Musical Sanctuary

The scooter revs up and I am on a bike with one of the many uncles of mine here in India. He is taking me to meet a tabla teacher. As we drive there, I become more excited as the uncle is telling me about the music stuff he does. I'm entering a whole other world, and welcoming it's engulfing pull.

We arrive, just a simple house. We knock on the door and a girl opens it up with a smile. She has Mendhi on her right arm. I take off my shoes. I look to teh right, down a hall that leads to the living room, and I look to my direct left and there are a set of tablas. I couldn't believe it, I was really here. Greeted by another girl, the daughters of the teacher, and by his wife. Later on finding out that the whole family is musical, the daughters knowing tabla, sitar and indian classical singing. The wife knowing how to sing. I sit there in awe as they talk. The uncle leaves and I am there facing my teacher. He talks to me for a bit then gets out his tablas. One of the daughters go get a pillow for him to sit on and the wife gets a rug to put in front of him for me to sit. And I welcome the placement, right in front of my teacher, watching him play. Incredible. He tells me that he has played since he was 4 and that he has studied under the best tabla player, Zakir Hussain. I am blowed away at his modesty. He points to the tablas and then asked me to do whatever I can with them. I try, I smile, he laughs. Then the real learning begins. He teaches me three lessons. I welcome them and ponder them.

It's a lot harder than people think. Tabla is amazing. The sounds you can make. I'm learning Indian rhythyms. They are so complex. But I have never welcomed a challenge like this more than I have since I've been here in India. Everytime I go over for my lesson, I am captivated, and I don't want to leave. Just last night I was there, having my lesson, then we sang songs in Hindi, as the whole family joined in, one daughter playing the harmonium, the other playing tabla with her father, and the wife singing with everybody else. I sat there, in a trance, just listening, closing my eyes and taking it all in. I never want to leave when I go. Of course, later on a realize that my host family is at home waiting for me so we can all have dinner, so that is the only reason why I leave.

Whenever I go, I'm surrounded by musical genuises of the Indian culture. And I feel honored to be there. I love this feeling. I don't feel as alone anymore. I can share my music and be understood. It's an amazing and overwhelming feeling, to the point where tears welled up in my eyes the first day.

Off on Another Adventure in the Treehouse Train!

The title says it all! Brasil is coming over today and tomorrow night, we are boarding the Train!

Going to the Kutcch Rann Festival!!!! =D Lots of fun, cultural fun! I think I speak for everybody when I say that all us exchange students are so excited to see each other AGAIN. =D This is going to be great! 3 days in the Desert, in CANVAS tents! With FRIENDS. =) Life can't get any better! We are also meeting the CHIEF MINISTER of Gujarat! A very important man. I feel so privileged! Being an exchange student is a big deal, you are a VIP... it's weird to say that. Haha.

Anyway, I'm in the middle of packing my bag for the trip. So I must concentrate, despite my excitement, and get that done!

Hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I miss you all very much! Tata.

My North Trip

The day before the trip, Felipe(from Brasil) came over, driving from Vapi to spend the night at my house here in Valsad. My excitement was overwhelming, seeing another exchange student for the first time in 3 months was nice. We talked for a bit and played cards that night.

Next morning we had to get up at 7:30am to get ready to drive to Surat (North of Valsad). Got our luggage ready to get into the car with a driver who was hired by my host parents to drive us there. As we stepped out of my house to put shoes on, we noticed that Felipe’s shoes were missing, found out that they were stolen by someone. He walked down to the car barefoot, my host parents felt awful and so did I, as they were very expensive shoes, even in the USA they would be. The car ride was nice, only an hour and a half. The driver put on some Bollywood music on and we grooved in the car the whole car ride.

I’ve never been to Surat before, and it was substantially bigger than Valsad, a huge city. It was strange to be in a big city. Took us about a half an hour to find where we were supposed to be dropped off. Found the place and said thank you to the driver. Then ANOTHER exchange student popped out, we arrived at Alanna’s house( a girl from Canada). Gave each other hugs and just starting to chat. Made plans to explore the city for a bit. Took an auto rickshaw to the more city like areas in Surat and went to Coffee Day, where Brasil and I had our first cup of coffee since we had been in India. Our faces were priceless. Alanna laughed at us. I bought some coffee to bring back with me to Valsad.

Met up with another exchange student, Caroline(from Florida) we said a quick hello then had to go back to Alanna’s house. Loaded our luggage and got ready to meet up with the two Frenchies at the train station. Getting there was exciting, our trip was beginning. The French popped up and I was more than happy to see both of them. So, all of us boarded the train, chatting up a storm, laughing, sharing stories, eating food, exchanging language knowledge etc. As our train traveled to the northern part of Gujarat we picked up more exchange students and the volume of screaming and laughing went up. Hugs everywhere, we all squeezed into on compartment in the train, didn’t really understand how we managed that, but we did. We were on that train for a while, through the night, hence we were in a sleeper train(hard to describe how they really look without a picture, cool though when they are set up, kind of like a tree house thing, it was fun), where there were 8 bunks that you could sleep in when you were tired, though most of us didn’t sleep until very late, some didn’t sleep at all, which initiated a chain reaction all over the train by the other passengers of grumpiness and glared. I set up my bed and fell asleep. We were woken up early to get off; we had reached Rajasthan in the city of Jodhpur.

