Hindi is the main language spoken in Jaipur. While a lot of people here know basic English, it is very helpful to know Hindi to communicate fully with locals. In the rural areas outside of the city, you will also hear Marwari, a regional language in the state of Rajasthan.
India uses rupees as currency. Every U.S. dollar is worth about 65 rupees in India. Coins vary from one rupee to ten rupees, and bills range between ten rupee notes and 2,000 rupee notes.
A bottle of water costs 20 rupees, or 30 cents. All water bottles and other goods are labeled with an M.R.P., or maximum retail price. This means that store owners cannot lawfully charge a costumer above this price.
The best meal I had this week was chole chaval (cho-lay cha-vul), made by my friend's mother. Chole chaval is a dish of cooked chickpeas and rice. I love chole chaval, but the best part of the meal was the fresh mango smoothie we made for dessert!
India has its own flourishing music scene, and many of these songs are featured in India's popular Bollywood films. These songs dominate radio stations and music video channels, but the younger generation is fond of American pop music as well.
