Cricket and buses

Christmas Day was a bit uneventful - went into work and played UNO and watched a bit of a movie, then went out to dinner down the road with the other volunteers. Secret Santa was pretty cute though, had a tiny tree for our gifts and I got popcorn (which I ate yesterday with Simone watching Entourage and drinking beer.. lovely Sunday night!) and a few travelly things. Was nice to have a gift to open on the day, even if it was wrapped in a plastic bag!

Yesterday Rich, Noelle, Tom, Vijay (Rich's random friend from the first match), the boy Noelle tutors at SBT, Rajiv's son and his friend and I all went to the cricket - India vs Sri Lanka! It was a few of us' first cricket match live so we were half excited half expecting it to be boring after an hour or so. But it started well, and the crowd was cool and we all had samosas for breakie. Noelle and I got felt up extremely by the female security guard to get in. Can't understand why females need such INTENSE gropage while men just walk in without the lightest of pat downs.. Was only wearing trousers and a hoodie, same as every other bloke there!!

But anyway. Play got cancelled due to poor pitch conditions but there was no official notice about it. Crowd got messy. Remember at one point seeing 4 plastic chairs, joined together, falling from the tier above us onto the pitch. We were all standing at the back under the tier so we wouldn't get hit by anything else falling down - saw some people running to the stairs have one of the banners fall on them. This site has pretty good photos - http://www.skysports.com/cricket/match_report/0,19822,11066_84177,00.html - we are actually in the last one, you can see Rich's and Vijay's hats (and also their bodies.. but we recognised them through hats!!)

Today I left work after lunch as Afzal didn't want class (we had class on Fri and Sat so 2 days off for weekend seemed fair enough..), and decided to get the bus home to save me Rs70 and it's generally quite quick. However no bus came. Neither of the buses Noelle had pointed out to me arrived at the bus stop. And I waited half an hour. Normally you only have to wait 5mins for the millions of buses to show up. So I hopped on the metro to the stop next to the bus stop where we caught a bus home no Sunday. No luck there either after half an hour.. So I randomly jumped on one and decided to get off when it veered off the path - praising my sense of direction! But as luck would have it, the bus was so packed I didn't have to pay, and it arrived directly outside the house! And sure for 80% of the journey someone was touching my bum, but it did make a nice change to the beggars and sellers that attack every rickshaw I get into at every stop on the way home. I did not hear a "mam?" once!

Now it's 4pm and I was supposed to be back by 2pm to call up some hostels, and my phone is out of battery and I am hell tired, but it's all good. I will see how my Hindi is trying to book these places... wish me luck!

Christmas at Salaam Baalak

Christmas at Salaam Balaak was intense. The decorations were so colourful and over the top that it didn't really feel like Christmas at all, more like an Indian wedding!! Our kids at Apna Ghar performed first (in the first video) with their songs - we are quite sick of hearing Jingle Bells and In The Jungle (Xmas song??)! A few boys did some amazing hip hop/breakdance routine at the end but my camera died so I couldn't even get a photo! Very upset, they were so good with headstands and everything! Afterwards an Indian Santa came in to give all the children choccie and lollies, they all went a bit insane trying to reach them it was half cute half scary..

Today Priya gave us chocolate truffles as a treat with breakfast and they were so yummy.. Or "swad" as they would say here. Off to work today, might try to teach them the 12 days of Christmas - will see how that goes! Have got Afzal in the afternoon, we conquered the letter "I" the other day, so proud! Printed him off a sheet with a picture of an ice cream and letter Is all around it and so now he goes "A B C D E F G H Ice cream... nahin.. I!" Although still struggling with any number after 4!

We are going out to dinner tonight just down the road and will exchange our Secret Santa gifts between the volunteers.

On Wednesday I bought a necklace for Rs15 and it's really pretty and I'm wearing it today. Tend to be quite tight with my cash as I can't buy much due to backpack size, but one necklace is okay! I have pretty much all my gifts for home now too, and sending them off tomorrow so I don't have to carry them around travelling with me. Hopefully shouldn't be too expensive and should actually arrive!!