Met up with a bus where we had a 6 hour drive to our destination, the Sand Dunes of Jaisalmer Desert. Everything was golden, don’t really know how to describe it, such a rich vivid color everywhere. The desert offered such beauty. Arrived at the sand dunes, unloaded our luggage into the canvas tents we were staying in that night, which were more luxurious than I expected. Then headed straight to the sand dunes where we loaded two exchange students on each camel. I was paired with the German, Stine, and her face when the camel got up was hilarious. Road camels into the desert as little boys carrying canvas bags of soft drinks harassed us, begging us to buy something from them. I made friends with one of them who was only 10 years old, later on found out that our friendship entailed some unknown mutual understanding that I was going to buy a drink. The little boy looked at me and said I had promised him I would buy a drink. But I didn’t, I had to send him on his way, with a heavy heart of guilt.

Stepping off the camels and sat in the fine sand as desert musicians came to us and played some beautiful music. We danced in the desert as the adults who accompanied us looked at us with pride, we were becoming more Indian. Alanna(girl from Canada), Caroline (from Florida) and I then had a crazy fun idea, rolling down the steep sand dunes, so we did. Then later on finding sand in the most peculiar places a couple days later, even though we took showers…I found sand still in my ears…hahha.

Watching the sunset in the sand dunes was indescribable and you could see the moon brightly rising opposite of the sun. Rode the camels back to the tents, where we were greeted at the campsite entrance with music. It was the full moon that night. Desert music filled the atmosphere. Danced the night away around a bonfire as the moon shone making its own shadows in the tranquil blackness of the night; which later on a did some karate in the desert, the full moon class was happening in America the next day for the, so I did karate in the spirit of being there with my dojo. I roomed with the French, Fanny and Adele; which later on made a mutual understanding that we were roomies for the whole trip, which I didn’t mind one bit. We laid down in the desert for a while, looking at the billions of starts that revealed themselves to us, having some casual chatting.

Next day we loaded luggage, had the best chai ever and drove one hour to Jaisalmer city, also known as the Golden city. Good name for it too, because it was truly golden. Buildings there were built with sandstone bricks. Checked into the hotel and visited the famous fort there, also visiting some amazing Jain temples whose architecture was unmatched. Went shopping then arrived back at the hotel, went for a swim in the pool there, then had dinner, where more dancing took place on terrace of the hotel, where the restaurant was situated. Stayed up till 1:30am then hit the sack to get ready for the long day ahead of us.

Drove to Jodhpur(also known as the blue city), took 7 hours. That’s when reality hit all of us; we were literally living in that bus most of the trip. But at least it was in good company. Unloaded again at our hotel and visited Mehrangarh Fort & Ummaid Bhavan palace. Amazing places, lots of fun and pictures. The night time at the hotel was quiet; we had dinner then danced some Garba, practice for the district conference.

Again, you can guess it; we loaded up and drove to our next stop, Jaipur, the biggest city in Rajasthan. Checked in the Hotel and had the night to ourselves, went to the market place, where everybody wanted to go shopping, we had never been harassed by vendors that intensely before, some people were shaken up from the experience, including me. That night was nice and relaxing, with some great food and just some bonding time with other exchangers.

The next morning there was no need to pack up; we were staying in Jaipur for two nights, which was a huge relief to not be on such a hectic schedule. Sightseeing commenced as we drove to Amer, where we visited the Amer Fort & Palace. Amazing.

Came back to Jaipur and just relaxed, I packed my suitcase that night, with the intentions of getting more sleep. The next day then fell into the usual routine, load up and move move move. 5 hour drive to Agra, arriving at the hotel, then 30 minutes later we were on our way to the Taj Mahal. I was holding my breath the whole time. Getting in line, getting through security, then finally arriving at the gate that lead to the Taj Mahal. All of us were speechless and oddly quiet as we walked towards the gate that would reveal the world famous Taj Mahal.

There it was. The most beautiful thing. Perfect in every way. All of us stopped in our tracks and just hung our mouths in awe. I had seen the Taj Mahal in pictures, but none of them came close to what was in front of us. No picture really did capture the Taj Mahal for what it really was. Walking closer to it, it didn’t cease to amaze and capture me in its beauty. Pure white, made of marble and other precious gems and stones from around the world. It was the pinnacle of true love. You could feel the love put into it as it was being built radiating off into the air. There were so many people there, waiting in line to get a closer. You take a closer look, and still, it’s perfect. That’s all I have to say. Too great for words to describe. You got to come see it yourself, you really do.

Next day rushed out of the hotel in Agra to proceed to Delhi. The ride was long, but worth it when we arrived into the city. Went to see the India Gate, then to the Akshar Dham temple. The temples here in India are just superb, they all honestly are. Then to Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Lotus Temple, and Humayun’s Tomb. I think the most memorable for me though was the Lotus temple, beautiful. Even though it was modern, that did not contribute to the reason why it was memorable. It was the silence that was inside that temple that made it memorable. The silence was beautiful to the point where I cried, even my friends did too. Just being in silence like that was an experience itself. Later on went on the metro in Delhi, which was fun, and went to a huge bazaar that was underground, with hundreds of stores.

Next day we boarded the train to Jallandhar City, in Punjab where we were greeted with a very warm welcome. We were now in District 3060, where they had no exchange students; we were treated like VIPs in the district. That night we had a Rotary meeting to welcome us to Punjab, having a dinner and dance party on the terreace with some really nice Punjabi music. Punjabi music is awesome. All of us exchange students got most of the Rotarians to come dance with us, Punjabis really know how to have a good time. The time we spent in Punjab, we had our picture in the newspaper everyday.

