The end

The last 4 months of my life have been an incredible adventure. As I was sitting on the plane for my trip home an overwhelming sense of melancholy washed over me. These last 4 months have been what I have dreamt of doing since I began my “adult” life 7 or so years ago. The last year filled with great anticipation and preparation.

Now it’s over.

Now what?

Sure I will be starting grad school, but will I ever get to live this type of adventure again? The type of adventure where financial worries, deadlines, and all other parts of life that come so easily at home seem to disappear and no longer matter. The type where your ultimate goal at the end of the day is simply to survive.

The last 4 months have been amazing and I come home with absolutely no regrets. So I will start the next chapter of my life knowing that I am coming home a much better person than when I left. Knowing, or hoping?, that what is to come can only be greater than what has already passed. Onto a new part of my life and wherever it takes me.

Thanks to all those who have somehow been part of my journey back home and abroad. You all mean the world to me and I am so fortunate to have each of you in my life.

Here’s to the last 4 months

Here’s to the next big adventure.

Live and Learn

Now that my time in India is over I realize that I learned so much about life and myself than could ever be possible at home. Here’s a random assortment of what I have discovered and learned:

• To always appreciate silence and clean air
• To enjoy eating with my hands
• That I may like ginger
• To eat quite spicy food
• To get used to being stared at
• That traffic on the left is easy to get used to when you stop thinking about it
• To bargain really well
• That sometimes it’s ok to sit next to a stranger
• To appreciate some loopholes simply for the fact of giving another person a job.
• The BRATTY diet (Bananas, Rice, Apples, Tea, Toast, Yogurt) of course without the B for me
• To carry toilet paper with you everywhere
• The versatility of TK (ok, great) and a side head nod (yes, no, or maybe)
• That Thanksgiving dinner is possible even without a turkey or an oven
• To always ask for directions, and to ask multiple times
• That no matter how desperate, Nescafe is still not an adequate substitute for coffee
• To chew fennel seeds
• To love to dance again
• To like pop music – at least in Hindi
• To pack light
• To take short showers
• That threading is far superior to waxing
• To do my laundry in a bucket
• To create a very balanced meal from street food
• You can never have too many scarves

After much deliberation I decided that I would spend the majority of my last week in India on the beach in Goa. I flew down here on Tuesday morning after a shower and complete overhaul of my packed overnight bag to convert it from cold mountain hiking to beach and clubbing wear. All went very well in the morning, my train actually got in early and I had plenty of time to shower, breakfast, and pack before my taxi to the aiport. I arrived at the airport and checked in with no problems with plenty of time before my flight and was blown away by how nice Delhi's domestic airport was. The shops were wonderful and not overly priced, the food court was filled with variety, and the toilets were the cleanest I had seen since leaving Chicago. The airport is set up a bit differently than at home. You are to wait in the main shopping/waiting area until your flight begins to board and only then are you allowed to the gate. From there you board a bus and are driven to you plane. It was actually extremely efficient and there was not the loads of wasted space encountered at most airports. Flight was 2 1/2 hours and I arrived in Goa. Caught a taxi to Anjuna where the 2 girls - Lucy and Emily - I was travelling with were. We met and got settled in the guest house and went and had dinner. After dinner a walk on the beach to a club which had a Rave going that night. Very interesting to watch, but the drugged people dancing to trance music were not our scene, so we sat at the egg sandwich and chai stall sitting outside the club and watched for awhile then went to the bar next door for a couple drinks. While at this bar we met some NRIs (Non Resident Indians) who lived in the US and Canada. We talked with these guys for awhile and had some drinks and from there we all decided to go to another club as the ones in Anjuna were closing, so we traveled to Baga beach to a club there and danced, smoked hookah, and hung out until they closed down at 4 am. Had some late night food and got a taxi back to the guest house for a couple hours of sleep before the beach on Wednesday.

Wednesday began with the girls I was traveling with sorting out some travel plans, then breakfast of much craved eggs - it's amazing how much you miss eggs when they aren't readily available. After breakfast we went to the beach and did not leave until dark. The 6 hours in the sun was incredible and apart from the annoying fruit, peanut, ice cream, massage, manicure/pedicure, and jewelry wallahs (salespeople) the day was extremely relaxing. After dark we all got showered and changed for dinner then went to a restaurant on the beach for some Goan food. I had seafood vindaloo which is probably my favorite dish I have had since being in India. We sat at the restaurant for a couple hours and debated meeting up with our friends from the night before or going to bed. In the end bed won since we had only slept a couple hours the night before and we were all in bed, asleep by midnight.

Thursday was spent entirely on the beach which apart from a mild sunburn was phenomenal. Since we all had flights the next day we got a bus to a town near the airport and checked into a cheap hotel for the night. This was by far the worst hotel I have ever stayed in. There was an indescribable smell that you could not get used to, mold on the ceiling, and suspected beg bugs, but it was only $8 and it was just to sleep at. We all made due and got some sleep. After saying another set of goodbyes, Lucy and Emily left and I had some breakfast and just hung out in Vasco until my flight this afternoon. Then back to Delhi for one last night and full day of shopping, errands, and packing, and some final goodbyes.

