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 :)