I'm a bit sad that I only have one week left here - having so much fun with the other volunteers and always enjoy our crazy crazy placement. Although am looking forward to travelling soon - camel treks and ancient ruins here I come!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Amritsar

Quickly:
Placement is still lovely.
One of the boys has told me he is coming to Australia to marry me and wrote "Nishant love Any" on my arm.
They call me "Any"
"Any Problem?" Hahahahahaha.. Hm..
I asked Jessie, the volunteer coordinator at SBT for some more work and now I'm tutoring one of the boys at another shelter in English one on one. He's 18 and an assistant and I don't think he can even write or read Hindi very well - only got picked up at 14 to go to the shelter.
He's so willing to learn though, and we're getting through the alphabet well and can arrange the next time to meet without much problem!
He gets so confused at I and G.
But when I read out letters for him to write down and it spelled 'I am Afzal" he seemed so proud because he can understand and say a couple of phrases like that and yeah basically this kid is so lovely and smiley and even when we can't communicate (I still only really know numbers and NO!) we seem to do okay!

It was Noelle's bday on Friday so after EGGS AND JUICE FOR BREAKFAST (AMAZING) she bought sweets for all the boys and they sang to her and danced with her all morning, it was awesome. So many great photos!! They love her so much it's crazy you can tell after the couple of months she's been there how much difference she's made to the day to day lives of these boys, they just light up when she's around it's so good to see!

Thursday is a big Xmas eve thing there, big party, can't wait! The boys are all performing songs and dances and plays it'll be cool. Bringing cake!

ANYWAY

AMRITSAR
High amounts of effort in getting train tickets but finally made it up with Rich, Simone and Tom and (somehow, without a mobile) met Mel up there. We got fed nicely on the express train there,lots of mango in juice and icecream, yummmmy!

Stayed 2 nights in an ashram which is totally free (still donated, as unbelievable how much we got for free..), and the beds were alright, although so loud - so much shouting and chanting all night long. Second night was easier than the first!! There was another guy, Julian, in our room. Had done SE Asia and was from California, he was pertty chilled we all went out for lunch on Saturday and taught him some names of food in Hindi so he could know what he was ordering.

Went to the temple at sunrise and again at night. Cannot begin to describe how beautiful it was and the atmosphere of it. Absolutely the most amazing place I have been to in India so far. It was opposite the ashram so as soon as you walk outside you see this golden temple hovering on a pool of navy water it's just beautiful. The inside is even more impressive, so much detail - scripture written on the walls in golden paint and people of all ages sitting and reading scripture and men downstairs singing and playing music it was so calm. When Rich, Mel and I went back in the evening we just stood on the inside balcony and watched them for ages, it was mesmerizing absolutely beyond anything I could have imagined, I can't wait to go back!!

The atomsphere was so peaceful and you just felt like you were accepted there unlike a lot of other places we've been, for being tourists. We ate breakfast and dinner at the community hall which is a free kitchen between the ashram and temple entrance. You get a place, bowl and spoon, then sit on mats in a massive hall in lines and people cmoe round with buckets of food (noodles or rice and veg and dal plus chipatti) and you can just keep aksing for more if you are still hungry I could not believe how delicious the food was, all hot and freshly made, and so much of it! The system was so efficient too - volunteers were cutting veggies everywhere and massive pots to cook it all, then more volunteers washing up all the plates. Apparently they serve between 10-20 thousand people a day, which is just insane.

DID NOT GET SICK AT ALL.

I think for the first day in India!

My tummy is in love with Sikh kindness and generousity.

I bought a tiny incense burner which is adorable for the room back in Delhi and will pick up incense for it between my placements tomorrow as there is a shop in Main Bazaar I always pass that I am curious about.

And 3AC back on the train was quite okay. It's how I'm doing my longest trip so I'm happy :)

But yes overall I am 100% recommending Amritsar to ANYONE going to India.

Plus!

There were 2 shops next to the Ashram, one with Rs10 coffee and one with Rs5 mango smoothie juice stuff. Delicious! We made full use of both. Could have spent money only on going to and from the railway station if needed to, but a few rupees on drinks is not very much!! Plus yes like I said a couple of us donated money as we left and in the community kitchen, as when you can both see and experience where that money is going you can't help but give so they can continue giving such good service to everyone who passes through.

