Helping the Poorest of Poor - Jayme and Ann style

We sent Jen off to the hospital to change bandages and give injections - and headed off to Shishu Bhava, an orphanage/school for children. Unknowingly we had been assigned to the handicapped side of the orphanage, where unfortunately because of the severe physical handicaps our hokey pokey skills were not beneficial. There were two groups of kids, some with mental handicaps, who we were told we couldn't play with, and another with physical handicaps, and that required changing diapers - not my thing!
After standing around for a while and feeling useless, we took ourselves up to the roof - to help with laundry. With the other Japanese volunteers, whose lack of English made them fairly useless as well. It turns out we're not very good at that either. All we had to do was take the washed clothes and hang them up on the line, and we got reprimanded many times. Apparently the bibs go on a certain line, and underwear somewhere else, but the nuns don't even agree on the correct placement. Many times, I would hang up a whole line of underwear only to have a nun tell you, "Auntie, no no", take all the underwear down and point randomly somewhere else on the rooftop. An hour of that and we were feeling really stupid.
About that time the lead nun brought out two umbrellas to shade for some painting that would happen sometime later that day with the children. These were Indian umbrellas, which means they were made in about 1975, and are completely broken now. They had been repainted many times, but that still didn't mean they would actually stand up. The volunteers had begun to come up to the roof for tea, and the umbrellas kept falling on everyone, so Ann and I elected ourselves, Sisters of Charity Umbrella Holders. We proudly help up those umbrellas until every volunteer had had their tea. We didn't discriminate among people we held them up for everyone regardless of social class and skin color!
After that we got bored, and the useless feeling started to set in again, since the umbrellas didn't need to stay upright, so we took ourselves on a tour and got lost and turned up in front of the internet place - and here we are. I do believe Mother Theresa would understand.

The Namesake

I just returned from the Indian Cinema at the flash mall, (Flash is cool in Kiwi! - learned that in India) where I saw the movie The Namesake. It is based on the book by Jhumpa Lahiri. It is a story of an Indian couple from Kolkata that moves to America, where they have children and the culture struggle that ensues as their children grow up. It is an amazing story of family, and ties to ones' mother country. I highly recommend it. It was incredible to be in Kolkata and watch this story unfold, with its flowers and saris and rickshaws, as I am sitting in between several women all decked out in full Indian regalia. A art imitating life imitating art experience at its fullest.
This time in India has been extremely trying as women here are second class citizens, no matter what their caste. I am constantly aware of covering my body and the male eyes that quickly fix themselves on any bare body part, including ankles or elbows. We have spent so much time talking about marriage, arranged and love, and the role of wife and husband in India and the western world. The concept of family is different here than at home, and yet love for your family is the same no matter what your responsibility to them, or your moral obligation. I am so full of emotion after these three weeks. Anger at the way I have been treated, and knowing that so many women consider that normal. Frustration over car horns, poverty, children being forced to beg by their parents, a government that is too corrupt to do anything, and what my role is supposed to be as a tourist. It was fulfilling to see an Indian character, who is very American, and yet Indian struggling with these same issues and what his role is to be in his own family. Just go see it!

My tour ended today. Most of the group members dispersed, it was sad to see everyone go, as we had bonded so well. It is interesting to think that my trip in India will forever be connected to these people I did not know three weeks ago, and may never see again.
We are staying at St. Monica's Guesthouse, which is connected to St. James Church across the street from Mother Theresa's House. I will start my volunteer work in the orphanage tomorrow. I am hoping a few days there will help to redeem my heart after walking past so many children in such destitute situations. I can't wait to get back to my children - a true teacher at heart!

Let me know how you liked the movie!

13 great videos from India

We have 13 new videos from India. Don't miss the hippies dancing in Pushkar, adventures on bouncing camels, bad dancing at indian discos, oily cooking lessons, painful Indian beauty treatments and near death tuk-tuk rides.



If the player is not working visit: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=69AF8221ECE9CF43.

India Craziness

So - I've tried to write about my incredible adventures in Varanasi on the Ganges, but the activities just keep coming and the Internet doesn't so, now I've already had my introduction to Kolkata and said nothing about Varanasi!

