I went to a book sale on Friday after work. There were hundreds of books for sale, mostly second hand. As I was browsing through some travel books, there was a coffee table type hardcover book with the title ‘Hamilton – A Community in Symphony’. I figured it was probably not our good old Ontario based Hamilton. For some reason, I thought there was a bigger city named Hamilton in New Zealand or somewhere. I took a closer look…and WOW! It WAS our good old Hammer! The book is written by Sherry Sleightholm and there’s an inscription on the inside cover: To Emily, Love Sherry. Looks like Emily’s book made it’s way to Bandra in Mumbai! The book was published in 1986 and the pictures of all the oldies that made Hamilton great are quite amusing with their big sideburns and huge glasses. The book covers everything from the steel giants Stelco and Dofasco to Coppley men’s wear which is probably my dad’s most favourite place to shop in the world! It also mentions so many companies that I’ve worked with, St. Ann’s Church, the Old Mill, and a whole section dedicated to Ancaster! My cousin and I browsed through it and he also reminisced on his trip to Hamilton/Toronto when he was a young kid. He was also making jokes about how Hamilton looked so good in 1986 and India still doesn’t have that organized infrastructure even after so many years. I agree, Hamilton DID look good in 1986! It looked really clean and organized, quite different from what it looks like now!
Am I one to believe in fate? Well, I don’t really know what I believe! What are the chances that I would come across a book about my relatively small hometown thousands of miles away in a city full of 20 million people!!! To top it off, this is the opening line of the book:
“Hamilton is this country’s best kept secret. I say that – with perhaps no small measure of smugness – as a former Torontonian and a born-again Ancasterite.”
Coincidence or what?
I may not think that Hamilton is Canada’s best kept secret anymore, however, I’m a huge Ancaster fan. As a first-born Ancasterite and, a former Torontonian and a born-again Ancasterite I’m damn shocked and excited to have come across this book!
P.S. It was only 50 Rupees (just over $1) so of course…I bought it! Mom, Dad, it may make it back home if all of the shopping you (Mom/Anjali) requested doesn’t weigh down my luggage first!!!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Still doing my Bombay Darshan!
Bombay Darshan pretty much translates to 'fun in Bombay'. It is a common phrase that people here use when someone new comes to town and enjoys the city. I went to a relative's house a few weeks ago and they were stuffing me with yummy food and when I couldn't handle anymore, they just said 'C'mon Priya, this is part of your Bombay Darshan'!
My time at Ashray is winding down. My time in India is too! I’m still getting lots of work done for CCDT luckily. I’ve fixed up quite a few of their forms, guidelines and registers and am now working on a standard PowerPoint presentation for the agency. I’m also working for the pediatrician to come up with some sort of database for all of the kid’s medical records. The US government offers a free program called CareWare which is software that keeps track of HIV patient information. For some odd reason, I can’t access the government website from anywhere in India! My friend Richard had to download the manuals for me and email them. I finally managed to download the actual software myself but through an alternate website and on a dodgy Internet connection so my fingers are crossed, I hope it installs properly! I’m not sure if some of the government sites are blocked in different countries or if the Internet connections I tried are sketchy. In any case, the program is ideal for developing countries since it is free. I’m working on its installation and once it is complete, I will be able to see how useful it is and if it is practical with the types of computers at most NGOs.
Aside from my volunteering work, I have been continuously discovering Mumbai. Ashray is located on a great street full of nice shops so it’s nice to browse and shop every now and then when I scrounge up some funds. I got my haircut at a famous salon called Nalini & Yasmin. They are known to do all the Bollywood starlets hair-dos. They did a normal job and the salon was just like one in Canada except extremely busy like the rest of this city! My stylist did a great job and straightened my hair and made me promise that I’d blow dry my bangs (which there’s no way I’m doing in the summer in Mumbai OR Ancaster) and I just nodded and said ‘Ya, ya’. I think she was a little annoyed by my low maintenance attitude. Anyways, as I stepped outside, within two minutes, my hair went back to its normal Mumbai style – instant ringlets. The hair dresser would’ve been so pissed off! I should’ve gone back and showed her, just for kicks!
