Well hello! I've been in India for almost ten days now & it's hard to gather my thoughts on the matter.. I'll start with a quick overview then jump to some HI's & LOW's :)
Met some neat people on my flights, one guy bout 6 foot 5 who was having a miserable time trying to fit into his assigned seat next to me. About an hour before landing he started having an anxiety attack from being in the plane so long, but he pulled thru. He was from upstate New York, moved to DFW area for his job & was going to Germany with a tour group he'd found on the internet to attend some hockey games.. *shrug*
Next Frankfort to the Kingdom of Bahrain I sat by a young lady from Germany who was working in Kuwait as a "horse doctor" on Arabian horses. Flying over the Mediterranean we could see flames from oil wells burning through the dusty haze. Bahrain is apparently an island & one of the few areas that allows alcohol, so a bit of a big SPI if you will. At this airport I saw the most Muslim people I had ever seen, in their traditional clothing. There were also young men that looked to be from Saudi wearing long tan robes, red & white checkered turban looking things, & carrying luggage that costs more than my car.
Arrival in India was okay. I was exhausted & I'm always afraid that the airline will loose my luggage.. They didn't. The outside of the airport was filthy & full of people. There was a driver waiting for me with a sign that had my name on it. People followed all the way to the car aggressively begging. Then there was the driving...
I had been previously warned & was expecting the worst. Lanes are a total suggestion, the right of way on the road belongs to the larger vehicle, passing is allowed everywhere, honking is encouraged to the point of "Sound horn" being printed on the back of vehicles to let them know someone is coming. People, bicycles, mopeds, motor bikes, rickshaws, cars, then buses is about the food chain. Cows & the worlds ugliest dogs are all over the place. An 80 year old woman will get honked at, but a cow or dog will be yielded to.
A quick interjection on the manner of the people here. There is no what we would call back in the states tact. Staring is not considered rude-- I'm actually not sure there is a word for rude. Personal space is a myth, & hygiene is not a priority. There is a university nearby that me & a French volunteer frequent (I am actually writing from here now at an internet cafe) & it is almost impossible to leave here without seeing at least one male student urinating in public. There are some beautifully manicured lawns, then some places which are littered with garbage. They also have no problem asking personal or sensitive questions.
After about 3 hours I reached the Ashram where I am currently staying. It must be on about 7 acres & it is beautiful. Within those walls is like what I imagine the garden of Eden looked like (minus all the mosquitoes). The children are pure & perfect as well. It's easy to say that we are willing to give to the least among us, but when confronted with the ugly realities which plague their lives, it becomes much more difficult. It's difficult to properly organize thoughts now with so much noise going on, but it's something I've thought on much. Hopefully I'll have an internet connection on my lap top soon, & can write in silence.
My first experience with the thunder & lightening of the monsoon definitely reminded me how big God is & how small I am. I'm currently reading John Paul II's Love & Responsibility; difficult read, but very good book so far. Kallapet is the name of the village I am in, & I can't stand this food-- it's nothing like the chicken Tika my friend Angie makes, so I'm living off the beef jerky I brought with me.
I need to look up some ESL materials now for some of the Indians who want to learn English. Until next time, keep me in your prayers.
Met some neat people on my flights, one guy bout 6 foot 5 who was having a miserable time trying to fit into his assigned seat next to me. About an hour before landing he started having an anxiety attack from being in the plane so long, but he pulled thru. He was from upstate New York, moved to DFW area for his job & was going to Germany with a tour group he'd found on the internet to attend some hockey games.. *shrug*
Next Frankfort to the Kingdom of Bahrain I sat by a young lady from Germany who was working in Kuwait as a "horse doctor" on Arabian horses. Flying over the Mediterranean we could see flames from oil wells burning through the dusty haze. Bahrain is apparently an island & one of the few areas that allows alcohol, so a bit of a big SPI if you will. At this airport I saw the most Muslim people I had ever seen, in their traditional clothing. There were also young men that looked to be from Saudi wearing long tan robes, red & white checkered turban looking things, & carrying luggage that costs more than my car.
Arrival in India was okay. I was exhausted & I'm always afraid that the airline will loose my luggage.. They didn't. The outside of the airport was filthy & full of people. There was a driver waiting for me with a sign that had my name on it. People followed all the way to the car aggressively begging. Then there was the driving...
I had been previously warned & was expecting the worst. Lanes are a total suggestion, the right of way on the road belongs to the larger vehicle, passing is allowed everywhere, honking is encouraged to the point of "Sound horn" being printed on the back of vehicles to let them know someone is coming. People, bicycles, mopeds, motor bikes, rickshaws, cars, then buses is about the food chain. Cows & the worlds ugliest dogs are all over the place. An 80 year old woman will get honked at, but a cow or dog will be yielded to.
A quick interjection on the manner of the people here. There is no what we would call back in the states tact. Staring is not considered rude-- I'm actually not sure there is a word for rude. Personal space is a myth, & hygiene is not a priority. There is a university nearby that me & a French volunteer frequent (I am actually writing from here now at an internet cafe) & it is almost impossible to leave here without seeing at least one male student urinating in public. There are some beautifully manicured lawns, then some places which are littered with garbage. They also have no problem asking personal or sensitive questions.
After about 3 hours I reached the Ashram where I am currently staying. It must be on about 7 acres & it is beautiful. Within those walls is like what I imagine the garden of Eden looked like (minus all the mosquitoes). The children are pure & perfect as well. It's easy to say that we are willing to give to the least among us, but when confronted with the ugly realities which plague their lives, it becomes much more difficult. It's difficult to properly organize thoughts now with so much noise going on, but it's something I've thought on much. Hopefully I'll have an internet connection on my lap top soon, & can write in silence.
My first experience with the thunder & lightening of the monsoon definitely reminded me how big God is & how small I am. I'm currently reading John Paul II's Love & Responsibility; difficult read, but very good book so far. Kallapet is the name of the village I am in, & I can't stand this food-- it's nothing like the chicken Tika my friend Angie makes, so I'm living off the beef jerky I brought with me.
I need to look up some ESL materials now for some of the Indians who want to learn English. Until next time, keep me in your prayers.