I'll tell the story of the best day.
Our guide Shyaam is from a village about three hours from Varanasi city, so we rolled out of town UN style in a white SUV. We kept commenting that India is totally different when seen through the windows of a nice car! The road trip was similar to all driving experiences, but I did wear a seat belt for the first time in two months!
We arrived in the village, which is brick buildings, homemade bricks - with bamboo and rush grass roofs. We sat down with Shyaam's uncles, old and wrinkly, to have tea in the men's hut. Which was just three walls, waist high, with the grass roof, and plastic chairs. They spoke in Hindi, we spoke in English, nodded our heads at each other for a while. Then they said, okay now we go on tour of village.
We walked around a few houses, dodged a few cows, they pointed out the fields. We were surrounded by wheat fields, with women working them in this extreme heat. Resistance to sweating was futile, your shirt would be drenched and there was nothing to do about it, but smile!
We ended our walk at the school. By this time we had gathered quite a following, so eight white people and about fifty Indian villagers file into the school yard. The children had plastic sacks on the ground for their desks, and had placed their books inside their sack for the lunch break. They were deathly afraid of us, possibly the first white people they had ever seen, so the first twenty minutes or so was pretty stunted. We smiled, they stared, we said hi, they stared!
Finally, we took a picture and showed them the camera. That was a hit, a few more pictures led to teaching the high five, and we were starting to get comfortable. By the end of our stay we had a huge circle dancing around the yard to the Hokey Pokey. Great fun.
We went back to Shyaam's house, and he took us into the women's side to have lunch and meet his mother. After a lunch of dahl and chapati, the women brought out their saris, and shuffled the girls into the bedroom. A flurry of fabric, stuffing boobs into blouses, and tube of lipstick and a comb and we all came out in full Indian glory. The fact that I would have to wear a sari everyday is another reason why I would have made a horrible Indian woman!
As we are getting the feel for this new tight, and yet revealing dress, the young niece says, okay we dance now. They pushed us into the "tv" room, and turned on the music. We started to sway and snap, when the women jumped into the middle of our circle to teach us some Indian moves. It is amazing what a chaste Indian woman, who doesn't show her ankles will bust out on the dance floor when no men are present. Lots of hips shaking!
We had an amazing day experiencing real India. Prior to the village we had only interacted with three Indian women, and they were all involved with the tourism industry which means, they are getting something out of the transaction. These women were just ecstatic to have us in their home, and share their worlds with us.
From the hokey pokey to shaka laka boom - it was a wild day!

600+ New India Photos

After 2 weeks in India I've finally found non-dialup internet and posted our latest photos. Go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/anntrak/sets. to see our India photos.

New India Photos Sets Include: Dehli & Holi, Jaisalmer, Camel Safari, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Pushkar, Jaipur and Fun in India.

As you can see we visited the Taj Mahal this morning and jumped for joy that we actually made it!

Also I've added photos to previous posts, so scroll down.

Big Dream Come True

The Taj Mahal
I can remember watching Anne of Green Gables as a child, when the mean principal tells Anne, "I want to know, not just believe that the world is round. I want to see things like the Taj Mahal, things I've only seen in pictures."
I can remember seeing my own pictures of the Taj Mahal and thinking about how exotic and unreal this place was. Well, today I made it, and even up close it has an incredible surreal quality. The marble reflects the light is such a way that it seems like you could just wave your hand right through the blocks. We had to put on shoe covers made of white gauze to walk inside the mausoleum, and it felt like walking on clouds through a hologram. Like the whole picture could have been made of sugar, and one douse of water would cause it all to disolve.
We walked into the center of the building, and the wind was blowing through the sandstone screens, it was dark and in the center is the grave of Mumtaz, with just one lamp above it - Indescribable. I wanted to just soak in this long awaited experience, but my lovely Indian guide decided to start hollering, HOOO, just to show off the echo. He said, "look - no microphone!" Well of course not you idiot. Why would you need a microphone next to a grave!
I learned that the Taj was built for Mumtaz, the wife of Shah Jahan , who died giving birth to their fourteenth child. As she was dying, Shah Jahan asked her how he could prove to the world just how much he loved her. She said, the king will not marry again, he will love all my children equally, and he will build a beautiful monument in my honor - and thus we have the Taj Mahal. He went into hiding to mourn Mumtaz, and after a few months he sent letters all over the world requesting plans for this mosoleum that was to be built, and many options were sent. It was one from an Iranian architect that was selected. Twenty years and $70 million dollars later.
Dream come true.

