The Lodhi Festival was so much fun. We made a big bonfire outside of the flats and put on loud music. Everyone danced and laughed. Yes, even I danced! The staff had made all kinds of treats, popcorn, and peanuts for the celebration. After eating the peanuts we threw all of the shells into the fire for the harvest. There was a definite feeling of friendship, which I found quite special considering we're really all strangers from different backgrounds, beliefs, lifestyles, and countries. The whole night had a very good energy, and I feel so blessed to be experiencing this trip.
Last night I went with Ambar to the mall in Delhi, where I was priveleged enough to witness Ada, Ambar's mom, haggle. She's really turned the whole thing into an art form. After negotiating prices with the man, she was still not satisfied with the price, so she walked off with determination. The whole scene looked like it was straight out of a movie. The man ran after her, and she ended up getting the scarf. It was really all a chase and catch type game. It was hard to keep a serious face. I just wanted to laugh so hard.
I am officially well! And just in time. Tonight we had tandori chicken and potatoes and cauliflower for dinner with naans. Seriously the best thing I've ever tasted in my life. The chicken was salty and spicy, so much flavor. I'm sorry. I know I always talk about the food, but you would too if you were eating this deliciousness. While we're here we can learn to make anything of the Indian recipes that the cooks have. So, I will definitely be learning how to make tonight's dinner. That's right family... You will soon be eating this food also :) Get excited.
I went to the Gandhi museum today. It wasn't at all what I expected. The bottom level of the house was pretty standard. It had all the interesting facts, dates, and pictures from Gandhi's life. The top level, however, was very interactive. There were all kinds of electronics to use as learning helpers. One thing that I thought was very interesting was a unity pole. Two people stood on opposite sides of this pole and touched their hand to a metal circle on the floor. Once the two people touched hands the pole would light up. There was also a timeline that had a computer that you moved as you walked. Every date marker brought up facts about Gandhi's life in that year. After walking through all of the rooms, I then went outside to walk Gandhi's last steps. All in all, the museum was very interesting and I really enjoyed it.
After the museum I went with Jake and Tonni to Dalli Haat again (I love that place). I got a couple presents for the familia :) I hope they like them. There were all new merchants in the market today, so a lot of the stuff was different from the last time I was there. I think I'm going to have to go back at least once a week, don't want to miss anything.
We rushed back in a rickshaw from the market back to the home base. We were scheduled to watch some Indian dancing, and posssibly learn some ourselves. There were two men: one playing a keyboard looking thing, and the other man playing a drum. Then there were two dancers, beautifully decorated with jewelry and bright colors. They each wore a head peice that had a row of big flowers, followed by a row of smaller buds around a bun. In the middle of the bun there was a silver jewelry peice. Each finger wore a ring, and then ends of the fingers were painted red, feet matching. One of the girls had on bright yellow, and the other orange. They both moved beautifully to the music. They used their hand to intricately present the words from the songs (which were sung in Hindi). Every body movement was very precise and controlled. They both appeared to be the complete essense of femininity. I found myself totally hypnotized by the beauty of the artistic dance.
After their performance they tried to teach us some of the hand movements. It was very difficult to move my fingers the way they did, and I found that my fingers tired after just a few minutes. I would make a pathetic dancer here haha. This performance was definitely my favorite activity that CCS has organized. I would really like to go see another performance if I can. I recorded a video of part of the dance, because I feel my words don't give it justice.
Tomorrow I'm back at Vidya. Haven't made my lesson plan yet, though, so I better get going. I'm thinking some sort of coloring exercise. These kids need some fun, and who doesn't like coloring.
I'm going to be watching my first Bollywood movie-should be exciting.
Love you friends and family :)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
School is Canceled!
Sorry it's been a few days since I updated.. Delhi belly is no myth. It's real. I survived haha. It's amazing how being sick makes you miss your family though. I really wanted to have Aaron there with me, and when I though about that it made me cry.. which made me then want to call my family.
The last day that I was at the school we did an alphabet exercise with flashcards and pictures. I also brought copies of a rainbow I drew, so they could practice their colors. Coloring is always a hit. I even joined in. The kids are listening to me a bit more than they used to, which is a good thing. It makes the day a lot smoother. They had tai kwondo lessons with their morning routine on Monday. I have to say, it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. They were all so intense. Their faces were absolutely priceless.
I finally took some pictures of the kids. They're all destined to be models. They were all pulling on my arms, wanting their picture taken. I barely survived haha, but was happy to oblige.
