November 4th - November 11th:
As we passed through Virat Nagar, a village about 2 kilometers from Bal Ashram, I began to see the poverty and low standard of living (monetary term) that I had read about in some of my classes while attending university ... children bathing in the muddy water running along side of the road 10 feet down from the 40 year old man pissing in that same water. As a result, my mind started to race wondering about my time at Bal Ashram and what it would prove to be like.
A few minutes later we pulled up to the compound; the ground dirt and gravel with rock/flower/small tree lined walkways leading from building to building with shrub decorated hills in the background.
After greeting the manager and a few other staff members I made my way to my dormitory where Indian Wasps were flying all around in what I can describe best as orderly chaos. They were surrounding the door to my room, the entrance to the restroom ... everywhere. After watching 3 boys just walk right into my room, I stepped up to the challenge and just walked through while Dane Cook's joke about bee's played in my head.
At first I was a bit uncomfortable being dirty, having wasps fly continuously around me (at least while going to my dormitory and the restroom) and being unable to shake the feeling that mosquito's were swarming around me like I and the other kids on my block would swarm around the Ice Cream Man as his jingle jangle played around our street. Little did I know that these daily obstacles (the mosquito thing I have yet to shake due to the random bites that keep popping up) would add to the flavor and my overall happiness with being here. This place has become my sanctuary ... my haven in India.
I cannot begin to describe the pleasure that I have taken from being here in just this short amount of time. These kids are amazing. They have such an appreciation for life and one could not guess, nor would one want to, that these children were beaten, starved and forced to work for minimal or no pay ... many of them simply sold to employers by con artists who convince their parents to give them up or sometimes by even their own family members.
As I said in an earlier blog, these kids have hearts of gold and smiles to go along with it. They are very smart and one of the older ones, someone I now call a friend and mean it, even won the 2006 International Children's Peace Prize (Nobel Peace Prize for kids). He, as the others, will go on to do great things in life at the rate he is going.
They all study hard and play even harder. It amazes me how people can be so resilient. Their warmth and desire to better themselves as well as those around them is something that I admire.
I am happy here. Truly happy. I cannot recall a time when I have consistently laughed as much as I have here. Everything these kids do, they do with a smile. The most mundane tasks all of a sudden become a new game or a dramatic battle between competing factions and then ending in hysterical laughter.
This is home.
24 November, 2007
The Pink City
Jaipur
October 30th - 10:30AM November 4th:
After my 18 hour "SuperFast Express" train ride, the last thing I wanted to do was deal with any hassle. My not being willing to barter or even acknowledge an offer by a rickshaw or autorickshaw led to my walking, unknowingly, 2 kilometers in the heat to my place of stay.
Note to self: when looking at maps, pay attention to the distance scale as 1 inch can mean 100 meters or, in my case, 1 kilometer.
The first two days I did absolutely nothing except dine at the rooftop restaurant, play guitar and obsess over whether or not the program that I had signed up for was actually legitimate. After being accepted, I was basically told to just show up ... If this had been in the states, it would be the exact same thing except that, well, I would be in the states. But I wasn't told to just show up in the states, I was told to just show up ... in India.
I finally put all my worries to rest once I met the organizer of the volunteer program I signed up for; a kind, soft-spoken man with a slight limp in his early 40's. After he had helped me with my bags and drove me to my new residence for the rest of my duration in Jaipur and explained a bit more about the program, I set out into the Pink City (Old City) and witnessed the real chaos that is urban India.
Later that day I met my future partner in crime, my fellow volunteer from Norway, and over the next few days we took on the sights of Jaipur starting with Galta (Monkey Temple ... you feed them right from your hand) and ending with the fabulous Amer Fort and Jal Mahal (Water Palace) ... all three are worth seeing.
After our last day of sightseeing, we met with another volunteer (a Canadian ... who would have thought?) who would be joining us in the upcoming days due to her arriving from South Korea, where she was teaching english, just the day before. The next morning, the Norwegian and I left for Bal Ashram, the rehabilitation center for rescued child laborers (who also may be orphans) not knowing what to expect, whom we might encounter and what our living situation would be like.
October 30th - 10:30AM November 4th:
After my 18 hour "SuperFast Express" train ride, the last thing I wanted to do was deal with any hassle. My not being willing to barter or even acknowledge an offer by a rickshaw or autorickshaw led to my walking, unknowingly, 2 kilometers in the heat to my place of stay.
