But the true end of my Indian experience.
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Saturday, 1 January 2011
Friday, 24 December 2010
I'm, home?
3 days since home.
But it's the home I left that i'm hung up on.
Don't get me wrong, I'd rather be here than there, but this is a shock to system that had got used to a very different life till 3 days ago.
Let me describe my journey home.
Goodbye Jaisalmer, train left at 4.30.
9.30 train falls clean off the rails.
3.30 we give up the wait and get off the damn thing, drag 27kg (in my case) along an Indian railway to the nearest road, where a bus waited to take us to Jodphur, to get back on another train.
4hrs sleep.
Boiled eggs and bread breakfast passed down the carriages.
6.30pm Dehli.
8.00pm IDEX guesthouse.
8.00am Leave
10am Airport
Wait. Wait. Wait.
4.30pm In the air.
9.30pm Land.
1.00am Home.
That's about 25hrs on a train - it was the craziest journey we've ever had.
But home, as comforting as it is. Is missing about 47 people... I was in Norwich yesterday, truly on my own for the first time since I was back, as George had left me for a little. It was huge, cold and unfriendly. People rushing around all consumed by shopping and spending money and buying one more thing that really, isn't essential. I stopped and talked to a street charity worker for half an hour. The one person that i'd figured was in town for a real reason. Selling comics for whatever you could afford, all proceeds going to buy wheelchairs for children.
I hid in Franks for 3hours sipping mulled wine and flicking through the comic.
Ziad, it's not just you.
But it's the home I left that i'm hung up on.
Don't get me wrong, I'd rather be here than there, but this is a shock to system that had got used to a very different life till 3 days ago.
Let me describe my journey home.
Goodbye Jaisalmer, train left at 4.30.
9.30 train falls clean off the rails.
3.30 we give up the wait and get off the damn thing, drag 27kg (in my case) along an Indian railway to the nearest road, where a bus waited to take us to Jodphur, to get back on another train.
4hrs sleep.
Boiled eggs and bread breakfast passed down the carriages.
6.30pm Dehli.
8.00pm IDEX guesthouse.
8.00am Leave
10am Airport
Wait. Wait. Wait.
4.30pm In the air.
9.30pm Land.
1.00am Home.
That's about 25hrs on a train - it was the craziest journey we've ever had.
But home, as comforting as it is. Is missing about 47 people... I was in Norwich yesterday, truly on my own for the first time since I was back, as George had left me for a little. It was huge, cold and unfriendly. People rushing around all consumed by shopping and spending money and buying one more thing that really, isn't essential. I stopped and talked to a street charity worker for half an hour. The one person that i'd figured was in town for a real reason. Selling comics for whatever you could afford, all proceeds going to buy wheelchairs for children.
I hid in Franks for 3hours sipping mulled wine and flicking through the comic.
Ziad, it's not just you.
Friday, 10 December 2010
You just can't buy M&S biscuits in India
10 Days till home.
I got my packages from George and Ami, they made my week! The chai appretiation society devoured the vieniese biccys in about 10 seconds. I'm keeping all the percy pigs.
This week has been really really good, daycare is looking amazing after only 4 days of us painting. I've got a big number grid painted, a human body (even though Becky laughed at her extra long legs), fruit, footprints, handprints, it's so colourful now! Roxy, Olive and I are making good use of our day off next week to go in anyway and make sure it's finished before we leave. Yashoda (our exec) has already left to sit her exams in Jaipur, which was such a hard goodbye, but only a fraction of what next week is going to be like when we all say goodbye at Heathrow. Not looking forward to that one little bit.
Some lovely things have been happening this week. An evening stroll with Sharma Ji, Kylie and Emma gave me my first look at how the village manage to get electricity. Darbari is situated not 20km from the most enourmous power station i've ever seen, and surrounded by countless wind turbines, but the village itself has no power supply. So when we see the houses lit up, we asked Mr. Sharma how they manage. "No legal ways." He tells us. Turns out they stand under the power lines and throw cables up around the wires, tack the electricity down to thier houses, and sap it from the cables. Dangerous, but clever.
Kylie works at Akal boys school, with Joujou and some others, and about 3 months ago one of the boys in thier class was treated for kidney stones at a local hospital. Recently though he's been very ill again and without any healthcare available in the village, he's been very sick. His family probably do not have the means to pay for him to be treated, after no doubt shelling out huge amounts of money for the first treatment, so today, Kylie and Joujou have gone to pick him up and take him to the private hospital the volnteers have been using to get him checked over and cover the costs of the treatment. I'm so proud of them. I really hope it works out ok, i'll get the story no doubt over dinner but for now i'm praying that they have enough. Our money stretches alot further over here, i'm glad it's doing some good.
