This past event - Ambassadors for Children - was a 12 day event, which actually turned into a 14 day event with people arriving early and leaving late...and it drained me of a lot of my energy! I think with being sick, and it being the 2 month mark - everything had just seemed to lose its excitement and I was missing home more and more.
So the event started out - 50 people, lots of fun and energy! We had people from the UK, Scotland, USA, and India (3 different parts). So it was really fun to have Indian girls, to have people to help with the language barrier and get rickshaws...it was awesome. The event was great, we did the basic Indian culture/Pune introduction with them for a few days, and then started planning for the childrens camp we were running for 3 days. The kids came from Mobile Creches, an organization with hundreds of centres around Pune. The centres were a daycare for kids of construction workers around the city. Since the kids move around a lot, they try to keep spots open at the major development areas to accomodate the needs of the children. We all got a chance to visit one of the Mobile Creches near Sangam before the event to understand what the organization does and meet some of the kids.
So the participants really took over camp which left myself and the other PA's with a little bit more downtime as we weren't the coordinators and instead were just sort of finding resources and lending a hand. However I wasn't around for much of the kids camp to help out because on the second day they were here I got really really sick.
I had the afternoon off, and was taking it easy and when I woke up from siesta something was off, and I ended up being sick for hours and hours until the first aiders here decided it had gone too far and called the doctor to come see me. He recommended they take me to the hospital so I could get something to stop me from being sick, which was a good idea since by the time they tried to take me down the stairs and out the hallway to the car I had apparently turned a yellow/green colour. haha. So I went to the hospital and got the shot for my nausea. Turns out I got the shot from this cute male nurse who was there a few days earlier when I had taken a participant to the hospital for a check up. So there I am, yellowish green, completely dishevelled, and the cute guy recognises me! ugh. Just my luck. So after the shot, and the cute guy I was feeling a bit better and since the hospital had no beds available we went back to Sangam.
I expected to be tired, but better in the morning. Turns out I was completely off for 3 days afterwards because I just couldnt get back to normal. It was really bizarre - and now I'm gonna go check out a homeopath to see if I can build up my immune system or something because I don't ever want to be sick like that again!
So ya, if you're wondering why you havent heard from me...thats why!
So about halfway through my sickness after days of lying around in bed or watching tv I started SERIOUSLY craving things. Number one: a giant, ice cold, glass of skim milk! I couldnt believe it, but in 2 months thats the first time I had craved it. Then it was hot chocolate, Kraft Dinner, and gummies!
Ironically enough, karma must have come back around to me because that morning I got a call from one of the staff saying they had recieved a call from a guy from Toronto who knew my Dad and was coming to drop something off! So like an hour later two of my Dad's coworkers came to the centre with a package. I was still completely sick and not working - but I managed to fake healthy for a few moments to chat with them. They have a subcontracting business here in Pune so they were checking in on some of the business before heading out a few days later. So we chatted, they passed along the package, took a picture of me to make sure my Dad knew I was safe and alive and headed out. I don't think they had even reached the front steps before I started to well up with tears. It was the same feeling as when I am sick back home and talking to my Mom, I just lost all control. It was the best gift I have ever ever gotten! It had notes from my Dad, and two sisters, with a book, some movies I had requested, and candies that reminded me of being a little kid back home! It was incredible. Made me realise just how much I miss home, and how great it will be to come back in the fall.
So the rest of my sick days were spent watching the movies Karen sent me, reading a brilliant book called Shantaram (highly recommend it for anyone interested in Indian culture) and staring out my window fantasizing about air conditioning! haha.
I managed to get better yesterday, for the last day of the event...I seriously owe everyone I work with for picking up my slack for days, they were amazing!
We're just saying goodbye to the last of the group this afternoon, and then Christa and I are heading out to Splendour Country a resort somewhere nearby. We don't know much about it, but it's got an infinity pool, the last volunteers raved about it, and someone got married there...so we figure it must be nice! Hopefully I'll have some beautiful pictures to show when I get back :)
Friday, July 27, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Mumbai...
