We made it safely to our final farm, though we went a little too far on the bus and the subsequent cab driver we relied on got lost and took two hours and a phone call to find the farm. The Bhattarai family is incredibly nice, warm and welcoming. When we arrived there were four other volunteers (3 from France, 1 from Norway), so quarters were a little cramped. There are two rooms for volunteers in a small building detached from the main house. The girl from Norway graciously gave up the room she had been staying in to allow Laura and me to move in, and she squeezed in with the 3 French girls. It made sense considering that one room has only a single bed while the other has two.
The work has been fine and the schedule incredibly volunteer-friendly. There are two meals a day and Balram, the head of the household, does not want volunteers working without eating. The first meal, however, usually falls sometime between 10 and 11, so we could theoretically sleep until then no problem. Usually, though, we wake up between 7 and 8 and just hang out, wander into the village, or read until breakfast. Sometime after we’ve eaten (with no particular emphasis on time) we begin work. The first day we irrigated the mustard fields. The second day we broke down haystacks into a giant pile of hay in front of the house (which the village children spent hours playing in). The third day we dug four holes, making a square, and put logs in them. The fourth day we built a giant haystack in the area with the freshly placed poles. The fifth day we dug up some grasses and replanted them along the irrigation channel (the grass, which grows in bunches to be quite tall, is used to feed the buffalo). Then, it was Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and we were allowed to rest and celebrate.
All six of us volunteers decorated a small tree out front as our honorary Christmas tree. We prepared meals based on foods our respective countries eat (though the French girls stole Mashed Potatoes so Laura and I made hashbrowns with eggs and corn-on-the-cob). We exchanged small gifts. We sang Carols in three different languages. It was nice.
The other four left the day after Christmas, though two of the French girls say they will be coming back the first week of January. There were two things the French girls were excited for: harvesting honey and seeing the pregnant buffalo give birth. Both have happened since they left. The day after Christmas (just one day too late to rightfully name the baby buffalo Jesus), Laura and I ate freshly roasted corn kernels and watched a live buffalo birth. It was surprisingly less disgusting then I anticipated, and the mama buffalo handled the whole thing with incredible ease and strength. Neither Balram nor Dorga (the matriarch of the family) intervened until the baby had plopped onto the ground from three feet in the air. Laura and I continued to watch and shout encouraging words as the baby attempted its first steps. We christened her Janeane Garbuffalo. Laura calls her Buffy for short.
Today we helped harvest honey. It was slightly nerve-wracking having bees flying all around while Balram stole the honeycomb frames from the box-hives and brought them inside the net (which was riddled with holes that let bees in, not to mention all the bees that clung desperately to the frames of honeycomb). Dorga scraped the layers of wax off the frames with a knife so that Laura and I could load them in the cylindrical machine, which is operated by spinning a handle and uses centrifugal force to spin honey out of the comb against the walls of the cylinder. The honey (and any hopeless bees that remained in the comb) oozes down the sides, eventually finding the hole in the bottom and oozes out a pipe into the waiting strainer and bucket. It’s amazing we didn’t get stung. Balram, on the other hand, with no bee suit like you see in the movies, gets stung hundreds of times invading the hives. He says stings are good for your health. I don’t think Macauley Culkin’s character in My Girl agrees.
Tomorrow we harvest more honey. Stay tuned to hear how that goes. Hope you all had the happiest of holidays. And Happy New Year if I don’t get to post before then.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Day 84 - Boudha
We leave Kathmandu in two days for Chitwan and our next farm experience. There is no guarantee that we'll have much internet access, so I figured that I'd update now while I have the chance.
Boudha is still very calm and relaxing and I've taken the opportunity to do some reading. Now that I'm out of school, my reading list seems to all be political/historical non-fiction. I read a book by Noam Chomsky and another one by a Pakistani historian about the history of Islam in the Middle East. I also read a book Laura bought about a Tibetan Tulku that fled to India after Chinese occupation. It's been good. The Omnivore's Dilemma is next, but I'm not supposed to know about it because it's my Christmas present.
I've been getting spurts of homesickness as it gets closer to Christmas. It will be hard being away from my family for the first time. I've missed watching holiday movies while drinking hot chocolate, or listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra. And, I will definitely miss Christmas Eve board game night.
The seminar ended last week, but there was a three-day retreat (kind of an extension of the seminar) at a place called Nagi Gompa, a nunnery just a little ways up in the mountains. I didn't go, but Laura did. She said it was beautiful and I get the sense that she's glad she went. I really enjoyed the seminar and learned more than I probably realize, but I'm glad I opted out of the retreat. It would have been a little much. We've made friends here with many of the students at the monastery so I had to people to hang out with. The monastery has a program on Buddhist Studies through Kathmandu University and the students are from all over. A few nights ago I went out for some Tongba with a few of them. Tongba is Tibetan beer. It's a rather sizable brown barrel (not quite as big as a Big Gulp at 7/11) filled with fermented millet that you poor boiling water over. You drink through a metal straw and it's actually quite good. It gives off the aroma of freshly baked bread and goes really well with Wantan soup. After, we played Texas Hold'em (poker) in an Indian restaurant...Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and the US were all represented.
Other than that, not much to report until we get to the next destination. I've had a lot of downtime here and hence have bought way too many bootleg DVDs. They're just so cheap! Oh well, now I'll have something to do when I'm unemployed back in the states.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Boudha is still very calm and relaxing and I've taken the opportunity to do some reading. Now that I'm out of school, my reading list seems to all be political/historical non-fiction. I read a book by Noam Chomsky and another one by a Pakistani historian about the history of Islam in the Middle East. I also read a book Laura bought about a Tibetan Tulku that fled to India after Chinese occupation. It's been good. The Omnivore's Dilemma is next, but I'm not supposed to know about it because it's my Christmas present.
I've been getting spurts of homesickness as it gets closer to Christmas. It will be hard being away from my family for the first time. I've missed watching holiday movies while drinking hot chocolate, or listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra. And, I will definitely miss Christmas Eve board game night.
The seminar ended last week, but there was a three-day retreat (kind of an extension of the seminar) at a place called Nagi Gompa, a nunnery just a little ways up in the mountains. I didn't go, but Laura did. She said it was beautiful and I get the sense that she's glad she went. I really enjoyed the seminar and learned more than I probably realize, but I'm glad I opted out of the retreat. It would have been a little much. We've made friends here with many of the students at the monastery so I had to people to hang out with. The monastery has a program on Buddhist Studies through Kathmandu University and the students are from all over. A few nights ago I went out for some Tongba with a few of them. Tongba is Tibetan beer. It's a rather sizable brown barrel (not quite as big as a Big Gulp at 7/11) filled with fermented millet that you poor boiling water over. You drink through a metal straw and it's actually quite good. It gives off the aroma of freshly baked bread and goes really well with Wantan soup. After, we played Texas Hold'em (poker) in an Indian restaurant...Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and the US were all represented.