Chilling in Kumaon

My last weekend trip in India did not get off to such a great foot. I initially went to the wrong train station, but luckily realized in time to get to the right one, and once I did my train was over an hour late without any notification. Of course this had be in a little bit of a panic as to whether or not I booked the correct date, was at the right place, or had already missed to train. But finally the train rolled in and I found my sleeper bunk. I booked an AC car this time since the windows are sealed and it is starting to get very cold at night. This 200 Rps upgrade was $4 very well spent; not only were the beds more comfortable, but it was quiet and sheets, pillow, and blanket were provided!I arrived in Ramnagar Saturday morning and was met at the train by the owner of my hotel for that night. He led me across some tracks and actually under a train to his motorcycle - red flags were definitely flying - but he had brought the luggage boy with him and who else in Ramnagar would know my name? So, I hopped on for my first ever motorcycle ride. I had to ride side saddle since he had a saddle bag on the side and because that's what women in India do. It was a interesting ride and I was glad we did not have to go that far. I was then told that the entire town and wildlife preserve was closed for the day due to the townspeople trying to find a kidnapper/murderer, so there was not too much I could do today. I got settled in my room and took a nap followed by a walk through town and lunch at the hotel. He was not kidding about the town being shut down. Not a single store was open, the roads were blocked off with burning tires and stones, and all the townsmen were marching through town chanting on an apparent man hunt. By about 3:00 a smaller wildlife park opened up which I was able to hire a car, driver, and guide to go visit. We did not see many animals in the park that evening, but I was grateful to do something. We did visit a jungle temple that was straight out of the jungle book. That night a simple dinner and movies in bed desperately trying to keep warm - no heaters anywhere.Sunday morning began with a 6:30 am safari into Corbett Tiger reserve. On my half day safari I saw a bird related to the toucan, spotted deer, barking deer, monkeys, peacocks, and a wild elephant. We also saw bear and tiger tracks and heard a tiger hunting. We were super close to seeing the tiger, but after talking to people who had spent much more time in the park than I and hadn't even heard a tiger I decided to not be disappointed. That afternoon I enjoyed some quiet time sitting out in the sun in the mango orchard surrounding my hotel before my bus to Nainital.The bus rides are much like the train rides except no one has assigned seats. It was definitely crowded and took about 3 hours to go 65 kilometers. I was very happy to finally reach Nainital and get checked into my hotel here. That night I did a little shopping and walked around town, and after telling a guy that no he cannot join me for dinner or later in my hotel room I had a delicious dinner which I inhaled - seems I had forgotten to eat much that day. I took some chocolate cake back to my room and watched a movie with a pot of tea. Another cold night with multiple layers and 4 blankets, but the bed was comfortable and once I got it warmed up I slept very well.Monday morning I ate breakfast on the beautiful rooftop terrace overlooking Lake Nainital and following breakfast went on a walk around the lake followed by a 8 km hike to the top of Naina Peak. The views from the top were breathtaking and you could see the snow topped peaks of the Himalayas. Very difficult hike, but most definitely worth it. The remainder of the day was spent wandering the Tibetan market, eating Tibetan food, and relaxing before my evening train ride back to Delhi.

Only in India

A list of various things that I have encountered during my time here that I do not expect to ever run into again:

Only in India-
• Would I ever even consider entertaining the socks with flip flops faux pas – we can all pretend that I have only considered this and not actually followed through
• Washing your feet occurs more often than brushing your teeth and becomes a favorite part of your day
• Is toilet paper considered unsanitary, but relieving yourself on the side of the road is completely acceptable
• Do you begin to envy other people’s squatting skills
• Is it acceptable to show your stomach, but never dream of showing your knees
• Do the men dance more than the women and find “Who Let the Dogs Out” and anything by the Blackeyed Peas the best music to do it to
• Is two men holding hands more tolerated than a man and a woman doing the same
• Do the men tell you they love you 10 minutes after meeting you and propose marriage 2 hours later
• Does your alcoholic beverage cost twice as much as your meal
• Are you given 1 menu for 8 people
• Would the traffic stop for a cow, but never for a pedestrian
• Would a shopkeeper be your best friend while your looking, your worst enemy when talking money, and return to BFF at the conclusion of the deal
• Would you ever consider buying and item clothing without trying it on – “no changing room”, “it’s only $2”, “if it doesn’t work someone at the house will like it”
• Does every passenger have to evacuate the vehicle to fill it with gas
• Is a fixed price sign more rare than being quoted a fair price
• Would the book you just purchased new be missing pages 3-19
• Could you buy a mattress being driven door to door by a bike
• Does every song you hear come from a movie
• Would you see infants at a construction site at work with their parents
• Would you see a 4 year old taking care of those infants
• Are dogs a pesky rodent rather than a beloved part of the family
• Will you be given gifts and spoiled by people who can barely afford to take care of themselves – “the guest is God”
• Would a women’s empowerment volunteer program involve teaching children
• Would a beggar child ever show you that he bought biscuits with the money you gave him
• Are people so profoundly and genuinely curious and interested in every facet of your life
• Do you learn the fine art of selecting and mixing printed fabric – the brighter the colors and crazier the print the better!
• Do you get excited to see blue sky
• Are ALL your senses constantly engaged
• Do you truly understand the meaning on contradictions
• Do you learn to love the contradictions encountered in the daily challenges and annoyances of such a crazy beautiful place

Typical Day in Delhi

Thought I should give a basic run down of what my days consist of here in Delhi. Even though I am half a world away it is amazing how easy it is to fall into a work day routine and become comfortable with every day mundane activities.

My day starts at 8:30 with breakfast, usually porridge, toast or parantha, and tea. Simple, but quite good and a couple nice slow cups of tea are a great way to start the day. Following breakfast it is time to get ready for work and an occasional phone call home. Competing with 12 girls for 2 bathrooms really isn’t as bad as anticipated and we all leave for work at different times so, thankfully, having to wait for a shower is rare. Of course it helps that most of us don’t bother showering daily since the pollution and dirt is so bad half the time there is no point in attempting to keep clean. Embrace the Filth!! I leave for work with the other girls who work at my center around 10:15. We find a rickshaw (which has been known to take up to 45 minutes to find one that’s willing to go to our part of town and not rip us off) and ride 45 minutes across town to a neighborhood called Pahar Gang. The street I work on, Multani Dhanda, is apparently right on the line between a decent neighborhood and a rough area of town. Luckily we work in the decent area. I have never felt unsafe near work, but am grateful that I don’t have to be in that area at night.

After arriving at work between 11 and 11:30 we spend time with the women at the center. The women are there taking classes in embroidery, beauty, or computer. We generally just sit and talk with the girls, and occasionally bring small craft projects to do with the girls – friendship bracelets, picture frames. We also conduct very informal English classes and play lots of hangman. I am very spoiled in the services the center is able to provide. In my time here I have gotten my eyebrows threaded, mehendi (henna) done on my arms, pants mended, and some prescription medications all for free. Some days I definitely feel like the girls help me more than I help them. After spending a couple hours with the girls we go to lunch at the same restaurant every day, Darbar. Great food and after being warned numerous times about the food in Pahar Gang causing massive stomach problems Darbar is a true gem.