Mumbai...what do I say. It was the best break I've had yet! The three volunteers and I along with Mary T and Darshana went to Mumbai for 2 days. Darshana is from Mumbai so along with her friend Jimmy we had our own personal tour guides for our stay in the immense city. We arrived late Tuesday night after a five hour bus ride into the city. Jimmy picked us up at our bus stop and took us to get food and tour us around a little before taking us to the Maharashtra Guide Centre in Mumbai. It was a small building with one gymnasium, and 2 basic dorm style rooms with beds and a fridge and bathroom. It was not exactly a luxury hotel, but at their asking price of 10 rupees a night (25 cents canadian, that they didnt even make us pay) we couldn't complain! The space around the centre was really nice though, it backed onto a huge park where lots of people played cricket, jogged, etc. And right across the street were Cafe Coffee Day and Barista, the two coffee chains Christa and I have become addicted to. Also it was about 3 minutes away from the sea, so if you walked to the end of the street you could check out the view. So that night the 5 of us set up in the dorm, and I got to re-live my childhood days sleeping on the top bunk again.
The next morning we met up with Jimmy and Darshana, Jimmy was fabulous and drove us around town during our stay or lent us his car and a driver so we could travel in style...it made the trip so wonderful! Getting away from rickshaws for a few days was amazing.So we drove around town for a while stopping at some of the big landmarks. We checked out the hanging gardens (where I got to touch my first elephant...too bad it was made out of a bush), to the gateway of india, to chowpatty beach, saw some churches and temples, etc. It was a great tour. We had lunch in the fashion district and afterwards went for some bargain shopping at a market along the street. I got some great deals on beautiful jewellery and clothing!
In the afternoon we went to this *beautiful* mosque, Haji Ali Dargah. It's in the sea, with a long walkway up to the building. We drove past in the morning during high tide and saw the waves crashing up and over the walkway, so we went back in the afternoon during low tide. It was my favourite part of the whole trip. This mosque has thousands and thousands of visitors every week.
It was just such a beautiful space, we saw the shrine inside the mosque, and then wandered around on the rocks down to the sea. The view looking back on the city along the coast is beautiful. There's something about how things are set up here that makes me understand the communion between spirtuality and atmosphere. You will always find incredible temples, mosques, etc. at these incredibly beautiful and important spots in cities.
So after spending a lot of time there, picking sea shells, and revelling in the fact that we were at the edge of a foreign sea we went back to our place at the Bharat Scouts and Guides centre and freshed up for the evening.
So after spending a lot of time there, picking sea shells, and revelling in the fact that we were at the edge of a foreign sea we went back to our place at the Bharat Scouts and Guides centre and freshed up for the evening.
That night we had Frankies for dinner, this delicious chicken thing in a tortilla...so greasy and delicious. Street meat is always the best, back home or in India.
Then we headed out for the evening, we decided we would check out Chowpatty beach at night to see the "Queens necklace" which is what people call the coastline at night with all the lights, its very beautiful, and again we got the chance to revel in the fact that we were thousands of miles away. We hung out on the beach, and took the oppportunity to sink our toes into the sand and took our first dip (feet only) in the Arabian Sea! Then we were going to go out on a night cruise, but Darshana got a call from her niece who reminded her that if we didnt go visit them that night that she would be at school when we stopped by. So we headed across town to Darshana's family's house and met her brother, her sister in law and her fabulous niece! It was fun to hang out and spend time with a family, but it made me miss my friends and family back home and the comfort of talking to people who know you best. We also got to see Victoria Terminus, the train station that has the most beautiful architecture, and some other spots on the drive home.
The next day we did some more sight seeing, we checked out the ritzy areas in town, and because we had asked Jimmy to point out all the Bollywood stars houses - be obliged and took us past where a bunch of them live. We did a bit more shopping that day for those of us who hadnt spent enough (me, me, me...haha) and then after some more sights before headed back to the centre to pack up and make the bus back to Pune.
It was really sad to get back into town and have to take care of ourselves. Jimmy and Darshana had been such amazing tour guides and friends that we didnt want to say goodbye to Jimmy. It also didnt help that we had to trade in driving around by car to going back to the rickshaw.
We start our next event "Ambassadors for Children" tomorrow morning...and while it will be lots of fun I am wishing I had more free time before it starts. We have 50 participants for 12 days, and for 4 of those 12 we will also have 25 kids between the ages of 8-12 for the kids camp that is a part of the event. It is bound to be a hectic event, and I think I need a few more day to prepare myself for the chaos that is bound to come with facilitating 75 people!
Oh well, all in a days work I suppose...