I'm 19 on Monday. My first birthday without Ami, away from home. Exciting stuff.
Some little updates -
I got my packages from George and Ami, they made my week! The chai appretiation society devoured the vieniese biccys in about 10 seconds. I'm keeping all the percy pigs.
This week has been really really good, daycare is looking amazing after only 4 days of us painting. I've got a big number grid painted, a human body (even though Becky laughed at her extra long legs), fruit, footprints, handprints, it's so colourful now! Roxy, Olive and I are making good use of our day off next week to go in anyway and make sure it's finished before we leave. Yashoda (our exec) has already left to sit her exams in Jaipur, which was such a hard goodbye, but only a fraction of what next week is going to be like when we all say goodbye at Heathrow. Not looking forward to that one little bit.
Some lovely things have been happening this week. An evening stroll with Sharma Ji, Kylie and Emma gave me my first look at how the village manage to get electricity. Darbari is situated not 20km from the most enourmous power station i've ever seen, and surrounded by countless wind turbines, but the village itself has no power supply. So when we see the houses lit up, we asked Mr. Sharma how they manage. "No legal ways." He tells us. Turns out they stand under the power lines and throw cables up around the wires, tack the electricity down to thier houses, and sap it from the cables. Dangerous, but clever.
Kylie works at Akal boys school, with Joujou and some others, and about 3 months ago one of the boys in thier class was treated for kidney stones at a local hospital. Recently though he's been very ill again and without any healthcare available in the village, he's been very sick. His family probably do not have the means to pay for him to be treated, after no doubt shelling out huge amounts of money for the first treatment, so today, Kylie and Joujou have gone to pick him up and take him to the private hospital the volnteers have been using to get him checked over and cover the costs of the treatment. I'm so proud of them. I really hope it works out ok, i'll get the story no doubt over dinner but for now i'm praying that they have enough. Our money stretches alot further over here, i'm glad it's doing some good.
I'm 19 on Monday. My first birthday without Ami, away from home. Exciting stuff.
Some little updates -
- I still haven't climbed the wind turbine, and I still have no intention to.
- I have been on the back of Ziad's motorbike :)
- My suitcase is only 2kg overweight, so far, so good.
- I'm down to my last 1275 Rs with 500 on the way next friday and no way of extracting it from my bank account (which is probably a blessing in disguise)
- Joshi has clearly forgotten about my chips - which as soon as i'm done blogging, i will be following up.
This week is going to an interesting one, torn between not wanting to leave, and desperately missing home.
"48 best friends. Changing worlds one person at a time."
Friday, 3 December 2010
Bahut mahanga, gori, gori.
17 Days till home.
It's been the most bizarre week knowing home is under feet of snow and we're still strutting about in summer clothes and flip flops... Not looking forward to arriving in Heathrow dressed for an Indian winter only to be greeted by temperatures less than half of what they are here. George - bring my coat?
So, what's been happening at camp. Same old, same old. Advent calendars have been arriving in the unreliable post, G1 (my room) have put up a paper tree & a wreath on the door. Secret santas are well under way with a 100 rupee limit (1.20) & christmas songs are being hummed on the patio. I got to do some cooking with Baghi this week in the kitchen, although volunteers aren't really allowed in & mashed potato reduced Aszerina to tears of joy last week. Any mention of christmas dinner is met with cries of "Noooo, I can't even think about that yet!" although what I wouldn't give for mum's roasties out here...
Jaisalmer is becoming my own little Norwich, and with it's windy little streets and some of the teeny shops it does have a homey feel. Still haven't found a starbucks. 2 weekends left to explore though & I will be so sad to leave here, even with the staring, the nearly being run over by tuktuks and motorbikes, the big dead cow I passed walking in this morning (Viki thinks it might explode soon) and the smell. I'll be back here one day, when I come back to India.
School trip to Bramer on Monday, so we get the day off work and all have to pile into our teeny bus to have a look at some plants... hooray! And another Holy day on Friday so it's a 3 day week. 8 teaching days left. Gosh. I'd better get into gear - i'll miss my tiddly peeps when we leave!
It's been the most bizarre week knowing home is under feet of snow and we're still strutting about in summer clothes and flip flops... Not looking forward to arriving in Heathrow dressed for an Indian winter only to be greeted by temperatures less than half of what they are here. George - bring my coat?