After lunch we go back to the center and run a free afterschool program for the neighborhood children. The group of kids we work with changes daily and our numbers fluctuate from 4 to 40 kids. It is absolutely insane and we never have any idea of what to expect. When I arrived the kids were doing math problems and English penmanship lessons every day for 2 hours. We quickly changed this knowing that kids need to play and 2 hours of “homework” is overkill for 3-12 years olds after a day at school. We now color, play games (red rover, duck duck goose, a counting slap game, follow the leader), dance, and sing songs (a tootie tot being their favorite and the legacy I am leaving behind). The kids are a lot of fun and have so much energy and have taught me some killer bollywood dance moves. They are the most affectionate kids I have ever encountered giving numerous kisses and hugs every day before and after our program and generally treating us Didi’s as royalty. Many of the children have taken to calling me Didi Khushi since Chrissy is very difficult to pronounce for their Hindi tongues. Khushi means happiness in Hindi, so it is a nickname that I am very happy to embrace.

We send the kids home at 4 and get a rickshaw back to Siri Fort Road. From 5 til 7 I generally run errands, get on the internet at the “forbidden market” (our host family forbids us from going there for unknown reasons, but it is only a 5 minute walk away and has the cheapest produce and internet), or do some reading. Dinner is at 7 every night and is generally very unsatisfying. The dahl is generally watered down and lacks spices, so second dinner is frequently required. After dinner all the volunteers generally hang out playing cards, watching tv/movies, making travel plans, and going to a nearby coffee shop. Then off to bed and the routine continues.

Varanasi

This weekend 2 other girls and I went to Varanasi. A holy city of the Hindu religion located in the state of Upper Pradesh and a 13 hours train ride away. The train was just the same as last week’s to Varanasi, just twice as long. The temperature in India has started to cool down this week and the nights are quite cold, so the unsealed windows on the train made for a long, frigid ride with only a light fleece blanket. We arrived in Varanasi at about 6:30 am on Saturday morning and decided to find a hotel before doing anything. We went to a few places and decided on a Hotel that other volunteers had stayed at. It was a bit far from the city center, but was reasonably priced ($17/night when converted), clean, and had hot water – this has become a huge luxury! We had some breakfast – eggs which have also become a luxury and are muchly craved and left to go see the Ganges River and the Ghats for which Varanasi is famous.

The Ganges River is very holy in the Hindu faith, and a trip to Varanasi to bathe in the river is a very important pilgrimage. It is said that if a Hindu is to die in Varanasi they escape the cycle of reincarnation and are transported to the afterlife regardless of which caste they belonged to as they were alive. As a result Varanasi is full of elderly and has constant funeral processions and cremations open for viewing. We were told that 300-400 people are cremated along the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi everyday. The bodies are wrapped in cloth and carried by outcasts through town on a funeral procession with the family following. The body is then dunked in the Ganges and is placed within the wood and lit on fire. It takes approximately 3 hours for the whole burning process to occur. The amount of wood required is exact and the type of wood used depends on the wealth and importance of the deceased. Immediate female family members are not allowed to view the cremation. When a woman is widowed she becomes inauspicious and often has a very difficult time making do on her own in society. As a result it was not infrequent for a woman to jump into the cremation fire of her deceased husband, taking her own life. As a result it is viewed that women are not strong enough to handle the viewing and are kept away. Even as we were at the site the only women present were foreigners. Oddly, watching the cremations did not feel creepy or morbid. The spirituality was very much present and felt by all and the place and rituals were peaceful and reflective.

We spent the day wandering up and down the River taking in the sights and people watching. We returned to the hotel for a nap before going to watch the Arti ceremony that night. An Arti is a ceremony with chanting and men doing a slow choreographed fire dance. We were given lotus petals with a candle to place in the River along with Bindis on our foreheads. We ended the night at a bakery that ran a non-profit school and women’s empowerment program, and also served fantastic continental food – spaghetti and chicken sandwiches, and beer.

Sunday morning we got up super early to have a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges, a must do in Varanasi. After the stress of haggling for a reasonable price we thoroughly enjoyed our hour on the river. The morning light was beautiful as was watching all the private spiritual moments of those who make the pilgrimage to the river. We were then taken to a silk factory, Varanasi is famous for its hand woven silk, and had the experience of sitting on the floor with the shop keeper showing everything that you might want to see. We all purchased scarves and left to get some breakfast. Back to the hotel to nap and check out before a Ayurvedic massage in the afternoon. Interesting, and VERY naked but relaxing, massage; India’s incredibly modest until you hit the spa. After the massage we went to the mall and saw a movie before getting some McDonald’s for the train ride back to Delhi.

Jaipur - to be sung to the tune of Jai Ho

My first weekend trip outside of Delhi was to “the Pink City” with 5 other volunteers. We took the train Friday night directly after work which was an experience in itself. India railway not only sells all the seats in the cars, but sells standing spots as well. So, people will buy a standing seat with hopes that a reserved seat is open, or people will squish together to make room. Sitting on a train becomes a battle for your space – much like road traffic. If you do not want 6 people sharing your 3 person bench you must figure out how to take up as much space as humanly possible and also how to ignore and/or firmly tell anyone – elderly, pregnant, disabled – that no, you cannot scoot over and allow them to sit. They had as much opportunity to purchase the seat as you did.

After 7 hours on the train we arrived in Jaipur quite late and went directly to the guesthouse we had booked on the train. The room was nice enough, with pepto bismal pink walls and a comfortable bed, considering my mattress in Delhi has all the cushioning of the bare ground. Unfortunately, I began to get sick this night and tried my best to get as much sleep as possible determined to not let illness ruin my weekend. We all slept in Saturday morning and went to a much needed breakfast since we had not eaten the night before. Following breakfast we took a rickshaw to the town center and visited Hawa Mahal. This was beautiful palace with a carved façade that was used by royals to sit in and watch any events taking place in the city. The building was used for only this purpose, but offered beautiful views of the city. I then visited the city palace with another volunteer while the others wandered the city. The palace was amazing and still houses the Maharaja of Rajasthan.

Everyone ate lunch and then we wandered the city spotting a family of pigs, numerous rats, and monkeys among the other wildlife we were accustomed to viewing in Delhi. That night we went to a place called Chokhi Dhani. The best way I could describe this would be a culture park with the surrealism of Disneyland showing a pretty stereotypical, sugar coated depiction of Rajasthani life and culture. The park was a great relief from the chaos that is constant in India. The park was not crowded and was impeccably clean. There we elephant and camel rides, dancers and traditional music, palm readers, musicians, and a fantastic meal. We all ate sitting on pillows on the grounds with small tables. The variety of food was great and unlimited and everyone left full and satisfied despite almost forced additional servings and loads of attention from the waiters. I was very disappointed that I did not feel better so I could enjoy more of the meal. We wandered the park some more and then left for the hotel, with a detour at the wine shop, on the way. We spent the rest of the evening hanging out in one of the hotel rooms chatting. Thankfully, I slept wonderfully after a busy, fun day.