Wedding Crashers

In Udaipur, one of our group members, Danielle, was inquiring about a cooking class. She went to Shushma's shop, and asked about classes for the next day. Shushma told her that the next day she would be closed because she had to cook for her brother-in-laws wedding, but that Danielle could just come to the wedding. Danielle said, no no I don't want to intrude, I am with a group, there are many of us. Shushma said, well then you will all come. Danielle said, but I have eight friends, and Shushma again refused. She said that we were all welcome, here is the address, and that she will see us there, no questions, we are to attend. This is how we came to be invited to the Indian wedding - of whom we have no clue, just Shushma's brother in law!
Now backpacking does not really allow or require that you carry wedding attire so we scrounged around and found some suitable things. It allowed some of us to make that fancy purchase that was really unneccessary before you had a wedding to go to! One of our group members, James, even ended up in full Indian dress when all he asked for was a collared shirt.
We found out that most people in Udaipur were going to the wedding, so finding some friends to help us find the place wasn't too hard. From about a block away you could see the lights, and the large tent like things that were covering all the food stations. As we came through the archway, there was Shushma, whom only Danielle had ever met. She greeted us and introduced us to her husband. They were so happy to have us.
The bride and groom were setting up on a platform under a canopy, on large gold plated chairs. People would go up and give them their envelope of money, and congratulate them. There were two cameramen and a videoman, so you would be recorded for all eternity and then step down. There was also a gallery of chairs in front of the stage where all the female family members sat, in order to admire the new couple and congratulate each other on how well they had made the match. The rest of the time the bride and groom just sat there, watching the rest of us have a good time. Except of course for when the groom had to get up and spit off his stage!
The rest of this large area had food stations all around the perimeter. You got a HUGE plate in the middle and then made your way around the buffet. They had all kinds of wonderful, spicy food. We piled our plates high, mine mainly with the fresh butter naan, and found a seat on the grass.
There was music playing, but no dancing. Mainly we just talked to all the little kids who kept coming up to us, to practice their rote English conversations. "What is your name? What is your country? Are you married?"
We also got our chance to give our cash gift to the bride and groom, and take our picture. It is a little odd saying, "May your wedding last long, and may you have children in the next year." to a total stranger! Then we could join the large group watching the bride and groom, who only talked for the first time the night before, squirm! Good times, as long as you are not the one on the stage!
It was a wonderful evening, and is definitely a highlight of our trip. Though unsuccessful in Shushma's eyes, as not one of our single girls walked away with an Indian husband!

Trouble in Paradise

If you're going to get hurt, you better do it with flare! That has always been my motto, and the other day was no different.
We arrived in Jaipur, the pink city, and we're transferred to our hotel the Diggi Palace. We had come from Pushkar, which is the drug capital of Rajasthan, which means that it is full of hippies and addicts who have managed to create a culture that is so pro-marijuana that we felt like the outsiders. Our hotel there, the Purple Garden, was well below par for the trip, and run by another man who was so stoned it was amazing the place was still standing!
As the tuk tuks pulled up in front of the Diggi Palace, we passed through the gate to find an amazing oasis. A large green lawn, bordered by orange, pink and yellow flowers rolled before us. Cut through by a small stone path, and dotted with lovely tables and chairs for lawn lounging, this garden was heaven. We could not have been more excited after too many local buses and bad hotels, we were ready for some down time.
To augment this respite, Jen and I headed out of the Palace to find some chocolate. Our guide, Shyaam, told us to just go out and turn right and a small store would be right there. Well, going out means fighting through ten tuk tuk drivers, who are just sure you need to go "to fort, to fort - beautiful. Cheaper than cheap price." Then some children begging, then someone who of course is willing to sell you some old bent up postcards or a ragged looking picture of Krishna.
Finally we reached the street, which is just a continual bombardment of noise and attention. We walked a block or two and didn't find a store, so we thought crossing the street might help. Dodging traffic we made it to the median, which is just a ditch with a two foot high concrete wall, that is about five inches wide. I stepped up onto the wall to get fully out of the street, not noticing that a line from the power polls is hanging down to right at my chin. In order to not hang myself of the power line I try to regain my balance on the wall, which is not working so I step back down onto the street. Between the wobbling, and the quick step I managed to roll my ankle, causing me to sprawl out into the road. The next thought in my head is, "I am laying in the street in India." Then, "I am laying in the way of traffic in the street in India." Then, "If I don't actually get up I will be dead in the street in India." The two buses barrelling down the road and honking madly, helped with this last thought. I jumped up and hopped over the wall, missing the wire and then hobbled across the other lane of traffic to make it to the "sidewalk". "Accident? Accident?" This is how we were greeted on the other side of the street, and that is when I realized just how much of an audience I had during this whole episode. I managed to get away from the mob, without any special Indian medicine, and we found the real American medicine, Cadbury chocolate!
I am still laughing at the story the Indian bus driver got to tell his wife when she asked what happened today at work. "Well, there was this white girl ..."

