Delhi

I am going to give a brief overview of my short time in Delhi since I am running out of time before I have to go to a movie for school...

I wake up early ready, positive and charged. Once I am reunited with my classmates, my friends Nicole and Sophie decide to take me on a walk around our hotel in the Karogh Burgh district before we go into town to as they say "prepare me" which at the time couldnt fathom what they meant. The minute we step outside i realize ALL EYES ARE ON US. Its crazy, there are no sidewalks, and the right of way is whoever is might over right. ALl the men are hollering at us and I had to immedietely re adjust my additude.
Since Delhi is so busy we had to decide on groups of 4 to do things in. My group wanted to go to the Loti Gardens so we got a rikshaw! First time ever, have a video of that one...it broke down!!

Anyway the Loti Gardens were beautiful, we chatted with the locals and made some children friends who loved to chant my name... The we walked to a market and ate at a nice chinese restaurant. Since we were the first customers and in India that like a good omen to be that they gave us free warm chocolate cake. mmmm
When back we decided to go out to get clothed, so we went shopping and found out we are queens of bardering. Ate at the hotel that night since it was New Years Eve and spent midnight on the roof watching fireworks. We wantd to go out but the hotel guys said you had to book the clubs in advance since it was new years and there was nothing else going on..

Day two:
Slept in Nicoles room that night. We eat breakfast at the hotel and then jsut had a chill time reading, eating watermelon and such on the roof. At three ppl were going to get together to play cricket with the local children but we wanted a bite to eat first so decided to get a rikshaw and for once go out just us. Had the craziest, busiest time and through that trip that lasted way longer than we wanted, it suddenly hit me i was in India.

basicully we were really happy to leave Delhi in the end.
In Delhi it is so busy, so brutal almost. We couldnt really even feel safe aat the hotel because if you were nice to the workers they would try and get into your room or somthine. They were always lurking.. I also had this constant feeling that everyone was out to get me.
All this I think has developed because of Delhi's situation. It is one of the poorest cities in India. I also is very polluted and over populated. This feeling that people are always out to get you could be because they have this sence of competitiveness and rule of survival they must live by. They are so poor and the government doesnt help them, the government just manipulates them and keeps the poor, poor and the rich richer. If you are poor, you need to find a means of survival and since everyone is selling the same thing they must get their moneys worth in any way possible. Then it is the obvious reason why us white woman are so lusted after. If you jsut turn on the television you will see skin lightening creams all over the comercials and such. Globalization had taken over India and Delhi is a perfect example of that.

I think I will have more free time soon so I will then write about my times in Ahmedabad which have been a whole different, better experience than Delhi which i think has to do with the fact that there arent as many people, there are alot more releif groups and also the prominent BJP is covering up or "cleaning" it up more...

Keep on Keepin on
Maya

Ahmedabad, Gujarat

So this is one of the first times I really have time to sit and write some things about my trip. Its kind of hard to think of where to start. I feel like I have been here for months and its only been a week. Right now I am in an Internet hole in the wall in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. I am staying at a cute hotel that is two alleys away from Darpana Academy for Arts, where we are studying dance, song, yoga, documentaries and all relating to political theatre/social change. We have had some of the most amazing people come and talk to us. I feel like I have grown so much! I feel alive. I am in exactly the place I am suppose to be in at this point in time and these experiences are setting me up for what I will do for the rest of my life.
I am going to start with discussing my flight to Delhi, a place I have been trying to forget about but an obstacle that was neccesary to cross in the journey through India.
I was dropped off at the airport by my beautiful Mother with My dad. Things were pretty hectic and my father and I were suppose to go through security together. At one point we had to seperate and I thought I lost him and almost cried, but i found him. We went through and I walked him to his plane. This was a perfect way to send me off, was to send my father off first! :)
Once he was on his way to board the place I went to my terminal and fell asleep. Some Indian men woke me up and laughed at me :) to board the plane. While boarding the plane, a woman in a wheels chair's leg got run over by her own wheel chair because of the security gaurd who was pushing it....so scary! Anyway the plane ride was good, couldnt sleep and the woman next to me was serious and silent so i just watched alot of movies and attempted to read a book about delhi for class. IN Amsterdam i was stuck in that airport for 4 hours, if not more and in a lucid state of almost passing out standing up so when I was told I was moved to Business class, it just did not register what that meant, i just was happy to get a seat! I get to board first, which puzzled me and then I realized i was entering a different part of the plane than everyone else AND THEN i went to the second floor of the plane and found out i was in paradise. I sit in the front seat of the plane in first class style where they have massaging, reclining, heavenly chairs and get given champagne!! I was treated like a queen and just didnt know what to do! Such a fabulous way to start a trip...
Once arrived in Delhi I had to go through a weird customs and get my bag. I walk out and couldnt see a sign for me and got a little nervous but thankfully i RAN into my tall indian friend Guatam and got a ride to the hotel with him. The ride was crazy...then just passed out in my hotel bed...

The countdown

So, this is my first real Blog. I probably did a livejournal or one of those things before in middle school. Hopefully as I go I will get better at this!

I am doing last preparations to getting ready for the Motherland. When I am there, I hope to blog as much as I can, but I will have to find Internet Cafes to do so. I am keeping two journals, one for class, one for myself. Between those two I hope to be able to give an accurate blog account of my adventures!

I will also have a travel phone when I'm there so I will let you know what that number is and whatsup with the status.

If anyone wants me to send them a postcard or shoot them a call(depending on my phone status) please email me your address at harmay12@gmail.com

Well, thats all for now, Back to watching the Hangover with My girl Kelsey and my Da!

Keep on Keepin on

Maya