Note to self: when looking at maps, pay attention to the distance scale as 1 inch can mean 100 meters or, in my case, 1 kilometer.
The first two days I did absolutely nothing except dine at the rooftop restaurant, play guitar and obsess over whether or not the program that I had signed up for was actually legitimate. After being accepted, I was basically told to just show up ... If this had been in the states, it would be the exact same thing except that, well, I would be in the states. But I wasn't told to just show up in the states, I was told to just show up ... in India.
I finally put all my worries to rest once I met the organizer of the volunteer program I signed up for; a kind, soft-spoken man with a slight limp in his early 40's. After he had helped me with my bags and drove me to my new residence for the rest of my duration in Jaipur and explained a bit more about the program, I set out into the Pink City (Old City) and witnessed the real chaos that is urban India.
Later that day I met my future partner in crime, my fellow volunteer from Norway, and over the next few days we took on the sights of Jaipur starting with Galta (Monkey Temple ... you feed them right from your hand) and ending with the fabulous Amer Fort and Jal Mahal (Water Palace) ... all three are worth seeing.
After our last day of sightseeing, we met with another volunteer (a Canadian ... who would have thought?) who would be joining us in the upcoming days due to her arriving from South Korea, where she was teaching english, just the day before. The next morning, the Norwegian and I left for Bal Ashram, the rehabilitation center for rescued child laborers (who also may be orphans) not knowing what to expect, whom we might encounter and what our living situation would be like.
Welcome to Bollywood
Mumbai
October 26th - 1PM October 30th:
My time in Mumbai can best be described as a blur. I arrived after being in transit for close to 30 hours; a 10hr train ride from Luxor to Cairo, 2.75 hrs from train station to the Airport, 3hr flight to Kuwait, 7 hr layover and lastly a 4.5 hour flight into Mumbai. Upon arrival at 5:10 AM I had to climb over 4 luggage carts to grab my bags and then negotiated a cab ride to my Bollywood safe-house. I then slept and awoke hours later in search of sustenance. The 'blur' began later that night at a local watering hole (cafe/bar) ...
Cafe Mondegar was packed and the only reason I went in is because I saw a big sign for Kingfisher (the local brew) and was craving a drink. I was awarded the last table in the house. While thoroughly enjoying my first drink, I was approached by the waiter who asked if another gentleman could join me. I conceded. The man who joined me turned out to be the finest host one could ask for; having is private driver give me rides home late in the evening, covering meals and drinks, and more importantly, showing myself (and two girls I met) the chaos that is Mumbai's nightlife.
My nights included chill pubs, crazy dance clubs, late (and I mean LATE) meals, waking my hosts surprised coworkers at 2 AM to use the restroom and catching some live Indian musical entertainment.
To my ever so gracious host: I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity, sincerity and your uplifting thoughts on life and one might live it. Also, you would love the kids here ... hearts of gold and smiles to go along with it.
October 26th - 1PM October 30th:
My time in Mumbai can best be described as a blur. I arrived after being in transit for close to 30 hours; a 10hr train ride from Luxor to Cairo, 2.75 hrs from train station to the Airport, 3hr flight to Kuwait, 7 hr layover and lastly a 4.5 hour flight into Mumbai. Upon arrival at 5:10 AM I had to climb over 4 luggage carts to grab my bags and then negotiated a cab ride to my Bollywood safe-house. I then slept and awoke hours later in search of sustenance. The 'blur' began later that night at a local watering hole (cafe/bar) ...
Cafe Mondegar was packed and the only reason I went in is because I saw a big sign for Kingfisher (the local brew) and was craving a drink. I was awarded the last table in the house. While thoroughly enjoying my first drink, I was approached by the waiter who asked if another gentleman could join me. I conceded. The man who joined me turned out to be the finest host one could ask for; having is private driver give me rides home late in the evening, covering meals and drinks, and more importantly, showing myself (and two girls I met) the chaos that is Mumbai's nightlife.
My nights included chill pubs, crazy dance clubs, late (and I mean LATE) meals, waking my hosts surprised coworkers at 2 AM to use the restroom and catching some live Indian musical entertainment.
To my ever so gracious host: I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity, sincerity and your uplifting thoughts on life and one might live it. Also, you would love the kids here ... hearts of gold and smiles to go along with it.
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