Then we headed out for the evening, we decided we would check out Chowpatty beach at night to see the "Queens necklace" which is what people call the coastline at night with all the lights, its very beautiful, and again we got the chance to revel in the fact that we were thousands of miles away. We hung out on the beach, and took the oppportunity to sink our toes into the sand and took our first dip (feet only) in the Arabian Sea! Then we were going to go out on a night cruise, but Darshana got a call from her niece who reminded her that if we didnt go visit them that night that she would be at school when we stopped by. So we headed across town to Darshana's family's house and met her brother, her sister in law and her fabulous niece! It was fun to hang out and spend time with a family, but it made me miss my friends and family back home and the comfort of talking to people who know you best. We also got to see Victoria Terminus, the train station that has the most beautiful architecture, and some other spots on the drive home.
The next day we did some more sight seeing, we checked out the ritzy areas in town, and because we had asked Jimmy to point out all the Bollywood stars houses - be obliged and took us past where a bunch of them live. We did a bit more shopping that day for those of us who hadnt spent enough (me, me, me...haha) and then after some more sights before headed back to the centre to pack up and make the bus back to Pune.
It was really sad to get back into town and have to take care of ourselves. Jimmy and Darshana had been such amazing tour guides and friends that we didnt want to say goodbye to Jimmy. It also didnt help that we had to trade in driving around by car to going back to the rickshaw.
We start our next event "Ambassadors for Children" tomorrow morning...and while it will be lots of fun I am wishing I had more free time before it starts. We have 50 participants for 12 days, and for 4 of those 12 we will also have 25 kids between the ages of 8-12 for the kids camp that is a part of the event. It is bound to be a hectic event, and I think I need a few more day to prepare myself for the chaos that is bound to come with facilitating 75 people!
Oh well, all in a days work I suppose...
Monday, July 9, 2007
Palkhi
Palkhi, Palkhi, PALKHI!
oh man. today was such a fun day...
it was a blast to have the morning/afternoon off and just enjoy myself and unwind by hanging out on the front wall.
so the morning started off by jolting myself awake when i rolled over at 9:30 and heard music and people outside...i jumped out of bed thinking I was missing the big pilgrimage! So i jumped up, woke up Christa...and turns out it was just the beginnings of the crowds. So Anna, Christa and I wandered out to the front wall with all my snacks and a blanket, and climbed up to check out the action. Its probably like a 6 foot wall, so we were high enough up to see a bit down the road where everyone was coming from.
So we hung out for a while, mainly undisturbed, tons of stares but i mean we were 3 white girls sitting on a wall watching the pilgrimage - so its only fair they watch us too.
We enjoyed the action, observing all the clothing (the only time i've seen so many men in traditional dress), the different elements of the group that were clearly for the pilgrimage - like the men at the front of each group holding the flags, one woman in each group wearing what looked like a flower pot as a hat - with a tulsi plant in it, etc. It was great to people watch for a while and sort things out just by watching.
It didnt take long for people to start coming up to us, kids mainly asking what our names are, where we're from, etc. It was okay at the beginning but every once in a while it turned into a crowd at our front gate just staring at us - taking pictures with their camera phones, etc. It was strange that there was a *huge* parade of people walking past them and they were fixated on us.
Check out this picture - it shows it perfectly. The groups of men were taking a break from the walk about 15 feet in front of us, and instead of watching the people walking, their backs were to the action and instead they were watching us. Obviously being a foreigner and standing out in the crowd is something I'm still getting used to. Anyway the crowds started to get larger and larger, and I'm sure my pictures do not capture it - but the people were constantly flowing past us. We had an early lunch so we could head over to Datta Temple and be there for the action when the chariot brought the idol to the temple for one hour to stop and allow people to recieving blessings by touching the idol. So in typical foreigner fashion we go to the doors, Aruna talks to someone (her and Darshana were being our escorts) and suddenly we're cruising through the middle of the temple where no one else is allowed(these moments make up for the awkward stares and being confronted constantly). So we got to go sit up on the stage section behind where they set the idol. When the chariot arrives it is far more elaborate than I had expected and the crowds around it were intense. They were beating people back to get the idol off the chariot and into the temple, and then once it was in there was some chaos as they tried to restore order and get people who had snuck in back out into the lines. They had these lines set up to get people through to touch the idols feet and then out the door. It was wild - the people were going so quickly through the lines - no one was walking it was jogging or at least shuffling yourself through as quick as you could. Again, since we were foreigners and Sangam is nearby and people know who we are - we got to jump into the front of the line after about 20 minutes. It was cool to get to participate in something that is so important to the people in Maharahstra. People were literally lifting their babies into the air, and passing them through the crowd to touch the idol...they were basically crowd surfing - it was so dangerous but it worked and all the babies got blessed.