The last day that I was at school Bela and Jaggy (my program directors) came to check on how things were working out with my placement. It's very strange hearing two people talk about you, while you're in the middle, but have absolutely no idea what they're saying. Hope it was all good things. The teacher showed Jaggy the picture flashcard that I made for the class, which led to an awesome proposition. The school has different pictures painted on the outside (such as shapes, months, nursery rhymes), and Jaggy told me that if I was interested I could do a mural on one of the walls while I'm here! I definitely plan on doing it. Any ideas on what I should paint?
Today school was canceled, thank goodness. I wasn't going to be attending because I've been sick. It was raining pretty hard this morning and very cold. Because the school doesn't have doors or windows, it's not much different than having school outside. I can only imagine how cold and uncomfortable it would have been for those kids if they'd had school. We also get tomorrow off because of the Lohri Festival, which is today. From what I've heard it's a harvest festival that is supposed to mark the beginning of winter ending. Tonight all around town their will be music, dancing, and bonfires. You might wanna look that information up for yourself though haha. I don't know how reliable my information is. I'll make sure to blog about it after I've been.
Well I think that's all I have for today.
The last day that I was at the school we did an alphabet exercise with flashcards and pictures. I also brought copies of a rainbow I drew, so they could practice their colors. Coloring is always a hit. I even joined in. The kids are listening to me a bit more than they used to, which is a good thing. It makes the day a lot smoother. They had tai kwondo lessons with their morning routine on Monday. I have to say, it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. They were all so intense. Their faces were absolutely priceless.
I finally took some pictures of the kids. They're all destined to be models. They were all pulling on my arms, wanting their picture taken. I barely survived haha, but was happy to oblige.
The last day that I was at school Bela and Jaggy (my program directors) came to check on how things were working out with my placement. It's very strange hearing two people talk about you, while you're in the middle, but have absolutely no idea what they're saying. Hope it was all good things. The teacher showed Jaggy the picture flashcard that I made for the class, which led to an awesome proposition. The school has different pictures painted on the outside (such as shapes, months, nursery rhymes), and Jaggy told me that if I was interested I could do a mural on one of the walls while I'm here! I definitely plan on doing it. Any ideas on what I should paint?
Today school was canceled, thank goodness. I wasn't going to be attending because I've been sick. It was raining pretty hard this morning and very cold. Because the school doesn't have doors or windows, it's not much different than having school outside. I can only imagine how cold and uncomfortable it would have been for those kids if they'd had school. We also get tomorrow off because of the Lohri Festival, which is today. From what I've heard it's a harvest festival that is supposed to mark the beginning of winter ending. Tonight all around town their will be music, dancing, and bonfires. You might wanna look that information up for yourself though haha. I don't know how reliable my information is. I'll make sure to blog about it after I've been.
Well I think that's all I have for today.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Buildings, Buildings, Buildings
First off: I'm a little disappointed that no one ever comments on my post lol. Maybe that's because no one is really reading it. Who knows haha.
The highlight of this weekend was definitely all the historical buildings that I visited. Saturday I woke up at 4 in the morning. Ugh.. horrific. I'm finally sleeping at normal Indian hours, so 4 was pretty painful. Definitely worth it though. We went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. I didn't really pay too much attention on the way there. Because its winter India is more prone to fog than at any other time of the year. It was so dense that I couldn't really see past the side of the road. So, I just listened to music and tried to sleep while squished in the back of tiny car with two other people. I was able to contort my body into a strange position that somehow allowed sleep, only for about an hour though. I listened to Atmosphere the whole way there, and the whole way back. I was really missing Aaron a lot on Saturday. The music that I once hated is now the only thing that I listen to on my Ipod. Strange.
Well, we finally aarived at the Taj. There were monkeys everywhere. All along the sidewalks, in the trees, and in the roads. A lot of the mothers were closely followed by a baby monkey or three. So cute (apparently they're mean though). We arrived before the masses usually come, so it was pretty bare. That made it a lot easier to take pictures. The building is absolutely breath taking. It's such a huge buiding, with so much intricate detail. The marble was so cool in the light, semi-sparkly, and changing into slightly different colors depending on what angle you were looking from. They gave us little booties to where while we were inside, so we didn't have to take off our shoes (thank goodness- it's too damn cold). As I was standing infront of the Taj, taking pictures, all I could think was: Wow, I feel like I'm in a movie right now- like I'm the young adult who left her life behind and is now traveling the world to see different famous places. It was a really cool feeling.
