Temper Tantrum

Just came very close to punching a hole in a wall or actually breaking my hand instead. Getting non-spicy food is a constant battle here at the guest house dining hall. I thought the message was clear, apparently not all the staff knows. So do I have to speak to each guy in the staff and tell them individually I don't eat spicy food? Does the cook even know? I spoke to someone who I assume is the manager (Ashish), and assumed he would tell everyone. This was in late February. Then he left for vacation in March so I had to tell someone else (Asim) who I assumed had some authority. I've told him atleast 5 or 6 times in the past few weeks. Today, I find out Ashish is back while Asim is gone for vacation, so I have to tell this guy again. Do they not understand my Hindi? I was holding back tears, but I should have just cried in front of them, maybe they'd get the point then. I think I'll get someone who I know understands me to write a note in Bengali and give that to the manager. This is ridiculous.

I think I'm a pretty patient person, and I try to be nice to the people that serve me, I say thank you and please and smile, even if that's not normal or reciprocated most of the time in India. If they need a reminder for something, I hold back my frustration and ask again nicely. But I can only do that so much, especially when I am starving and don't want to deal with stomach aches (and other stuff that is TMI) the next morning. I try not to bother other people with my problems, like the Materials Science Staff (that is actually another frustration) b/c if I can communicate then I should just take care of it myself, right? ugh.