Headed to Himchal Pradesh, to Dharmsala, where the roads had hairpin turns and were narrow. Monkeys were everywhere. We had bread so we threw it out the window when we saw monkeys. We were reaching the Himalayas. The first time I saw them, I saw the snowcapped peaks, and they were floating in the sky, as if they were painted there. It was surreal, and as they came closer, they were huge. Arrived at the hotel after a nauseating drive, right across from our hotel were the Himalayas, no matter how crappy I can recall that hotel was, the view was wroth enduring the cold nights we spent there. The air was fresh, the hiking was fun, the town was quaint and the people friendly and not overbearing. It was personally one of my favorite places. It reminded me of my home in America as well.

Leaving Dharmsala was depressing. Drove back down to Jallandhar City in Punjab, where we were greeted by Rotarians and spent the night in Rotarians houses. Next day we were dropped off on the train where we face a long train ride. A 30 hour one for me. On the way, made some friends with this nice family who were very nice. I spent most of my time on the train talking to them and some time with the exchange students, we all didn’t want to leave each other, as soon as the first stop came for one of the exchange students to get off and go home, I knew that we did have to go our separate ways for now. Then each stop we lost more and more students, till finally it was just Brasil and I waiting for the stop in Valsad. I was greeted by my host parents and I gave them both a big hug. I was so happy to see them. I turned around to see the train leaving and waved goodbye to my new found friends on the train, who were heading to Mumbai. I thanked them, sad that I wouldn’t see them again.

I am now back in Valsad and I feel refreshed, I missed being in Valsad. And when I came back to Valsad, I was just coming home. It was just like coming back to my home from a long trip. I have realized that I really have adjusted and India feels like it’s really my home. I have made a home here in Valsad. It’s a wonderful thing.

The North trip was amazing and too much fun. I could write more, but it could just possibly bore all of you. It was so much fun, just to be with friends, traveling around India. This trip is only the beginning. And I can’t thank everybody enough for helping this whole thing happen, helping me get to India, helping me go on the North trip. Thank you so much. I mean it from the very bottom of my heart. I miss you all very. Much.

Hope all is well at home. Tata for now.
(pictures will be uploaded later, I promise!)

The way to Live

Always, there is a way of living. How you live. Told to not do this, to do this and to not do that. In a country where the caste system is supposedly exterminated, it still very much exists in the hearts of people here, sadly enough. Always referred to still. Then I wonder if any efforts of the Gandhi really took affect. Freedom is won, yes, but what are people doing with it? Some towns and cities are vitalizing that freedom while others still are stubborn with change. If the society doesn't like it and agree, then you confine in yourself and give in to not do anything.

It's very odd to find this here. Nobody speaks up to the majority. Life strolls along, and narrow-mindedness is apparent. Coming from a place like America, it's a bit of a shock. To realize that people WILL indefinitely judge you by the way you dress and act in public. If you want to be a real individual, go else where.

"We don't go there, that is where the Lower caste people go..."

I look at this girl in disbelief. Younger than me, and already, she is told that. Just really shocked me. Even the younger generation is taught to look down upon many. It's hard to change a country when the culture runs deep. Where the population is exploding.

I remember at school in America, I was asked to list some problems that face India. Overpopulation, deforestation, pollution, etc. These are the issues that I listed, but now that I am here, there is so much more. Corruption in the government, that is one I hear almost everyday. Greed of the government. Not all schools are given money from the government here. Corruption. The police are corrupt. I hear that one all the time too. But then I think of the burden that the non-corrupt government has in taking care of a country that is scaling it's way to be the country with the highest population in the world. It's not just one issue that can be extracted, it's all the issues working and intertwining to together that make up what this country has to face.

On another note: People here complain about how dirty it is all the time, trash everywhere, but then contribute to the mess by throwing trash on the ground as well. I find myself just picking up after my host parents when I can because they just throw things on the ground. I come from a very environmentally aware school in America, so habit is to clean up and be nice to the environment. I could only imagine what my biology teacher in America would do if he were here, seeing all this trash everywhere... I am going nuts seeing it.

Language

हैलो! मैं आप सभी की बहुत याद आती है. मैं यात्रा के लिए पैकिंग कर रहा हूँ. पागलों की तरह भाषा अब अध्ययन मेरे मन में एक नया लक्ष्य है, और मैं इसे जनवरी के अंत तक पहुँचना चाहते हैं. यह बहुत ही अपने आप को यह सोचकर कि तुम्हें पता भाषा में मूर्ख आसान है, और मैं पर और इस बारे में जा सकते हैं. गुजराती बहुत हिन्दी से मेरे लिए आसान है, इसलिए कई मायनों में है. सिर्फ इसलिए क्योंकि मैं अब और गुजराती बोलते हैं. मैं आमतौर पर हिन्दी बात नहीं है, हालांकि मैं यह समझता हूँ थोड़ी बेहतर है. पता है पता है गुजराती, हिंदी वही है जो लोगों को मेरी बात कह रहे हैं.

मैं प्रतिभा जिला सम्मेलन के लिए तैयारी कर रहा हूँ अब दिखाने के ... मैं प्राप्त एक ई मेल इसके बारे में. तो, इसके पीछे मेरे विचार कर रहे हैं कि मैं गिटार खेलते हैं और गाते विनिमय छात्रों में से कुछ के साथ एक हिंदी गीत, नृत्य गरबा जा रहा हूँ, और संभवतः गुजराती में काफी अच्छी तरह करने के लिए प्रतिभा दिखाने के आयोजन के लिए एक मेजबान की तरह हो जो होना आश्चर्यजनक है. तो मैं उठा रहा हूँ गुजराती थोड़ा तेज. हालांकि मैं नहीं बल्कि हिन्दी होता बोल सकता है, तो मुझे लगता है कि बोल गुजराती काफी अच्छा है. दोनों भाषाओं के रूप में यह बहुत मुश्किल है. बातें अच्छी तरह से भाषा दुनिया में जा रहे हैं.