Other than that, not much to report until we get to the next destination. I've had a lot of downtime here and hence have bought way too many bootleg DVDs. They're just so cheap! Oh well, now I'll have something to do when I'm unemployed back in the states.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Day 70 - Bouddha (Kathmandu)
Just a quick post. I didn't end up finding anything going on for World AIDS Day here but I did read an interesting article in the paper today (The Himalayan). It was a brief article about how poor Nepalis, especially in the Western region, are going to Voluntary Counseling and Blood Testing (VCBT) centers and trying to pass as HIV positive when in fact they are not. I don't know if they bribe the testers or try to skew the results somehow, the article didn't say. Ultimately, people are trying to fake positive tests so that they can get the money the government gives to HIV positive people for health costs. It's surprisingly common and on the rise. The article interviewed a widow who has been successfully passing as positive and using the money to feed her family. It's hard to imagine that people live in such a desperate state as to pretend to have a fatal disease that kills millions worldwide and is still rising in some areas due to lack of proper information and access to healthcare. The article said that nearly 1,000 people in the region are thought to actually be HIV positive. What effect will the people faking positive results have on these people who need medication? When pretending doesn't work anymore, how far will they go to get that positive test result?
Perhaps not the most uplifting blog post, I'm sorry. The article just struck me today and I felt like sharing.
We just ate some delicious Momos with Sangey, a Tibetan monk that Laura's parents met while they were here last year. He and his family have been so kind to us, showing us around some places and making sure we are alright. I had a bit of a stomach illness a few days ago and I think Sangey has asked me how I'm feeling every day since. It's nice to spend time with him and talk about the state of Tibet, the situation with the Maoists here in Nepal, or even just the weather or how much we like Momos.
There's not much else to report. Bouddha is very relaxing and we've had a lot of time to explore some interesting places, but mostly we just read in the garden of the guest house while drinking warm drinks. Hope all is well for all of you.
Perhaps not the most uplifting blog post, I'm sorry. The article just struck me today and I felt like sharing.
We just ate some delicious Momos with Sangey, a Tibetan monk that Laura's parents met while they were here last year. He and his family have been so kind to us, showing us around some places and making sure we are alright. I had a bit of a stomach illness a few days ago and I think Sangey has asked me how I'm feeling every day since. It's nice to spend time with him and talk about the state of Tibet, the situation with the Maoists here in Nepal, or even just the weather or how much we like Momos.
There's not much else to report. Bouddha is very relaxing and we've had a lot of time to explore some interesting places, but mostly we just read in the garden of the guest house while drinking warm drinks. Hope all is well for all of you.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Day 66 - Boudha
We have made it safely to Kathmandu and are staying in a really nice guest house in an area called Boudha. It's connected to a monastery called Shechen, the grounds of which we often walk through on our way out for the day. Sometimes we hear the monks debating as we walk by, which includes a great deal of foot stomping and hand clapping (not in anger of course, but rather part of a very organized system of debate). Shechen is just one of many monasteries in the area. There is also the large, visually amazing Boudha Stupa that rises over the buildings. People do Kora around the stupa, circumambulating the structure while repeating mantras and spinning prayer wheels. In Buddhism, it's a great way to gain merit.
A couple days ago we went with some friends to Pharping, about an hour and a half outside of Kathmandu. There, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche was performing a puja at a monastery called Yellow Gompa. I won't pretend to know much about this particular teacher or pujas, however from talking to others I gathered that Thinley Norbu Rinpoche is an old, highly respected Buddhist teacher that lives in the US and has not been to Nepal in 13 years. Ultimately, the puja lasted about 5 hours and consisted of uninterrupted chanting, throat-singing, drumming and woodwinds. It was amazing to listen to and just feel the vibrations around and inside you. Also, the shrine room of Yellow Gompa was incredibly beautiful, with sculptures, carvings, paintings and tapestries of vibrant reds, golds, blues and greens. I may not have fully comprehended the religious significance of the event, but I definitely appreciated the visual and auditory power of it all.
Yesterday we went to Pashnupatinath, which is the holiest place for Hindus in Nepal. Pashnupati is one of the 1,008 names for Lord Shiva and there are many temples and sculptures there dedicated to Shiva. It sits alongside the Bagmati River (which I believe eventually meets the Ganges). There, they perform cremations twenty-four hours a day. Laura and I sat for an hour or so watching the cremations (which is far less disturbing or unnerving than it sounds). It was quite an amazing experience watching the families bring the bodies of loved ones, wrapped in bright cloth and decorated with garlands, to the riverside to perform all the religious rites. In Hinduism, there are five important elements: water, fire, air, land and sky. The cremations by the river unite all five elements in the single ceremony. The river is also significant in that Hindus bath themselves in it for religious purposes. They fully submerge themselves three times while reciting the ancient Vedas in hopes of breaking from the cycle of reincarnation.
Spending Thanksgiving in Boudha with Laura was so nice, and the first Thanksgiving we've spent together. We went to a little restaurant we found the other day called Double Dorjee. It is officially my favorite restaurant on the whole trip so far. The woman who runs it is very warm and friendly and the food is delicious. We had beer, mashed potatoes, fried veggies and apple pie, as close as we could get to a Thanksgiving dinner. The power went out at one point so we even got to finish our meal by candlelight. I know that, for me, it was the one of the best Thanksgivings I could ask for (no offense family).
Tuesday is the annual World AIDS Day (December 1) and I'm curious to see what will be done in Kathmandu. Laura and I e-mailed 3 organizations in hopes of finding a volunteer opportunity, but have heard from none. I'm thinking that we'll just head out in the morning and see if there's anything being done and somehow latch on, either as participants or volunteers. I don't know at all what to expect. In Kenya it's a huge deal and in some places it's a week-long thing rather than a single day. It'll be interesting to get a comparison.
Thus marks the first post from Nepal. I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!
A couple days ago we went with some friends to Pharping, about an hour and a half outside of Kathmandu. There, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche was performing a puja at a monastery called Yellow Gompa. I won't pretend to know much about this particular teacher or pujas, however from talking to others I gathered that Thinley Norbu Rinpoche is an old, highly respected Buddhist teacher that lives in the US and has not been to Nepal in 13 years. Ultimately, the puja lasted about 5 hours and consisted of uninterrupted chanting, throat-singing, drumming and woodwinds. It was amazing to listen to and just feel the vibrations around and inside you. Also, the shrine room of Yellow Gompa was incredibly beautiful, with sculptures, carvings, paintings and tapestries of vibrant reds, golds, blues and greens. I may not have fully comprehended the religious significance of the event, but I definitely appreciated the visual and auditory power of it all.
Yesterday we went to Pashnupatinath, which is the holiest place for Hindus in Nepal. Pashnupati is one of the 1,008 names for Lord Shiva and there are many temples and sculptures there dedicated to Shiva. It sits alongside the Bagmati River (which I believe eventually meets the Ganges). There, they perform cremations twenty-four hours a day. Laura and I sat for an hour or so watching the cremations (which is far less disturbing or unnerving than it sounds). It was quite an amazing experience watching the families bring the bodies of loved ones, wrapped in bright cloth and decorated with garlands, to the riverside to perform all the religious rites. In Hinduism, there are five important elements: water, fire, air, land and sky. The cremations by the river unite all five elements in the single ceremony. The river is also significant in that Hindus bath themselves in it for religious purposes. They fully submerge themselves three times while reciting the ancient Vedas in hopes of breaking from the cycle of reincarnation.