Sunday morning started with a fantastic breakfast that was so happy to be able to eat. We then went to the “Amber Fort” on top of a cliff overlooking the city. Jaipur was beautiful from above and walking around without crowds and constant obstacles was much appreciated. We went for a quick lunch and said bye to one of the volunteers who was leaving for travels on her own and went to the train station. Much to our dismay, our train was 3 hours late. We all tried to get some sleep on the train, while fighting for your sleeper bed at the same time, and arrived in Delhi around 2 am to go home and crash before going to work in the morning. It was a great weekend despite my health and I very much enjoyed a weekend outside of Delhi.

The Taj

So, yesterday the 3 girls I work with and I decided to take the day off and go to Agra to see the Taj Mahal during the week when it would not be so busy. After the hassle of getting the train booked and a taxi reserved for 5 am we were on our way. One of the girls I traveled with is of Indian descent and has family in Agra that she had to see. Luckily for us the family invited all of us over for breakfast and lunch and lent us their driver for the day (everyone in India who has even a little bit of money has numerous servants (their unashamed unPC word for it, not mine) - maids, drivers, cooks, sweepers, etc.) . We arrived in Agra at about 830 and were taken to the home for breakfast which was an excellent departure from the toast and watery porridge that we are served every morning in Delhi. Following breakfast we went to the Taj. The structure is as amazing as you would ever imagine. Crisp, gleaming white marble and incredibly grand heights and shapes. The woman this was built for must have been quite amazing. We spent a could hours roaming the grounds and enjoying the building's splendor. Sadly, Agra is quite polluted and smoggy, so many of the pictures did not turn out because of the white marble's similar color to the gray hazy sky. Following the Taj we went to Agra fort. I had never seen a more beautiful, intricately detailed fort in my life. The Islamic art influences were frequent and every corner turned up more artistic detail in carvings and sculpture. The fort also had numerous green squares that were fantastic for sitting and people watching. The king who built the Taj was actually imprisoned at the fort by his own son. He went into such deep depression following the death of his wife for whom he was building the Taj he was no longer fit to rule and was locked in the fort for 8 or 9 years. His son took some pity on him and gave him a cell with a window looking out over the Taj - his wife's burial place.

Finally it was time for lunch. Compared to the bland white rice and dal we eat every night for dinner, the spicy thick dal, fried rice, cucumber and tomato salad, eggplant, green peppers, cauliflower, potatoes, roti, and raita was amazing. We all ate like starving children and were very thankful for a full and nutritious meal. We rested the rest of the afternoon and visited with Alka's family who took us to a Hindu temple in their neighborhood being built. The temple is being made of hand carved marble and the detail is exquisite. Once finished it is said that the temple will rival the Taj. I agree that the craftsmanship and detailed carvings are much better than the Taj, but believe that the Taj is more famous because of the whole complete picture. This temple was amazing up close, whereas the Taj is meant to be seen from further away, so I do not believe that it is fair to compare the two. Regardless the temple was definitely worth seeing and I am looking forward to hearing of it's completion. That evening we did a little shopping and hopped the train back to Delhi for a much anticipated full night's sleep. Fantastic day

Rules of the road

Officially survived a week and a half in Delhi. Please believe that this is no small feat. After spending a day navigating the roads where everything including cars, semis, buses, auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, cyclist, scooters, wheelbarrows, pedestrians, dogs, cows, and elephants have equal right away even being able to cross the street alive is a miracle. No wonder so many people are religious here. Traffic lanes do not exist and where a 2 lane road would be at home Indian's some how make it into at least a 6 lane road with everyone fighting for the extra inch forward. Drivers routinely carry on conversations between cars while driving. I can't begin to count the number of times I am nearly run over on a daily basis by anything coming for every direction imaginable. Often times when walking in the less tourist visited parts of town we will be walking down the street with a clear path, but per usual the drivers start to stare and, of course, unknowingly their car turns directly into my path. I am very comforted by the fact that I rarely have to go anywhere alone and am getting very comfortable with the rules of the road. The bigger object always wins, but always put up a fight for your path. Driving in Delhi is truly an art form.

The smog and noise are absolutely insane. I read somewhere that Indian culture is very orally based rather than visually, so there is noise everywhere. Instead of looking over ones' shoulder to change lanes, the car behind you is expected to honk to let you know that they are there. If no honk is sounded the lane is clear to merge into. I have learned to really appreciate quiet and quickly find peace in whatever few seconds are available at a time. The smog is relentless. Everyday is hazy, but it was so bad Saturday that 5 railway workers were killed as they were working on the tracks as they could not see the oncoming train. i can only hope for the day in the near future when the metro lines are completed and this city can hope for some clean air. in the mean time i will continue to wear our scarves when driving in open air and nurture my lungs every chance i can get.

Though Delhi is completely busy and exhausting I am finding that I truly love it. People seem to really take care of one another and the children and women I work with are so full of love, and are genuinely concerned and caring for each of us. They call us volunteers "DD" (sp?) which is a very respected term that translates to big sister. We are frequently invited to families' homes and special events. This is a very special place full of amazing contradictions.

India...

Been in India 4 full days so far...

Left Thursday morning from Omaha and after sitting on the runway for an hour and a half in Chicago and a 15 hour flight I landed in Delhi around 10 pm Friday night. My ride was there to pick me up and I got my luggage and through customs fairly easy, minus a fairly mild swine flu screening and heat sensor which I am completely shocked the US has not implemented. Checked into my surprisingy clean and nice hotel and crashed in front of the tv sleeping off and on until noon the next day. Had an adventure trying to get a cell phone including it being necessary to provide them with my passport and a passport sized photo. The phone store was nice enough to provide me with an escort to the photo store around the corner and the atm at which point I decided to be appreciative rather than creeped out. Walking down the street was an adventure of everyone completely staring and not being at all shy about it. The people generally left me alone, but the turning heads was a bit unnerving. Since then I have come to realize that many Indians do not see many Westerners and have become more adjusted to the staring and random children coming up to shake my hand and say hi with beaming smiles. Te first 2 days here I mostly spent time in the hotel sleeping, watching tv, reading, ordering room service and venturing out to the grocery store very occasionally. It was a nice couple days to start to get over the 10 1/2 time change and jet lag. I arrived at my volunteer home Sunday night and met most of my housemates had some dinner and just hung out.

