Renuka.

I must pause my story and progress with my service learning and update you on a really incredible person I met.

Her name is Renuka.  She is one of the Indian students we are working with during the second portion of our trip.  The first day I was struck by her presence.  She told us two interesting things about her because she chose two pieces of candy (it was part of a game we were playing as a large group).  She said I am from Mumbai but am staying in Dharwad to attend University and I speak 12 languages.  Now most people in India speak at least three languages.  The educated people anyway.  Hindi, the national language, English, the educational language and their native tongue, which differs depending on what state you are from.  Most the people in the group were awestruck by the fact that she could speak 12 languages.

Turns out she is only 17 years old and she has taught her self most of these languages on her own.  Her dad is a sailor for an American company.  He is the captain of the ship with carries exports across the water to the United States.  Usually his journey's take anywhere from eight to ten months to complete.  Her and her sister have had the opportunity to travel many places to meet their father at his different locations.  Renuka was telling us about all the places she has traveled to and my whole body filled with the softest feeling.  It was the first time I had talked to an Indian with so much opportunity and it was a great change of pace.  Usually people only dream of being able to travel out of the country and most time that dream is so far away they rarely think about it.  But here is a girl, who has been to Seattle, CA, Singapore, Spain, and Korea.  She has been many more place I just can not list of them right now.

The other interesting thing about Renuka is she is a child born from a love marriage.  In India, the caste system is a very important and popular thing.  Love marriages are rarely spoken of, especially in the South because people are usually set up in arranged marriages.  This topic is something I have really enjoyed learning about since I have been here.  In India, most people believe that you fall in love after marriage so they see arranged marriages as a good thing.  People adapt to their partners.  In Renuka's case, her parents fell in love during college and married shortly after.  A similar thing happened to her grandparents and her sister as well.  Her sister just got engaged to a man she has been dating for the past nine years and now they will be tying the knot.  I asked Renuka if she thinks she will have a love marriage and she said, "I don't know.  I have not found a guy yet and I trust my parents to pick a nice man.  I would be fine with either."  I guess we will see what happens in the life of Renuka.

Last night, Renuka invited me and two friends over for a slumber, as they call them in India.  It was so much fun.  When Renuka is in Dharwad she stays with her aunt and uncle, who she calls mamma.  Mamma is the coolest, nicest, cutest guy I have ever met.  He is 70 years old and acts like he is 40.  He treated us like we were princesses.  All night he kept repeating, "You girls are like my daughters, what can I get for you."  He showed us his arms and he had goosebumps running up them because he was so excited to have us over.  The night was so fun.  We ate an Indian snack, then some cake.  An hour later he cooked us an amazing meal and then we ate more cake.  It was a feast, to say the least.  At night, he made us sleep in bed nets because he wanted us to be extra cautious when sleeping around the mosquitos.  It was the first time I had seen a bed net since being in India.  I loved it.  It was like sleeping in a tent.

Renuka and Mamma are two wonderful people.  They have incredible stories, smiles and personalities.  My two friends and I are traveling to Mumbai in about three weeks!  Guess who we will be staying with... That's right, Renuka!

Look out for an update about Renuka and the girls in the big city.