Spending Thanksgiving in Boudha with Laura was so nice, and the first Thanksgiving we've spent together. We went to a little restaurant we found the other day called Double Dorjee. It is officially my favorite restaurant on the whole trip so far. The woman who runs it is very warm and friendly and the food is delicious. We had beer, mashed potatoes, fried veggies and apple pie, as close as we could get to a Thanksgiving dinner. The power went out at one point so we even got to finish our meal by candlelight. I know that, for me, it was the one of the best Thanksgivings I could ask for (no offense family).
Tuesday is the annual World AIDS Day (December 1) and I'm curious to see what will be done in Kathmandu. Laura and I e-mailed 3 organizations in hopes of finding a volunteer opportunity, but have heard from none. I'm thinking that we'll just head out in the morning and see if there's anything being done and somehow latch on, either as participants or volunteers. I don't know at all what to expect. In Kenya it's a huge deal and in some places it's a week-long thing rather than a single day. It'll be interesting to get a comparison.
Thus marks the first post from Nepal. I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Day 59 - Delhi
I figured that, for what is most likely my last post from India, I would share some memories not previously shared on this blog.
1. Ordering a Peanut Butter Pancake (which was on the menu) in Bodhgaya and repeating my order only to receive a Paneer Butter Pancake. Paneer is an Indian cheese. Needless to say a pancake with cheese and butter is not a healthy snack for my heart.
2. Leaving our guest house in Diu at 5:00am to catch a bus, only to find that the doors are all locked from the outside. We were literally locked in and had to bang on the doors for the owners to wake up and let us out.
3. While building a sand castle on the beach with Laura, a young boy came and watched us silently. The next day, on a different beach, that boy saw us and began to point at us and say things to his two friends. Then they started to build a sand castle.
4. Sitting on the roof of our guest house in Bundi talking and laughing with the owner about the problems all the monkeys cause and how he should go get his gun. Then, watching in shock as he actually comes back up with a BB-gun and proceeds to shoot at the monkeys.
5. Riding in a rickshaw over what is possibly the worst road in India for an hour and a half each way, including multiple stops by the driver to ask for directions from people on the street.
There's some pics posted on Laura's blog, so check them out...http://laurawwoofs.blogspot.com
1. Ordering a Peanut Butter Pancake (which was on the menu) in Bodhgaya and repeating my order only to receive a Paneer Butter Pancake. Paneer is an Indian cheese. Needless to say a pancake with cheese and butter is not a healthy snack for my heart.
2. Leaving our guest house in Diu at 5:00am to catch a bus, only to find that the doors are all locked from the outside. We were literally locked in and had to bang on the doors for the owners to wake up and let us out.
3. While building a sand castle on the beach with Laura, a young boy came and watched us silently. The next day, on a different beach, that boy saw us and began to point at us and say things to his two friends. Then they started to build a sand castle.
4. Sitting on the roof of our guest house in Bundi talking and laughing with the owner about the problems all the monkeys cause and how he should go get his gun. Then, watching in shock as he actually comes back up with a BB-gun and proceeds to shoot at the monkeys.
5. Riding in a rickshaw over what is possibly the worst road in India for an hour and a half each way, including multiple stops by the driver to ask for directions from people on the street.
There's some pics posted on Laura's blog, so check them out...http://laurawwoofs.blogspot.com
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Day 55 - Diu
After 18 hours on a train, 3 hours sitting around the bus station in Rajkot, and 8 hours on a bus, we finally arrived in Diu, an island off the West coast in the Arabian Sea. The days here have been beautiful with temperatures in the 80s (F), bright sunny skies, and sandy beaches. I know most of you are gearing up for Thanksgiving and bracing November rains (or snows) so I'm sure you're glad to hear we're getting tanner every day. There are two particularly nice beaches within walking distance from our guest house. However, they seem to be relatively unattended. Aside from the random groups of young Indian men who pull up, run to the water, take a group photo and run away, it's generally just a few other tourists and us. Next to one beach there's a monument to the INS Khukri, an Indian naval ship that was sunk by Pakistani's in the 70s. As we sit on the beach, there's a constant stream of Indian groups and families that visit the monument, stare or wave at us, then leave.
Yesterday we decided to rent a moped, which was 200 Rupees (US$4.50) for 24 hours. This way we got to speed around the island and see all the sights. We visited a church that was built in 1667 (I think it was for Our Lady of Remedies), some really amazing caves, and Diu Fort, which gives a great view of the ocean. I definitely felt cool driving the moped with Laura on back, awkwardly navigating turns, while 12 year olds passed us on motorcyles.
That's all for now. Tomorrow we begin a long journey back to Delhi. We only have 6 days left in India and I hope to post once before we leave. If not, next time you hear from me I'll be writing from Nepal.
Yesterday we decided to rent a moped, which was 200 Rupees (US$4.50) for 24 hours. This way we got to speed around the island and see all the sights. We visited a church that was built in 1667 (I think it was for Our Lady of Remedies), some really amazing caves, and Diu Fort, which gives a great view of the ocean. I definitely felt cool driving the moped with Laura on back, awkwardly navigating turns, while 12 year olds passed us on motorcyles.
That's all for now. Tomorrow we begin a long journey back to Delhi. We only have 6 days left in India and I hope to post once before we leave. If not, next time you hear from me I'll be writing from Nepal.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Day 47 - Bundi
I know it's been a while since I posted and a lot has happened. Bodhgaya was great and there's simply too much to talk about, so if you really want to know about that week ask me personally.
After Bodhgaya, we headed to Jaipur for our second three-week stint on a WWOOF farm and our last farm in India. We made it safely to Saharia Amla Organic Farm and promptly left after three nights. There was very little actual work to be done and no one was teaching us anything. Even while we were working we didn't learn anything about what we were doing, why, or anything about the farm. The workers were nice and welcoming, but the managers seemed to never be around and wanted little to do with us. It's an organic resort, so there are guests who pay to stay and then there are volunteers who work to stay in slightly more rustic accomodations. There were huge rats in our room and running through our food in the kitchen. All of this we probably could have stomached save one thing. The first day we got to the farm, there were three little, skinny puppies that were adorable. That evening, the managers decided (whether it was due to guests complaining the puppies were nuisance or to a lack of resources to take care of the puppies) to kill them. It happened suddenly and it took us a while to figure out what exactly was happening, but neither Laura nor I had ever heard such chilling and disturbing sounds before. From that point we were set on leaving, we just had nowhere to go and needed some time to figure out our next step. Fortunately, a lovely Dutch couple came and had some great suggestions and an English version of the Lonely Planet.
