In Hindi "yes" may be conveyed by nodding your head side to side..:)

HelllOOOO Devoted Readers!

 

Well, I thought I would write to say I am still ALIVE! Haha.  I find it really hard to have time to do these updates, so I am taking advantage of these five minutes I do have to post a quick update.  The past few days have been spent wrapping up our first course by writing essays, finishing journal entries and spending some time in the city on our own. I can’t believe have already completed a quarter of our stay here! It seems just yesterday I was thinking “Oh my gosh, what in the hell did I get myself into (?)”, as we drove to Visthar for the first time. 

Anyway, yesterday we ventured to the next village from Dodda Gubbi (village Visthar is located in --weird name I know) to find an amazing ice cream shop.  I ordered a mint fudge sundae and enjoyed every calorie I consumed.  We then stopped at a small restaurant where French fries were being served and felt “obligated” to order some.  Immediately, upon sitting down we were pinned as a target for children beggars.  This is still a bit unbearable for me to see constantly.  Throughout the whole sitting we would have multiple children run up to us, quickly ask us for money before the restaurant employees swatted them away similar to flies.  One young girl went as far to fake an injury by applying red paint on the bottom of her foot in hopes of gaining our pity.  I am slowly becoming use to this kind of attention; as we walked to the bus stop the parade of beggar children continued to follow us.  Many of these children are extremely persistent due to the pressure from their parents to make money.  I hope to somehow talk to these beggar children in the future, since I have decided to do my final project on Child Labor. 

Today we shared a few of our journal readings in class, something we do every couple of weeks.  And since I do not want to leave you all in a depressing mood, I thought the following entry would be uplifting.  I wrote this journal entry when I was in Kerala.

 

9/21

            Today was spent visiting Nazar’s family and a wildlife refugee.  Seeing Nazar’s family was neat, I could tell the great sense of pride they all bestow on Nazar. I did not realize how tired we all were from yesterday’s adventures until asked and enjoy a snack.  Personally, the experience was a bit foggy; I was exhausted, everyone around us was not speaking English, Nazar’s brother-in-law hastily snapped pictures using his cell phone while I tried to graciously keep up with all of the food Nazar’s mother insisted we eat.  While all were kind and meant well, much was chaotic and a bit too confusing for my weary spirit. 

            Next, I found myself being crammed into one jeep with nine others being told we would venture twenty-two kilometers into the forest in hopes to see wildlife.  This was quite an experience; I could not help but think how counterproductive we were being in hoping to “sneak” into the forest and see exotic animals, when our vehicle contained an extremely loud, monstrous engine.  It was almost as if the engines were secretly saying, “ANIMALS RUN FOR COVER, THERE ARE HUMANS COMING!”   As I graze the stunning green forest, I look down for a moment to discover we have barely any gas left and still have to make it back twenty-two kilometers. This is the point when I ask God, “Why am I chosen to be the one that has the burden of noticing logistical issues which I can do nothing but secretly fret and think of all the awful hypothetical situations possible?”  Well this is how it all ends, being smashed into a jeep and having to frantically run away from a ferocious, wild tiger thinking we are dinner.  Now, I have the undeniable urge to scream at the driver, “DUDE WE ARE GOING TO RUN OUT OF GAS, IN THE FOREST WITH WILD ANIMALS CAPABLE OF KILLING US!!”  In the midst of my internal freak-out I realize the driver must sense my purple aura; he begins to turn the engine off when going down hills.  Great, this is so reassuring.  Not only are we going to be an easy catch by a hungry tiger, but also bound to crash while going high speed in neutral down steep hills barley managing to dart trees.  Well, as I crossed my fingers, held by breath, tried to remember the rosary and tried to imagine the description on my tombstone a miracle occurred.  I spotted the entrance gates; we were saved from my horror of imagination. There is a God.  In India it seems that the most chaotic of situations seem to always fall into place at some point.

 

            Well, I hope all is well in the States! Next Tuesday we are off to Goa until the next Friday so I will be sure to update when I am back at Visthar! Thanks for reading!