I went to see ‘The Dark Knight’ a couple of weekends ago with some friends and my cousin. It was really good and definitely worth the 100 Rs. ($3.50)!!! Last weekend was the most relaxing since I’ve been in Mumbai (mainly because I stayed home and didn’t do much but bake cookies!). My cousin came to my aunts place with her two babies and we all just relaxed (while the babies slept) and played while they were awake! My 1.5 year old niece sleeps only for an hour and a half in the day time and only 8-9 hours at night. She never falls asleep before 11:30pm so she is a handful! But, she is the happiest baby I’ve ever seen and it is great fun playing with her. I’ve taken hundreds of pictures since I arrived and most of them are of her or the kids in Ashray which I can’t publicize due to confidentiality purposes.
I went back to Colaba yesterday. My British friend Ed is going back home today so he needed to do some last minute shopping. I really got to practice my bargaining skills as I haggled with at least 5 different shop owners! I’m sure most of them will remember me now so if I need to pick up any last minute gifts, I’ll know where to go!
The Rotary Club of Bandra has invited me to come to one of their meetings this Sunday so I hope to go there this weekend. They visited Ashray for the Independence Day celebrations last week and they were happy to hear about my experiences here. They also gave each child a gift from their wish list so it was really nice to see them so happy.
The new boy that I mentioned in my last blog entry is doing well. After 2.5 days of crying and missing his parents, I came back after the weekend and he didn’t cry once. Of course he was still upset, but I could see how quickly kids adapt to new settings. I’ve now seen his naughty side as well, during his performance on Independence Day he kept tucking his long shirt into his pants when he wasn’t supposed to and he would look at me to make sure I was laughing at him! He is extremely sweet-natured and smart. He got admission to one of the better English schools here so I really hope he becomes something brilliant when he’s older.
Those are the only updates I can think of since the last time I wrote. Sorry for the huge entries – you know me, once I start typing…I just can’t stop!
Hope you’re all doing well
My time at Ashray is winding down. My time in India is too! I’m still getting lots of work done for CCDT luckily. I’ve fixed up quite a few of their forms, guidelines and registers and am now working on a standard PowerPoint presentation for the agency. I’m also working for the pediatrician to come up with some sort of database for all of the kid’s medical records. The US government offers a free program called CareWare which is software that keeps track of HIV patient information. For some odd reason, I can’t access the government website from anywhere in India! My friend Richard had to download the manuals for me and email them. I finally managed to download the actual software myself but through an alternate website and on a dodgy Internet connection so my fingers are crossed, I hope it installs properly! I’m not sure if some of the government sites are blocked in different countries or if the Internet connections I tried are sketchy. In any case, the program is ideal for developing countries since it is free. I’m working on its installation and once it is complete, I will be able to see how useful it is and if it is practical with the types of computers at most NGOs.
Aside from my volunteering work, I have been continuously discovering Mumbai. Ashray is located on a great street full of nice shops so it’s nice to browse and shop every now and then when I scrounge up some funds. I got my haircut at a famous salon called Nalini & Yasmin. They are known to do all the Bollywood starlets hair-dos. They did a normal job and the salon was just like one in Canada except extremely busy like the rest of this city! My stylist did a great job and straightened my hair and made me promise that I’d blow dry my bangs (which there’s no way I’m doing in the summer in Mumbai OR Ancaster) and I just nodded and said ‘Ya, ya’. I think she was a little annoyed by my low maintenance attitude. Anyways, as I stepped outside, within two minutes, my hair went back to its normal Mumbai style – instant ringlets. The hair dresser would’ve been so pissed off! I should’ve gone back and showed her, just for kicks!
I went to see ‘The Dark Knight’ a couple of weekends ago with some friends and my cousin. It was really good and definitely worth the 100 Rs. ($3.50)!!! Last weekend was the most relaxing since I’ve been in Mumbai (mainly because I stayed home and didn’t do much but bake cookies!). My cousin came to my aunts place with her two babies and we all just relaxed (while the babies slept) and played while they were awake! My 1.5 year old niece sleeps only for an hour and a half in the day time and only 8-9 hours at night. She never falls asleep before 11:30pm so she is a handful! But, she is the happiest baby I’ve ever seen and it is great fun playing with her. I’ve taken hundreds of pictures since I arrived and most of them are of her or the kids in Ashray which I can’t publicize due to confidentiality purposes.
