Safe arrivals and much more

A week ago we left EMU to begin our quest through India. We had a safe and uneventful flight. When we landed in Delhi I was meet with a flood of smells and sounds and people. It was like an assault on the senses. The first few days in Delhi were exhausting, but that was at least partially due to jetlag. The sheer number of people here can be overwhelming. So many of the things that we did during those first days in Delhi were new and exciting. We rode bike rickshaws in Old Delhi, we walked through the crazy crowded markets, we took motorized rickshaws in New Delhi and thought the traffic was going to kill us, we learned to barter, went to restaurants and had to order food on our own, and learned to use the metro. When I write it down, these all seem rather small, but in the commotion and noise of Delhi, they seemed like huge accomplishments.

On Monday evening we left Delhi and took an overnight train to Kolkata. The train was actually fun and much less scary than I had made it to be. We only saw a few smallish bugs. We have two wonderful guides, Tserig and Tsetop, who help get us to the right place and keep us from doing stupid things. Honestly, I'm not sure how we would get by without them.Today was our second day in Kolkata. Yesterday we arrived around 10am and went to the YMCA to get settled in. In the afternoon we got lunch. I ate with 4 other girls and Tsetop and he had the great idea that we should go to Chinatown. So we piled into a taxi and rode to Chinatown, which turned out to be no more than a bunch of Chinese restaurants. But, we had plenty of adventure just wandering around.

Today we went to Ankur Kala and MCC India. Ankur Kala is a woman's center that strives to teach woman job skills, basic business management skills, as well as empowering them and teaching them values. It was one of the most inspiring and wonderful places that I have ever been to. The woman who founded it is a direct product of Mother Teresa's work here and the work that she does is truly awe inspiring. I would highly recommend looking it up online. Some of there crafts are sold by Ten Thousand Villages.  On Saturday we are spending the day in The Sister's of Charity's home for the destitute and dying. I am looking forward to that.

There is just so much to take in this city and I don't even know how to begin to explain it. I can already tell that this country has changed me and I have been here for less than a week. I hope that this gives you a glimpse into what I have been up to the past few days.  We leave Saturday evening for Bodh Gaya (where Buddha was enlightened) for a few days and then to Varanasi (the holiest city for Hindus) before returning from Delhi. I hope to get a few pictures posted soon.

With much love,
Laura