india firsthand

Well…..all good things must come to an end…..sad but true! As much as I have missed my family the technology and Skype opportunities were most everyday which kept me connected….it made the trip doable with still keeping up on things at home in real time!

Our flight left with all 15 of us on the plane from New Delhi at 2:25 in the morning on this day! From the BEAUTIFUL new International Terminal 3. This flight was 8 hours in length to the Frankfurt Airport…from here people split up and went to their various gates and locations for flights back to the United States. It was sad to say good byes, however I know we’ll have the technology e-mail connections and hopefully some other class to class and/or school to school connections that such a trip will encourage.

Namaste and Dhanyavad!

Well…it’s our last Friday in India!! Our last day actually in India…..how very saddddd!! I have been joking for the last few days that I should just stay behind and then that would be one less ticket we’d have to buy to get Denny and Alex and Zorah here….but alas…I must return…and we’ll need to save our pennies and make an organized trip with the whole family (including dad) hopefully in the not too very distant future….

We woke up and had our last breakfast at the hotel…..they had poori baji YUMMY freshly made, and then one of the chefs saw my exuberance at this and he came over and offered to make fresh masala dosa for us as well….who could turn that down??? So I had both!! WOWIE ZOWIE…living the life!!

We then went over to have the final feedback session with the USIEF office and Girish Kaul who was there with us in Madison, Wisconsin, and had assisted in the planning of the complete program. We have been giving written feedback….at the conclusion of each city. This was both a written feedback form we submitted, as well as a discussion. It is apparent to me that the USIEF listens closely to the feedback that each group gives and they have made adjustments to the program each year to tweak and enhance the next year’s group experience. Again I would reiterate how very fortunate I was to be selected to have this once in a lifetime journey all planned out with such knowledgeable leaders and guides. I will certainly be the best advocate/ambassador for India that I can be, sharing all I have gained through photos, stories, presentations, blogs, video and digital story telling.

While we were at the office we also received the materials we had purchased in the first week through the CCRT…so we shipped these boxes back to the States….The USIEF/Fulbright program had given $200 for resources I spent $100 on books, and then figured I would spend the other $100 on shipping them back…as it turned out it was $150 to ship the three boxes back to the states, however the materials were so nominal in the first place they were certainly worth it! Besides, that’s what the money is for…I also purchased various other “artifacts” along the way, puppets sculptures, etc. Our library will have EXCELLENT resources for print and DVD materials which will help the students understand more fully various aspects of India, puppetry, dance, all kinds of artisanry.

I had the rare opportunity to have my own room on that last night of the trip, which was great! I could spread things out and repack as I needed….most excellent! I had also dropped off yesterday three different sulwar kurta pieces to be stitched for me….he said they would be ready for pick up at 6:00 this evening. And they were! I bought some more bindis from this store as well, some people….Zorah and maybe Ally included may believe one can never have too many! I took an auto rickshaw on my own from the hotel to the market for the pick up and return…it felt nice to be confident to make this expedition having had this hotel has “home base” as we traveled around India….it was our third or fourth time back to the hotel….after our first week long stint the other stays were just overnight, but still we did come to know this as our “home away from home”.

We had the afternoon to pack things and then check out by 6:30 and dinner and 7:30 pm, then off last bus ride, leaving the hotel at 9:00 pm. We arrived at the BRAND NEW terminal 3 at the Delhi Airport WOW as you proceed through it, one would think they were in a mall in the United States! Incredible!! I was thinking kids that might not otherwise see the states could just go to the airport and it would be like going to a mall in the states, but then I remembered that you HAVE to show your plane ticket itinerary with confirmation numbers and your photo ID to be able to get into the airport….so not just anyone can go. It really did feel worlds away!

On this day we left Jaipur to return to Delhi for our final dinner in the evening and departure tomorrow….it is a sad day for me as things come to an end….my last Thursday in India! Only for now, as Dave from our group reminds me…..

The day was spent in travel and then when we checked back in to our “home away from home” I was able to have the room to myself….each woman got this opportunity at one stop on the program…I felt very fortunate to have it at the end to pack up my things….

Many of us dressed up in new purchases we had made along the way….I wore the sari I purchased for Zorah in Benares…it is a rich orange with purple border….you’ll see my colleagues in beautiful blue saris and various other Sulwar Kurtas purchased along the way…..