Udia Udia Udia Udiapur

Busses in India

By signing up for the Basic tour we agreed to participate in some local forms of transportation, but since we spoiled ourselves by flying all over southeast Asia today was a little shocking.
We've been in Udiapur for the past two days, which is a lovely town set on two man made lakes. The weather was fabulous, cool and not so dry. There was good shopping and great restaurants. The James Bond film, Octopussy, was filmed at the City Palace there in 1982, and almost every restaurant shows it nightly! We saw it once while there, and Roger Moore was a very entertaining if not ridiculously corny Bond. All the India footage was shot in Udaipur, so if you need a little visual connection - there you go.
This morning we left on the local bus, which is really no big deal. There are assigned seats and most of the people are going a longer distance, so there are less stops, people are prepared for a little bit of a ride. We get to store our backpacks in the back instead of in our seats. If you can handle the honking - Indian vehicles don't have rear view mirrors so they let you know they are passing by honking - on the freeway, can you imagine!
After six hours we arrive in some town where we have to switch to the local, local bus. At the bus station the drivers stand outside their busses yelling, Jai, Jai, Jai, Jai, Jaipur -really fast. I am actually quite good at Udia, Udia, Udiapur - if things don't work out I can always drive an Indian bus! Our guide, Shyaam, says we'll keep our baggage with us on this local bus. The driver offered to put it on top of the bus but we all looked up and there is not anything on top of the bus to hold the bags, no rails or straps. We apparently would just throw them up there and hope they didn't fall off. We asked if the bus would stop if one fell off, and Shyaam said, "Eventually".
Then the bus pulls into the parking spot and Shyaam, says "Okay we go". This was a very calm command considering the rush that was beginning. The people are just swarming, pushing and shoving around the door to the bus. We are in the middle of the pack and just getting knocked around. To add to the fun, we have huge packs weighing about 35 pounds each, and we are the only white people boarding this bus. We quickly realize that without some serious assertiveness we are not going to get on this bus, let alone have a seat, so the backpacks come in handy and with some good swings right and left we cleared our path. Welcome to real backpacking in India.
I was looking out the window at the desert pass by, and it took me a few minutes to notice just how dirty and gross this bus was. But don't worry, just because you can see a man and dog pooping alongside one another from the bus, this is not a completely backwards place. Once on the bus the ticket man has a handheld computer that will produce a receipt for your bus ticket. Nothing like technology among the squalor! Every man whose possessions include a big stick and something wrapped in a big sheet needs a reciept.
We arrived in Pushkar unscathed, just a little rattled! But I've been offered marijuana about ten times already today, so I should be calming down soon!