Yay :)

First day volunteering

http://www.salaambaalaktrust.com/ is the volunteer organisation I am with. Had the first day with the boys today and it was just amazing. They are so welcoming and friendly even though they didn't know me, and trying to learn English and teach me Hindi and ask me to help them read or play with them and to shake out my hair.. and all so supportive of each other. One of the boys, Rajiv, that I was talking to a lot was commenting on 2 other boys who were drawing on the board, saying how one was so talented and he wanted to be an artist or photographer, and the other wanted to be a dancer and singer - they really encourage these arty things here for expression and FUN because the stories behind each of them.. anyway I asked Rajiv what he wanted to do when he grew up and he said he didn't know yet, and I told him I didn't know either (he laughed, in a nice way though I think...?? :P). Then I asked what he enjoyed, like did he like drawing or writing or the computer work they do, and he said he really liked friendship. Which is such a strange answer to the question but considering how many of these kids have lost their families and parents either by running away, or getting lost in Delhi, or through death, and then having to live on the streets or under the railway tracks until this trust comes along and offers something as basic as a place to wash and eat and play.. I don't know it's just so overwhelming how much they want to learn and enjoy their lives fully in every way they can and take every opportunity. They were just wonderful to spend the day with just reading and talking and playing (so out of breath!!).

Really can't wait for tomorrow :)

Just before Old Delhi..

Had Orientation week this week, lots of Hindi and LOTS of culture class which was basically "Indians have closer family bonds than Westerners because the sons stay at home forever and the women get married off." Smile and nod smile and nod. Hindi was kind of cool - the class not so much basically just "here are words, learn!" but practicing some in rickshaws when we are lost!!

Already done a massive New Delhi tour, Lotus Temple was amazing so absolutely beautiful and pure and white and SILENT!! First time I have heard silence since benig here. The noise is quite comforting though once you are used to it. Rickshaws are still awesome, every ride is a new adventure! We had 5 in one the other day for a shortish trip, that was cool we felt like real Indians then!! Seen lots of the markets, been hassled a lot, but getting used to just shouting a them if it gets too much (which hasn't actually happened that often, just gets a bit annoying when you are just walking through and you get a "mam see this mam Rs500 mam do you need sunglasses mam mam mam" ahhh well...

Street food is delicious.

Bad tummy every morning but don't care too much as haven't got sick (yet?).

Food at the house is getting a bit repetitive - sick of watery dal!! But making use of nicer cafes around and street snacks to fill up on, and so cheap doesn't matter. May try to buy eggs one morning and cook them. Still thinking about what to do for Christmas (as no oven..) any ideas?

Planned trip up to the Golden Temple at Amritsar next weekend with 3 other volunteers and really looking forward to it - it'll be my first train and bus experience! Well long term bus.. took a local one the other day and it was not that packed so actually just cheap and such an experience! No doors (I was standing right next to it as not much space further in the bus, so every turn was like weeeeeeeeeeeee I'm going to fall out!), and a big hole in the floor leading to the ground.. the driver was on the phone most of the time, and the ticket guy was this snake like man he was so tall and slithery!

Went to Dilli Haat which is a pay to get in market, with stalls and food from around India from all the states. Had some beautiful things, but so weird as SO empty ni comparison to the market we were just at and everyone was white or SE Asian!! Crazy.. Had to walk past my first slum to get to it (well, we got lost...), which was a bit different, not too much to say on that. A couple of the girls have their placement in a slum and yeah, very real.

Have to run off to see Red Fort and the rest of Old Delhi today. Went to movie there last night - Paa - which was a this old theatre and this girl behind us kept touching my ear it was funny but the first time I jumped out of my skin, far too in te movie not concentrating on her!! About 80% in Hindi, which was tough, but made you look at more to get what was going on. Highly recommended! Great acting and so touching!

Last 2 nights I have had 0 mozzie bites, yay! So happy! Just wearing socks to bed with 2 types of repellent and a plug in thing!

Missing the shower at home so bad, but the other volunteers here are so lovely you sort of go through it all together and I'm actually having such a wonderful tmie, already thinking about my next trip back!

Love and hugs :)

Forgot to mention the bread

Yesterday lunch, naan, so BUTTERY AND DELICIOUS!

Yes. I do love bread.

Yes. I am going to return very fat.

This morning there was only Noelle and I for breakie, but apparently there will be 8 of us for dinner!

No bags plz

Visited Akshardahm yesterday (see http://www.akshardham.com/), no bags allowed in so had to leave my lovely pink camera behind, very sad. I walked around the temple the wrong way and only realised once I was half way around.. little embarrassing but I had been in the country less than 24hours so I forgave myself. I got cornered in the loos (when I needed a break from the stares!) by a group of girls and women asking my name and where I was from and it was pretty strange.. although I am sure I have done similarish things to tourists in Australia..but hopefully I have been a bit less intrusive!