I started yet another day with a great SKYPE conversation with my family. Denny seems to be healing well from his knee replacement surgery. Technology is wonderful in many ways medical advances and communications!

We went to visit our first school specifically for special needs children today. The name is PRAYAS (Centre for Special Education and Vocational Training). This school building itself is the first totally wheelchair accessible school that we have seen on this program. Students whom study here come with varying abilities some much more severe than others, there is also one class of deaf students. We saw occupational therapy sessions for cerebral palsy students as well as art lessons, math lessons, and also training of future teachers who are working toward their diploma program as student assistants, and tutors for these students They were very excited to be seeing us and proud of their accomplishments. The resources here seemed quite good and the students were being taught both academics and vocational skills. They had a small store at which they sold some of their hand made items as well.

We carried on to see another school that had integrated the students of varying learning disabilities into the regular school setting. This school was located in a lower income area and also seemed as though it was servicing the students quite well with smaller class sizes.

In the afternoon it rained and we traveled by bus to the City Palace. The architecture is a synthesis of Rajasthani and Mughal styles.

On this in India we went VERY early to visit the Taj Mahal…WOWIE WOW WOW!! See the pictures, experience the adventure…..more words will not be as important as the photos….although….one phrase that comes quickly to mind that our guide repeated frequently is “mind boggling” concerning the construction/architecture/inlay of marble….incredible!

So we met VERY early in the lobby had a QUICK bite of breakfast, checked out of our rooms, and boarded the bus to go to the train station to visit Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. The train ride was about three hours, and they served us some chai (tea) and then a breakfast that came included in the price of the ticket….with some vegetable cutlet, tea, bread and jam. We arrived in the hotel and could have yet ANOTHER breakfast if we wanted, and a bit of a rest before gathering after lunch to board the bus and go to visit Fatehpur Sikri (about 1 hour plus drive out of the city in the countryside).

Fatehpur Sikri (The City of Victory) is a world heritage site built during the second half of the 16th century for the Emperor Akbar. It is made out of red stone and has a series of buildings including one of the largest mosques in India. It was the capital of the Mughal Empire for about 10 years. On this day it was hot and there were MANY families here visiting dressed up in what we would consider “Sunday best”. The children were running around in the monuments playing tag, and then many families sat on the lawns and were picnicking…it was a busy, yet peaceful setting. The only drawback being the heat and the “hawkers” those people who would ask, and ask, and ASK for you to buy something from them. They’re not allowed into the actual monument area…however, as our guide said it’s a real “hawkers gauntlet” we’ll have to make from the bus to the entrance. He was not overstating that one bit.

We drove back to the hotel, taking about 1 ½ hours to get back due to a traffic back up on the country road. It seemed odd…however we figured out that at that time about 5:30 or 6:00 pm the trucks could not go into city on that road, so they just STOP on the road, and the other traffic needs to make its way around the trucks….very odd. But as we sat at a stand still for at least 20 minutes I watched out the window and saw many motorcycles pass by us. I even saw one motorcycle with a family on it of FIVE, the father driving, with a very small child in front of him, then two other children behind him, and mom on the back!! WOW!! I have seen others with four people…but that was my first with five…it went by too quickly to snap a photo…incredible!
Back at the hotel there was a small shop next door we found some reasonably priced tee shirts, then were exhausted from the day so had some aloo type paratha (Indian bread with some potato/veg in it) for dinner with mango pickle and yogurt…..yummy…just right! Then off to bed for 5:30 am start to see the Taj Mahal in the morning!!

This day has been for travel. We had the morning for breakfast, not an EARLY start. We then had some free time to pack our things, and take I took a last dip in the pool. On day 33 we had gone to this incredible silk saree makers/seller and I had purchased a WONDERFUL silk saree for Zorah, orange with a lovely purple border (her color combination request). I gave the saree to have the hotel shop that had a tailor to have the blouse made from the end part of the saree, as is the usual way to have it done. Although he charged more than some other spots, the convenience was great, and it was finished with a nice lining for me this morning….I’ll have a “test run” with the saree on our final dinner in New Delhi on Thursday evening! I also had a chance to take a last water aerobics dip in the pool….ahhhh life is good!