मैं लिफ्ट दूसरे दिन के लिए इंतज़ार कर रही थी, और इन दो बड़ी महिलाओं से कदम रखा है, मेरी तरफ देखा, तो मुझे गुजराती बोलना शुरू कर दिया, मुझसे पूछ अगर मैं यहाँ का आनंद ले रहा हूँ और अगर मैं भारत को पसंद ... और मैं समझ गया कि वे क्या कह रहे थे, यह एक महान भावना को पता है कि मुझे क्या कहा जा रहा था. कि जब मुझे पता था कि मैं एक बहुत अच्छा हो रहा था इस पर. मैं भाषा भी यहाँ प्यार करता हूँ. गुजराती या हिन्दी से सीधे अंग्रेजी नहीं करने अनुवाद काम करते हैं. यह हिंदी या गुजराती में पूरी तरह से अलग कुछ का मतलब है ... यह दिलचस्प है और मैं इसके बारे में काफी कुछ हंसते हुए कहते हैं पड़ा है. भाषा के और अधिक सीखने के लिए मेरा उत्साह बढ़ गया है. मैं वास्तव में इन दिनों में अपने आप को डाल रहा हूँ. अगर लोगों ने मुझे अंग्रेजी में बात शुरू, मैं कभी कभी कहते हैं: "गुजराती माँ Buolo" गुजराती में (बोलो) और वे जाएगा. तो, हाँ. मैं बातें बहुत आसान हो स्वीकार करना चाहिए, जब तुम भाषा जानते हैं या इसे समझने की शुरुआत, जीवन को बहुत आसान जाओ और तुम अब और नहीं विमुख क्या लगता है लगता है.

मिस आप सभी बहुत बहुत बहुत. टाटा

*******************

Hello! I miss you all very much. I am packing for the trip. Studying language like crazy now, I have a new goal in mind, and I want to reach it by the end of January. It's very easy to fool yourself into thinking that you know the language, and I could go on and on about this. Gujarati is a lot easier to me than Hindi, in so many ways. Just because I speak Gujarati more now. I never usually speak Hindi, though I do understand it a bit better. Know Gujarati, know Hindi is what people are saying to me.

I am preparing for the District Conference Talent show now... I received an e-mail about it. So, my thoughts behind it are that I am going to play guitar and sing a Hindi song, dance Garba with some of the exchange students, and possibly get good enough in Gujarati to kind of be like a host for the Talent show event, which would be amazing. So I am picking up Gujarati a bit faster. Though I would rather be speaking Hindi, I think that speaking Gujarati is good enough. Both languages are very hard as it is. Things are going well in the Language world.

I was waiting for the elevator the other day, and these two elder women stepped off, looked at me, then started to speak Gujarati to me, asking me if I am enjoying being here and if I liked India... and I understood what they were saying, it was a great feeling to know what was being said to me. That's when I knew that I was getting a lot better at this. I love the language here too. Translating directly from Gujarati or Hindi to English DOES NOT WORK. It means something completely different in Hindi or Gujarati... It's interesting and I have had quite a few laughs about it. My enthusiasm for learning more of the language has increased. I am really putting myself into these days. If people start speaking to me in English, I sometimes say : "Gujarati ma Buolo"(Speak in Gujarati) and they will. So, yeah. I must admit, things become a lot easier when you know the language, or begin to understand it, life seems to go a lot smoother and you don't feel alienated anymore.

Miss you all very very much. Tata

Preparations

NORTH TRIP!

I have been dancing around all week, and every time my host family says something about it, I get all excited and start jumping around like a five year old. You can tell that I am very excited about it. =P There are of course all this preparation that goes with it, packing, xeroxing passport, visa, police certificate, yada yada yada. It's worth it though! Yes! I am meeting the Brazilian and we are going to take the train up to Surat, where we slowly pick up people, then we are off to the North!!! =D

On another note, and inside joke for myself. I still get stared at so I just say "Su tyue? Chokari jo e natee que kem???" hehhehe.

Love you all, I will update one more time before I go to the North. tata.

Happy New Year!

It's the NEW YEAR!!! Here in India! Lot's of food, lots of people visiting!

Just a side note, last night, fireworks were going off everywhere, everybody firing them at their own leisure. THEY DIDN'T BLOODY STOP FOR THE WHOLE NIGHT. I was forced to take an all nighter because it was impossible to sleep. Whoa, that was a sort of fun at the same time though, never experienced that before.

Diwali

Happy Diwali!

Fire Crackers fill the night. Nobody can ever sleep before 1 am during this time. You can hear firecrackers, fireworks everywhere. Delicious food every day, each day something different, either something spicy or something very very sweet. And you best dress sharply, look your best. Friends, family, going out of town. Every evening, my host mother doesn't cook, she gets a break and we order out, or go out for food. During the days, there is just peace, I sit on the terrace and enjoy the nice breeze. I know what is ahead of me, but I don't mind. The North trip chaos and fun. But I stay here, my mind stays put. Each day, I fall in love with India more and more. But I can't explain how, why, what, when ,where, or any of that. I just love being here.