To make a long story short, we spent some time in the city of Jaipur, went to a beautiful national park to see some wildlife, and are now in a town called Bundi. To picture the city of Bundi, think of Aladdin, and to picture the surrounding area picture The Jungle Book. Seriously. This morning we went to a gorgeous waterfall that was so peaceful. It falls into this canyon that is filled with lush jungle that smells incredible. The owner of the guest house we're staying in said there's a lot of bears in that area, but we didn't see any. Just a ton of monkeys. Monkeys are everywhere here. We sit on the roof of our guest house drinking chai and watching monkeys jump from rooftop to rooftop. On the hillside sits an enormous historical fort and surrounding walls that is quite incredible to behold. It's definitely still India, with loud noises, odd smells and gawking people, but it's so different from anywhere we've been. Next we head to Diu, which is on the coast of Gujarat and supposedly has some nice sandy beaches to wander.
I am sad that our WWOOF experience in India hasn't been living up to my expectations. I am enjoying this trip immensely, but I had hoped to learn so much more. I learned a good amount on the first farm, but it wasn't an overall positive experience. I'm still holding out for our stay in Nepal, though. I'm looking forward to being able to couple farming and non-farming volunteer opportunities.
I hope you all are well. It's strange being in 80+ degree weather in November, knowing that Winter is starting back home. Everyone here keeps talking about how Winter has come, but really all that means is it gets darker earlier. Oh well, I'll most likely get my Winter during January in Nepal.
After Bodhgaya, we headed to Jaipur for our second three-week stint on a WWOOF farm and our last farm in India. We made it safely to Saharia Amla Organic Farm and promptly left after three nights. There was very little actual work to be done and no one was teaching us anything. Even while we were working we didn't learn anything about what we were doing, why, or anything about the farm. The workers were nice and welcoming, but the managers seemed to never be around and wanted little to do with us. It's an organic resort, so there are guests who pay to stay and then there are volunteers who work to stay in slightly more rustic accomodations. There were huge rats in our room and running through our food in the kitchen. All of this we probably could have stomached save one thing. The first day we got to the farm, there were three little, skinny puppies that were adorable. That evening, the managers decided (whether it was due to guests complaining the puppies were nuisance or to a lack of resources to take care of the puppies) to kill them. It happened suddenly and it took us a while to figure out what exactly was happening, but neither Laura nor I had ever heard such chilling and disturbing sounds before. From that point we were set on leaving, we just had nowhere to go and needed some time to figure out our next step. Fortunately, a lovely Dutch couple came and had some great suggestions and an English version of the Lonely Planet.
To make a long story short, we spent some time in the city of Jaipur, went to a beautiful national park to see some wildlife, and are now in a town called Bundi. To picture the city of Bundi, think of Aladdin, and to picture the surrounding area picture The Jungle Book. Seriously. This morning we went to a gorgeous waterfall that was so peaceful. It falls into this canyon that is filled with lush jungle that smells incredible. The owner of the guest house we're staying in said there's a lot of bears in that area, but we didn't see any. Just a ton of monkeys. Monkeys are everywhere here. We sit on the roof of our guest house drinking chai and watching monkeys jump from rooftop to rooftop. On the hillside sits an enormous historical fort and surrounding walls that is quite incredible to behold. It's definitely still India, with loud noises, odd smells and gawking people, but it's so different from anywhere we've been. Next we head to Diu, which is on the coast of Gujarat and supposedly has some nice sandy beaches to wander.
I am sad that our WWOOF experience in India hasn't been living up to my expectations. I am enjoying this trip immensely, but I had hoped to learn so much more. I learned a good amount on the first farm, but it wasn't an overall positive experience. I'm still holding out for our stay in Nepal, though. I'm looking forward to being able to couple farming and non-farming volunteer opportunities.
I hope you all are well. It's strange being in 80+ degree weather in November, knowing that Winter is starting back home. Everyone here keeps talking about how Winter has come, but really all that means is it gets darker earlier. Oh well, I'll most likely get my Winter during January in Nepal.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Day 31 - Varanasi
While the road to Dharamsala proved disappointing, the road from Dharamsala, it turns out, is the road of legend. Yes, it's the same road. But something about speeding down steep mountain roads navigating hairpin turns and narrow lanes in the dark of night in a large bus is both frightening and terrible for those who suffer from motion sickness (which Laura and I apparently both do). I will admit that my cockiness regarding the road up did little to prepare me for the queasiness of the road down. At one point, I was convinced that I was going to throw up, but somewhere someone took pity on my and the driver stopped for a 20 minute break. I was also relieved to see I was not alone judging from the vomit on the other side of the once clean bus (too much?)
Highlight of the trip so far for me: Laura and checked out of our guest house and trudged with our giant backpacks up the steep Dharamsala streets to the bus stand. It happened to coincide with the time the children get out of school. I was walking up the hill when I heard Laura laugh from behind me. As I turned to look at her, I saw a young boy (no more than 4 or 5) walking beside me with his school backpack, clearly imitating me with exaggerated footsteps and a stern look on his face. He smiled up at me and then continued the mine so I did the only thing I could do. I exaggerated my steps in time with his and put a stern look on my face. I also gestured to the boy that my thumbs were under my shoulder straps and he, smiling, proceeded to do the same. So, with thumbs in our straps and stern expressions, we trudged animatedly up the hill side by side, with Laura and a woman we assume to be his mother laughing behind us. Eventually, the woman said something to the boy and I caught the phrase "Bye-bye". Obediently, the boy looked up at me, smiled, said "bye-bye" and followed his mother through a doorway. Needless to say, I still think of that kid and laugh.
Train, apparently, is the way to travel in India. Although it's certainly no faster than a bus, it is far more comfortable. We made it to Varanasi this morning and I met Rinpoche this afternoon. I must admit, even after all I've heard from Laura and her family, I was surprised at how impossible it is to not love him instantly. He is so warm and welcoming and gave me a big hug and smile. He was also clearly so excited to see that Laura was here that I couldn't help but smile the whole time. I'm excited for this week in Bodhgaya and can't wait to tell you how it turns out.
For some reason, though I can't explain it right now, I have a strong desire to end this post the way someone important to me ends all of his e-mails.
Plant Sequoias
Highlight of the trip so far for me: Laura and checked out of our guest house and trudged with our giant backpacks up the steep Dharamsala streets to the bus stand. It happened to coincide with the time the children get out of school. I was walking up the hill when I heard Laura laugh from behind me. As I turned to look at her, I saw a young boy (no more than 4 or 5) walking beside me with his school backpack, clearly imitating me with exaggerated footsteps and a stern look on his face. He smiled up at me and then continued the mine so I did the only thing I could do. I exaggerated my steps in time with his and put a stern look on my face. I also gestured to the boy that my thumbs were under my shoulder straps and he, smiling, proceeded to do the same. So, with thumbs in our straps and stern expressions, we trudged animatedly up the hill side by side, with Laura and a woman we assume to be his mother laughing behind us. Eventually, the woman said something to the boy and I caught the phrase "Bye-bye". Obediently, the boy looked up at me, smiled, said "bye-bye" and followed his mother through a doorway. Needless to say, I still think of that kid and laugh.