We then went to the airport and flew back to our “home away from home” the Taj Mansingh Road in New Delhi. They remember us, and welcome us with cool drink as they get the room keys set for us. Since we have an odd number of women at each stay one person gets to have their own room. This was my big chance!!! Although we’re only here for 12 hours, as it’s an EARLY start 4:30AM in the lobby–to head off by train to Agra – home of the Taj Mahal. So we made a quick shopping excursion to check out pricing and sizing for kurtas for Denny and Alex, and purchased the petticoat needed for the saree. Then back to the hotel and I rented a movie which came with the DVD, the DVD Player, the “technician” to set it up….and then room service delivered free pepsi and popcorn…..in the room all by myself….King size bed….ah….life is good! A nice relaxing day…..

So….I’m afraid I will need to post the words during another session, however I’ll at least get the photos here….it was another AMAZING experience this….lots to tell….

HERE IS THE POST…sorry so long….it was a day I won’t forget…

Day 34 of 42
This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. We woke up EARLY and left for Gangagi, the Ganges, at 4:45 AM. We went by bus and were dropped off near the ghat where we went on the boat on day 32 for the Aarti. We made it through all the hawkers, some of whom were there two days previously and remembered us! They continued to try and sell their wares to us ….when rejected they would tell us we broke their hearts! They have certainly figured out the tricks of the trade.

We traveled down to the steps and some of us purchased a cupcake holder style dish with flower petals and a candle (more like poured wax) to light and offer as a good morning wish to the mother river. We continued down towards the boats and one priest offered a pray to me and put red marking on my forehead as well as some others in the group. We proceeded to get on the same boat as the evening putting the river to sleep.

Dr. Singh had met us at the hotel and was traveling with us to convey his knowledge. So as the oarsmen tried to row upstream we ran into yards and yards of floating lilies that had come onto the river from some other flooded rivers that joined the Ganges. This made the rowing VERY difficult and as it turned out we didn’t go as far as anticipated. We did light our offerings for the river and Dr. Singh gave a blessing as we lit them….we traveled to another spot closer and stopped at a Nepal temple that was up on a bluff and had a great view. I chose not to go into that temple because it was not that large, and with our whole group I would have felt too claustrophobic. But MAN the view was incredible and SO peaceful there with only a view others around who lived/worked there. A certain calm was felt with a nice breeze in the early morning…..ah….life is good…..definitely a spiritual morning experience…not soon to be forgotten.

We left the temple and traveled downstream some more and got off at a different ghat and walked through some VERY alleyways in Varanasi….we passed by where wood was being sold for the cremations, they had a scale there the old kind that is more like a balance (name escapes me currently). There were dogs and cows and people and motorcycles and kids and well…us…..we kept going and one’s olfactory senses were definitely on full alert!

We walked more and got to a spot where the police were and we could no longer take any more pictures. Then we got to a store that sold various carvings, jewelry, bags, lots of things and Dr. Singh had us leave our big bags there, actually, one of our USIEF leaders for this leg of the journey was Adam Grotsky…the Director of the USIEF in who lives at the compound in the Fulbright House. Adam had lived in Varanasi and studied there for a number of years, so he is also so knowledgeable about the area. So anyway….Adam also stayed with our things…and we could only take our passports and money with us farther. We were off to see the Golden Temple. It is believed that this is the center and central temple that all Hindus would want to visit at least once in their life.

We traveled down some more alleyways and through a metal detector…..seemed so out of context and strange. Dr. Singh let us know that the security was so strong here due to terrorist threats. We got to another spot where he shared more information. At this spot I realized how many, many people were entering, and it already felt very closed in. Dr. Singh said most people who are not hindu just see the top of the temple from this vantage and then move on. However said that if you wanted to go into the temple you would have to give your passport and address and fill out some paper work, as well as agree that you believed in Hinduism to enter the temple…I decided that there were WAY too many people even in the alleyways for me to be alright going into the temple…so I stayed back in the shop with Dr. Singh and the shopkeepers.