They have this craft called Rangoli. It's really hard to do, because it takes skill to know how to pour the sand in the right spot, don't spill it out of line, have a steady hand and so on and so forth. I made one! =D I am proud of myself, even my host mom was impressed, they has to mean something.


I was filling this one with the sand, while a little munchkin was trying to stop me.



This is the one of made all by my lonesome.



I am starting to forget what it's like to know what snow is, how to ice skate. I am starting to forget the culture I came from as it slowly melts its way off my mind and a new molding is finally hardening over that brain of mine. I can't speak English properly, and I am picking up words in Gujarati and Hindi smoothly now. I speak a different language all together. I understand what is happening. Still get a bit nervous, but I am trying.

Life is nice.

Hope all is well at home, I miss you all. Tata.

The Mudane Life

Why hello.
How are you?

So, I am nearing my 3rd month here in India. Life is rolling to it's own groove. It's slow, it's simple, it's peaceful(most of the time) I have found a tabla teacher as well as a dance teacher, my school is going to be kind enough to set that up for me. I am completely excited about it.

The conservative side of things here is starting to really irritate me. I thought I would be able to handle it, but it proves to be a challenge. I am trying my best. I also find this statement to be a little absurd... "You have to adjust to us, we don't we don't have to adjust to you at all..." Okay, the first part, I understand, the little last bit seems to be a little iffy for me. I mean I know my host parents can't completely adjust to me, and I don't want them to, but I do have somethings about myself that I know won't change, but is being pushed by them to change. There are things that will not change, and then there are things that I know are changing.
Maybe I will admit it; I am a bit scared that I am changing. Because, I know it's happening, and for the good or worse it is, and there is absolutely nothing I can do about that.

Since it is my third month here, I am suppose to change my host family soon. I don't really know what to think about that... I know I have to though. I should bring it up with my host family...

North trip is coming up, and the schedule for it is promising, too good to be true. Every where I want to go. Taj Mahal, Agra, Rajkot, The Himalayas(staying there for I think 2 days in a house near them). The trip starts out with a camel ride in the beautiful desert, watching the sun set in the desert and I believe staying there for a night. What a great way to start out an amazing trip. I am more than excited about meeting up with all the exchange students. I guess it's because it's comforting to be with people who are somewhat going through the same thing as you. On a bus with all of them for 15 days, oh yes. So hyped up for it, sooo hyped up. I actually had a dream about it the other night. But I have a feeling that it's going to be better than my dreams. I need a break from being in this small town anyway...

Hope all is well at home. I miss you all. tata for now.

Checkin' In

Hey everybody!

just wanted to say hello. Saying things are well. Diwali is coming up soon, then after that is my NORTH TRIP!! HAHAH! soooo hyped. Nothing really to say. My english is horrid now. I understand Gujarati a bit better each day, even though I get laughed at at times. haha. oh well. I have found peace of mind.

Tata, hope all is well at home. Lots of love.

Sleepless Nights...

It's 2am here and I have been unable to really fall asleep for a couple of days now.

Navratri is going on now. It's a nine day festival here, full of dance and fun. It's really nice, just very exhausting. I am getting better at Garba, one of the dances they do, it's really cool. People really get into it. =)


I am starting to become an Indian. I am living, breathing, eating, sleeping, speaking and living in this wonderful culture. On top of that, my English(speaking) is getting worse...=D That's a good thing. My English accent is going away and I am speaking less and less English each day. I literally have to concentrate really hard when I do speak English now... I understand a lot more that is going on around me. I feel good now. I am not confused anymore, and if I ever am, it's not really that hard for me to accept. It's would be bad otherwise if I did deny all the confusion because then I would get no where.

I guess you could say that I am homesick, but, I knew this was coming. Been gone for more than two months now and finally getting use to idea of me being here. At the same time, it's really hard to concentrate being here at times, just because I have a life in America as well, that has not halted just because I left. Life goes on, there and here in India. My friends and My family are still living their lives and I won't really be there for a lot of things in their lives.

Another thing I really miss is karate. I knew I would. I feel like this is a test. I am alone when I do karate, completely. My Dojo is not here with me. So, I just close my eyes, and move. I do karate with my eyes closed at times, just to soak it up even more when I do karate. I've always had it in my life, and I don't plan on leaving it behind just because I have left my physical dojo and instructors as well. It's okay though. I do karate by myself. It's nice to step outside and not have anybody there to give you feedback, gives me the challenge of realizing what I am doing myself and not paying attention to anything else. To concentrate my breathing, my energy, my mind and body. I am starting to think that this might just be what I needed in my training...

Reminiscing does not help homesickness, I know. But just had to get it out. I am still living in the here and now. Still can't believe that I am here in India... Just blows my mind. I have been here for more than two months, and I am still stunned that I am here. I really am... It's a great feeling to be here, you have no idea, it really is. It's a dream come true.

I miss you all. Hope all is well at home...

Stray Puppies

Every night, when I walk back from the bazaar on an errand to get bread, cheese etc. There are these puppies, these stray puppies. Skinny as can be. Scared of humans. Four of them, each time I see them, they become skinnier and skinnier. And outside of the apartment building that I am staying at, there is always a watchman. Just to make sure nothing happens and what not.

One night, instead of avoiding the puppies, I stopped. Because it just kept breaking my heart when I didn't stop to give them the attention they wanted. Hesitantly, they came towards me, then finally nudged my hand with their noses. I was so happy. The watchman saw how friendly they got with me and started to talk to me in Gujarati, I didn't know what he was saying to me. Then I looked up at him and he was making a motion of eating. He was asking me if I had any food I could give the puppies. I nodded immediately and rushed upstairs to get some biscuits. I brought a big biscuit for each one of them. As I hand fed them, they chewed on them happily. I felt good then. Now I try to see them when I can and have the time, and try to give them food, if I can.