After the temple I caught my first autoriskshaw back to the house (Rajiv flagged one down for me and bargained my fare for the journey there), and that was pretty intense and I was a little nervous. But for some reason still sure that I was going to be perfectly fine. And I was.

Word on autorickshaws:
- Invest in hair tie if hair longer than mine. Or shorter. Or if you have any hair at all.
- Buy a scarf - breeze gets very cold in late afternoon, and I don't have one yet, maybe tomorrow?
- Wear sports bar. Stupidly I am wearing crappy old bras that have no resistance against the madness that are the streets of Delhi. Next time I will be prepared.

In the evening went on a brief walk to a fruit stall with Noelle for .. fruit .. through a nice park that I might go to tomorrow to read a bit, depending on how I feel. Oh the freedom!!

Today I tried the porridge which is intensely sweet - almost prefer the spicy rice for breakfast! But it's filling and easy to eat when just rolled out of bed. Had lunch with Noelle at a nice restaurant in a sweet shop (??) 5mins walk away, potato and cauliflower curry, really really delicious! Totally the right amount of spicy.

Had ice in my drink.

Paranoid a little, but going with the flow.

It was a nice drink.

Then this afternoon we took an auto to the house of India's first prime minister which is quite massive.. it had the history of him and the troubles in India before the British left which was really interesting - I had no idea beforehand which is a bit sad, how little I know about the world! Some of it was quite awful and it does make you stop but then the spirit behind the speeches at that time and the letters by him is so uplifting, was a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

There was a planetarium around the corner that he had built (bit random?), so we went in for the show, filled with school kids! Was a bit shonky but cool nonetheless!

I'm thinking about doing a weekend trip to Amritsar either this weekend or the next. Luckily managed to remember my train login and password so I can access my reservations and make new ones!! Yay!

Anyway I am now going because my lovely Dave is on facebook and I miss him a little.

Wake up!

I am awake now. Big sleep. I think I have fallen in love with eye masks, I pretty much snugged into my sleeping bag, put the mask on and passed out for a good 9 hours. Feeling very refreshed!

Had breakfast with the two other girls in my dorm and a guy who is living in the house upstairs. Tea was yummy and not at all an English Breakfast! Also had toast and spicy rice. Option of watery porridge but I may wait a bit before I try that..

The other volunteers who are starting this week won't arrive til the weekend, so I have today all alone (tragic really!), but am going to be shown the nearer shopping blocks to buy a phone, toilet paper (have been instructed), water, and maybe a scarf as I need it for some temples next week in my orientation.

So far living out my tiny bag is going okay, there is a big bag of left behind clothes from past volunteers that I might be adding to once I leave to free up more room.

Hoping this afternoon to get to Askhram Dahm (possibly spelled wrong..). No cameras allowed, but supposed to be amazing, only built in 2005.

Arrive alive!

Big brown cloud over what I assume is Delhi.
Walk out of airport and realise that cloud is also on the ground. Goodbye lovely Melbourne air hello smog!
People watching is much more fun in India.
Lots of people almost getting run over. I am sitting down, I am safer.
I hope.
Everyone stands very close together in queues. Not like Australia.
Pick up very smooth, cab to volunteer house.
3.5 lanes, no lines, cars everywhere. Motorbike with a whole family on it. Mother almost lost her shoe!
Bicycles riding backwards. One is walking next to bike. Backwards.
Zebra crossings randomly on highway.
People cross anywhere though, doesn't really matter.
Interchange! 4 lanes a side and no lights! What adventure!
One has lights, my cab driver doesn't care. RED MEANS GO!
Strings of lights on petrol stations and fences.
No seatbelt, brace on chair in front.
Rooms of corrugated iron on the side of the road, resident cooking meal on fire in street.
Can see low wooden bed inside room.
Can also see computer.
Think it might be LG?
Signs say "I respect pedestrians rights"
"HORN PLASE"
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
Vans and trucks dressed up in ribbons and paint and cloth and bells.
Huge night market filled with food, very bright, very busy.
Arrive at the house, very tired..
Praise free internet.
Remind self to buy mobile phone tomorrow.
Tired but excited.
Full sentences will happen soon.
Love.