So, what's been happening at camp. Same old, same old. Advent calendars have been arriving in the unreliable post, G1 (my room) have put up a paper tree & a wreath on the door. Secret santas are well under way with a 100 rupee limit (1.20) & christmas songs are being hummed on the patio. I got to do some cooking with Baghi this week in the kitchen, although volunteers aren't really allowed in & mashed potato reduced Aszerina to tears of joy last week. Any mention of christmas dinner is met with cries of "Noooo, I can't even think about that yet!" although what I wouldn't give for mum's roasties out here...
Jaisalmer is becoming my own little Norwich, and with it's windy little streets and some of the teeny shops it does have a homey feel. Still haven't found a starbucks. 2 weekends left to explore though & I will be so sad to leave here, even with the staring, the nearly being run over by tuktuks and motorbikes, the big dead cow I passed walking in this morning (Viki thinks it might explode soon) and the smell. I'll be back here one day, when I come back to India.
School trip to Bramer on Monday, so we get the day off work and all have to pile into our teeny bus to have a look at some plants... hooray! And another Holy day on Friday so it's a 3 day week. 8 teaching days left. Gosh. I'd better get into gear - i'll miss my tiddly peeps when we leave!
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Halfway, halfway.
I've had such an interesting week, ups and downs like a rollercoaster. Not been feeling well, again, so I can only assume that's made me slightly more emotional, but work on wednesday really got to me. It was fascinating seeing the mums and babies clinic, just a local woman administering the ennoculations - but she used clean needles and she was as gentle as possible. There were no children in that day so we just sat and watched, but towards the end a younger girl, maybe 8-9yrs old came in for some drugs. Her mum/aunt/sister was with her, and was being very rough with her considering she was obviously ill - following them out of the door I saw her being beaten around the face with such force. It made me sick to see, but we have been warned with great sincerity not to interfere. I hated it, going back to work on monday will be awkward. At least i'll have my friends there. Lanie watched a little boy being beaten unconscious by the headteacher in Dabla school last week, it's one of the things I just wish I could change.
So yes, not such a brilliant week at work, but the weekend was a welcome pick me up (with some exceptions!) 4am wake up to grab a tuktuk into Jaisalmer, 7hrs on a hideously cramped coach to Bikaner where we went to visit the rat temple. Hundreds upon hundreds of rats, one for every holy person thought to have died. We removed our shoes, for this was holy ground, and stepped into the chaos of worship, offerings, and rats. They weren't that bad, one bumped into Rochelle's foot, and they're not timid, but nobody got bitten. It was getting home that was a nightmare! There's no such thing as a return ticket in India and up till now we have been lucky getting enough seats home, not this time. No seats on the bus till 5am! No way. So 2 1/2hrs of stress, and driving all over Bikaner finally secured the 16 of us 10 beds on the sleeper train home. My goodness, you cannot imagine the kind of cold we lay in on that train. It must have been less than 10degrees, no blankets. It was the kind of cold that makes you forget what it's like to be warm. But worth it, and we were all in it together!
Camp has never felt more like home.
So, halfway, actually nearly 4weeks left. My sweets got robbed out of the post (grrr) but I have my work gloves now so no more sifting through broken glass etc. I got my first christmas card from home, Clare sent me a pudding which the Indians thought was bizarre. Hopefully George and Ami are sending me goodies... It takes about 12 days for things to arrive, so if you're thinking of making my day in about 2 weeks - send me something soon!
Don't expect christmas cards from me this year :) no time, not a chance. Presents are on the way though don't you worry. Missing home, missing George. See you all soooooon. xx
So yes, not such a brilliant week at work, but the weekend was a welcome pick me up (with some exceptions!) 4am wake up to grab a tuktuk into Jaisalmer, 7hrs on a hideously cramped coach to Bikaner where we went to visit the rat temple. Hundreds upon hundreds of rats, one for every holy person thought to have died. We removed our shoes, for this was holy ground, and stepped into the chaos of worship, offerings, and rats. They weren't that bad, one bumped into Rochelle's foot, and they're not timid, but nobody got bitten. It was getting home that was a nightmare! There's no such thing as a return ticket in India and up till now we have been lucky getting enough seats home, not this time. No seats on the bus till 5am! No way. So 2 1/2hrs of stress, and driving all over Bikaner finally secured the 16 of us 10 beds on the sleeper train home. My goodness, you cannot imagine the kind of cold we lay in on that train. It must have been less than 10degrees, no blankets. It was the kind of cold that makes you forget what it's like to be warm. But worth it, and we were all in it together!