Every Little thing Going to be Alright.

So, I don't have time, but I thought I would say that everything is going well. And Rotary is the most amazing because they are helping me go on the North India Trip.

I also got henna here(Manidhi) and it looks awesome, so I show a pic. [Mom, it's not permanent... don't worry]


I love you all, I miss you all. tata.

Helllo!

Hey everybody!

Haven't written in a while, I know. I was sick all last week, fever, coughing, sneezing, you name it. I am better now though.

I am trying not to get on the internet too much, it kind of distracts me, so that's bad.

The celebration of Lord Ganesha's birthday just ended a couple days ago, it was a ten day celebration, lots of fun, very colorful. It was nice to participate.

There is a lot more I can say, but I can't spend too much time on the computer...

I will say that the language is frustrating me more than anything. I have become this timid person now. It's strange because I am never usually like this in America. I have changed already. I can't say what I want though without language getting in the way. I hate it. But there was nothing I could have done in America to prepare, Gujarati was not something you could find a teacher for in a small town in NY.

I am getting kind of better at understanding...

On another note, the North India Trip is coming up. Sadly, I must say that I can't go on the Norh Trip, or even the South trip. Kind of depressing, but I look at the fact that I am here in India and I realize I shouldn't be sad at all. So that helps.

Don't know when I will get a hold of a computer next, so tata for now.

Hope all is well at home....

Road Rules.

Driving. Wow. I don't think I can really describe driving around India. Of course, I don't partake in such things as to operating a motorized vehicle because: A.) It's against the program rules. B.) It's against Indian Law to drive a motorized vehicle if you are under 18(though kids do anyway, because that is their only mode of transportation.) C.) It's absolutely crazy driving here.

They honk to notify the person in front of them that they are passing. It's really crazy. Nobody signals here, and there are no traffic lights, if there were, people would not abide by them anyway. Scooters and motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic, while bicycles are doing the same, while these things called rickshaws are zooming around, speeding, trying to transport their customer. Yeah, chaotic.

What noises those horns make too! Wow! So colorful, each car has it's individual honking personality, not an over exaggeration either. It's kind of fun to close your eyes and listen.

Even when cars back up, they have these cute little melodies that are being played, that way people know that there is something coming. It's funny. [ex. the Titanic Theme, yes, I have heard it being played while a car is backing up.]

I was just looking at how some transport cargo trucks are all so colorfully painted, it's like fun art. Even some tarps that cover the trucks are cool looking.

I have this urge to get together 50 of these trucks,, stand in front of them at a conductors stand with a baton, and conduct a whole musical piece with all their horns. Not only will it be pleasing to the ear, it would also be visually stimulating as well! Just think about it! =D

Haha, me and my wild imagination. Thought I would share this little fun snipet.

Hope all is well at home.

Streets of India

Wind blows my hair back, the scooter jerks from the brakes scraping the tires with anticipation. I look ahead of me, yet my peripheral vision sees more. I find myself not wanting to look. To see skeleton dogs haunt the streets in gangs. Watch a middle age woman with a crutch, limping, not even begging for money, but for something to eat.

My heart jerks, I feel like I am suffocating at times. A little boy knocking on people's car windows, begging for money, another boy trying to sell little trinkets to get by for the day. Tarps, so many tarps. Set up on the side of the road, with whole families salvaging what they can. Washing clothes in water that they bathe in and even drink from because they have nothing else. But more, these little boys are my brother's age. These boys have been forced to be men, to survive under harsh conditions, to fend for themselves.

And I look where I am living right now. I take a leap back to the memories of where I did live before this, back in America. I have a home. I have a family. Clean water, clothes and even money.

Money. I have about 200 rupees in my wallet right now. That amount of money is $4. That same amount can feed a whole family here. So when I pass a mother and her child, I want to cry. They tell me not to give money to beggars here because they will only want more and swarm me. Okay. But I am a human being too. I have a heart, I care, I love, I cry, I fear, I laugh, I smile, I desire. The people I pass on the street are human beings as well. Do I ignore my convicting emotions? So much of me wants to ignore what I was told. To slip out at least a 100 rupee bill and hand it to that little boy with that little scratch on his face from playing in the landfill.

I see these faces everyday. Struggle, stamped permanently on their faces, determination to find something more than this. And I ask myself, as a respectable human, can I really walk on? Look straight ahead of myself, look like a greedy bastard who unfortunately has more rupees in her wallet than some have ever had in their lives?

Walking pass them, I stare. The little boy stares right back at me. Then many. They are sticking to my skin, my face, my attire, those irises of theirs. Some curious, some poisonous, some attracted.

I am a foreigner. I have no fear to look back. But the only thing that I can give is a smile. So I smile real big, as my gift to them. I smile in hope that it will suffice. I can't help everybody.But if there is anything I can do, I should. I do what I can, I can't do everything, but I can do something at the very least.

So, if I can pull out a 100 rupee bill and afford to give it to that little boy, should I? Just watch me.

************

I think what really gets me the most is although they don't have much, they have everything. There are people who are more than content with what they have. They don't have a home, yet some are able to laugh and smile. I feel like I come from a spoiled nation where if we can't get that book or shirt, we complain.