His name was Pepsi

The jeep turned off the road and was now bumping along through the desert sand, knocking small brush out of its way. I was sitting in the back on one of the long benches, packed in between my other traveling mates. My view out of the back window allowed for the best view of where we had been, and the large cloud of dust following us.
The jeep came to a quick stop, and we stumbled out of the car. The desert sand was billowing around us, and I wondered if we really were starting a camel safari or if this was where they brought the tourists and told them to find their own way back to town. This had the makings of a great movie that would of course include lots of running and screaming and wild animal interactions. As the air cleared we saw about ten camels, with their legs curiously folded under them, as they sat on the ground. There was a cart attached to one camel, and they all had a pile of sacks and blankets somewhat resembling a saddle on their back. So, it was to be the beginning of a great adventure.
The camel men, who were all wearing colorful turbans in fuschia and saffron and long white shirts, sort of gestured that we could just choose a camel. I was immediately drawn to his darker hair, which had a great curl. He was a little smaller than the other camels, which would become a lot smaller when he stood up. I walked over, and it was love. The camel boy said, "you want to ride Pepsi?" and I knew we were meant for each other. (The other people in our group are quite anti-soda, and if you are reading my blog you probably know about my serious love for all things cola. Pepsi it was going to be!)
The leader of this group of nomad camel boys mounted his sitting camel and showed us how to ride the camel while it stood up. It was quite precarious when the expert did it so my first time was a little interesting. Those curiously folded legs actually reveal four joints - one hip, two knees and an ankle. So I sat on Pepsi, while he was sitting on the ground and began the tedious process, which I was sure could end in a big pile of tourist on the hard ground. I was pretty sure this was not how I wanted to start my safari, I was going to be sore enough just riding the thing. However, with a big lean backwards, another big lean forwards, another BIG lean backwards, Pepsi was standing and I was proudly perched on top.
I had purchased a fancy camel scarf in Jaisalmer, and scarf and sunglasses in place I looked ready to trade opium and silk across serious middle east lines. I was prepared for serious camel riding. After all, I grew up riding horses. I even had one of my own for a while, camel - horse no big deal. That was before I really go to know Pepsi!
He turned out to be the smallest camel, but he had the biggest heart. When we started our walk the camel boy tied Pepsi to the back of another camel, and then the boy hopped into the cart - I can't say I blame the boy for not wanting to want the five kilometers. But Pepsi was not a follower, really who wants to follow the very back of camel when you aren't tall enough to see over his rear end. So Pepsi took to walking as far up as his small lead would allow which meant we took that safari at a 45 degree angle to the rest of the camels. Pepsi would walk up right along whoever he was tied to and then just crank his neck in order to stay there. Good view for me, until you could see that Pepsi was going to try this sidestep dance along the side of a rock formation or a sand dune. Great for the nerves!
We made it to the camp, had a great dinner and dancing with the locals. Our camel guide had written his own song in English just for this occasion aptly named, "Camel Safari"! The chorus is just "camel safari do, ku, do, do, ku, do". It was with the verses that his true creativity shines by giving a detailed account of each step of the camel safari - riding in a jeep, riding a camel, we are eating the dinner of lentils and rice and red chiles, the camels are peeing and pooing and farting - do, ku, do... Beautiful music. He actually had a lovely voice and started off the safari with a little John Denver - Country Road. Nothing like hearing "West Virginia, Mountain Momma" in that unmistakable Hindi accent!
The next morning, I asked the camel safari guide if I could take the reins myself, and he just laughed and said "oh not with Pepsi, he no follow directions"! So we once again danced our way back to the jeep, tied to the back of another camel, walking at that great angle. This time it was Jen who we were tied to, and she was convinced Pepsi was trying to bite her leg, which made for a great trip back. Now the camel safari song goes something like, "Camel Safari, do ku do, Ahhh - Jamie, The camels are biting the riders, do ku do , do ku do".

Jaisalmer

Throughout India, we have joined a tour through a wonderful company called Intrepid, so we met our group leader and took a 17 hour train ride to Jaisalmer. We took a jeep from the train station into town and we are in the middle of the desert - literally the Thar desert. We are coming up on a huge fort, made of sandstone, something right out of the movies and then we're driving through the gates, to find that our hotel, and most things here are located inside the fort.
I have had an amazing two days exploring the fort and the palaces. Jaisalmer is located right on the old caravan trade routes, and made itself a wealthy city by taxing the caravans. The maharajas ruled from here for years, so it is a fascinating place.
Yesterday I went to have my eyebrows threaded, and ended up with a facial - I didn't really have a choice. So she scrubbed and pounded and picked till I was red and sore. Today my jaws are just aching! Not good for eating all this wonderful food.

