A few of the many reasons I LOVE India.

While at times I am angry at myself for not blogging more I realize I am also very happy with the experiences I have allowed myself to have and the amazing people I have had the opportunity of meeting, these last four weeks.  So while, I am disappointed in myself, there are no words to explain the love I have for this country, this city and these people right now.  I am so happy.  It’s a happiness I have never felt before.  I am so grateful. So grateful for this experience and my family and friends and Beth.  I am so thankful for the support.  I am so content with life and it’s possibilities and opportunities.

Here in Hubli, my mind is always flowing; changing directions, whirling thoughts ring through my head and my smile and eyes keeps opening larger.  I am having the time of my life.  I am learning Kannada, I am rocking the kurtas, I am devouring the food and I cannot get enough of the chai, children, puppies and conversation both here in India as well as from my friends and family at home!

I am going to highlight a few of these amazing experiences and incredible people, briefly below.  While my thoughts may be very scattered glimpses of the experiences, I hope you enjoy and have a chance to see how outstanding and unique this country is. 

Babu

Babu, our auto rickshaw driver picks us up every morning from our hotel and brings us to our room at BVB College.  He is the man!  He toots his horn, smiles from ear to ear, and wipes off our seat with his dirt-dyed rag as we begin to pile in.  Every morning he begins with “Good day madam, how are you?”  And we drive off, chitter-chattering along the way.  It is a lovely way to begin our day.

On one particular Friday, Babu picked us up, as we had to complete some errands, and had other plans in mind for us.  He was going to show us his home.  His simple, quant, modest home, filled with joy and love.  As we made the unfamiliar left hand turn Yasmine and I looked at each other with curiosity in our eyes.  Where are we going? About a minute later Babu’s beautiful wife greeted us.  A tall, elegant, hardworking woman, you could tell.  She greeted us with Chai, blessed us with the third eye and insisted that we have a seat inside.  The enclosed space was small yet very clean.  There was a picture of Ganesh hanging on the wall, pictures of their deceased family members, piles of clothes, waiting to be stitched and buckets of fresh vegetables sitting in the next room waiting to be prepared for dinner. The 6’ x 8’ space had a peaceful, yet busy aura to it.  As we took off our sandals to enter the home, Babu’s mother-in-law stepped in the small space and grabbed both our arms as if she was never going to let go.  Her squeeze was tight and welcoming. It was lovely.  As she smiled her half-missing mouth of teeth shined brightly in the sunlight.  She welcomed us in and sat on the floor, making sure we both had a chair.  It was an amazing moment.  Sitting, almost silent, just smiling and giggling and gesturing at this family and sipping our chai, imagining what life must be like every day in this house.  The living space floor doubling as a bedroom floor at night.  The kitchen doubling as a washroom. This family that has so little, yet giving so much.  It was such a different experience or feeling than I have ever felt in the U.S. A family so grateful for just having each other and the company of others to bless their lives with.

Leaving Babu’s house that day we learned that he is saving up to begin construction on a new home in 2012.  After hearing of his goal, we felt warmth and happiness because although we are paying him 50 rupees every morning ($1usd) for a ride that should cost 20 rupees, we now realize that we are helping him towards his goal.  And that little dollar we spend is nothing compared to what we already have.

Roopa, hotel greeter, friend, and yoga assistant

Roopa is one of the many incredible people who work at our hotel, Hotel Naveen.  She is genuine, helpful and an all around wonderful person to encounter every morning on our way back from breakfast.  Her smile, her dress, her curiosity and her opinions.  Her advice, her stories and her positive attitude. Every thing about Roopa keeps me coming back for more.

This week Roopa introduced us to her friend, the yoga teacher, Vasuda.  One of my goals this time in India was to become more educated on the history of yoga as well as more intimate with the yoga postures.  I mean this is India, origin of yoga, and home of the wise and spiritual.  Why not become a yogi? 

Before our yoga lesson began we met up with Roopa at her gorgeous home.  Why not become a yogi, but why not become a part of Roopa’s family first?  Yasmine, I, along with two other students all arrived not knowing what to expect.  We were motioned up to the second floor of a beautiful apartment complex and greeted outside the elevator by Roopa herself.  She was dressed in a beautiful red kurta and had her hair in an elegant pony tail.  It was the first time I had seen Roopa outside of her hotel uniform and with her hair not in a bun.  Her husband stood by her side, along with their thirteen-year-old daughter, who wore a short mini jean skirt and rocked a black button up.  I already loved this family and I had only laid eyes on them 10 seconds prior. 

After the four of us made ourselves comfortable on their modern furniture, her husband offered us a cup of chai.  He claimed he was the best chai maker in all of Hubli. He was correct.  The first sip sent my mind a cheerful glimpse of happiness.  Yum, just the right amount of sugar.  We all sat, sipping on chai, a common yet soothing experience in India, discussing life, our purpose, a potential dinner date, shopping and the typical question that always comes up, what are we doing in Hubli?  It was a funny conversation.  We laughed, giggled, and received some really great advice about where to buy a nice mask in Hubli.  Roopa’s husband is apparently the shopper, interior designer if you will, and he had the house pimped out.  They had tan, leather couches, with beautiful artwork to accompany.  There were hanging masks and tropical plants warming the kitchen and lighting that reminded me of my home in the U.S.  Mom would have loved it! The apartment was beautiful.  The company was even better.  After our short one-hour detour to Roopa’s on the way to yoga, we set off in search of our next memorable experience in India.  YOGA.  Because, obviously I am going to become a yogi by the end of this month with Roopa downward-dogging right next to me.

Inside Roopa's beautiful home with her lovely daughter.

KSV- The coolest school of music

I have never seen a school quite like Kalkeri Sangeet Vidyalaya, until today of course.  It may just be my next home, my next adventure because I fell in love. 

With its mission being to use music to empower children from socially marginalized and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, help them realize their full potential, the school is filled with beautiful voices and a lively harmony.

Upon arriving and receiving a brief introduction from Adam, a man who has now lived in Kalkeri -a rural village comprised of 2000 inhabitants- for seven years after beginning as a volunteer, we made our way around the campus.  We met Matthew and Agathe-the two founders from Quebec- and their four beautiful daughters, we met the 161 children who are forutunate enough to receive such a well rounded education.  We heard a famous Japanese Koto player perform and had the opportunity to hear the eldest students play their local music.  I was captivated the entire day.  In love with the music. In love with the children. In love with the wilderness that surrounded the song.  In love with the staff and their generosity.  KSV may just be my next volunteer adventure!

A glimpse of the campus.  The classrooms, the wilderness.  It was very peaceful, quite and serene.

A classroom!

Inside the classroom, the students were partaking in a math class.

Adam's home.  Built out of eco-friendly material.

Sabia and I!  A little rockstar!

The eldest students playing the local classical music.

My girls!

Photo compliments of little Laxmi :)

So although, there have been those moments that keeping me guessing and wondering, what the hell am I doing here?  It’s the moments and the people that I have mentioned above that help me to understand my place in this foreign society.  I have grown so much in the last month.  I have realized and am beginning to accept and give meaning to many of the obstacles I have encountered in life.  And I am comfortable saying I am falling in love with a place that 30 days ago seemed so distant and unrelateable to me.

“India, I love you!”  I repeat every night before splashing my clustered mind on the hotel pillow and falling fast asleep in my ‘home’ away from home!