Since I have been here, I have cried. Yes, but I have no shame in it. Crying is natural. I was expecting nothing less of myself. Tears full of sadness, helplessness, but also joy and laughter. It's a balance.

I admit it. This is the biggest challenge I have ever faced in my life, but I have never been more happy. I have moments here when I want to give in. India is a melding pot, full of religions, cultures, ideals, languages, all meshed into one. Working together to be what this nation is. Through unity, they surpass most countries. Is it wrong for me to say that in a way, I feel India has progressed a lot farther than the USA? Who says that we must define a 1st world country because of it's riches? Technology? Wealth? India is rich in culture, diversity, unity. India is more developed to me. It's a powerhouse country that is going to hit everybody hard and knock them down. Brilliant minds have come from India, yet why do some people look at India and the first words that come to some are "Isn't that a third world country?" I want to respond and say "no" because India is no where near that.

Last night I went to see a play with my host parents. The play was all in Gujarati. My host parents were worried that I wouldn't like it because I wouldn't understand it. It was a comedic play. I decided wholeheartedly that I wanted to go along with them, I am here to experience, no? Going to that play was the best decision I had made. We were all laughing. I was laughing just as much as the woman next to me, and just as much as my host parents. I came to the unquestionable conclusion; I am separated from everybody here by language; yet we can still share the same laughter.

"A good traveler is one who does not know where he is going to, and a perfect traveler does not know where he came from."- Lin Yutang


The pattern in which the world spins is truly a formality. We each have our own personal world and in this world we have a completely different rotation than the person next to us. Getting off the plane and landing here, my world has turned upside down. I am hiking upstream. Learning how to adapt to the environment and the people is like trying to fit an over sized ice cube into a bottle. At first it will not fit at all. That ice cube needs some time to melt away its pride, and mold its knowledge in to that bottle.Right now I’m at the melting and molding phase, but the day I fit into that bottle is the day I will be on top of the mountain and nothing will bring me down.


I will gently disclose to you all, that though I am writing this blog to everybody, words could not possibly grasp any of this. I attempt to try each time though, in hope that I can somewhat summarize what is happening here in India. Sadly, I wish I could share more with all of you, but I feel as if this is a journey that I must take, and only give you snipets of.

Hope all is well at home.

Hello!

Been some time since I have written. I have been pretty busy. I attended a 3 day orientation in Ahmadabad, which was a long train ride from where I am. We are talking 7 hours of traveling. Woke up at 3am to get on the train with another exchange student who is from Brasil, nice guy. And we were on that train forever. Got there and was escorted to some cars to drive to the resort we were suppose to stay at. The rotarians here are sooo nice. They really take care of you. The other students that I met are very nice, we all get along just fine. Though our group is not as diverse as I thought it would be, mostly people are from the USA, Canada, France, and one person from Brasil. Still, we are rockin' out. It was a lot of fun to be with them and just talk to them about how things were going for them.

The resort we were staying at was AMAZING. So pretty, it was a topnotch resort. We are talking about the whole thing. Nice swimming pool. A GYM, which I was so happy about since I haven't exercised in forever and I feel like a lazy slob. The GRASS, was even perfect. Perfectly cut, and green, soo pretty. There was this huge fountain and there was a sort of fountain show at night. It was heaven.



The rooms, AC with nice beds, soft and nice. The room was gorgeous. So much fun. I was bunking with this exchange girl from France, Fanny. She is soo nice. She was sort of sick for most of the orientation though, I felt awful. Though the second and third day, she felt good enough to come out with us and go swimming and play cricket.

Speaking of cricket, I love it. =D



It was great to be physically active.

The third day we did a little bit of site seeing. Rode on a cart pulled by a CAMEL. What a great experience. Hahha, loads of fun.


Went into the city, really busy, we got stared at a lot. Visited a Mosque, a BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE made of sandstone and marble. So amazing.





And we were able to visit Mahatma Gandhi's House. We were all stunned. It was just surreal to see where he sat and pondered things, did his work. Slept, live. Too cool.



There were these wild monkeys just roaming around the city, so our tourguide bought us crackers and we FED THEM. That was a pretty neat thing. One of them almost attacked us though...hahha. That was pretty crazy.




It was a fun three days. The train ride back was a lot shorter than the one there. We were chatting the whole time. It was sad at the same time as we slowly said good-bye to each other at the designated stops where students had to get off. At the end, it was just Mr. Brasil and I. He lives 30 minutes from where I am staying, he is in Vapi. So we ended up getting off at the same stop. By the time we got off, we were completely hysterical because it was 1am in the morning and sleep deprivation had gotten to us. We started on the train at 6pm, mind you. It was a long train ride, we at 3 bars of chocolate to stay awake. hahahhahaha.

Two days after the great adventure in Ahmadabad, I drove to Bombay with my host family to drop off my host brother, he was leaving for his exchange. What an emotional day that was. People crying and everything. I was a bit sad too that he was leaving, he was my first friend here. He looked ready to leave though, and he looked really excited as well. Sending him off was pretty sad for me.

I am now taking his place here in this household. I am suppose to do all these errands if asked, which I am completely fine with. The fact that the language is getting in the way is a bit annoying. So now, I can say the learning really begins. Before my host brother left, I was in the position of talking English with him and he was my translator, but now I can't do that anymore. Time to buckle down and learn. =)

Hope everything is well.

Adjusting

Everything seems to be fitting into place now. My stomach is normal again and I am still enjoying the glorious food here. My host family always teases me, saying that I say EVERYTHING is good, it's true though. =)

I was out on the balcony watching the sunset. It's so beautiful when it sets. When I was on the plane to come over here, it was as if we were chasing the sun, it was a pretty cool thought. Where I am living, we are right next to this lake, it's not too big and people definetly don't swim in it, but it's nice, it gives us this cool breeze.



