Before we left we decided to use the restroom. We had to pay a man standing outside the toilets for some toilet paper, which I thought was hilarious. Then afterward, we ventured out the exit, which was quite an experience. It sounds retarded, but I feel like I got a little glimpse of what it's like to be famous. People literally swarm you when you walk out, trying to get you to buy postcards, magnets, keychains, and all sorts of other memorabilia. I felt a bit claustrophobic, which has never happened before. Anyway, I obviously survived.
On the walk back to the driver I tried to take a picture of a baby monkey.. baddd decision. The mom made a small lunge toward me, which my overreaction of a run into the street. I almost knocked this poor man off his bike haha.
The ride home was long, but it was also very cool. The fog had cleared and I got to get a glimpse of more small town India, which I enjoyed. It's very different from the big city type of India. There were children playing cricket in the fields, and women carrying large baskets of fruit. It was a lot more peaceful.
When we got back to the home-base, I ate dinner at 7, and then went straight to bed. I was exhausted. I slept for 14 hours! haha
I finally got to see my friend, Tonni, today. The poor girl had been in the hospital for the past couple days with some sort of stomach illness. I felt bad going to the Taj without her. I know she really wanted to go.
Today's adventures included visiting the Lotus Temple, Humayun's Tomb, and India gate. Yes, I really packed in the architectural masterpieces :) The Lotus Temple is amazing. I'm completely perplexed as to how they built it in the unique shape of a lotus flower. I can't stress enough how amazing it is. I plan on going back with some friends when we can actually go inside the building (it's closed on Sundays).
After the Lotus temple we made our way to Humayun's tomb. There are so many buildings there that I'm embarrassed to say that I almost missed the actual tomb haha. There's this one building to the right as you walk in the entrance, which is where my friends and I spent a great deal of our time. It was fun though. We were climbing in the windows and on top of the buildings, which produce some very nice pictures haha. Finally, we went off down the path, and got a nice slap in the face when we saw the actual main attraction (which seems like it would be absolutely impossible to miss). The tomb is HUGE, and so incredibly beautiful. It's very simial to the Taj Mahal. I was told that the Taj was inspire by this tomb (don't know if that's true, but I would totally believe it). I think I actually like this building better than the Taj Mahal. It was an intense brick red color, accented with sparkly white marble. It was fascinating to say the least.
We then went by the India gate before going out to eat. I hate coffee! Real brewed coffee! And I loved ever sip of it :) There isn't any really coffee at the home base, only this really nasty instant coffee, and all of the shops int the market next to us only have chai tea.
I called my madre today :) Bless her. I woke the poor lady up at 5:30 AM.. Accident. I obviously didn't to my math right on the time difference. It was really nice to talk to her.
Well, I think that's all I've got for the weekend. I need to work on my lesson plans for Vidya tomorrow- can't wait to see those beautiful children. I love and miss all of my family as usual.
The highlight of this weekend was definitely all the historical buildings that I visited. Saturday I woke up at 4 in the morning. Ugh.. horrific. I'm finally sleeping at normal Indian hours, so 4 was pretty painful. Definitely worth it though. We went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. I didn't really pay too much attention on the way there. Because its winter India is more prone to fog than at any other time of the year. It was so dense that I couldn't really see past the side of the road. So, I just listened to music and tried to sleep while squished in the back of tiny car with two other people. I was able to contort my body into a strange position that somehow allowed sleep, only for about an hour though. I listened to Atmosphere the whole way there, and the whole way back. I was really missing Aaron a lot on Saturday. The music that I once hated is now the only thing that I listen to on my Ipod. Strange.
Well, we finally aarived at the Taj. There were monkeys everywhere. All along the sidewalks, in the trees, and in the roads. A lot of the mothers were closely followed by a baby monkey or three. So cute (apparently they're mean though). We arrived before the masses usually come, so it was pretty bare. That made it a lot easier to take pictures. The building is absolutely breath taking. It's such a huge buiding, with so much intricate detail. The marble was so cool in the light, semi-sparkly, and changing into slightly different colors depending on what angle you were looking from. They gave us little booties to where while we were inside, so we didn't have to take off our shoes (thank goodness- it's too damn cold). As I was standing infront of the Taj, taking pictures, all I could think was: Wow, I feel like I'm in a movie right now- like I'm the young adult who left her life behind and is now traveling the world to see different famous places. It was a really cool feeling.
Before we left we decided to use the restroom. We had to pay a man standing outside the toilets for some toilet paper, which I thought was hilarious. Then afterward, we ventured out the exit, which was quite an experience. It sounds retarded, but I feel like I got a little glimpse of what it's like to be famous. People literally swarm you when you walk out, trying to get you to buy postcards, magnets, keychains, and all sorts of other memorabilia. I felt a bit claustrophobic, which has never happened before. Anyway, I obviously survived.