Monday began orientation. 3 hours of random Indian history and sights to see in Delhi. The program coordinator is rather dry and from what I have heard not helpful and almost greedy. Luckily I was prepared for this from talking with a former volunteer. All the other volunteers are amazingly helpful and love sharing their experiences, including everyone in everything, and answering questions. Started exploring some nearby markets and getting an idea of what type of shopping I will be doing. I am quite ready to go buy an entire Indian wardrobe. The clothes are stunningly beautiful and look incredibly comfortable. Monday was a Sikh holiday (their equivalent to Christmas), so me and a couple other girls went to the main Sikh temple in Delhi and took part in the celebration. After removing our shoes and covering our heads we went through the temple and were given the traditional dessert. We did not know the correct protocol, but apparently you are to get the dessert, then go to the portioning line and give half the dessert to god, then go through te temple and eat on the other side. The dessert was some type of mealy grain in a thick brown syrupy substance. Different texture, but quite good. I believe it was call Prashad.

I have not yet had a bad meal here. At the home every morning we have porridge and some type of bread, yesterday it was toast, today it was a savory pancake like thing with lots of spices. Dinner is rice, some type of vegetable (potatoes, cabbage, caulifower, tomato), Dal (lentils in a spiced liquid), and chipathi. The food is good, but is already starting to get bland. Luckily te restaurant near work has a huge variety and is very good and cheap.

Started work today at a place called SPOWAS - Society for the Progress Of Women And Children. Spent most of the morning walking around the sight then sat in on a beauty class and got my first experience with threading, letting the girls practice on me while I let them listen to my iPod. After that lunch and working with children in the afternoon giving math problems and teaching very basic English. Decided to take the bus home which will not be happening again. After an extremely crowded hour and a half we arrived back home completely exhausted. Quiet night tonight of internet and possibly some tv. India is exhausting

Fries, chocolate, beer, mussels, and waffles - what could be better?

Unfortunately we started in Brussels on the wrong foot. Our hostel's common room was only open til 11 every night, and since the common rooms have been where we have met people and generally spend a lot of time, the early closing really put a cramp in our style. But, we will prevail and have fun in this city!

Our first morning we did most of the sightseeing and walked around the city. Not a lot of tourists or lots of sites, so it was a pretty relaxing morning absorbing the city with a waffle and belgian chocolates in hand. The city is known for its comic books, so they have painted comic frescoes on many of the city walls, so Jessie and I decided to go find as many as we could and had lots of fun looking for them and taking lots of pictures of us being nerds. Also on the list of things to do in Brussels: visit the top of a parking garage for great city views and to see the atomium (check) and eat fantastic french (Belgian?) fries. Pretty much amazing and they came with this great curry mayonnaise sauce that I must figure out how to duplicate. We did our standard souvenir shopping that evening and went back to the hostel. We were able to make friends with a couple people in our room and decided to go out and have dinner and drinks. We got a bucket of mussels which were fantastic and of course lots of Belgian beer. We then met up with some of the guys in our hostel and soon discovered that they were barely 18, but we were stuck with them. We had some drinks in the main square and tried to look for a reasonably priced club at which point the boys went to the toilet and never came back. At this point we were frustrated and tired and went to bed, only to be woken up at 5 am. So, my bed was right by the window on the ground floor - something I should have thought about earlier. But I walk up to some guy repeatedly knocking on the open window saying "excuse me, excuse me." I thinking its some creep ignore it; then the next thing I know the man has lifted the curtain over his head and is looking straight at me inches away. I immediately freak out. Apparently the person was staying at our hostel and his wallet was just stolen, so he and his girlfriend could not get in the building and reception was closed. I get up to go talk to him and by the time i get there someone else had already let the couple in. They were nopt in our room, so I wasnt too worried about strangers, except sleeping in front of an open window. I will make better choices next time.

Leaving for Amsterdam in the morning!

Cruise ship Americans are hilarious!

For the record Europe is meant to be seen by train. All those who have cruised the Meditterrean, I understand the appeal, but you have not really experienced Europe. Don't mean to offend anyone, just had to put that out there.

our last full day in Barcelona! Sleeping in has become a regualr habit and most places I don't even unpack the alarmclock which is very nice. We've decided to see the rest of Gaudi's buildings today and do just that. He is truly amazing and a genius. I wish we had anything to compare in the states. That night we have booked a Spanish cooking class I'm incredibly excited for. After being Gaudied out we find a bookshop - there's nothing like a good bookshop to make you feel at home. Have to head to the train station to get tickets for our super long journey to Nice tomorrow. Back at the hostel for a nap and to get packed. We head to the travel bar for our cooking class and soon find out that they booked us for the wrong night and there is no cooking class tonight. I'm bummed about it, but they promised to send me the recipes. We decide to go to the beach and have tapas, paella, and sangria anyway. We stop for paella and are incredibly amused by the group of 4 Americans sitting behind us in absolute culture shock. They worry about undercooked tuna (tuna is supposed to be served medium rare, duh), complain about the smoking allowed in restaurants, yell Spanglish at our English speaking server, are appalled by the family at the restaurant next door letting the 2 year old play with a cigarette. Jessie and I are cracking up and decide Jessie needsto change her pnts in front of them since nudity is legal in Spain as long as you keep your shoes on. We take care of our check and head to the open area, but unfortunately another group stops obstructing the view, so our plan has failed. Instead we walk the beach and just hangout there for awhile before paella. The paella was awesome - incredibly fresh shellfish and the waiter totally encouraged my playing with my food, especially the stuff with heads and claws! overall we had a great time in Barcelona.

The next day we had a 10 hour train ride to Nice. The day to rest was very nice and needed. Just hung out at the hostel in Nice that night and got ready to go to the beach the next day!

Tapas and Flamenco!

Day 2 in Barcelona! We find a free walking tour which we have discovered are the best thing ever since they are usually catered to young backpackers. The walking tour through Barri Gotic is great and the guide is hilarious. He convinces us to sign up for a tapas and flamenco event tonight. We also become friends with a couple from Florida and go to lunch and churros with them. It's so great to hear American English! British, Australian, and Kiwi English are highly overrated. After some Sangria for lunch Jessie and I head to the Salvador Dali exhibit which was really cool. Not most of his really famous pieces, but they had a huge collection. After this back to the hostel to rest up and get ready for the night.