Happy Holi

I arrived in India yesterday morning to a wild and crazy new year party! Holi!
In the airport we saw a few people with red paint on their faces, nothing crazy just a little Indian decoration. From the taxi, we could see more and more people with coloring, and now they were green and yellow and covered head to toe. They had red or green hair, and the ground was colored with powdered chalk stuff.
Then once we got into the neighborhood we found more people covered with paint. Lots of people were throwing water balloons at each other, and some of the younger boys had water guns. One kid had a Super Soaker with the backpack water resevoir! Still this was a fun day - maybe just a weekend thing.
We finally found our hotel, which means we've had a long driving tour of this event, and its everywhere. We were getting our bags out of the car and someone from above us threw a water balloon at us, sending us scattering and screaming (just me) into the hotel. We checked in, and got settled and were thinking we'd venture out into the neighborhood. So we walked downstairs and found the group bulletin board with tour info and especially the big note detailing our special holiday where they throw colored, powdered paint at one another and then hit each other with water balloons. It started the night before with the full moon, and is the Hindi New Year Celebration. The night before they start bonfires on the corners to scare away the bad spirits and the next day they start with the paint. This sounded like an incredible cultural experience that we must partake in, until we read on that the water balloons are often filled with chemicals, and everyone is drinking alcohol and a marijuana tea! Great fun!
We did go out later, and there were still bands of teenagers looking for some targets on which to use their leftover paint! Luckily, I only got some on my face. My whole life - I've known to watch out for those teenagers!
Last night we needed to change some money to pay off the balance of our tour, but the hotel said - oh, no tomorrow will be better. The money changer is intoxicated and he passed out!
Welcome to India!

If you click on the title there is a link to some good pictures of Holi!

Back from the Beach

The delay in posting has been due to a large "vacation" from traveling, where the Internet cost way too much money to actually log on! I have been on Phi Phi Island, and then Railay Beach for the past ten days, enjoying lots of good sun and snorkeling. I haven't seen a car for nine days so the Bangkok traffic last night was quite a shock. We've been using long tail boats as our main form of transportation!
We flew to Phuket from Chiang Mai and one night there, before taking the ferry over to Koh Phi Phi, which was beautiful and amazing, everything you expect in Thai beaches. We took a one day snorkeling trip from there and got to hang out on Maya Beach for the afternoon, which is where they shot the movie "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio - didn't see it though -too scary! The sand there felt like flour on your feet, the water was warm and crystal clear, and the loads of Korean tourists helped you remember you were still in Asia! Three nights at the Koh Phi Phi Hill Resort, which was literally on a hill - like 10 flights of steps to get home every night and then we left for Krabi.
We spent five nights there, with the sweetest guesthouse owner - he kept calling the frogs that croaked every night his "reception". He would mimic their deep-throated "hello" every time he saw us. It took a little while to learn to relax, but after a couple days we got the hang of it.
I celebrated my 28th (oh my gosh!) birthday laying out, and enjoying the sunshine.
We did a sunset snorkeling tour from Railay and it was amazing! We did three "dives" and saw lots of clownfish "Nemo" and a moray eel. Then we had dinner on the beach sea gypsy style, everyone eating out of a big pot of seafood curry, and watched the sun go down from this tiny sand bar in the middle of the Andaman Sea. As soon as the sunset about 10,000 bats flew out of the top of the nearest island, they just kept coming and coming - so that was interesting if not a little scary. On the way back to our beach, we stopped to swim in the phosphorescence. However, it was almost a full moon, so in order to see the lights we had to boat under this overhang from one of the islands, where the waves kept slapping the rocks and the two boats together, so I just watched the scene from inside the boat. Too say the least it was definitely the highlight of this destination. Southern Thailand is incredible, warm and sticky, but breathtaking none the less.
Now I'm in Bangkok, and waiting out the afternoon heat in this wonderfully air conditioned Internet cafe. I've hit the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha, and the Reclining Buddha so far today, so I feel entitled to this little bit of downtime!
Just an interesting piece of info - did you know the Emerald Buddha has an outfit for every Thai season - winter, rainy and summer!