On the walk back to the driver I tried to take a picture of a baby monkey.. baddd decision. The mom made a small lunge toward me, which my overreaction of a run into the street. I almost knocked this poor man off his bike haha.
The ride home was long, but it was also very cool. The fog had cleared and I got to get a glimpse of more small town India, which I enjoyed. It's very different from the big city type of India. There were children playing cricket in the fields, and women carrying large baskets of fruit. It was a lot more peaceful.
When we got back to the home-base, I ate dinner at 7, and then went straight to bed. I was exhausted. I slept for 14 hours! haha
I finally got to see my friend, Tonni, today. The poor girl had been in the hospital for the past couple days with some sort of stomach illness. I felt bad going to the Taj without her. I know she really wanted to go.
Today's adventures included visiting the Lotus Temple, Humayun's Tomb, and India gate. Yes, I really packed in the architectural masterpieces :) The Lotus Temple is amazing. I'm completely perplexed as to how they built it in the unique shape of a lotus flower. I can't stress enough how amazing it is. I plan on going back with some friends when we can actually go inside the building (it's closed on Sundays).
After the Lotus temple we made our way to Humayun's tomb. There are so many buildings there that I'm embarrassed to say that I almost missed the actual tomb haha. There's this one building to the right as you walk in the entrance, which is where my friends and I spent a great deal of our time. It was fun though. We were climbing in the windows and on top of the buildings, which produce some very nice pictures haha. Finally, we went off down the path, and got a nice slap in the face when we saw the actual main attraction (which seems like it would be absolutely impossible to miss). The tomb is HUGE, and so incredibly beautiful. It's very simial to the Taj Mahal. I was told that the Taj was inspire by this tomb (don't know if that's true, but I would totally believe it). I think I actually like this building better than the Taj Mahal. It was an intense brick red color, accented with sparkly white marble. It was fascinating to say the least.
We then went by the India gate before going out to eat. I hate coffee! Real brewed coffee! And I loved ever sip of it :) There isn't any really coffee at the home base, only this really nasty instant coffee, and all of the shops int the market next to us only have chai tea.
I called my madre today :) Bless her. I woke the poor lady up at 5:30 AM.. Accident. I obviously didn't to my math right on the time difference. It was really nice to talk to her.
Well, I think that's all I've got for the weekend. I need to work on my lesson plans for Vidya tomorrow- can't wait to see those beautiful children. I love and miss all of my family as usual.
Friday, January 8, 2010
So you think you can dance?
The past few days have been freezing! I can feel the cold in my bones. There's just no getting warm. I tried to take a shower to warm up a bit, but half way through I ran out of hot water. The rest of my shower consisted of a strange backbend move where I was trying to rinse my hair out without getting any of the cold water on the rest of my body. Not cool haha. The one space heater that we have in our flat has officially become my best friend.
Yesterday was quite eventful. I went to my position in Vidya and had my first day of teaching without another teacher in my class. Wooooow! These kids know that I don't speak Hindi and have a wonderful time taking advantage of it. I know they understand when I say "bat jao" (sit down), they just choose not to. One look at those adorable faces, though, and I can't be mad. See if it's the same case in a month or two haha. One little boy name Ashish (spelling?) is ADHD at it's prime. That boy will not stay still for anything. He's up running around, jumping of chairs, climbing by the window, and dancing. The other teacher have warned me about what a trouble maker he is. Secret: He's my favorite :) I know I'm supposed be enforcing some sort of discipline, but the kid is hilarious. I love him.
I have two little ones that have gotten into the routine of walking with me as I leave Vidya. They're so sweet. One of the teachers asked me if I was going to take them home with me.. Gladly :)
I went to the National Museum in Delhi yesterday. There was a lot of really cool things in there, but the tour took forever and a day! The little man that was giving our tour was so cute though. He looked like a little India grandpa Wally haha. He was very knowledgable about all of the artifacts and whatnot that were in the Museum, and it was obvious he was passionate about his job. Very cool.
After the museum I went with a group to Dilli Haat (a local market). It was absolutely amazing! There was live music and people dancing everywhere without abandon. It was a very alluring atmosphere. I know I'll probably be back there quite a few times before I leave. I took some picture and a video, so I'll be able to show mi familia later. My mom would absolutely love it (100 times better than War Eagle). There were yards and yards of beautiful fabric in every color and design imaginable. The art was beautiful as well, filled with golds, rich blues, and yellows. I found a picture of and elephant that I think my mom would love. (Notify my with any specif request for gifts. There's so much it'll be hard to just pick out something random.) There were shoes, bangles, carvings, and scarves everywhere you looked.