Anyway it was a really fun day - a nice way to unwind and get sucked into the energy and excitement in the area. Its strange, after just a few hours the entire street had gone back to being used by a few rickshaws, bikes and bicycles, no people congesting the area. They've all moved on to other places in Pune and beyond...
And soon I will be moving on as well - Mumbai for some fun on Wednesday and Thursday! woo!
******UPDATE*******
So turns out one of those wonderful people taking our pictures worked for the newspaper, and there is a picture of Christa and Anna posing with my purse as I - like the stupid foreigner I am - had to run back into Sangam for a coke. seriously!! I missed my 15 min of fame...my new goal is to get myself in the newspaper - not just my purse.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Holistic Living
This past week has been busy with our event Holistic Living. It was a really interesting event and lots of fun to experience another side of the culture and life in India.
Holistic Living was all about being aware of how body, mind, and soul are connected and enriching your life.
Some of the cool sessions we did were yoga, meditation, laughter club/laughing yoga, a panel on holistic living where we had professionals from ayervedic, homeopathic and traditional medicines, a spirituality session with a silent hour for reflection…stuff like that.
We had a great group of participants from 3 travel groups...but all from the USA. It was cool, made the group a little less multicultural and sometimes those are the fun and funny parts. As staff we're constantly entertained by what we all call things in our countries...today Anna called her mouth a "gob" and I had a HUGE revelation where I finally understood the name of the candy "gobstoppers"...things like that! haha.
It's been great, and stressful, and hard all at different points. Since we are going into our sixth week here (I can't believe it's been that long) we're all done settling in, and so as everyone knows all the nicities are wearing off. Its hard too that we all live, work and play together...but hopefully we'll all make it through!
Tomorrow is Pulkhi, which is this huge religious pilgrimage thing that happens here. People from all over Maharashtra state (and all over India) come to participate in this 15 day walk, 300 kms from Alandi which is the town about an hour away from us to another part of the state. The best part is since I live on Alandi Road they walk right past our gate. Literally. 225,000 people going by...it's gonna be amazing. They stop right at Datta Temple which is all of 100 feet away from Sangam for about an hour or so to participate in some rituals I believe and eat, etc. The area around here has been changing every hour. Yesterday I went out and Datta Temple which is half in ruins due to road construction here was being temporarily prepared for the event, getting decorated, it has lights all over the place, etc. For the last few days we've been able to spot the pilgrims all over town, but the best was in one of the nearby school fields there were a group of pilgrims with all their sheep, horses, etc. It was awesome. Then today when I went out there were banners everywhere, little stages being set up, temporary spaces being made for people to sleep overnight, they were spraying the area for mosquitos so I'm assuming that a lot of people will be staying here overnight.
I'm so excited to see what happens! Hopefully it won't monsoon rain tomorrow, because rain or shine I will be sitting out on our wall watching it all happen! I heard last year the staff went over to Datta temple and joined in on the fun as well so I am hoping to make Darshana or Aruna be my escort so I can experience it all. I'll hopefully get pictures up of it quickly so everyone who has been here can see the crazy crowds and stuff! Theres a website here that explains a little more about it http://www.aryabhatt.com/fast_fair_festival/Festivals/Palkhi%20Festival.htm
Then on Wednesday/Thursday we're heading to Mumbai. 6 of us are going and Darshana is going to be our own personal tour guide which is a-mazing. She is from Mumbai so she's a real catch for this trip :) We're gonna check out the basic tourist stuff and then her guiding centre, her home, things like that. I'm really excited, it should be a great crash course in Mumbai - or a great tour if I never get the time to head back there for longer.
Wanted to end this post with my new favourite poem. One of our participants wrote this during our silent hour from the Spirituality session. We gave them an hour where they could express themselves however they wanted, paint, read, draw, write, dance, play, etc. And Gaby wrote this beautiful piece...