Camp has never felt more like home.
So, halfway, actually nearly 4weeks left. My sweets got robbed out of the post (grrr) but I have my work gloves now so no more sifting through broken glass etc. I got my first christmas card from home, Clare sent me a pudding which the Indians thought was bizarre. Hopefully George and Ami are sending me goodies... It takes about 12 days for things to arrive, so if you're thinking of making my day in about 2 weeks - send me something soon!
Don't expect christmas cards from me this year :) no time, not a chance. Presents are on the way though don't you worry. Missing home, missing George. See you all soooooon. xx
Friday, 12 November 2010
Chris hates cauliflower
Camp outing to the hospital last night for poor Chris who, for all we know you have some tropical disease! Did the doc take his temperature? Ummmm, no. Oh my days.
SO! Halfway, week 5 coming up and it's going far too quick. Looking back at what we've done so far i'm amazed! The kids have picked up our names, they're loving daycare, i've made about 50 little friendship bracelets. Camp is still rolling on nicely, although if i have to hear another argument with the camp manager about electricity I may have to do a runner.
We had to say goodbye to the beautiful Daniella yesterday, her dad passed away back in England so she is currently on her way home. We'll have to make sure we see her when we get back. It won't be the same at work without her!
Camel safari in an hour or so with Om and about 30 of the other volunteers - booze has been appearing all day but i'm still on the avoidance bandwagon. One sip of apple vodders the other night, literally, it was like paint stripper. Nahi Ji. No thankyou.
Have just had my headscarf hemmed for free by a man called Monik because he said I had a nice face. I wasn't going to object :) I probably owe him something now, i'll be avoiding him.
Quick updates? Ummm. Gosh.
SO! Halfway, week 5 coming up and it's going far too quick. Looking back at what we've done so far i'm amazed! The kids have picked up our names, they're loving daycare, i've made about 50 little friendship bracelets. Camp is still rolling on nicely, although if i have to hear another argument with the camp manager about electricity I may have to do a runner.
We had to say goodbye to the beautiful Daniella yesterday, her dad passed away back in England so she is currently on her way home. We'll have to make sure we see her when we get back. It won't be the same at work without her!
Camel safari in an hour or so with Om and about 30 of the other volunteers - booze has been appearing all day but i'm still on the avoidance bandwagon. One sip of apple vodders the other night, literally, it was like paint stripper. Nahi Ji. No thankyou.
Have just had my headscarf hemmed for free by a man called Monik because he said I had a nice face. I wasn't going to object :) I probably owe him something now, i'll be avoiding him.
Quick updates? Ummm. Gosh.
- First bit of rain in 5months, and when I say bit, I mean rain in quantities you could not imagine, Wales doesn't get that much rain in a whole year. We played volleyball in it :)
- Nothing stays white out here. NOTHING.
- Chai is not dead! The camp dog, who we had believed to be killed by Chelsea's mouldy green chapati is alive and well.
Sunday, 7 November 2010
Nahi Ji - Fireworks and chicken.
Diwali weekend, and all that it encompasses. Oh my dayyyys.
Forget the bonfire night you know of England, forget roped off, flat areas with buckets of water on standby and health and safety assesments. Think cheap fireworks made from bombs and newspaper, think short fuses, think running like hell away from rockets setting your ali baba trousers on fire. Think little kids wetting themselves laughing at us funny english folk running from the firecrackers they're setting off in the street.
Such a giggle this place :)
Also - butter chicken at Kabab Corner? Phwoooooar.
More updates -
Desert camel safari party next weekend, oh just you wait for the pictures.
Forget the bonfire night you know of England, forget roped off, flat areas with buckets of water on standby and health and safety assesments. Think cheap fireworks made from bombs and newspaper, think short fuses, think running like hell away from rockets setting your ali baba trousers on fire. Think little kids wetting themselves laughing at us funny english folk running from the firecrackers they're setting off in the street.
Such a giggle this place :)
Also - butter chicken at Kabab Corner? Phwoooooar.
More updates -
- The skin'eds upturned our tuktuk the other night leaping on the back and overturning it! Saw my life flash before my eyes.
- Indian men blow down your neck if they fancy you... better than a crafty bum pinch though i guess.
- You can buy ali baba trousers for 80Rupees. It's 67Rs to the Pound today.
Desert camel safari party next weekend, oh just you wait for the pictures.
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