School. Hmm... I am just going to say that it's different and that it's going to take time for me to adjust. It's not that it's hard, it's just very different. They are very formal and strict. There was this ceremony at school where the new headboy and headgirl, captains, prefects and etc. were all sworn into "office" for the school. It was actually quite neat seeing them march, intense. I was at the ceremony with my host brother, we both had our blazers on from rotary, representing rotary. I must admit, we looked pretty spiffy and everything.

My host family took me to Mumbai, which people still refer to as Bombay, and we went sightseeing while we were there, it was nice. Saw a lot of amazing architecture. I have grown fond of my host family. They are amazing.My host parents, Rajiv and Parul Desai, have always wanted a daughter, and my host brother, Binish R. Desai, always wanted a sister. So kind of works out. My host brother and I at the Gateway to India. =D





















I am still in the stage of just purely blind bliss. Still surreal to me that I am here. Here, 500 rupees is like $100 to them. 500 rupees is only $10 for us. It's an odd thing to me.

I see poverty, I see stray animals. children running around with no shoes, playing in the dirt. I have seen an old man sleeping on the side of the road, underneath a tarp, shivering. I see tarp huts everywhere, where families live who can't afford housing. Then I look at myself, and I feel fortunate. I feel lucky and thankful for the life I have. I feel helpless, when I see a child, begging me to give him only 5 rupees so he can feed himself. It breaks my heart.

Culture shock has begun.

Still, being in a thrid world country, there is still unity. That is what I love most. Through all the hardship that people go through, they still find happiness. I went to the beach with my host brother and father. We stood there and watch people stand on the wall that separated them from the ocean, it was hightide. Whole families came to watch the hightide and to be splashed. People walking past with raincoats, ready to battle the waves. Everybody is laughing and having fun, even though they are all strangres there. Still they share the same joy. It was great. I loved it. Happiness out of the simple things in life. That is what I need in my life.



















Hope everything is well at home.

Almost a Week

The food here is good, don't get me wrong. I drool over it. My stomach is hating me for eating it though. I am not use to it yet.

Being here for less than a week, I have already learned a far amount of Gujarati. I slowly am picking it up. By the time this is over, the blogs are all going to be in Gujarati and you all will have to use a translator. =P

I am very excited to meet the other exchange students. It is going to be interesting to see what their experiences have been so far.

I can't stress how spoiled I feel. The other night we went to this high end hotel to eat some yummy food. It was expensive. It was really nice.

In India

So, I am here in India right now. It is really humid here. My host family is really awesome. I am already experiencing a lot already. There are differences that are very clear.

Breakfast was really interesting. It was actually tasty and spicy and crispy. =) I had some tea with my breakfast. And I must say that the tea here is the best I have ever had.

Turns out I am staying with the president of my rotary club. He is really nice. A bit reserved, but every once and I while, I can make him smile. My host mother is like my mother at home, to some extent. She arranged my room for me, as in put all my stuff away, it was odd to just sit there and watch her do so. I feel spoiled...



My host brother and I get alomg fine. It's wonderful. He is leaving in 15 days to the US as an exchange student, which is a bummer for me because we get along well, he is staying in Chicago...haha. Another reason I am sad he is leaving is because he is my translator... then again, I should try my best to speak. As I type this actually, my host brother is trying to teach me Gujarati, how to write and speak. I am on my way to understand more =)

Once he leaves, I get his room. haha. He has his own room. He has his own bathroom. There is a working toliet, a shower, and everything, I have air conditioning in my room when needed. This is very different from what I was expecting. I feel really lucky and spoiled. My host father is lively at times, likes to eat food and visit places, wonderful. =)

Lunch was amazing. Spicy, and amazing. Being polite in terms of accepting food, even though you don't like it, is not something you do here. If you don't like it, you don't, and you say it, very frank.

Went for a ride on my host brother's scooter, that was fun! =D It was awesome. As I passed people, I kept getting stares, but that is something I have to get use to. Went to see the school I am going to, it's huge, has 1,200 students...holy shizz.
I am registering in the science level for school, the hardest level there is, that will be interesting.

For now, I don't want to post too much, I hate spending time on the computer, so, I will say good-bye and write more in a week or two. Hope everything is well at home.

At Airport

I am at the airport, and I am becoming really nervous. I have never been more excited, said good-bye to my family, my mom cried...that was interesting. I am too giddy to even fully explain. I am going to India. I met another girl going to India who is going to be staying in the district that I am staying in. It was nice to know I wasn't alone. I also was approached by an exchange student from Brasil who came up to me with friendly smile and ask where I was going. It was pretty awesome, we exchange business cards(haha). I was noticed by her because I am wearing my rotary jacket with all these pins...haha. I get stares in the airport because of the jacket, but I wear with my chin up, I am proud to be an exchange student.

Gita is meeting me at the airport in JFK, that is a nice surprise. She called me up today, telling me that she just got back from Guantanamo Bay, and that it was good timing.

I am missing everybody terribly right now, and I haven't even left the country. This is the part where even though I am surrounded by all these people. I feel completely alone. It's a strange feeling. At the same time, I enjoy the solitude.
I know I am coming back a different person. It's a scary, but invigorating thought.

Don't know when I am going to have internet when I am there, but I will try to keep you all posted.

Bon Voyage! India, HERE I COME!!