Oh, and I found some Diet Coke. I know, I'm ridiculous, but I was so excited. There's tea everywhere, but they don't have any at the flat I'm at. Having a can of Diet Coke was like a little taste of home (Thank you Rick Buttram for passing on that gene).
On the way back from the market I rode in my first rickshaw. What an experience! These drivers show an incredible amount of courage and absolutely no abandon while driving. They just drive in and out of lanes, around cars, bikes, and pedestrans. It's absolutely insane. Our driver had the tradition Indian music blasting, which really brought the whole scene together. It was a lot of fun, definitely better than a taxi. I also have a video of that :)
Today during the morning rituals I got caught "dancing" a little to the drum as the children did their exercises, which got me in quite the predicament. It was like being in grade school- I was called out infront of everyone. That then somehow turned into me and this other girl I work with named Emma teaching the school how to do the macarena! After somewhat mastering the macarena the kids were ready for another dance, so we did the hockey pockey. Incredibly embarrassing, but those kids have rhythm and loved it. All in all, it's been a good couple of eventful days. Who knows what's next!
Yesterday was quite eventful. I went to my position in Vidya and had my first day of teaching without another teacher in my class. Wooooow! These kids know that I don't speak Hindi and have a wonderful time taking advantage of it. I know they understand when I say "bat jao" (sit down), they just choose not to. One look at those adorable faces, though, and I can't be mad. See if it's the same case in a month or two haha. One little boy name Ashish (spelling?) is ADHD at it's prime. That boy will not stay still for anything. He's up running around, jumping of chairs, climbing by the window, and dancing. The other teacher have warned me about what a trouble maker he is. Secret: He's my favorite :) I know I'm supposed be enforcing some sort of discipline, but the kid is hilarious. I love him.
I have two little ones that have gotten into the routine of walking with me as I leave Vidya. They're so sweet. One of the teachers asked me if I was going to take them home with me.. Gladly :)
I went to the National Museum in Delhi yesterday. There was a lot of really cool things in there, but the tour took forever and a day! The little man that was giving our tour was so cute though. He looked like a little India grandpa Wally haha. He was very knowledgable about all of the artifacts and whatnot that were in the Museum, and it was obvious he was passionate about his job. Very cool.
After the museum I went with a group to Dilli Haat (a local market). It was absolutely amazing! There was live music and people dancing everywhere without abandon. It was a very alluring atmosphere. I know I'll probably be back there quite a few times before I leave. I took some picture and a video, so I'll be able to show mi familia later. My mom would absolutely love it (100 times better than War Eagle). There were yards and yards of beautiful fabric in every color and design imaginable. The art was beautiful as well, filled with golds, rich blues, and yellows. I found a picture of and elephant that I think my mom would love. (Notify my with any specif request for gifts. There's so much it'll be hard to just pick out something random.) There were shoes, bangles, carvings, and scarves everywhere you looked.
Oh, and I found some Diet Coke. I know, I'm ridiculous, but I was so excited. There's tea everywhere, but they don't have any at the flat I'm at. Having a can of Diet Coke was like a little taste of home (Thank you Rick Buttram for passing on that gene).
On the way back from the market I rode in my first rickshaw. What an experience! These drivers show an incredible amount of courage and absolutely no abandon while driving. They just drive in and out of lanes, around cars, bikes, and pedestrans. It's absolutely insane. Our driver had the tradition Indian music blasting, which really brought the whole scene together. It was a lot of fun, definitely better than a taxi. I also have a video of that :)
Today during the morning rituals I got caught "dancing" a little to the drum as the children did their exercises, which got me in quite the predicament. It was like being in grade school- I was called out infront of everyone. That then somehow turned into me and this other girl I work with named Emma teaching the school how to do the macarena! After somewhat mastering the macarena the kids were ready for another dance, so we did the hockey pockey. Incredibly embarrassing, but those kids have rhythm and loved it. All in all, it's been a good couple of eventful days. Who knows what's next!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Viva Vidya! (First week)
Ok so this is not a great intro, but I just have to tell you: BEST NANS EVER today. I ate like four of them. Moving on...