I went back to Colaba yesterday. My British friend Ed is going back home today so he needed to do some last minute shopping. I really got to practice my bargaining skills as I haggled with at least 5 different shop owners! I’m sure most of them will remember me now so if I need to pick up any last minute gifts, I’ll know where to go!
The Rotary Club of Bandra has invited me to come to one of their meetings this Sunday so I hope to go there this weekend. They visited Ashray for the Independence Day celebrations last week and they were happy to hear about my experiences here. They also gave each child a gift from their wish list so it was really nice to see them so happy.
The new boy that I mentioned in my last blog entry is doing well. After 2.5 days of crying and missing his parents, I came back after the weekend and he didn’t cry once. Of course he was still upset, but I could see how quickly kids adapt to new settings. I’ve now seen his naughty side as well, during his performance on Independence Day he kept tucking his long shirt into his pants when he wasn’t supposed to and he would look at me to make sure I was laughing at him! He is extremely sweet-natured and smart. He got admission to one of the better English schools here so I really hope he becomes something brilliant when he’s older.
Those are the only updates I can think of since the last time I wrote. Sorry for the huge entries – you know me, once I start typing…I just can’t stop!
Hope you’re all doing well
Thursday, August 7, 2008
My first week at Ashray
It's been a week and a half since I started volunteering at Ashray. I'm really enjoying it so far. It is an orphanage that houses 40 children either infected or affected by HIV. It also houses some of their mothers and other women that are critically ill. It is run by CCDT (Committed Communities Development Trust) – a charity that has several other institutes in the Bombay area.
There is one other volunteer here, Ed from the UK. Him and I have been working on updating Ashray's forms, guidelines and other important documentation. We're also working with the pediatrician here to set up a database for her to use so that all of the kids and women's records can be computerized. Last week we created a question and answer document for kid's questions regarding HIV, AIDS, health and general questions that most kids usually ask when they arrive here. It will be made into a children's book for all of the new kids that enter Ashray.
Ashray is a bright and happy place. It's not like most institutions. There is one huge playroom where the kids do homework when the tutor's are present after school and then they let loose and play games after they are done studying. They get yummy healthy food every day and they have regular medical check-ups. The youngest kids are 3 years old – a boy and a girl often referred to as 'The Mafia' or 'Hansel & Gretel'. They are absolutely adorable and too fun to play with…but also a handful! The other kids age ranges are between 5 and 12. There are some older girls that stay here, in their teenage years but all the boys that are older than 12 go to another orphanage, only for boys. My first day here, I was left alone with 3 or 4 of the young boys, just playing with them. Within 5 minutes, they all beat each other up, smacked their heads on the floor, cried and then got back to their usual selves. I had a flashback of my babysitting days! But, I'm glad I have a good mix of things to do. I spend most of the day plugging away at the database and documentation and then instead of taking relaxing breaks…I just head over to the playroom and transform into my 3 year old self. We also made a nice poster for some visitors from USAID. We looked through several photographs of Ashray and pasted them on the poster. The title of it was 'Welcome to our Ray of Hope' which is one translation of Ashray. It also means shelter.
Ashray is situated in Bandra, a very trendy happening place where several of Bollywood's biggest names live. They also visit the kids at Ashray as some of them are involved with NGO work so it was shocking to see pictures of Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachan here a few months ago!
Sometimes I sit with the women while they're learning new handicraft skills. They make absolutely beautiful cotton folders and ceramic candle holders as well as other crafts.
My commute has already become routine. If I'm staying at my aunt's house in Nariman Point (South Bombay), I take the local train from one of the main stations – Churchgate. It's like Union Station…on drugs. Ok, it's not THAT bad…quite similar to rush hour at Union Station, but still, since the population is excessive, you can imagine the crowds. Sometimes the trains don't stop for too long so it's a race to jump on but I always manage to somehow. My height helps since I tower over most of the tiny Indian women. There are 'ladies only' sections in the train which are great because they are not as crowded as the general sections that are mostly men. I have a first class pass which doesn't mean I sit in luxury. The difference between the first class and second class compartments are minimal…I think there is some extra padding on the seats of the first class compartments. However, the second class ladies compartment is usually at the 2 ends of the train so I tend to just hop on there. The only issue that is sometimes unbearable is the smell of fish. Some of the ladies that go fishing early in the morning bring their day's worth of fish to sell on the train and the smell is atrocious. Haha…I keep a handkerchief handy to cover my nose! Other than that, I find the train quite relaxing and it's the best way to commute in Bombay.
