Halloween in India

Happy Halloween! 

Well, Happy Post-Halloween! Have you worked off your candy coma? 

Halloween and I have an odd relationship. I love dressing up in costumes and over-indulging on some candy for a day. However, I do not like scary things. Not. at. all. I once escaped from the Haunted Barn during the middle of our tour and sat on the outside while the rest of my friends and family continued the tour. I was probably five. Then one year, I watched some horror films and then I went to the local Haunted Corn Maze with some friends. This was the stupidest idea. Ever. I didn't fare well. I made it home, but couldn't make it through the night at a house that wasn't my home. My mom had to come and get me. I may or may not have been a sophomore in high school. I'll let you decide.

This year for Halloween, my BCA friends and I decided we wanted to celebrate Halloween, because it is such a fun holiday. (Scary stuff aside!) Sparky's, Chennai's American Restuarant, was hosting a Halloween buffet for 500 RS. After being in India for 4 months, 500 Rs was waaaaaay too much for us to spend on a meal. So, we decided to have our own shin-dig in our Hall! Complete with costumes, a dinner of brains and guts (Pasta and Sauce), candy, and a scary movie!

This year for Halloween I decided to be a Cat! I used an animal print dress and leggings. Then I made my cat ears, using Holly's black headband and a fruit loops box! (Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.) Meg, the goddess of the Earth, was kind enough to complete my face with some marvelous whiskers and big cat eyes. My Little Shorty Robinson even got into the fun, by dressing up as a cat toy for Halloween! I know, it was a strecth. MEOW!

We grabbed some Indian candy from Fresh, our local trusted grocery store, and went around the hall in our costumes doing some reverse trick or treating! 

First up, Gnanamani!

When we handed out candy, most people had NO IDEA why we were handing out candy! We all said, "Happy Halloween!!" in unison. Then we had to explain what Halloween was. It's really common for people to hand out candy to OTHER people on their own Birthdays or Anniversary. One guard asked us if it was our birthday. No, sir, just a kicking holiday of mischief and candy. 

Kheya, our Literary and Debate Secretary, was really excited about candy! She grabbed a handful for some late night studying. Get it, girl! 

The BCA girls of Martin Hall: A Cat, G.I. Jane, Demeter, and a Pirate! 

I cut tomatoes and green peppers for our pasta sauce, they served as our delicious guts! One of the biggest things I miss about the US is fresh vegetables with every meal. So, whats the best thing about cutting vegetables for our pasta sauce - obviously, stealing a couple fresh pieces of green pepper to eat! 

Holly and I preparing food like champs! Smashing garlic and making garlic bread!

Our BCA crew (including Pirate JJ) and our lovely Martin Hall MSW girls - Gnanamani and Linda. 

These are the pumpkins we carved for Halloween! Mine is the one on the top, she's supposed to have a little smirk...but it turned out to be a huge half-grin. Also, she was green! B and Holly toasted and salted the Pumpkin seeds this morning and we have been munching on them all day, in between studying for exams and writing our final paper!

Finally, we watched THE GRUDGE, which I thought was going to scare the pants off of me. Somehow, it ended up not being so bad, which may or not have be contributed to how long my pillow was in front of my face! Seriously though, it was a little worse than the Sixth Sense and Signs for me, which people say aren't scary. (Whatever, they so totally are!)

There are 12 days until I am headed home! The countdown has truly begun. I can now say I will be home THIS MONTH. Get outta town!

Love,
K

PS - A HUGE thank you to my fellow Martinian and BCAer Holly for letting me steal her fab Halloween pictures. (And for taking pictures of me as a Cat!) You can check out her blog over here on tumblr: http://hmindia.tumblr.com/