Sangam
Wake early in the morning
To laugh
Walk barefoot
In the home
Eat six times a day
With your hands
Honk please
Before you pass
Beware
The falling coconuts
No matter how poor
own clothing rich in colour
Love the god
Inside each person
Heal the soul
And the body will follow
Leave the front door
Open always
Come together
Like the rivers
-Gabriella March
Each and every time I read this (and it's only been a day since I've heard it) I realize the beauty of being here. And I try to remind myself to stop stressing, find patience and enjoy the chaos. Sometimes it's hard being secluded here in Sangam, away from the life outside our gates - but this makes me recognize how lucky we are to have this safe haven in the busy city. Its wonderful to constantly have new visitors around because they remind me to keep appreciating things like it was the first time...
Holistic Living was all about being aware of how body, mind, and soul are connected and enriching your life.
Some of the cool sessions we did were yoga, meditation, laughter club/laughing yoga, a panel on holistic living where we had professionals from ayervedic, homeopathic and traditional medicines, a spirituality session with a silent hour for reflection…stuff like that.
We had a great group of participants from 3 travel groups...but all from the USA. It was cool, made the group a little less multicultural and sometimes those are the fun and funny parts. As staff we're constantly entertained by what we all call things in our countries...today Anna called her mouth a "gob" and I had a HUGE revelation where I finally understood the name of the candy "gobstoppers"...things like that! haha.
It's been great, and stressful, and hard all at different points. Since we are going into our sixth week here (I can't believe it's been that long) we're all done settling in, and so as everyone knows all the nicities are wearing off. Its hard too that we all live, work and play together...but hopefully we'll all make it through!
Tomorrow is Pulkhi, which is this huge religious pilgrimage thing that happens here. People from all over Maharashtra state (and all over India) come to participate in this 15 day walk, 300 kms from Alandi which is the town about an hour away from us to another part of the state. The best part is since I live on Alandi Road they walk right past our gate. Literally. 225,000 people going by...it's gonna be amazing. They stop right at Datta Temple which is all of 100 feet away from Sangam for about an hour or so to participate in some rituals I believe and eat, etc. The area around here has been changing every hour. Yesterday I went out and Datta Temple which is half in ruins due to road construction here was being temporarily prepared for the event, getting decorated, it has lights all over the place, etc. For the last few days we've been able to spot the pilgrims all over town, but the best was in one of the nearby school fields there were a group of pilgrims with all their sheep, horses, etc. It was awesome. Then today when I went out there were banners everywhere, little stages being set up, temporary spaces being made for people to sleep overnight, they were spraying the area for mosquitos so I'm assuming that a lot of people will be staying here overnight.
I'm so excited to see what happens! Hopefully it won't monsoon rain tomorrow, because rain or shine I will be sitting out on our wall watching it all happen! I heard last year the staff went over to Datta temple and joined in on the fun as well so I am hoping to make Darshana or Aruna be my escort so I can experience it all. I'll hopefully get pictures up of it quickly so everyone who has been here can see the crazy crowds and stuff! Theres a website here that explains a little more about it http://www.aryabhatt.com/fast_fair_festival/Festivals/Palkhi%20Festival.htm
Then on Wednesday/Thursday we're heading to Mumbai. 6 of us are going and Darshana is going to be our own personal tour guide which is a-mazing. She is from Mumbai so she's a real catch for this trip :) We're gonna check out the basic tourist stuff and then her guiding centre, her home, things like that. I'm really excited, it should be a great crash course in Mumbai - or a great tour if I never get the time to head back there for longer.
Wanted to end this post with my new favourite poem. One of our participants wrote this during our silent hour from the Spirituality session. We gave them an hour where they could express themselves however they wanted, paint, read, draw, write, dance, play, etc. And Gaby wrote this beautiful piece...
Sangam
Wake early in the morning
To laugh
Walk barefoot
In the home
Eat six times a day
With your hands
Honk please
Before you pass
Beware
The falling coconuts
No matter how poor
own clothing rich in colour
Love the god
Inside each person
Heal the soul
And the body will follow
Leave the front door
Open always
Come together
Like the rivers
-Gabriella March
Each and every time I read this (and it's only been a day since I've heard it) I realize the beauty of being here. And I try to remind myself to stop stressing, find patience and enjoy the chaos. Sometimes it's hard being secluded here in Sangam, away from the life outside our gates - but this makes me recognize how lucky we are to have this safe haven in the busy city. Its wonderful to constantly have new visitors around because they remind me to keep appreciating things like it was the first time...
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