If I go to my cousin's house, she lives in Ghatkopar which is not on the train line from Bandra so I take a 3-wheeler auto rickshaw. The ride is BUMPY and the air is smoky from all the truck fumes. One driver was a young guy and he was trying to impress me by driving extremely fast and taking sharp turns. He reminded me of Mario in Nintendo's MarioKart as his body swayed with every turn and he looked in the rear view mirror to see if I was loving his macho driving skills. Instead, I gave him my notorious cut-eye and he stopped acting so macho after seeing my disgusted reaction.
Today, a new child came to Ashray. His parents dropped him off and he cried all morning because he wanted to go home. He sat in my lap for a while. I managed to distract him by talking about school, computers and Bollywood but he still kept saying that he wanted to talk to his dad and go home. It's absolutely heartbreaking watching a child cry for his parents for hours and hours. The only good thing about this situation is that I know he will be better off here. His parents looked quite ill and after looking through their history, their health and economic status is not sufficient to keep their child healthy. The only thing that will make this child a little more peaceful is time. He just has to wait for some time to pass and get used to the kids and schools here and hopefully he will settle in like the others. I like to peek into the playroom and check on him every so often. He seems to be making friends and he's eating the food so that's a good sign. I'm already attached to every kid here. I have a soft spot for all of them so it'll be hard to leave. I hope to get lots of work done in the next few weeks!
There is one other volunteer here, Ed from the UK. Him and I have been working on updating Ashray's forms, guidelines and other important documentation. We're also working with the pediatrician here to set up a database for her to use so that all of the kids and women's records can be computerized. Last week we created a question and answer document for kid's questions regarding HIV, AIDS, health and general questions that most kids usually ask when they arrive here. It will be made into a children's book for all of the new kids that enter Ashray.
Ashray is a bright and happy place. It's not like most institutions. There is one huge playroom where the kids do homework when the tutor's are present after school and then they let loose and play games after they are done studying. They get yummy healthy food every day and they have regular medical check-ups. The youngest kids are 3 years old – a boy and a girl often referred to as 'The Mafia' or 'Hansel & Gretel'. They are absolutely adorable and too fun to play with…but also a handful! The other kids age ranges are between 5 and 12. There are some older girls that stay here, in their teenage years but all the boys that are older than 12 go to another orphanage, only for boys. My first day here, I was left alone with 3 or 4 of the young boys, just playing with them. Within 5 minutes, they all beat each other up, smacked their heads on the floor, cried and then got back to their usual selves. I had a flashback of my babysitting days! But, I'm glad I have a good mix of things to do. I spend most of the day plugging away at the database and documentation and then instead of taking relaxing breaks…I just head over to the playroom and transform into my 3 year old self. We also made a nice poster for some visitors from USAID. We looked through several photographs of Ashray and pasted them on the poster. The title of it was 'Welcome to our Ray of Hope' which is one translation of Ashray. It also means shelter.
Ashray is situated in Bandra, a very trendy happening place where several of Bollywood's biggest names live. They also visit the kids at Ashray as some of them are involved with NGO work so it was shocking to see pictures of Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachan here a few months ago!
Sometimes I sit with the women while they're learning new handicraft skills. They make absolutely beautiful cotton folders and ceramic candle holders as well as other crafts.
My commute has already become routine. If I'm staying at my aunt's house in Nariman Point (South Bombay), I take the local train from one of the main stations – Churchgate. It's like Union Station…on drugs. Ok, it's not THAT bad…quite similar to rush hour at Union Station, but still, since the population is excessive, you can imagine the crowds. Sometimes the trains don't stop for too long so it's a race to jump on but I always manage to somehow. My height helps since I tower over most of the tiny Indian women. There are 'ladies only' sections in the train which are great because they are not as crowded as the general sections that are mostly men. I have a first class pass which doesn't mean I sit in luxury. The difference between the first class and second class compartments are minimal…I think there is some extra padding on the seats of the first class compartments. However, the second class ladies compartment is usually at the 2 ends of the train so I tend to just hop on there. The only issue that is sometimes unbearable is the smell of fish. Some of the ladies that go fishing early in the morning bring their day's worth of fish to sell on the train and the smell is atrocious. Haha…I keep a handkerchief handy to cover my nose! Other than that, I find the train quite relaxing and it's the best way to commute in Bombay.