Unfortunately just as we are leaving the hostel it starts to really rain, so it's time to use our handy umbrellas. We get to dinner with unlimited sangria and some really great tapas. Not the most traditional, but Jessie will eat them which I am thankful for. We make friends with another American - 3 in 1 day, from Portland and hang out with her for the evening. After Tapas and Sangria we head to the Flamenco show. Great style of dance and the music was wonderful. 2 Spanish guitars, bass, percusion, and traditional vocalist. The dancers were great. After this it is time to head home as the sangria has most definitely gotten the best of us. More Gaudi and the beach tomorrow!

It's like grown up Dr. Seuss!

First full day in Barcelona! We are well rested and decide to start the day at Parc Guell, a park completely designed by Gaudi. We head out there and after a long steep climb up a hill (would have put San Francisco to shame) we arrive. Seems like just a park at first until we come to the center with an overlook full of mosaics, caves, tunnels, and so many other indescribable things; I can't wait to show off these pictures. Gaudi mastered the art of blending architecture with nature and does so beautifully. He captures so many curves and angles and uses color everywhere. Jessie has a great time with her camera. The park had beautiful views of the city and we spent about 4 hours walking around the park seeing everything and getting lots of pictures. We then head to La Sagrada Familia, another piece of Gaudi's. It is a Catholic church on which they broke ground on 1882 and they still are not finished; they are shooting for 2026. The church we have 3 facades and 18 towers. Once again Jessie got some great pictures and words just cannot do this work justice. At this point we are both exhausted and head back to the hostel for a nap and some grilled cheese and leftover veggies for dinner. That night we go to a fountain show which is almost as good as the Bellagio's and just chill at the hostel.

That old lady just stole a peach!

Early morning to catch our flight to Barcelona. We left the hostel around 645 still half asleep and made it to the airport after waiting almost an hour for the bus. I thought we were going to miss our flight, but the nice lady at the RyanAir information desk said we would be ok and sent us to the front of the check in line. Anyone who has anything bad to say about Ryan shut your face, they saved the day. We got our bags checked and through security only to find that our plane was late anyway. We finally arrived in Barcelona about an hour late, we really did not care though as we needed to sleep on the plane anyway. We made it to our hostel without another hitch and got checked in and settled. From there we walked to the ocean and saw the Columbus monument then walked down La Rambla (main tourist street) and to the market. We picked up soem fresh veggies, wine, fruit, and chocolate for dinner to cook in our hostel (it was actually allowed here). Headed back to the hostel for the rest of the evening to rest, cook dinner, and plan our stay in Barcelona.

Last full day in Rome! We slept in again, this city is incredibly exhausting. We were going to the catacombs today which only took a couple hours, so we had a very relaxing morning reading and such. We went to the area of the catacombs with Meredith, our new Kiwi friend who was not as clueless as those on Flight of the Conchords for those of you wondering. Once we got there we walked through the park. It was so great to be out in the open with no buildings around and enjoy the nature and the quiet. We then got lunch and went to the catacombs. they were amazing. There were over 70 km of tunnels underground that have been there for 1700 years. The tombs of St. Peter and Paul were originally there which was astounding. Very creepy, but still blew my mind away at how ingenious the Romans were. From there we got the bus back into towna nd picked up some items to cook dinner. The produce in the Mediterrean is awesome and CHEAP. We started cooking dinner and having our standard bottles of wine for the night when we are informed that we are not allowed to use the kitchen (oops). After the hostel manager told us he totally took over cooking the meal offering us suggestions on how to make the dinner better and he was right. We sat down and enjoyed our dinner and decided we needed some real Italian tiramisu. We were told to go to this place called Pompi. All the Italians made dirty jokes about the word all night and told us repeatedly to not ask people on the street where Pompi was. We, of course, joined in on the jokes and it never grew old, especially since we did not know the true definition of the word. Look it up for all those that are curious (hint - try Pompino). We could not find the restaurant, but found dessert nonetheless. After we got back I was exhausted, packed my bag for Barcelona dn went to bed. Long day of traveling tomorrow

Best Cappuccino Ever?

2nd full day in Rome. It was time to see all the stuff we missed on our first day which was surprisingly quite a lot. The Indian guys we stayed with told us about this great walking path that went by everything we needed to see. Jessie and I slept in a little as we were both up late and she was up til 4 giving photography lessons. We hopped on the bus and headed towards Piazza de Popolo (the people's square) and took some pictures from there onto the Spanish Steps, lunch, and the Trevi fountain. All of these we beautiful and we each threw a coin in the Trevi to bring us back to Rome some day. I could not believe the size of the fountain, it was huge, you could not even get the whole thing in one picture. From there we went to the Pantheon , it is huge and so perfectly built. The building was in great shape and I can't believe they were able to build it how they did 1700 years ago - simply amazing. From there the square with the 4 rivers fountain. Jessie had a heyday taking photographs from all different angles. We then decided it was time for a bathroom break and a rest. Of course to use the bathroom in Rome you have to buy something and sit at a cafe. We were wandering around and found a cute bar in an alley. We each ordered a cappuccino and throughly enjoyed it. They were absolutely wonderful, strong enough for our tastes and they even did the cute little leaf on top (had to take pictures). We then just wandered around the area and hit a few more smaller sights on the walk. TAking the bus home that night was a nighmare. We waited 30 minutes then the bus driver drove right past us, we were angry to say the least. We walked to the next stop and 10 miuntes later another one comes by and we make it back safe and sound. That night we just chilled in the hostel and had leftovers from the past 2 nights for dinner. Catacombs with a Kiwi tomorrow!