Train, apparently, is the way to travel in India. Although it's certainly no faster than a bus, it is far more comfortable. We made it to Varanasi this morning and I met Rinpoche this afternoon. I must admit, even after all I've heard from Laura and her family, I was surprised at how impossible it is to not love him instantly. He is so warm and welcoming and gave me a big hug and smile. He was also clearly so excited to see that Laura was here that I couldn't help but smile the whole time. I'm excited for this week in Bodhgaya and can't wait to tell you how it turns out.
For some reason, though I can't explain it right now, I have a strong desire to end this post the way someone important to me ends all of his e-mails.
Plant Sequoias
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Day 28 - Dharamsala
Dharamsala has a funny way of being peaceful and hectic at the same time. Surrounded by beautiful mountains, lush trees, chanting monks, ornate temples and soaring eagles, it's impossible not to bask in the serenity. But, the steep, narrow streets become filled with tourists, residents, vendors, cows, stray dogs, and cars/motorcycles that honk incesantly as they speed past with little regard to pedestrians or their extremities. The days are hot, but the nights are cold. There's a plethera of little restaurants and cafes that serve amazing Thukpa and Thenthyuk (noodle soups with veggies and tofu).
It's an interesting place. Throughout the day you hear so mnay different languages. You see young ids with dreadlocks and Chaco's just emenating cliche, sitting at the table just next to two upper-middle aged women. There's tourists wearing jeans and tank tops toting there expensive cameras, and others wearing full Tibetan outfits walking barefoot and clearly in need of some thorough bathing. I wonder where I fall on that spectrum in the mind's of passerbys?
This should paint an adaquate picture. The other day, Laura and I went on a hike up the mountainside where we passed secluded meditation centers, were charged by by a young mountain goat, and ran frigthened from angry looking monkeys. Just a short time later we were sitting in a cafe, drinking cappucino, eating chocolate chip cookies and listen to the 20-something Tibetan server sing along poorly to Byran Adams' "Summer of '69". Needless to say, our days are diverse.
We went to the Dalai Lama's techings yesterday. Registration was closed days ago, but we could sit outside the temple and listen. We got to watch him walk in though, which was exciting. He definitely has a presence. His first session was difficult to hear, due mostly to some very loud young Tibetans behind us, but both sessions were packed with Buddhist wisdom. One thing that stuck out for me was his discussion of faith as coming from reason and investigation. Blind faith, while often harmless, is not ideal and we should strive to be critical thinkers. The highlight of the teachings for me, however, did not come from anything the Dalai Lama said, but rather the monk that was sitting next to me. During each session, tea is poured for those who bring their own cups. We had a water bottle, in which Laura received some tea intended for both of us. However, I was tapped on the leg by the monk, who handed me a bowl brimming with tea and some Kashmiri bread. His smile and "don't-worry-about-it" gestures encouraged me to accept. I thanked him and shared the bread with Laura. It was such a nice interaction.
I want to end this long post with a quote about India from The Geography of Bliss, which I just finished the other day:
"Yes, there are cellphones and ATMs and Internet cafes, but none has made a dent in the bedrock of Indian culture. These latest foreign intruders are no different from the Mughals or the British or any other interlopers who over the centuries tried to subdue the subcontinent. India always emerged victorious, not by repelling these invaders but by subsuming them...McDonalds caved to the Indian plate and, for the first time, dropped Big Macs and all hamburgers from its menu, since Hindus don't eat beef. Instead, it serves McAloo Tikki and the McVeggie adn a culinary hybrid, the Paneer Salsa Wrap. McDonalds didn't change India, as some feared. India changed McDonalds!"
It's an interesting place. Throughout the day you hear so mnay different languages. You see young ids with dreadlocks and Chaco's just emenating cliche, sitting at the table just next to two upper-middle aged women. There's tourists wearing jeans and tank tops toting there expensive cameras, and others wearing full Tibetan outfits walking barefoot and clearly in need of some thorough bathing. I wonder where I fall on that spectrum in the mind's of passerbys?
This should paint an adaquate picture. The other day, Laura and I went on a hike up the mountainside where we passed secluded meditation centers, were charged by by a young mountain goat, and ran frigthened from angry looking monkeys. Just a short time later we were sitting in a cafe, drinking cappucino, eating chocolate chip cookies and listen to the 20-something Tibetan server sing along poorly to Byran Adams' "Summer of '69". Needless to say, our days are diverse.
We went to the Dalai Lama's techings yesterday. Registration was closed days ago, but we could sit outside the temple and listen. We got to watch him walk in though, which was exciting. He definitely has a presence. His first session was difficult to hear, due mostly to some very loud young Tibetans behind us, but both sessions were packed with Buddhist wisdom. One thing that stuck out for me was his discussion of faith as coming from reason and investigation. Blind faith, while often harmless, is not ideal and we should strive to be critical thinkers. The highlight of the teachings for me, however, did not come from anything the Dalai Lama said, but rather the monk that was sitting next to me. During each session, tea is poured for those who bring their own cups. We had a water bottle, in which Laura received some tea intended for both of us. However, I was tapped on the leg by the monk, who handed me a bowl brimming with tea and some Kashmiri bread. His smile and "don't-worry-about-it" gestures encouraged me to accept. I thanked him and shared the bread with Laura. It was such a nice interaction.
I want to end this long post with a quote about India from The Geography of Bliss, which I just finished the other day:
"Yes, there are cellphones and ATMs and Internet cafes, but none has made a dent in the bedrock of Indian culture. These latest foreign intruders are no different from the Mughals or the British or any other interlopers who over the centuries tried to subdue the subcontinent. India always emerged victorious, not by repelling these invaders but by subsuming them...McDonalds caved to the Indian plate and, for the first time, dropped Big Macs and all hamburgers from its menu, since Hindus don't eat beef. Instead, it serves McAloo Tikki and the McVeggie adn a culinary hybrid, the Paneer Salsa Wrap. McDonalds didn't change India, as some feared. India changed McDonalds!"
Friday, October 16, 2009
Day 24 - Dharamsala
A lot to recap. First off, Laura and I have made it safely to Dharamsala, a community in the foothills of the Himalayas that has a large Tibetan refugee population. We are situated and excited to explore. On Wednesday we said goodbye to the Grewal family and departed Sirsa for Chandigar. We did this for two reasons. One, the Grewal's said that Chandigar is beautiful and the most well-planned city in India. Two, it cut the trip to Dharamsala into two 6-8 hour bus rides instead of one painfully long stretch.
Chandigar was indeed a very beautifully city and so well planned that even I could figure it out in a day. We arrived late on Wednesday, found or hotel and proceeded to sleep in for the first time in a while. We only had one full day in the city, so Laura and I wandered around and found a market area where we proceeded to eat pizza and veggie burger, drink coke, browse shops and peruse the many street vendors. We decided that we deserved to splurge after the isolation of the farm and that we definitely needed some variety in our diets. Food at the Grewal's was most often delicious, but also most often the same.