Vidya (where I work) went great today. Everyday when I first arrive the kids do this routine that involes a drum with choreographed movements and some song and chants. It's very interesting to watch and the kids seem to really enjoy it. After they finish that, the had some tia kwondo lessons from a man that comes on Mondays and Wednesdays. There was one little boy in the front that was so into it. His facial expressions were filled with intensity and concentration (the little boy is 8 and one of the cutest little kids I've ever seen). Then I led nursery rhymes to start of the day. "Five little monkeys jumping on the bed" seems to be a hit. The kids all have these motions that they do with it. It's adorable. It's a bit hard to keep the kids attention because I think they get a little frustrated with not understanding English. One boy that I helped today though is very advanced. He was spelling small words and then after I worked with him was able to sort pictures into singular or plural. I was impressed with not only his English but also his exceptional learning speed. After the day began to warm up we took our lessons outside. Although we didn't do any more acedemic exercises, great deals of learning went on. I learned a lot of the kids names and practices some of my Hindi phrases. We played games outside as well, which was fun. It was a little boy's birthday today. I think his name is Laxmi (a bit iffy on the spelling), and he is so sweet. I'm amazed at the generosity of these children. They all have nothing, yet they give what they can. Laxmi brough toffee for everyone, so that they could celebrate his birthday excitement along with him. It was very sweet and heartwarming to witness. I can't help but smile around these kids. They are absolutely beautiful. Their energy is so intriguing. They are so ready to create new relationships and exchange knowledge. My heart has felt so much for these children, and I've only known them for three days. Only God knows what great experiences and relationships will come from three months of living and volunteering in India. As I left the school and began my journey back through the slum to the car, a little girl held my hand and walked with me. She walked with me as though she'd known me forever, skipping and smiling the whole way. These children truly have beautiful hearts.
Later on in the day I started talk to two of my roommates about Aaron. It's hard to know how in depth I can go with stories of him, and the truth about how I'm feeling. I don't want to scare them off. They've only known me for five days. I left feeling like I'd said too much, even though everything was very round about. I haven't talked about anything in depth. They just know the basics. Actually I think someone could probably know more than they do just by looking at my facebook.
Two of my friends here just added me as a friend of facebook and are most likely going to read this blog at some point. I haven't told them about Aaron. So far they just know that he's my fiance and that we've been together for about 2 years. I don't know why I have such trouble continuing on with what has happen. I just stop when I get the the "we're engaged part." I miss him so much, and I still don't even feel like he's dead most of the time so it's hard for me to state that fact to others. There's just no way he's gone. We're supposed to be getting married.
I've been thinking about it today, and I've officially decided that Teena should come join me in India. She said that when she was younger she wanted to do something like the Peace Corps. Well, why not do it now? Nothing stopping you momster :)
I'm excited to go back to Vidya tomorrow and continue getting to know the kids. There's one little boy that reminds me Keegan :) Oh, I love him already haha.
Feel free to send me some messages! I love getting them. It's like Christmas :)
P.S. My dad sent me a picture that he found of Aaron and I from senior prom! hahahahahahaha... a)He looks sooo incredibly young, and b) because of my 4 inch heels I look like a giant next to him
It made my day seeing it. I love Aaron :)
Vidya (where I work) went great today. Everyday when I first arrive the kids do this routine that involes a drum with choreographed movements and some song and chants. It's very interesting to watch and the kids seem to really enjoy it. After they finish that, the had some tia kwondo lessons from a man that comes on Mondays and Wednesdays. There was one little boy in the front that was so into it. His facial expressions were filled with intensity and concentration (the little boy is 8 and one of the cutest little kids I've ever seen). Then I led nursery rhymes to start of the day. "Five little monkeys jumping on the bed" seems to be a hit. The kids all have these motions that they do with it. It's adorable. It's a bit hard to keep the kids attention because I think they get a little frustrated with not understanding English. One boy that I helped today though is very advanced. He was spelling small words and then after I worked with him was able to sort pictures into singular or plural. I was impressed with not only his English but also his exceptional learning speed. After the day began to warm up we took our lessons outside. Although we didn't do any more acedemic exercises, great deals of learning went on. I learned a lot of the kids names and practices some of my Hindi phrases. We played games outside as well, which was fun. It was a little boy's birthday today. I think his name is Laxmi (a bit iffy on the spelling), and he is so sweet. I'm amazed at the generosity of these children. They all have nothing, yet they give what they can. Laxmi brough toffee for everyone, so that they could celebrate his birthday excitement along with him. It was very sweet and heartwarming to witness. I can't help but smile around these kids. They are absolutely beautiful. Their energy is so intriguing. They are so ready to create new relationships and exchange knowledge. My heart has felt so much for these children, and I've only known them for three days. Only God knows what great experiences and relationships will come from three months of living and volunteering in India. As I left the school and began my journey back through the slum to the car, a little girl held my hand and walked with me. She walked with me as though she'd known me forever, skipping and smiling the whole way. These children truly have beautiful hearts.