That cop tried to run me over - in a crosswalk

Our first whole day in Rome thanks to Marius was absolutely packed. Fred - backpacker from California - decided to join us for the day. We started at the Colisseum and the Roman forum. I am still in awe as to how old they were and how well preserved some of the ruins are despite their age. The Romans were genius. From there we continued to roam (hehe) the ancient city see Trajans column, Compiglio, and random other old stuff. While in ancient city we discovered drinking fountains straight from the ground. Who knows how long they have been there, but the water was excellent and actually cold! We grabbed some lunch, at this point I am so unbelievably sick of sandwiches and pizza, but when in Rome. After lunch we were headed to Vatican City. We decided to walk along the Tiber river from ancient city to the vatican. It was a really nice walk on the river side, so it was also much quieter than up on the streets. There was one point with a fall and a great undercurrent that would not let anything get away from the falls, we had to watch twigs and rubbish fall down for about 10 minutes, it was seriously hypnotic. Once we got to Vatican City we walked around Sant Angelo - former fortress and residence of the pope. It was most definitely a fortress with a moat and spiky fences. We walked from there to Piazza San Pietro and marvelled at the basilica from the outside. We then went on to the Vatican museum and looked at some of their collection, surprisingly tons of modern pieces, but mostly the sistine chapel. We then went to the Basilica and walked around in there and in the papal catacombs. At this point the 3 of us were absolutely exhausted, but were amazed at all we had seen. We all went back to the hostel to chill for awhile before having a full blown Roman dinner.

After a couple hours of resting 5 of the 6 of us on our room all decided to go to a nearby restaurant recommended by Marius. Once we figured out what to order we were completely assaulted with food for only €22 each. We got antipasto which we thought was manageable after the first time they came by with food, but 3 trips later we were all stuffed and we hadnt even had our meal yet. All of the antipasto was completely amazing - FRESH mozzarella, fried zucchini, flat bread, mini sandwiches, fresh bread, sliced beef and pork, egg plant parmesan, meatballs, Garlic anchovy cheese bread, and i'm sure some items i cannot remember. From there we got our entrees (pizza or pasta) and following all of that lemon sorbetto. We also were given unlimited wine and after dinner liquor (limencello and some digusting dark brown drink). It had to have been one of the better meals of my life. We all (Jess, Me, Fred, and 2 guys from New Delhi India) had a great time chatting. The lady at the table next to us came over and told us some of her backpacking stories from the 70s and shared some of her wine with us which was very kind. AFter a great day and meal, not to mention a little networking for when I'm in New Delhi this Fall, it was time to go back to the hostel and crash.

The Romans do 2 things well - water and disorganization

We left Florence and decided to stop by Pisa on our way to Rome. Jessie and I decided we both needed the typical holding the tower up snaps (as our new friends call them). We arrived in Pisa and it was miserably raining. The city is very unclear as to how to go about getting to the tower. We finally figured it out and some very nice girls gave us their bus passes. Pisa is truly just a tower. We took our pictures and jumped on the bus to get back to the train station where the jerk of a bus driver did not want to let us on the bus because we only have 8 minutes left on our bus passes. I, of course, argued and he surrendered, hahaha. It is very unfortunate that it was such a miserably rainy day; I do not feel as if we were prepared to give Pisa a fair chance.

We arrived in Rome shortly before 6 in the evening and found our hostel. We were a bit concerned at first as our hostel is in a residential neighborhood of Rome, but the staff were instantly welcoming and helped us plan our entire stay in the Eternal City. The advice we were given was fabulous and as a result we have not yet waited in a queue. The staff ordered delivery for us for dinner that night and it was a great night in getting to know the people we were rooming with - Fred from California and Linda from Ireland. Jessie and I explored the neighborhood and found all the essentials within a 2 minute walk and definitely felt like we were at home.

It's 80s night!!

Florence! Wasnt so sure about the city when we first arrived. The sidewalks are CRAZY busy, but once I realized the city and roads had been around for about 1700 years it made navigating between people, and potential murderers - the drivers and bikers - slightly more tolerable. We just chilled and walked around the city to get a glimpse at Duomo our first night there. Apparently the eye contact rule does not prevent you from being accosted by salesmen here, and how do they always know we are American? I guess it is one of those things I will never understand. The first night in Florence we decide to just pick up some food at the super market near our hostel and eat in the court yard. The hostel was very nice. Beautiful courtyard and all the walls are covered in graffiti from other guests. Found new amusing bits every time we went up to our room. Jessie had to write a few things which was great. The first night in Florence we ended up chatting with another Australian girl traveling by herself. After a couple bottles of red (cheaper than water) we decide we should go out. We wander the streets around our hostel and find a place that is quite busy. We go in to the bakery turned bar and order our drinks - prosecco for me, banana cocktails for the other 2 - we sit and soon realize we are at 80s night. Its amazing how similar it was to 80s night in Lincoln. Same crazy girls who look strung out dancing with themselves and crazy costumes, thought unfortunately there was much less dancing at the bakery compared to Bricktop. It was really very funny and great people watching. We left the bar and wandered around a little more before deciding to get another bottle of red and just hang out in our courtyard. Overall a great night.

The following day was our only full day in Florence. We took the free walking tour of the major historical sites of the city. Then we decided I had to have a new camera so we got some lunch and went to the camera shop. Luckily the salesman was very helpful and I am pleased with my purchase. Jessie and I had decided to hit the big sites early the next morning so she could get pictures without the gobs of people. So, that afternoon we quickly walk around inside Duomo and the go see David. He really is as spectacular as you would imagine. We managed to get a couple pictures before the museum guard (nazis) caught us. WE were incredibly fortunate so be at the museum while there was a Maplethorpe exhibit. He is one of Jessie's favorite photographers and I really enjoy his work as well. The exhibit was huge and they did a great job comparing the photographers work to Michelangelo's sculpting. Jessie was absolutely thrilled with the whole museum and is super excited to brag to all her photo clubbers. We then walked through the Uffizi museum very quickly, mostly just to see Botticelli's Venus. Their collection was amazing, but the museum was horribly crowded and not so unjoyable because of the crowds. While walking through the museum we discovered we have become somewhat of celebrities as a group of tourist from Pennslyvania pointed to us and identified us instantly as the Nebraska girls. We had never spoken to this group before and did not recall seeing them previously. Very confusing. That night we took advantage of the free hostel dinner. Wonderful food, but I have discovered that Italians douse their pasta in olive oil and then cover it in the sauce. It tastes wonderful, but it is most definitely not the low fat somewhat healthy plate of spaghetti I am used to. We then chatted with everyone in our hostel room and decided that we all needed one more Florentine gelato (the best in the world). The 5 of us (Jessie and I, a brother and sister from Argentina, and a solo traveler from DC) all walked the city at night seeing the sites and went to the square where the entertainers congregate. It was a nice relazing night and we all slept very well after such an exhausting day.

The following morning Jessie and I speed walked Florence in the drizzle and got lots of pictures with very limited tourist around. I definitely left the city with a better perception that what I initially had of it. Next time a wine tour is definitely in order as the chianti was amazing as were the hills surrounding the beautiful city.