The shopkeeper offered us chai given in a small clay drinking cup, it was hot and lovely, with milk and sugar, and he added some freshly ground masala. Wow! Am I living, or what? As we sat and talked I noticed there were oils of various scents for sale as well as carvings….I asked if he had anything in sandalwood, and he got out some beaded necklaces, no pressure sales, I just looked and decided on two. This is a smell that I associate with India and the carved elephants and boxes that my Thakuma (grandmother) would bring for us as gifts when she came to the States from India.…then I asked about jasmine oil….a scent that my father has very fond memories of from his childhood in India….so I purchased a small quantity of that to bring back home. After maybe 10 minutes more the group came back out having experienced the Golden Temple…..and I experienced a slice of everyday morning life….it was lovely….

As if this day was not good enough three other important events transpired. We visited the campus of the Benares Hindu University and the Birla Temple on campus the largest University in Asia as we were told by Dr. Singh. We also had the opportunity to see a school Ashadeep Vidyashram, run by an NGO (non governmental organization). website:

http://www.asha-deep.com/

The principal is an American woman named Connie Rao. Her husband is half Indian and they have two children. They’ve been living in India about 9 years (if I remember correctly) her daughter she wanted to go back to the states to attend her last year (or two) of high school, and the son is at a neighboring school, as Connie’s only goes to 7th grade currently. She is running a great program with small class sizes and offering quality education for VERY poor children. She is disheartened with the local government school, and relayed a story about an 8th grader who switched over from the government school to hers and she tested him he was reading at 2nd grade level.

They started off not charging any money for tuition, and now have instated a 20 – 30 rupee a month fee structure…she decided the parents then valued the education some more. A friend of hers started this school eight years ago with 12 students and asked Connie to be principal shortly there after….she accepted and never looked back.

The school now has 250 students. The criteria for the children to come is that they’re from an illiterate family. The teachers here have a VAST array of training….from 8th grade education, however a teacher at heart, to a Ph.D. Connie says she pays the teachers better than some other area schools so she doesn’t have a high turnover rate. She told us she pays between 3800 – 5500 rupees a month (for comparison purposes the current exchange rate would be $100 US Dollars equals 4315 Rupees) So about $100 US dollars per month is the salary of a teacher here, who is then quite satisfied with the position.

We were given lunch here at the Ashadeep School on the rooftop served on dried leaf plates, a simple meal of rice and dahl and subzi (vegetable curry). We sat on the ground with short long tables and ate with our hands….the teachers came and ate with us as well, some had better English skills than others….it was a great experience.

We then had about 20 minutes to walk around the school and observer some classes. I stayed at a 7th grade vocal music class…the teacher had a harmonium and the students sat around him and practiced the “Do-Re-Me”…but Indian way, and then sang a couple songs…one was a traditional Indian Folk song, another one was an original work the teacher had created. They were lovely and I could tell the students were very happy to be there and enjoyed their classes.

This evening held a lovely dinner for us with a Sitar Concert given by some friends of Adam Grotsky’s he has known for over about 20 years. This was a real treat for us as well in such an intimate setting, only our group along with about 10 other people, past Fulbrighters and friends. The concert was given in one of the conference rooms at the hotel. What a FULL DAY!! SO much to be thankful for…..

On this day we went to a school named Alice Project:Universal Education School in Sarnath….which is in the area that Buddha began his teachings. The school has been in existence for 16 years and is very different. The welcome we received was amazing, and then the talk we got from the originator of the school also was quite something! He certainly has a vision of what he would like to see, and then wants to show you only that. The students were learning, and meditating…it was quite intriguing….not exactly sure my complete thoughts on it….I need to ponder more, and it would be interesting to go back to that school and “live it” for longer to really understand and see how things work. From his papers he says it’s derived from the book by Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland and it “invites children to enter the magic land of our unconscioius mind, exploring the inner world of thoughts, feelings and emotions and to cross the borders between our inner and outer realities.”….pretty deep stuff…. albeit interesting…..it was a challenge to see how it truly works….our “tour” was VERY “guided”.

We had the chance to see where Buddhas teachings began, and to hear about them from Dr. Arvind Singh. We saw the stupa, as well as the museum, and walked around on the grounds.

We then went to a village and wandered about some…it was hot but great opportunity…..sorry to say my battery for the still camera was out of power for the School and Buddha grounds….I have video only…I’ll try and get some stills from my colleagues at some point…..the battery was charged by the time the village visit happened in the afternoon.