If I go to my cousin's house, she lives in Ghatkopar which is not on the train line from Bandra so I take a 3-wheeler auto rickshaw. The ride is BUMPY and the air is smoky from all the truck fumes. One driver was a young guy and he was trying to impress me by driving extremely fast and taking sharp turns. He reminded me of Mario in Nintendo's MarioKart as his body swayed with every turn and he looked in the rear view mirror to see if I was loving his macho driving skills. Instead, I gave him my notorious cut-eye and he stopped acting so macho after seeing my disgusted reaction.
Today, a new child came to Ashray. His parents dropped him off and he cried all morning because he wanted to go home. He sat in my lap for a while. I managed to distract him by talking about school, computers and Bollywood but he still kept saying that he wanted to talk to his dad and go home. It's absolutely heartbreaking watching a child cry for his parents for hours and hours. The only good thing about this situation is that I know he will be better off here. His parents looked quite ill and after looking through their history, their health and economic status is not sufficient to keep their child healthy. The only thing that will make this child a little more peaceful is time. He just has to wait for some time to pass and get used to the kids and schools here and hopefully he will settle in like the others. I like to peek into the playroom and check on him every so often. He seems to be making friends and he's eating the food so that's a good sign. I'm already attached to every kid here. I have a soft spot for all of them so it'll be hard to leave. I hope to get lots of work done in the next few weeks!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Indian Moms, Dads, Brothers & Sisters
I’ve just arrived back in Mumbai after spending 5 days with two of my aunts and their families in Kanpur. Kanpur is a wretched city, I can’t lie. For the past 26 years, I’ve been visiting India intermittently and I’ve seen cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore develop into huge metropolitans. I’ve also seen smaller cities, like the hill station Nainital and the famous Agra better their infrastructure by building new roads and services for the community. Kanpur has stayed the same since I was a child. Most of its roads aren’t really considered roads by any standards – they are merely lanes full of broken asphalt and deep craters ready to puncture car tires. In addition to the craters, one can find a huge cow taking a nap in the middle of the road or a stray dog practicing sprints as it runs in between oncoming traffic. Kanpur is quite a big city, with a bustling population (like the rest of India) and several industries, most popular are its tanneries and leather goods. My dad’s sister and one of my mom’s sisters both live in Kanpur. My dad was also raised there. Both of my aunts live in very nice houses but their surroundings have yet to be developed. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with my family in Kanpur. They spoil me and cook my favourite meals and we go around the town visiting other relatives and before I know it, my trip to Kanpur is over. But, I do wish that the city would develop into something that is more attractive to those that come to visit and even those that call it home. I’m not saying it should become like Mumbai or Delhi, it’s just a shame to see a big city in the state of Uttar Pradesh (a city that my family has so many ties to) stay stagnant in terms of development.
My uncle in Kanpur told me a nice analogy. When he drives to work every morning, he sees flocks of birds in the city all leave for the surrounding lush forests for food. Before dark, the birds all return to the dust covered trees in the city. They actually leave the lush, green forests and come back to what they consider home. My uncle is right. It doesn’t really matter if the city is a bit backwards or if a village is without water and electricity – at the end of the day, anyone is glad to walk through the door of their home (or fly into their nest) and just relax. After touring the city of Kanpur in the day, the dusty air and bumpy roads make me want to pass out so I’m definitely glad to reach either of my aunt’s houses! But, to me, nothing compares to my Summerdale Place in Ancaster and to my uncle, nothing compares to his home in Kanpur.
