First close call...

This is the first week where I started going out with people to places like pubs and clubs, and I have finally found myself near alcohol.  For the most part it seems like drinking is rare, where a large number of citizens do not drink for personal reasons.  This makes it very easy to keep from drinking by saying nothing more than "I don't drink".  

That feeling changes a little when you go to a bar, where all people who enter seem to drink.  This is not surprising to me, since I imagine the same personal reasons that keep people from drinking also tend to keep them from going to clubs and bars.  That is a serious overgeneralization I know and I do not want to stereotype - and it has nothing to do with this situation.

What is widespread here is the love for cricket and when India won against Brazil this week a guy came out of nowhere when the crowd was going wild and tilted a champagne bottle over my head and yelled "Here Drink!"  he was celebrating with the crowd and I was the first person he came to so it was very unexpected.  I was almost unable to stop him mid-pour and knee-jerk reaction was to tilt my head back and take the drink.  I yelled that I don't drink and he yelled "come on!" as he was clearly excited and didn't want to be embarrassed.  I stepped out of the way and let others have at it.

It may sound lame, but it would have been sad to have the small blemish on my currently perfect streak.

Great experience out here, but I do miss home too.

Three months in India

I haven't been blogging about not drinking since I came out here because there is little to discuss.  Drinking here in Bangalore is far less prominent than drinking in the US.  There is liquor for sale at the stores, and they serve drinks at the bar, but so far almost everyone I have spoken to either drinks very rarely or not at all.

I can say that if I hadn't committed to staying sober, I would have bought a case of beer to have in my apartment just out of habit by now.  After working a long hard day I come home to movies and internet and really nobody to talk to, so I could see myself spending this time kicking my feet up and having a few, or going to the restaurant next door and ordering a rum and coke with dinner.  Instead I have been editing films and reading books.  Would I do this if I were drinking?  I guess I'll never know.

Expect to see more about India than drinking in the next several posts unless I think of any other drinking topics.  And by the way, tomorrow is 6 months sober.  Halfway home.