::Cultural Superstitions::

            A lot of times I hear of other cultures being criticized for how superstitious they are.  I heard lots of times about how superstitious people are in Central America.  Going there, I found that it was true—people told some wild stories about devil possession and people or things changing form or shape and ghosts is a big fear there.

            But more and more I realize superstition is not something reserved for the third-world countries—because while I’ve been here—I’ve noticed more than I ever have before—the superstitious nature of Americans.  Which makes me feel this is a human, and not a cultural, disease. 

            Indian people will believe that by an envious (or an “evil”) eye, he, she, her cow, her daughter or son—can be cursed.  They believe mantras (spells) will protect them from this evil eye, from sickness, and from wicked spirits.

            Let me tell you a little bit about American superstition as well.  At 11:11 I often hear, “Make a wish!”  And, “Oh, what should I wish for?”  And I’ve heard stories about how someone stayed up all night on 12/12/2012 to make a wish with his or her friends—and how she was frustrated she had wasted such “a good wish” on something “so stupid.”

            …Obviously we’re not as free of “superstition” as we may think.

            For example, today we went to see an astrologist, and we were told about our life span, marriage, how many kids we’ll have, our percentage of success in education and work, etc.

            One student opted out for fear of what would be said.  My verdict was a life of 97-98 years with 27 or more years of sickness after the age of 70.  I may have problems with my first marriage—and may possibly have a second if I do not resolve an unknown problem that will arise.  This problem may be corrected by the help of my guru (who today I realized is Thomas S. Monson) and by my desire to fix it.  (Why is grammer check telling me all my sentences are ungrammatical!?  Stupid Microsoft.  I make perfect sense!!)  >:(

            When he was explaining this, he explained that he could read this from my face.  Understanding first that my first husband would abandon me.

            “What!?  Apparently I have the face of abandonment!!” I burst out laughing.

            Perhaps I misunderstood what he meant, because he helped me understand that it would be I who would decide to reject or keep my first marriage, I guess.  When I asked for what age I would marry, he said I would have a chance at the age 22-23 and I may reject him at that time, in which case I would be married at 24.

            …Clocks ticking… Nine months and my time’s up…

            Hm, what else?  I will have an average life of 75% happiness and 25% sadness, 75% success in education, and 85% success in work.  I could have four children but I’ll go for two (boy and girl).

            In my past life I was a boy who teased girls a lot.  (What?  I think the teasing girls part is much more unfitting than me being a boy in the past.)

            At the end of our interviews, he gave us a pearl and told us we could make one wish which could be fulfilled in 3 months time if we made only one wish.  If we made two wishes they could be fulfilled in 3 years time.

            “Oh, this is a lot of pressure,” says McKenna.  “I don’t know what to wish for!”

            Superstitous Americans.

            And then I was like… Crap.  What am I going to wish for?!

            So I went ahead and wished.  I surprise myself by also putting importance to my fervent wish—why?!  I don’t believe in this stuff—do I!?

            Of course, I believe in prayers—but why are our feelings swayed by palm readings and fortunes when traditionally that is not our beliefs?  But it seemed that everyone was put in a weird mood after the readings.  One of the girls seemed kind of disturbed, I guess because he had perhaps touched on things she was thinking about, though all of her fortunes were good.  I felt like mine was perhaps the least favorable fortune, though Israel seems to think it’s a tragedy he won’t marry until he’s 27 or 28 and he won’t have success in business until his thirties.

            He assumes the difficulties in his marriage will be because of the lack of business success until he’s 30 and that he should go into hiding until he will have a good life at thirty.

            This reminds me of one of my temple experiences.  Sudha showed me a tree that was potted outside the temple, and told me that it was a marriage tree which all married women will pray to for the safety and benefit of their husband.

            “And you may pray to it too!  So that you may have a good husband!” she says.

            “Oh, please!” I say, raising my hands, palms together.  “Please!  Bless me with a good husband!”

            Sudha and the priest’s wife thought this was rather funny.

            We threw Alexis a surprise “Bridal Shower” today by buying a cake, renting frozen, and getting her some earrings.  It was fun.  She was unbelievably pleased.  It amazes me how people are so touched by small things.  It makes me sorry I don’t do small things like this for other people more often.

            I feel a strange ache in myself to think about leaving here… I don’t feel like I will never come back, but I’ve become quite attached to our staff… and I don’t know even if I do ever come back to India if I will ever see them again…

            But then again, I didn’t think I would ever see Nili again—but somewhere time brought me here.

This is a joke, because one of the few Telugu words that Sarma-Garu has indented in our heads is "undi" which means, "is there."  So we always joke and say, "Sarah ledu" (Sarah's not here), etc.