Hostells with Aussies

Venice was absolutely wonderful. I really did not expect to like it much based on what I have heard from others, but Jessie and I both fell in love with the city (after it showed me who is boss and pulled me into the water, of course). We managed to make it to Piazza San Marco before most of the crowds on Friday morning and got some great pictures of the square. We went to both the palace and church and they were beautiful. After that we had a great morning just roaming the streets and alleys trying to get lost. It was much more difficult to do so than we both expected. Our hostel was right near the Rialto bridge and there are signs everywhere directing you to it. Jessie and I then decided to go to Murano Island where they are famous for their blown glass. The glass work was amazing and after going through probably 50 shops we made our purchases - wine stopper and earrings for me, earrings and pendant necklace for Jessie. Jessie bought hers directly from the artist and he signed the back which was cool. Back at the hostel we talked with our Australian roommate and decided we needed to go mask shopping and have a nice dinner. We all we able to find great masks after digging for quite awhile. We found a great shop away from the tourist crowds that only sold hand painted items at reasonable prices. From there we found a little Italian restaurant with a tourist menu (2 courses - pasta, and meat - plus a side dish). The food was quite good and it was lots of fun to talk to someone other than Jessie. While sitting at the restaurant lots of vendors came around with roses and music, and pretty standard nice dinner fare. Until one vendor walked by with neon blinking masks just laughing at his own ridicularity (is this even a word, sounds like one to me). We all laughed about this for some time and headed back to the hostel after some wine. Overall Venice was great, and made the abuse from the hostel manager bearable (my friend wants to go swimming with you! Theres a pool downstairs!). Definitely something to laugh about.

I will write about Florence later - starving, time for soem Roman dinner!

When you fa in water try standing before freaking out

Train trip from Munchen to Venezia today. It was quite a peaceful day with great scenary riding through the Alps. They arent as big as the rocking, but very beautiful. Also rode through the Italian countryside which was very nice. Pretty uneventful day until we arrived in Venezia. Our hostels ould best be described as weird but quaint. We entered through a barely marke door off a small square an saw dark courtyard. we were then instructed to go up 3 flights of stairs and then entered the guesthouse. i have no idea how big the hostel is and so far we have only seen 1 other guest. it is clean and very typically venetian overlooking a courtyard and canal. Jessie an i decide to go to dinner and wander over to the docking station near our hostel. Guess who proceeds to slip and fall into the canals... After a few seconds of freaking out i realize i an stand and pull myself out and go back to change. i send jessie up to get clothes and change behind a panter as to not embarass myself in front of the owners, but of course she tells them everything. finally dried off ow, but i think my camera may be ruined (sorry mom). loving venice so far, theres something interesting down every alley and around every corner. ready to explore tomorrow. Ciao!

Do I look Hispanic?

We have been in Munchen 3 days now. The trip over here was pretty uneventful and quite easy. Our flight from Paris to Munchen was about 15 minutes late, but no biggie. The Paris airport is awful by the way - VERY limited shops and food (coffee shop and duty free in our terminal). Jessie and I spoke with a man in Paris who went backpacking about 25 years ago and has visited Europe about 70 times since. He recommended a great Bavarian restaurant, which was very good. I was nervous when the waiter told me I had to get the suckling pig (I was picturing a head), but to my relief there was no head involved. For the first time in my life I enjoyed saurkraut, which continues to be the only thing resembling a vegetable I've seen in the past 3 days.

Tuesday Jessie and I wandered around town and saw much of the important city sites. We visited the Oktoberfest grounds and monument to Bavaria. As well as townhall, many city squares, and the city park. The city park included a surfing wave (something I never thought I would see in Germany), a huge Chinese themed biergarten, and a nude sunbathing area (holy old man balls, at least they weren't pasty). We also visited the alte pinothek (old art museum) and moderne pinothek (hope you can get that one). Jessie was not impressed, but I thought their collection was pretty amazing. Lots of Durer, Rubens, and Van Dyck as well as some Picasso, Dali, and Van Gogh (Jessie of course fails to see the academic side of art). We were absolutely exhausted last night, but had to go to Hofbrauhaus. So headed there and hoped to last for 1 liter (definitely not beer ball material). 4 hours later we decide we had best be going. Jessie, randomly started talking to a 20 year old kid from Moscow who was taking part in the biomedical engineering conference herein Munchen. The 3 of us talked for quite some time and had a great time comparing cultures. We walked through the busiest, and possibly the most beautiful part of town on the way back from Hofbrauhaus and it was awesome to see it not crowded and so quiet.

Today Jessie and I went to Dachau. Exploring the concentration camp was very interesting; a haunting reminder of the past and incredible caution for the future. We then went on a Hitler and Third Reich walking tour of Munchen this afternoon. We say Hitler's offices, where the Nazi party, SA, and SS were all started, as well as many swastikas hidden around town among many other things. Souvenir shopping followed as well as partaking in our daily habit of gelato (the sales lady started speaking to me in Spanish, I was very confused).

We are onto Venice tomorrow. Had a great time in Munchen, only wish we had taken part in the city walking tour the hostel provides and had an extra day to go to Neuschwanstein. I guess I have to save something for the next time I'm here. unfortunately the computers here do not have USB access for us lowly hostel folk, so no pictures this time. It's amazing how much of my German has come back to me. Jessie was thoroughly impressed when I ordered coffee this morning in German. Now if only I could get used to this blasted European keyboard we would be set. Time to be going. See you all in Venice!

Packed and ready to go!

Flight out of Lincoln is on time. Reservations are printed. 28.4 lbs of gear is packed. House cleaned and locked up. We are ready to go! See you in Munich!

T minus 10 days

Here we go!

At the 10 day mark and I think things are finally starting to fall into place (for Europe at least). Everything is booked and most everything is purchased and ready to be packed. Took my new pants for a test drive today and I think they will do wonderfully for the trip. Yay cargo pockets and ali baba cropping options! Still have no idea what Jess and I are going to do in most places, but I'm going to try really hard to play it by ear.

Still lots to do to get ready for India, but its my goal to have my flight booked and trip paid for in the next couple days. I get to go get shot up with poisons tomorrow at the travel clinic. I've heard bad things about the typhoid shot, hopefully I react well.

Bear with me as I'm new to this blogging thing and stay tuned for much more exciting adventures!