I’m already missing my family in Kanpur. My cousin’s wife also came to see me from Delhi and we had a great time together. I also enjoyed some delicious mangoes which we can’t get here in Mumbai. One particular kind is called the ‘choosma’ mango. Me, being the amateur mango consumer didn’t know how to eat it. My grandfather’s brother instructed me to rip a hole in the skin on the top of the mango and suck all the juice out…but not too hard or a hole would rip in the bottom and all of the mango’s contents would pour out! It was quite an unconventional way to eat a mango but I must say – it was absolutely delicious. Now that I’m back in Bombay, I’ll get back to my favourite kulfi (Indian ice cream) store off Marine Drive and my favourite corn roaster at the Opera House. I miss my family in Kanpur but now I’m back at my aunt’s place in Mumbai and the homesick feeling is gone.
I have so many moms, dads, sisters and brothers here in India. It’s amazing how all of my aunts, uncles and cousins take me into their homes, feed me amazing food, take me through the transit system to help me commute to CCDT and just in general make me feel at home. I was telling my aunt today that I feel kind of useless when I’m in India because in most houses, there are servants that take care of the cooking and cleaning so I can’t even contribute in the household chores! It’s too bad I hardly cook at home or at least I’d make a meal occasionally (my mom is shaking her head in disgust right now). I think I’ll try to make some pasta or lasagna before I go – and if it turns out to be a disaster, there’s always takeout!
For a while, I thought Mumbai was being extra nice to me and holding back on the torrential downpours. Wishful thinking. Today I got soaked. My aunt and I went out to a bridal show (not to find me a husband) to look at all the fancy jewelry and clothes. Then, we went to Churchgate, one of the main train stations in South Bombay and I got myself a monthly pass so that I can commute to CCDT. Similar to the GO train at home, this pass will take me to Bandra, a distance equivalent to that between Oakville and Toronto. My monthly pass cost me 350 Rupees – not even $10! Train travel is extremely cost efficient in Mumbai – possibly to make up for the extravagant cost of living. After getting my pass, my aunt and I decided to walk home which is usually just a 10 minute walk. Five minutes into our walk, it started to rain lightly again so we broke out the umbrellas. Within 2 minutes, it was a full on downpour and we quickly took shelter at a bus stop. With the wind and rain combined, my back got soaked and as we took 15 seconds to jump into a cab, the rest of my body, head to toe was drenched. Thank god it’s warm over here or I would be one damn cranky Priya. I’m glad to be back in Mumbai because I’m looking forward to working with CCDT. I feel like it’s my first day of school!
Mumbai trains can be quite scary. Since the population is so dense, it’s a mad race to get on the trains and an even crazier race to get off. With the recent bombings in Bangalore and Ahemdabad, I’m a little hesitant to travel on the trains in Mumbai considering the bombings that happened on them two years ago. But, in this day in age, unfortunately our every day lives are a game of luck. Crazy terrorists are all over the world and I know first hand that they can strike at any time. In the past 3 years, violence has followed me on most of my trips. In 2005, there were bombings the day I landed in London. There was an earthquake and bombings when I was in Delhi. Last year, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated the night I was leaving India and we were worried that there would be riots in the streets. And now, this past week, there were 9 bombs planted in Bangalore and they all blew within an hour. The next day a series of bombs blew in Ahemdabad. Now, I’m going to go pack my lunch for tomorrow…and get ready for the intense commute that will hopefully become routine within a few days and I’m going to try not to think of the latest violence that is circulating through the country.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
A whirlwind trip to Pune (Poona)
I'm back from staying with Janhavi for a week in Pune. We had a great time eating out and meeting with friends and relatives. I also went to Deep Griha, where Janhavi has been volunteering and where I was supposed to volunteer before the opportunity in Bombay presented itself. It was so refreshing to see so many international volunteers spending their summers in India doing charity work. A group of French volunteers raised loads of money to help build the youth center at Deep Griha. What a success it was! The youth center is an awesome facility that will provide so many kids and teens with much needed counselling and extra-curricular activities. One morning when we went to one of Deep Griha's locations in the slum, we came across the most adorable 2 year olds. There they were, TWENTY of them patiently waiting on a 10x10 bench for their playroom to be cleaned. When Janhavi and I were greeted by the 'Hi Aunty' voices, we both looked at each other with such huge smiles! What a way to start the day! We convinced the little toddlers to call us Didi (sister) instead of Aunty because come on...I'm not an Aunty yet! It was great fun playing with the kids and it was amazing to know that they were all taken care of during the day while their parents may be sick or busy working.
