India

Namaste! India was incredible. It is a country crowded with people, full of chaos, and littered with garbage, but underneath it all is rich, beautiful culture. Our six days there had a very strong impact on me. It was culture shock to the max. There is really no way to describe some of the people I saw, the things I witnessed, the feelings I felt. How do you respond when a child of about three or four walks up to you, looks you in the eye, and moves his hand to his mouth motioning for food? What do you do when an old, frail man with no legs is begging for money on the street? Images of women holding naked babies, barefoot children rummaging through piles of garbage, and others crippled with disabled and deformed body parts, can’t be forgotten. It’s one thing to read about this, see pictures, and hear people talk about it, but to see it first-hand and have it stare right back at you is completely different. It was truly sobering and I am still reflecting on the whole experience. But in the midst of the chaos, the poverty, the dirt, and the stench, are the smiling faces of men, woman, and children. We were welcomed into their lives. They are a people of talent, faith, and tradition who happen to live life differently from our own.

Each day there brought something unexpected. I remember getting off the ship on the first day, feeling a little nervous. Eighteen of us were bussed to the airport in Chennai. There was so much commotion outside when we got off the bus until we got through security. I was relieved to be sitting at the gate with time to spare. After our arrival in Delhi, we were picked up by Chaman, our tour guide (a group of us booked this trip through and Indian tour agency). We visited a nearby orphanage that houses boys up through age 18. Our quarter mile walk there was probably my first true taste of India. Nostrils filled with an overwhelming stench, we walked past two cows standing in the middle of road, through mud puddles (the roads are in terrible condition), and by buildings that looked as though they were about to collapse. The boys sang and danced for us and afterwards we got to hang out with them. I talked with one 12 year old boy for quite a while about school, sports, and siblings, and then taught him how to play rock-paper-scissors. Cameras were a highlight once again and I have lots of photos.

The first two days involved a lot of driving but that first night we stayed in Agra, and went to the world famous Taj Mahal at sunrise the next morning. While standing in line to enter, we had our first experiences with Indian vendors who don’t take “no” for an answer. As much as I want to help them out, there are just some things that I don’t want no matter how many rupees it costs! I just want to go see the Taj Mahal! Pictures don’t do it justice; it is a magnificent wonder. Depending on the sun, the marble reflects various shades of white, with pinkish or orange-ish tints. The inside walls are covered with beautiful designs and marble that changes color when light is shined on it. We walked through the inside, which houses the tomb. I still can’t believe I was actually there just short of a week ago. It seems unreal. Agra was very poverty stricken from the emaciated looking horses to the constant appearances of poor and handicapped people. Because desperation is everywhere—streets, sidewalks, under trees, tarps, makeshift shelters serving as people’s homes—you can’t avoid it. What really struck me was the extreme beauty and luxury of the Taj Mahal next to that hardship.

The next day we had a little bit more of a rural cultural experience in a little village outside of Jaipur, about a six hour drive from Agra. Our accommodations were at Castle Kalwar, a recently renovated ancient fort which now has 14 unique suites. Part of our stay included a tour of the village by camel cart which allowed us to see Indian livelihood in action. Wood carving, pottery, shoe making, blacksmithing, bangle making. Rarely frequented by tourists, the whole village seemed excited with our pass through. Kids ran beside the carts, some pulled out cell phone cameras, but most just smiled and waved. And some just stared. Indian men are definitely not afraid to stare, so sometimes I would just stare right back. We bought bangles, sarees, and pottery, well made and well meant purchases. There was one semi-paved road, but we were mostly just on the dirt. We finished the day with an elephant safari in Jaipur. Wearing our sarees, Ana and I sat next to each other on a painted elephant named Mookshi. Jaipur gave us the experience of a little more well-developed Indian city. We toured rug and gem factories and went into various shops in the evening. Traffic is always chaotic but it gets worse later in the day. Not only do cars use the road, but bikes, mopeds, people, cows, pigs—all moving at different speeds—move in any available space. Now that I can cross streets in India successfully (quite scary, because there’s no such thing as “yield to pedestrians”), I think I can cross them anywhere.

A trip to India would not be complete without riding a rickshaw which is a vehicle with three wheels, either motorized or bike. They are a very common form of transportation. We took one in Delhi, a large city where we saw the India gate, and in Chennai to the mall on the last day. It’s quite the adventure, weaving through cars, people, and animals. Four of us were crowded into one that’s meant for two people! The mall was four stories, and very nice, making me wonder who really shops there, besides tourists but there are a number of wealthy people in India too, however, we didn’t really see that side of the country. We had a delicious lunch in the food court and even got a tour of the kitchen afterwards. I really like Indian food. I avoided the extremely spicy dishes but for the most part I enjoyed the rice, noodles, curry chicken or beef, sauce and cheese (which was kind of like tofu), and veggie dishes. Naan bread (basically like flat or pita bread) is a staple with every meal and I ate piece after piece. Sometimes, I didn’t really know what I was eating, but I love trying everything, and if there’s a problem, that’s what Pepto is for!
By the end of the week I was both glad and disappointed to be leaving India. Happy, because I had been overwhelmed by the poverty and filth and I wanted to feel clean and safe again back on the ship, but also sad because I wanted to see more of a country where I learned more and saw more than I ever expected. I grew to love India in six days—barefoot children flying kites at dusk, cows blocking traffic, running across streets hoping you won’t get hit, rickshaws, our bus magically fitting through the smallest spaces, squat toilets, monkeys scampering across buildings, intricate architecture, painted elephants, dirty feet, bargaining, women in beautiful sarees, and sacred places. One person described India as chaotic beauty. It was overwhelming yet rewarding because it really opened my eyes to a life so different from my own—one where people live on $2 a day, sleep under a tarp, and go to the bathroom on the side of the road. Appreciate where you live and what you have because not everyone has even their basic needs fulfilled.

We are on to Singapore next, which will be quite the contrast after India. Love the people around you and do what you can, where you are, to make the world a better place. Oh, and hug your family because I wish mine was here. One last thing, please pray for one of our fellow students, Genna. She was hospitalized in Chennai for one of the most severe forms of Malaria and has been in the ICU for twelve days. Her parents flew in the day we arrived and her condition is still unstable. Tonight Archbishop Tutu led us in a prayer for her. I remember meeting her at the beginning of the voyage but don’t really know her that well. We are all hoping for the best, seeing as it could have been any one of us. That’s all for now. Hope all is well with everyone!

Heather