Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
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 :)
Really can't wait for tomorrow :)
Friday, December 11, 2009
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 :)
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 :)
Saturday, December 5, 2009
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!
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.
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.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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