Masala Chai is quite possibly one of the most extraordinary things ever created. Prior to coming to India, I had tasted and drank chai, but I had no idea what I was in for upon embarking on this trip.
We drink chai three times a day. First, in the morning after we’ve had a delicious breakfast. Second, at around 11:00 when our brains are fuzzy and frustrated. And finally, we drink it around 4:00 when we have finished with our classes, right before we leave school.
For some of us, at the beginning of the trip, our first taste of chai was questionable. We couldn’t quite tell what to think of this strange, hot and very sweet beverage when it was nearly ninety degrees outside. But, sip by sip, it grew on us. It escalated to the point where it has become a part of our daily routines and without it we would not function the same. Some of us even drink four or five cups at a time! This delicious concoction of chai leaves, milk, sugar, and local herbs and spices has become such a hot commodity among the NSLI-Y students.
There comes a time everyday, somewhere around 10:30, when it’s the only thing you can think about. You begin to watch out the window for the woman with the tray of tea cups and a pitcher to walk by.
We often like to joke about how we need an IV of constant chai flowing through our blood, and how when we return to the states, we are going to experience withdrawal.
It has become a part of our lives, an infestation of our very souls, and we’ll proudly admit that
we are happily living The Chai Life.
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