Later on in the day I started talk to two of my roommates about Aaron. It's hard to know how in depth I can go with stories of him, and the truth about how I'm feeling. I don't want to scare them off. They've only known me for five days. I left feeling like I'd said too much, even though everything was very round about. I haven't talked about anything in depth. They just know the basics. Actually I think someone could probably know more than they do just by looking at my facebook.
Two of my friends here just added me as a friend of facebook and are most likely going to read this blog at some point. I haven't told them about Aaron. So far they just know that he's my fiance and that we've been together for about 2 years. I don't know why I have such trouble continuing on with what has happen. I just stop when I get the the "we're engaged part." I miss him so much, and I still don't even feel like he's dead most of the time so it's hard for me to state that fact to others. There's just no way he's gone. We're supposed to be getting married.
I've been thinking about it today, and I've officially decided that Teena should come join me in India. She said that when she was younger she wanted to do something like the Peace Corps. Well, why not do it now? Nothing stopping you momster :)
I'm excited to go back to Vidya tomorrow and continue getting to know the kids. There's one little boy that reminds me Keegan :) Oh, I love him already haha.
Feel free to send me some messages! I love getting them. It's like Christmas :)
P.S. My dad sent me a picture that he found of Aaron and I from senior prom! hahahahahahaha... a)He looks sooo incredibly young, and b) because of my 4 inch heels I look like a giant next to him
It made my day seeing it. I love Aaron :)
Monday, January 4, 2010
First encounter with work...
I'm up bright and early to use the computer. Victory!
The latest and greatest: Well, I went to visit my job location yesterday in the slum. It's totally indescribable. Even though I've seen it before in movies it's so much different when you're actually there. All of the little houses are so close together and about the size of a bathroom at home. There are little trails that go in and out of all the houses, which makes the place one giant maze. It would be very simple to get lost in there. I also walk by a crematorium on my way to the school, which hit a nerve with me. So far, I still have a cold that I left Arkansas with, which has made it impossible to really smell yet. I get faint hints of things, but nothing compared to normal. I'm a little worried for when my nose clears up. It's very sad to look at, but I was surprised at one of the things I saw... There is SO much color! Bright blues, yellow, orange, green. And all of the colors really brings a more positive energy to the place. So, it's not totally depressing. There are little boys playing cricket everywhere, and they have dogs that just walk around free in the slum. There were a ton of puppies that the little kids were playing with (so cute). I felt a sort of ashamed of myself for being a bit scared walking through the labyrinth of the slum. They're people just like me, but it's just so different from what I'm used to. Out of my comfort zone is officially an understatement. I'm in a whole different world.
I had my first Hindi lesson yesterday. Exciting business! Obviously I'm not very good haha, but I have mastered "hello," "thankyou," "yes," "no," and "don't hit" (which is apparently a very important phrase for where I'll be working lol). I'm so intrigued by everything here. The language, the food, the people, customs, beliefs..everything. I feel insatiable in my learning. Also, I LOVE the music haha. That's my favorite part about driving here, beside the shock factor of their driving style of course :)
The food has been AMAZING, and I haven't gotten Delhi Belly or had any problems. Praying that nothing changes. Yesterday we had this curry cauliflower with vegetable mix. Oh my gosh was it good. I am a big fan.
A few of the people that I'm living with know about Aaron, but not all of them. Most just think I'm engaged, and that's fine with me. My roommates don't know anything. I cried the other night and hope they didn't hear me. It's easier not to cry here because I feel like I can't. These people don't know methat well, so I haven't reached the level of comfort where I can just start tearing up. So far it's just at night, when everyone is asleep, and sometimeswhen I'm by myself (ex. when I'm on the computer). I miss him so much, and it breaks my heart that he never got to experience this. I feel like he would have appreciated it beyond explanation.I know he would have thrived and made such a positive impact on everyone he worked with.
Ok last thing.. I just found out that Delhi is the most polluted city in the world! I was so surprised.. and then I looked around me haha.