Friday morning we packed up, checked out and, with a surprising amount of stress, managed to get on a bus to Dharamsala. The road to Dharamsala is of legend, but I have to admit that it fell short of my expectations. It is steeply uphill with hairpin turns and narrow roads, but it is hardly the cliffs-edge road that I was made to picture. There's only a few moments where you get a really amazing view of the lushly green valley around you. For the most part it's just another mountain road, except for the stretch that was lined with hundreds and hundreds of monkeys. I'm not just toning it down to ease my mother's worried mind. Frankly, I was kind of disappointed that all the horror stories I heard proved false.
We arrived after dark, and without going into detail, getting to our guest house was stressful and tense, but we made it like the pro's we have become. After settling, we headed out in search of food. We found a quaint little cafe where I had the best soup I've ever had, spinach and tofu, and Laura had some amazing veggie momos in soup. I'm excited to explore today. There's a ton of vendors and cafes and tourists. It's the most foreigners we've seen since arriving in India. In Sirsa and Chandigar we were pretty much the only non-Indians (especially in Sirsa). Here, we're among a very diverse community of travelers and residents. The Dalai Lama lives here and is actually here this week doing some teachings, which probably explains the influx of tourists. We're hoping to see him teach at least one day, but we're not holding our breath.
Stay tuned for juicy details of Dharamsala.
Chandigar was indeed a very beautifully city and so well planned that even I could figure it out in a day. We arrived late on Wednesday, found or hotel and proceeded to sleep in for the first time in a while. We only had one full day in the city, so Laura and I wandered around and found a market area where we proceeded to eat pizza and veggie burger, drink coke, browse shops and peruse the many street vendors. We decided that we deserved to splurge after the isolation of the farm and that we definitely needed some variety in our diets. Food at the Grewal's was most often delicious, but also most often the same.
Friday morning we packed up, checked out and, with a surprising amount of stress, managed to get on a bus to Dharamsala. The road to Dharamsala is of legend, but I have to admit that it fell short of my expectations. It is steeply uphill with hairpin turns and narrow roads, but it is hardly the cliffs-edge road that I was made to picture. There's only a few moments where you get a really amazing view of the lushly green valley around you. For the most part it's just another mountain road, except for the stretch that was lined with hundreds and hundreds of monkeys. I'm not just toning it down to ease my mother's worried mind. Frankly, I was kind of disappointed that all the horror stories I heard proved false.
We arrived after dark, and without going into detail, getting to our guest house was stressful and tense, but we made it like the pro's we have become. After settling, we headed out in search of food. We found a quaint little cafe where I had the best soup I've ever had, spinach and tofu, and Laura had some amazing veggie momos in soup. I'm excited to explore today. There's a ton of vendors and cafes and tourists. It's the most foreigners we've seen since arriving in India. In Sirsa and Chandigar we were pretty much the only non-Indians (especially in Sirsa). Here, we're among a very diverse community of travelers and residents. The Dalai Lama lives here and is actually here this week doing some teachings, which probably explains the influx of tourists. We're hoping to see him teach at least one day, but we're not holding our breath.
Stay tuned for juicy details of Dharamsala.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Day 18 - Sirsa
We've been on the Grewal family farm for two weeks now and certainly have done a lot. We planted sunflowers in a section of the garden that surrounds the grass which are beginning to grow. I believe the plan is to plant some other flowers throughout the rest of that garden. We've also created a lot of garden plots around, cleaning up garbage and debris, tilling the soil and marking rectangular plots. It's hard, sweaty work for surre. We've sown spinach, fenugreek, lettuce, broccoli, garlic, leek, parsley, and a ton of carrot. We'll soon be planting tomato on the ridges of the carrot plots because, according to Harpal, tomato helps carrot to grow. He also said we'll be planting some cauliflower, but I also heard we may be planting radish in that same area. Who knows.
Most of the work I've done has been out in the gardens. Some work is in the kitchen, but mostly peeling vegetables. It seems men aren't really trusted in matters of the kitchen. Laura has learned to make chapati (I think) and has made some bread dough as well. I guess, as a man, I'm just expected to eat.
This first stay has already been a test of patience. Communication is often difficult and, withouth going into unneccessary detail, we get different directions and requests from the husband and wife. We're constantly questioning whether we're doing things right and it seems we often please one while disappointing/angering the other. This, plus getting constant stares and jeers from the workers definitely frustrates me. Today I went to the room to grab the journal and one of the women was just coming out, laughing with another woman who was standing outside. It was certainly unnerving. Everything in our room looked to be in order, but why was she in there? What was so amusing to them?
This is not the ideal situation to do other volunteer work. It's just the family and it's rather isolated from the town. That's okay for now. I'm enjoying the garden work and I didn't expect much more than that coming here. The next farm, in Jaipur, will hopefully have other opportunities in addition to farm work. We'll see. I just know that the coordinator of WWOOF Nepal told us we'd be able to work out other opportuniites with the farm in Chitwan. I hesitate to bring up the issue of HIV/AIDS in India with the family. I don't know what kind of reaction to expect. Plus, based on how conversations have gone so far, I don't know how realistic the response would be. Almost every conversation we begin (no matter the topic) turns into a lecture about how much better India is than everywhere else. I'm sure a discussion of HIV/AIDS would yield similar results.
I've been under the weather a bit recently and have been feeling kind of useless. But Laura takes great care of me. I'm hoping that I'll feel better when we leave. It's definitely a tense and stressful atmosphere here. But, we're leaving in a couple of days for Chandigarh and then to Dharamsala, so stayed tuned for those adventures.
Most of the work I've done has been out in the gardens. Some work is in the kitchen, but mostly peeling vegetables. It seems men aren't really trusted in matters of the kitchen. Laura has learned to make chapati (I think) and has made some bread dough as well. I guess, as a man, I'm just expected to eat.
This first stay has already been a test of patience. Communication is often difficult and, withouth going into unneccessary detail, we get different directions and requests from the husband and wife. We're constantly questioning whether we're doing things right and it seems we often please one while disappointing/angering the other. This, plus getting constant stares and jeers from the workers definitely frustrates me. Today I went to the room to grab the journal and one of the women was just coming out, laughing with another woman who was standing outside. It was certainly unnerving. Everything in our room looked to be in order, but why was she in there? What was so amusing to them?
This is not the ideal situation to do other volunteer work. It's just the family and it's rather isolated from the town. That's okay for now. I'm enjoying the garden work and I didn't expect much more than that coming here. The next farm, in Jaipur, will hopefully have other opportunities in addition to farm work. We'll see. I just know that the coordinator of WWOOF Nepal told us we'd be able to work out other opportuniites with the farm in Chitwan. I hesitate to bring up the issue of HIV/AIDS in India with the family. I don't know what kind of reaction to expect. Plus, based on how conversations have gone so far, I don't know how realistic the response would be. Almost every conversation we begin (no matter the topic) turns into a lecture about how much better India is than everywhere else. I'm sure a discussion of HIV/AIDS would yield similar results.
I've been under the weather a bit recently and have been feeling kind of useless. But Laura takes great care of me. I'm hoping that I'll feel better when we leave. It's definitely a tense and stressful atmosphere here. But, we're leaving in a couple of days for Chandigarh and then to Dharamsala, so stayed tuned for those adventures.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sirsa - Day Thirteen
Three moments to share with you all real quick.
