Sunday, October 3, 2010

Incredible India


(My Indian visa..showed up 3 days before I left)

If I had to sum up my trip to India in one word it would be enlightening. Not in the Ghandi or nirvana way, but enlightening in a sense that it opened my eyes to a different culture and part of the world. I will be honest, I wasn't excited to go to India for a conference-12 hours flying and lots of people for one day. After it, I am glad I was blessed and had the opportunity.


(Lavasa, India...the country's first planned city)

I was humbled many times in India. Everywhere I turned poverty was staring me in the face. It was hard to take and my heart was breaking for the kids I saw bathing in the puddle of rain water or the parents sleeping with their kids on the street. I wanted to stop the car and give them everything I had. But when I looked past all the lack of possessions I saw happiness. Happiness in the simpleness of life. Happiness in laughing and playing games with friends. Happiness in enjoying the company of others. I had to ask myself, how do these people find happiness with nothing and I complain when something doesn't go my way? I realized that I am blessed (I knew this already, but it just solidified it). Blessed to have shelter over my head, food every day, clean drinking water, clean clothes, and so much more that the people didn't have.



(One of the many beggars that came up to my car)


(Thousands of people were participating in the immersion of Ganesh on the day I arrived, these people were dancing around Ganesh)



(Ganesh...hundreds around town)

Overall my trip was great, sans my drive to the hotel. It is a long story, that perhaps if you are lucky will get to hear from me at one time. To sum it up I was driven to the hotel by this creepy man that kept staring at me and then kept getting lost. The trip was supposed to take 4 hours and it took 5 1/2 hours. It was dark and up a steep mountain. I prayed for peace over and over again and thought I was going to die. Let's just say I was glad to get to my hotel. I learned to be more aware of my surroundings and completely depend of God. Otherwise, I would have been freaking out (more than I was). I am thankful to have the opportunity to travel and learn for my job.


(Cows were EVERYWHERE, this one was stopping traffic...first thing I did when I landed in Shanghai, ate a Whopper!)

The conference was great. I learned a lot and hopefully it will help in all my work preparing for the accreditation visit. I applied to be on a visiting team for another school. I am hoping to get the chance to be on a team before we have our visit in April, but anytime would be great. Everyone says it is a great opportunity and you learn so much serving on a team.


(A bell temple, people come here to pray for miracles)



(I thought this sign was really funny.)

Top 10 things I learned in India
1.) People in some of the slums actually do make lots of money, they just live there so they can afford the luxuries (ie TV, cable, doctors, etc). I was blown away by this. Not taking away from any of the other poverty I saw, but still surprising.
2.) Gulup jamin is amazing. It's basically sugar balls in syrup...where were these when I was growing up!?
3.) Indian women are breathtakingly gorgeous.
4.) Bangles are fun and the men that put yours together are creative geniuses.
5.) Don't carry chocolate in your bag in India...it gets very hot
6.) Indian people have no personal space rules...on the plane some man grabbed my itouch out of my hand to look at it. Then proceeded to take my kindle. The guy behind me tapped me on the shoulder to ask what movie I was watching and if I had anymore he could watch.
7.) You need a visa to travel in India
8.) People are so friendly and genuinely happy, no matter their circumstances.
9.) Henna smells like cleaning supplies.
10.) The people there need Jesus, worshipping idols is in every religion, but more so in India than I have ever seen before.

(Rickshaws are the main form on transportation...fun and you get into all the action)

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