etc. My first day there (Wednesday) we found three boys (youngest about 11) injecting near some train tracks. We passed by a little village and about twenty kids came out and followed me around for a while. Everyone in the little villages seems to think I'm either there to give them money or take pictures, which is pretty amusing.
As for exploring around Delhi, there are lots of things I have learned.
1) If I want things for good prices (clothes in a market or an auto to take me there) it's better for me to hide and Annu to bargain before they see me.
2) You have to look ahead when you walk so you don't run into a cow, and down so you don't step in their mess.
3) Cars drive on the left side of the road... usually.
4) Seeing one car accident a day isn't too bad.
5) Dogs in India are better at crossing the road than Canadian people in India.
6) You can't be sure whether the milk in your glass came from a cow or a buffalo.
7) A bath is actually a shower where you put all your hot water in a large bucket and then scoop it onto yourself with a smaller bucket.
8) Toilet paper is an unnecessary luxery of the western world.
9) Staple food includes rice bread and potatoes (at every meal)
10) Knowing the name of your food is not critical to enjoying it.
That's all for now. Please email me so I know what you're up to!