1. Sitting on the couch in the living room sipping tea with Laura awkwardly while the family (mother, father, son, father's cousin, father's cousin's wife) proceeded to yell loudly at each other in Punjabi. I couldn't help but laugh into my teacup at just how awkward it was.
2. Being stuck in traffic in town waiting for the train to go by and eating raw sugarcane from a street-vendor on the side of the road while watching people on mopeds and motorbikes going under the barricade and trying to beat the train across the tracks while traffic proceeded to pile up around us with no regard to lanes or direction.
3. Breaking the hoe on what I think was a large rock while trying desperately to uproot a bunch of iris's without cutting the roots in order to successfully transfer them to a plot across the yard.
1. Sitting on the couch in the living room sipping tea with Laura awkwardly while the family (mother, father, son, father's cousin, father's cousin's wife) proceeded to yell loudly at each other in Punjabi. I couldn't help but laugh into my teacup at just how awkward it was.
2. Being stuck in traffic in town waiting for the train to go by and eating raw sugarcane from a street-vendor on the side of the road while watching people on mopeds and motorbikes going under the barricade and trying to beat the train across the tracks while traffic proceeded to pile up around us with no regard to lanes or direction.
3. Breaking the hoe on what I think was a large rock while trying desperately to uproot a bunch of iris's without cutting the roots in order to successfully transfer them to a plot across the yard.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Day 11 - Sirsa (Grewal Organic Agricultural Farm)
Quick update from last post...the family we were meant to stay with came home on Monday and we've since been staying on their farm and working. The mid-days here are generally over 100 degrees, so work is from 6ish-9:30ish and again from 4ish-dark. That leaves ample time during the day to read, sleep, talk and whittle away the time (speaking of which, I should get a piece of wood and learn how to whittle).
So far, Laura and I have done a tone of weeding. Their isn't much farm work to be done until the wheat needs to be sown in a couple days. So, we've doing a lot of work in the yard, creating a garden for the wife to grow more vegetables and such. It's been really good work and I've already learned a lot. Of course, I have experience landscaping and that's the majority of the work I've done so far. But, I'm also reading about building garden plots and perusing books on vegetables. I'm excited to translate this into a garden back home sometime soon.
Let's see if I can paint a picture for you. The grass is probably 30'x30' (roughly) and we've been tilling and churning the dirt around it. We've completed two sides and have begun on the third. The garden is about 3' wide and a couple inches below grass level, with an irrigation trench through the middle. The irrigation needs some work so that the water flows smoothly and quickly, but it actually works quite well so far. We've planted some sunflowers along the back and there's some existing trees that are young and still growing. I think the plan is to plant some for flowers there in the next few days. The wife also has two other areas she wants turned into vegetable plots to grow fenugreek, spinach, carrots and some other vegetables. Laura and I are taking lots of pictures to illustrate the process and hopefully we can accomplish a lot before we move on.
Life here is tough, but certainly not as tough as it could be. It's dirty and hot with no clean water, but there's indoor plumbing and electricity (both of which go out multiple times a day). We sleep on cots that are thick fabric suspended between metal frames, under a mosquito net that doesn't seem to keep out these tiny black bugs which swarm us at night (harmless but annoying). The food is great and though I've helped in preparation, I really want to learn how to cook some of the dishes. There's a really delicious eggplant dish cooked in mustard oil that we've had.
It's been so nice getting to know these people. The men of the family are outspoken, well-educated and love India and Indian culture. They're quick to tell us why it's ideal and criticize Western culture as wrong. They don't mean any offense and I take it in stride, but it's difficult to have your culture attacked, even if you agree with much of what they're saying. If someone says the divorce rate in the US is high, you can't exactly say it's not. It's more difficult for Laura because she has to deal with comments about women, and men speaking to me directly rather than her. She's afraid of doing work that is stereotypically "women's work" here because she's stubborn and refuses to conform. More power to her. It must be hard for her. The grandfather is one of the sweetest old men and he's both of our favorite so far.
It's hard to believe we've only been in India 11 days and it's just the beginning of October. I know that's typical of travel and by the end it will feel so short, but I have to deal with how I feel now. I already miss movies, soft beds, sushi, clean water, clean nails, and clean skin.
So far, Laura and I have done a tone of weeding. Their isn't much farm work to be done until the wheat needs to be sown in a couple days. So, we've doing a lot of work in the yard, creating a garden for the wife to grow more vegetables and such. It's been really good work and I've already learned a lot. Of course, I have experience landscaping and that's the majority of the work I've done so far. But, I'm also reading about building garden plots and perusing books on vegetables. I'm excited to translate this into a garden back home sometime soon.
Let's see if I can paint a picture for you. The grass is probably 30'x30' (roughly) and we've been tilling and churning the dirt around it. We've completed two sides and have begun on the third. The garden is about 3' wide and a couple inches below grass level, with an irrigation trench through the middle. The irrigation needs some work so that the water flows smoothly and quickly, but it actually works quite well so far. We've planted some sunflowers along the back and there's some existing trees that are young and still growing. I think the plan is to plant some for flowers there in the next few days. The wife also has two other areas she wants turned into vegetable plots to grow fenugreek, spinach, carrots and some other vegetables. Laura and I are taking lots of pictures to illustrate the process and hopefully we can accomplish a lot before we move on.
Life here is tough, but certainly not as tough as it could be. It's dirty and hot with no clean water, but there's indoor plumbing and electricity (both of which go out multiple times a day). We sleep on cots that are thick fabric suspended between metal frames, under a mosquito net that doesn't seem to keep out these tiny black bugs which swarm us at night (harmless but annoying). The food is great and though I've helped in preparation, I really want to learn how to cook some of the dishes. There's a really delicious eggplant dish cooked in mustard oil that we've had.
It's been so nice getting to know these people. The men of the family are outspoken, well-educated and love India and Indian culture. They're quick to tell us why it's ideal and criticize Western culture as wrong. They don't mean any offense and I take it in stride, but it's difficult to have your culture attacked, even if you agree with much of what they're saying. If someone says the divorce rate in the US is high, you can't exactly say it's not. It's more difficult for Laura because she has to deal with comments about women, and men speaking to me directly rather than her. She's afraid of doing work that is stereotypically "women's work" here because she's stubborn and refuses to conform. More power to her. It must be hard for her. The grandfather is one of the sweetest old men and he's both of our favorite so far.