I'm now back in Bombay for one night before I go see my relatives in Kanpur tomorrow. After that, I start my work at CCDT here in Bombay and I'm excited to get going on that! Janhavi and I had way too much fun in Pune...mostly in the form of several sizzling brownie desserts and delicious meals. We also managed to do some trekking one early morning and I actually survived! We climbed to a fort about 800 m high called Sinhagad (meaning Lion Fort). The distance wasn't too much, but the trek was steep! We took a few breaks but eventually made it to the top where we had some long anticipated snacks and walked around the old fort where one of the most famous battles in Maharashtra took place centuries ago. The scenery was breathtaking, especially in the monsoon season as everything was so lush and green.
TOP 10 MOMENTS WITH JANHAVI:
10) Inhaling a delicious slice of chocolate cake in a five star hotel in Bombay only to have a group of middle-aged women stare at us and tell us how 'lucky' we were to be able to eat such junk! We couldn't stop laughing.
9) Seeing Anil Kapoor (a famous Bollywood actor) in a club in Bombay surrounded by his entourage of dancers...he's old enough to be my father!
8) Having lunch by a double-decker bus in Notting Hill...oops, I mean Pune - at the 11th Street restaurant (I think that was the name). It's a new restaurant in Pune that's all about London!
7) Coming home and crashing every night at 9pm from all of our gallavanting and becoming hooked on smutty Indian reality television.
6) Observing all the ninjas in Pune...there are so many of them! Women on scooters tend to wrap up their faces with scarves in a completely ninja-way to avoid inhaling all of the car fumes...but wow, does it crack me up!
5) Eating delicious kulfi on Marine Drive in Bombay....one can NEVER get enough!
4) Hanging outside Shah Rukh Khan's (one of the KINGS of Bollywood) house in Bandra for 40 minutes only to see his two very cute dogs.
3) Dancing to fun Bollywood music with our new friends at a farmhouse under the moonlight because the lights kept going out!
2) Handing out sweets to all of the kids at Deep Griha at the opening of the youth center.
1) Playing with the adorable toddlers at Deep Griha, their smiles have made my trip already!
I'm really going to miss Janhavi but hopefully we'll meet up once more before she leaves for Canada on August 1...she herself can't stay away from Bombay because she loves it just as much as I do! I met two of her close childhood friends in Pune too and the four of us had a great time together, even though it was so short! I'm looking forward to keeping in touch with them as well.
My dad called me yesterday and I could just feel his smile over the phone. A small article I submitted to the Hamilton Spectator newspaper was published over the weekend in the Travel section. It was kind of like a photo essay about India and one of the pictures was of a monument from my dad's hometown so he was so proud! I didn't tell anyone that I submitted an essay so they were all really surprised to see my name and picture in the paper! My parents friends were calling them to say congrats to me and I got so many well wishes from all of my friends as well. It's such a small little story but it felt great to share it with so many people! Here is the link, enjoy!
http://www.thespec.com/article/405579
I'm now back in Bombay for one night before I go see my relatives in Kanpur tomorrow. After that, I start my work at CCDT here in Bombay and I'm excited to get going on that! Janhavi and I had way too much fun in Pune...mostly in the form of several sizzling brownie desserts and delicious meals. We also managed to do some trekking one early morning and I actually survived! We climbed to a fort about 800 m high called Sinhagad (meaning Lion Fort). The distance wasn't too much, but the trek was steep! We took a few breaks but eventually made it to the top where we had some long anticipated snacks and walked around the old fort where one of the most famous battles in Maharashtra took place centuries ago. The scenery was breathtaking, especially in the monsoon season as everything was so lush and green.
TOP 10 MOMENTS WITH JANHAVI:
10) Inhaling a delicious slice of chocolate cake in a five star hotel in Bombay only to have a group of middle-aged women stare at us and tell us how 'lucky' we were to be able to eat such junk! We couldn't stop laughing.
9) Seeing Anil Kapoor (a famous Bollywood actor) in a club in Bombay surrounded by his entourage of dancers...he's old enough to be my father!
8) Having lunch by a double-decker bus in Notting Hill...oops, I mean Pune - at the 11th Street restaurant (I think that was the name). It's a new restaurant in Pune that's all about London!