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
The latest and greatest: Well, I went to visit my job location yesterday in the slum. It's totally indescribable. Even though I've seen it before in movies it's so much different when you're actually there. All of the little houses are so close together and about the size of a bathroom at home. There are little trails that go in and out of all the houses, which makes the place one giant maze. It would be very simple to get lost in there. I also walk by a crematorium on my way to the school, which hit a nerve with me. So far, I still have a cold that I left Arkansas with, which has made it impossible to really smell yet. I get faint hints of things, but nothing compared to normal. I'm a little worried for when my nose clears up. It's very sad to look at, but I was surprised at one of the things I saw... There is SO much color! Bright blues, yellow, orange, green. And all of the colors really brings a more positive energy to the place. So, it's not totally depressing. There are little boys playing cricket everywhere, and they have dogs that just walk around free in the slum. There were a ton of puppies that the little kids were playing with (so cute). I felt a sort of ashamed of myself for being a bit scared walking through the labyrinth of the slum. They're people just like me, but it's just so different from what I'm used to. Out of my comfort zone is officially an understatement. I'm in a whole different world.
I had my first Hindi lesson yesterday. Exciting business! Obviously I'm not very good haha, but I have mastered "hello," "thankyou," "yes," "no," and "don't hit" (which is apparently a very important phrase for where I'll be working lol). I'm so intrigued by everything here. The language, the food, the people, customs, beliefs..everything. I feel insatiable in my learning. Also, I LOVE the music haha. That's my favorite part about driving here, beside the shock factor of their driving style of course :)
The food has been AMAZING, and I haven't gotten Delhi Belly or had any problems. Praying that nothing changes. Yesterday we had this curry cauliflower with vegetable mix. Oh my gosh was it good. I am a big fan.
A few of the people that I'm living with know about Aaron, but not all of them. Most just think I'm engaged, and that's fine with me. My roommates don't know anything. I cried the other night and hope they didn't hear me. It's easier not to cry here because I feel like I can't. These people don't know methat well, so I haven't reached the level of comfort where I can just start tearing up. So far it's just at night, when everyone is asleep, and sometimeswhen I'm by myself (ex. when I'm on the computer). I miss him so much, and it breaks my heart that he never got to experience this. I feel like he would have appreciated it beyond explanation.I know he would have thrived and made such a positive impact on everyone he worked with.
Ok last thing.. I just found out that Delhi is the most polluted city in the world! I was so surprised.. and then I looked around me haha.
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Arrival!
I am officially in India! Get excited!
Wow, what a trip. Longest flight ever, but there were quite a few positives. I got to fly with the English familia to Chicago, sitting next to Katherine (that's one shout out for you lol). Then, once I was in Chicago, I met two other people in my program. Their names are Jake and Tonni, both awesome people. Flying has definitely improved since the last time I flew over seas. You have your own screen infront of you that you can choose what to watch on. I wathced The Office and drank Bloody Mary Mix (I know Teena will appreciate that). We landed safely and all that jazz.
Today I had my orientation, which was very cool. I'm so excited to learn about the culture here. It's amazing. I can't remember the last time I was so excited to learn. There was quite a bit of tea drinking, and I must say it's the best tea I've ever had in my life! The food is delish also.
I went to the market and looked around. Can't wait to go back later and buy some present for people. The driving here is insane! Aaron would have LOVED it. It's like the lines are just there for decoration. No one pays attention to them. They're more like "guidelines" really. haha
Ok well, I don't really have much time at the moment.. hogging the computer. I'll try to write a more thorough post on what's happening later.
This is going to be amazing! I'm liking it even more than I expected. Lucky me.
Love and miss my families dearly.
Wow, what a trip. Longest flight ever, but there were quite a few positives. I got to fly with the English familia to Chicago, sitting next to Katherine (that's one shout out for you lol). Then, once I was in Chicago, I met two other people in my program. Their names are Jake and Tonni, both awesome people. Flying has definitely improved since the last time I flew over seas. You have your own screen infront of you that you can choose what to watch on. I wathced The Office and drank Bloody Mary Mix (I know Teena will appreciate that). We landed safely and all that jazz.
Today I had my orientation, which was very cool. I'm so excited to learn about the culture here. It's amazing. I can't remember the last time I was so excited to learn. There was quite a bit of tea drinking, and I must say it's the best tea I've ever had in my life! The food is delish also.
I went to the market and looked around. Can't wait to go back later and buy some present for people. The driving here is insane! Aaron would have LOVED it. It's like the lines are just there for decoration. No one pays attention to them. They're more like "guidelines" really. haha
Ok well, I don't really have much time at the moment.. hogging the computer. I'll try to write a more thorough post on what's happening later.
This is going to be amazing! I'm liking it even more than I expected. Lucky me.
Love and miss my families dearly.
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