It's hard to believe we've only been in India 11 days and it's just the beginning of October. I know that's typical of travel and by the end it will feel so short, but I have to deal with how I feel now. I already miss movies, soft beds, sushi, clean water, clean nails, and clean skin.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Day Four - Sirsa
Apparently India on a budget means taking a 6 hour bus ride with wall-to-wall people and no air conditioning in 105 degree weather for about US$2. Needless to say it was hot, uncomfortable and people stared at us for 6 hours. We eventually made it to Sirsa where we had three phone numbers for the family we are to stay with. We were told to call from the police post in the bus terminal and they would pick us up. However, all of the numbers were switched off. To make a long story short, we spent two hours in the police station being fed and given endless amounts of tea while policemen and passers-by all pulled out their cell phones and called everyone they knew to find out where the family lived and how we could get ahold of them. After three hours, they managed to get an address and loaded us in a three-wheeler with an old man that spoke no English who slowly drove us to the farm. When we arrived, no one was there and a ton of villagers who also spoke no English set out to help us. They brought us chairs, water, a fan and pulled out their cell phones to figure out how to help. I was amazed at the generosity and kindness of the people here. Everyone went out of there way to help and while I was completely out of my element, I knew they were looking out for us. They even kept trying different languages on us to see if we would know one of them, but unfortunately as an American, I really only know English. Long story hopefully shorter, we managed to get ahold of the brother of the man we were to stay with and are currently enjoying his generous hospitality.
Today he took us out on their family farm and told us so much about organic farming. The whole time I couldn't help but think about a woman at the orphanage in Kenya that I worked at, Liuba, who once made the comment that Americans live in the sky and know nothing of the ground or soil. It's so true, and I'm excited to learn all I can to begin to correct this in my life. They know so many great techniques for growing healthy, bountiful crops without chemicals or products. They know which natural plants are poisonous to pests and which plants, when added to the soil, help other plants to grow strong and healthy. In Human Services a wrote a paper on Monsanto and had we talked a little about chemical companies exploiting farmers with their genetically modified products and chemicals. It was interesting to hear the perspective of an Indian farmer, who, as it turns out, studied Political Science at university.
That's all for now. I want to keep this brief as possible for you. Laura and I are safe, happy and healthy at the moment and completely enjoying this experience. We have not been put to work yet, for we are waiting for the family to come home that we are actually staying with. But soon, I'm sure, we'll be sweating not just from the heat, but from the labors of the farm.
Today he took us out on their family farm and told us so much about organic farming. The whole time I couldn't help but think about a woman at the orphanage in Kenya that I worked at, Liuba, who once made the comment that Americans live in the sky and know nothing of the ground or soil. It's so true, and I'm excited to learn all I can to begin to correct this in my life. They know so many great techniques for growing healthy, bountiful crops without chemicals or products. They know which natural plants are poisonous to pests and which plants, when added to the soil, help other plants to grow strong and healthy. In Human Services a wrote a paper on Monsanto and had we talked a little about chemical companies exploiting farmers with their genetically modified products and chemicals. It was interesting to hear the perspective of an Indian farmer, who, as it turns out, studied Political Science at university.
That's all for now. I want to keep this brief as possible for you. Laura and I are safe, happy and healthy at the moment and completely enjoying this experience. We have not been put to work yet, for we are waiting for the family to come home that we are actually staying with. But soon, I'm sure, we'll be sweating not just from the heat, but from the labors of the farm.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Day One - Delhi
Laura and I arrived safely in New Delhi in the wee hours of the morning. Everything in our trip went smoothly...easy flights, no lost baggage, driver waiting at airport. We slept for a few hours and then woke up to start our first day.
Delhi is so much like Nairobi in many ways. The streets are similar, as is the driving style. Many of the sites and images in the city are exactly what one sees in Nairobi, perhaps a little more crowded. Street vendors and shops, endless advertisements, and people walking through traffic with no fear. In this way, this city seems shockingly familiar to me and somewhat comfortable. There is still the recognition that I am out of my element and in a place I have never been. But seeing familiar sights has certainly eased my heart and mind. The main difference that I've noticed is that I have not found centralized shopping centers here like they have all over Kenya. In Kenya, you can go to a Nakumatt and find anything you need: clothing, food, laundry soap, cell phones. I have yet to see anything as convenient in Delhi.
Needless to say, I am excited for us to get beyond the city and begin our work as WWOOFers. On Saturday we will take a bus to Sirsa, which is a few solid hours from Delhi. The bus will most likely not have air conditioning and will be miserable. But I'm excited to meet the family that awaits us in Sirsa and begin volunteering and experiencing Indian culture in a more intimate setting. Stay tuned for updates.
Delhi is so much like Nairobi in many ways. The streets are similar, as is the driving style. Many of the sites and images in the city are exactly what one sees in Nairobi, perhaps a little more crowded. Street vendors and shops, endless advertisements, and people walking through traffic with no fear. In this way, this city seems shockingly familiar to me and somewhat comfortable. There is still the recognition that I am out of my element and in a place I have never been. But seeing familiar sights has certainly eased my heart and mind. The main difference that I've noticed is that I have not found centralized shopping centers here like they have all over Kenya. In Kenya, you can go to a Nakumatt and find anything you need: clothing, food, laundry soap, cell phones. I have yet to see anything as convenient in Delhi.
Needless to say, I am excited for us to get beyond the city and begin our work as WWOOFers. On Saturday we will take a bus to Sirsa, which is a few solid hours from Delhi. The bus will most likely not have air conditioning and will be miserable. But I'm excited to meet the family that awaits us in Sirsa and begin volunteering and experiencing Indian culture in a more intimate setting. Stay tuned for updates.
Monday, September 21, 2009
On The Cusp...
It is my last day in the US before my trip. Tomorrow morning we begin the long journey, eventually arriving in New Delhi in the wee hours of the morning on the 24th. I am as prepared as I can be at this point. From my experience thus far, WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is an excellent avenue for people interested in volunteering abroad on a tight budget. Throughout our trip we will be living on three different organic farms for extended periods of time, immersing ourselves in the lifestyles and cultures of the families that live there.
It is also my understanding that, especially in Nepal, WWOOF will also provide the opportunity to volunteer in non-farming capacities. I hope to be able to engage with the local schools as well as volunteer in a capacity related to HIV/AIDS. With all the work I've done and experience I've gained related to HIV/AIDS in Kenya through The Slum Doctor Programme and my personal travels, it will be interesting to compare what is being done in these countries. According to the CDC, India is second only to South Africa in estimated number of HIV-infected persons (of course, with such a large population this statistic is a bit unfair). One thing I found particularly interesting from the CDC is that India is developing a youth-focused training curriculum as a preventative method. That is definitely something I hope to investigate while traveling.
Laura and I leave from Denver at 8:20am. For those of you who know me, you know how difficult that will be. So for now, I'm off. And hopefully the next time you'll hear from me I'll be in India.
It is also my understanding that, especially in Nepal, WWOOF will also provide the opportunity to volunteer in non-farming capacities. I hope to be able to engage with the local schools as well as volunteer in a capacity related to HIV/AIDS. With all the work I've done and experience I've gained related to HIV/AIDS in Kenya through The Slum Doctor Programme and my personal travels, it will be interesting to compare what is being done in these countries. According to the CDC, India is second only to South Africa in estimated number of HIV-infected persons (of course, with such a large population this statistic is a bit unfair). One thing I found particularly interesting from the CDC is that India is developing a youth-focused training curriculum as a preventative method. That is definitely something I hope to investigate while traveling.
Laura and I leave from Denver at 8:20am. For those of you who know me, you know how difficult that will be. So for now, I'm off. And hopefully the next time you'll hear from me I'll be in India.
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