7) Coming home and crashing every night at 9pm from all of our gallavanting and becoming hooked on smutty Indian reality television.
6) Observing all the ninjas in Pune...there are so many of them! Women on scooters tend to wrap up their faces with scarves in a completely ninja-way to avoid inhaling all of the car fumes...but wow, does it crack me up!
5) Eating delicious kulfi on Marine Drive in Bombay....one can NEVER get enough!
4) Hanging outside Shah Rukh Khan's (one of the KINGS of Bollywood) house in Bandra for 40 minutes only to see his two very cute dogs.
3) Dancing to fun Bollywood music with our new friends at a farmhouse under the moonlight because the lights kept going out!
2) Handing out sweets to all of the kids at Deep Griha at the opening of the youth center.
1) Playing with the adorable toddlers at Deep Griha, their smiles have made my trip already!
I'm really going to miss Janhavi but hopefully we'll meet up once more before she leaves for Canada on August 1...she herself can't stay away from Bombay because she loves it just as much as I do! I met two of her close childhood friends in Pune too and the four of us had a great time together, even though it was so short! I'm looking forward to keeping in touch with them as well.
My dad called me yesterday and I could just feel his smile over the phone. A small article I submitted to the Hamilton Spectator newspaper was published over the weekend in the Travel section. It was kind of like a photo essay about India and one of the pictures was of a monument from my dad's hometown so he was so proud! I didn't tell anyone that I submitted an essay so they were all really surprised to see my name and picture in the paper! My parents friends were calling them to say congrats to me and I got so many well wishes from all of my friends as well. It's such a small little story but it felt great to share it with so many people! Here is the link, enjoy!
http://www.thespec.com/article/405579
Monday, July 14, 2008
In India...again!
It's taken me ten days to settle down and gather my thoughts since I arrived in India. A few things have changed in my plans for volunteering. Instead of spending all my time in Pune at Deep Griha, another opportunity arose in Bombay and it's working out to be much more practical for me to stay in Bombay with my family. I had an interview with CCDT (Committed Communities Development Trust - http://www.ccdtrust.org/) and they are really happy to take me on temporarily as part of their team. I will be compiling a best practices document of all of their programmes and spending time in their orphanage for children infected and affected by HIV. The orphanage also has a trauma center for critically ill women infected with HIV and also trains women to be self-sufficient by teaching them various handicrafts which they sell and earn money. I will not be starting my work there until July 28th so in the mean time, I will be visiting with relatives. I am currently in Poona right now as I still wanted to see Deep Griha, the charity I originally was to volunteer for. Janhavi and I went to the opening of their youth center today and it was amazing to see hundreds of children in this new building that will be providing them with computer classes, counselling and many other activities.
CCDT's orphanage is called 'Ashray', which in English means 'shelter'. I visited during lunch time and saw children ranging from age 5 to age 12. After eating their meals they all washed their own dishes and then began a game of cricket outside. They all greeted me with a warm welcome - "Good afternoon Didi" (Didi means sister). There are approximately 50 kids in the shelter and all are well taken care of by being placed in good schools and eventually placed with adopted families or foster homes. If needed, the children are given anti-retroviral therapy and medical attention is always provided. I'm really looking forward to interacting with the kids and learning about the programmes that CCDT offers. The shelter is hidden amongst a busy area in Bombay but it is like a sanctuary in the middle of such chaos.
I will keep everyone updated on all of my happenings in India. Hope all is well back home!
CCDT's orphanage is called 'Ashray', which in English means 'shelter'. I visited during lunch time and saw children ranging from age 5 to age 12. After eating their meals they all washed their own dishes and then began a game of cricket outside. They all greeted me with a warm welcome - "Good afternoon Didi" (Didi means sister). There are approximately 50 kids in the shelter and all are well taken care of by being placed in good schools and eventually placed with adopted families or foster homes. If needed, the children are given anti-retroviral therapy and medical attention is always provided. I'm really looking forward to interacting with the kids and learning about the programmes that CCDT offers. The shelter is hidden amongst a busy area in Bombay but it is like a sanctuary in the middle of such chaos.
I will keep everyone updated on all of my happenings in India. Hope all is well back home!
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