SO much to do, so little time

Sometimes, our circumstances remind us to take things slow. I have always been very adventurous. Of course that means eat off of the lahris (food carts) and go walk in the sun through the flying dust. I know it sounds very unhealthy, and it is, but when in India, the dirt part-cannot avoid. At least the places I go. I tie scarf around my face to cover nose, mouth, and ears still. Nonetheless, sickness strikes when you least expect it. I guess I might have jinxed myself as I kept telling everyone I have not gotten sick here, besides minor cold, since I came to India in September. I thought my immune system was becoming stronger. Anyway, something made me sick. On top, I have congestion all of a sudden. It gets freezing here. I never expected India -Gujarat- to get so cold. This sickness made me control my diet more as I barely ate anything yesterday and today. Just some juice and milk so I can take my meds. Everyone keeps asking me how I feel.   Today, I don't look too sick, or at least not as much as yesterday when I had body aches and fever. The cool thing is that the doctor I went to yesterday was my cousin's friend. He was very good at assessing me and didn't prescribe antibiotics right off the bat like many docs do. I was very impressed. He said we'll treat the symptoms and it is helping so far! I strongly dislike when people over prescribe antibiotics when not needed. The doc did not even take money from me-he said in India, if any healthcare professional goes to another healthcare professional for check up, it is free. This was the first time I heard of this though. but then again, I have always seen family friends who are docs whenever I was sick in India.

I do miss being able to eat whatever I want, but these two days have been lessons on self-control with food. I am fasting today anyway. One day per week to cleanse my body :)

I went to the Red Cross office and urban public health center yesterday. We want to start a mosquito net distribution and malaria prevention program with the communities we are working with here. I only have a week left with Manav Sadhna because I cannot extend my Visa. (side note: I am very frustrated that Indian govt. would not let me stay in my own birth country for more than 6 months). I hate leaving things incomplete. I have so many more assessments I want to do with the malnourished kids in the slum here and create more interventions and evaluate/do follow ups on growth, nutrition, etc. This short time frame makes it very inconvenient  I want to sustain this project I started. I will properly document it so another volunteer or staff of the NGO can hopefully carry on with it after I leave. Today was interesting though-went to other side of city with Gujarat Red Cross staff for a mini mosquito bite prevention and mosquito net distribution camp. I got to give out nets, and it felt like I was handing over gold to the pregnant women. This one net is worth 1000 times more than any piece of gold for me.. That is why when someone tells me to go shopping for accessories that are expensive, I feel annoyed. All of that is materialistic. I'd rather spend my time with such projects in the community. The money can be spent better than on some gold chain.

My stay with Manav Sadhna is coming to an end as much as I don't want to leave. I love this place. I love what I do-my heart is really into these projects and communities. If I could stay in India longer, I could've gone to Rishikesh with a staff member from the NGO on a yoga retreat. They highly recommend I go there, but dates don't match up with how long I can be in India. Oh well. I am very thankful to have at least been able to be here. Best moments of my life. yet I just know how empty I will feel when I leave Manav Sadhna, and later, India. It is going to very difficult for me to say goodbye. All I know is that I need to keep working hard so I can come back in the future, and carry on with different activities. My heart and soul has made a home for itself here. I can use some yoga right now to clear my mind.

I just love traveling and meeting new people. Ahemdabad has so much to offer. It is a large city with many different things to offer. I have traveled around here so much that I take newer volunteers to the places and bargain for them! I used to be horrible at bargaining, but now, it is ingrained in me. Places like Manek chawk, law garden, etc. Gandhinagar is also nearby-went to Akshardham temple light/water show couple weeks ago! It was beautiful. I had gone to the blind school-the kids are so bright and thankful. It was a blessing to meet them and talk to them.

The cutest thing is when I went to one of the preschools/anganwadis, the tiny munchins all say namaste and then they started showing me how to brush teeth. Recently, another volunteer distributed toothbrushes and did demonstrations! The kids are adorable. "didi mein brush karu!" -sister, I brushed my teeth! they would say and do the cutest things.

Tonight, friends hanging out. I hope I can eat the food. I have made such good friends here. We are like a family. When I moved back with my aunt, I realized how much I missed spending time with my friends here, going out to eat, going to the clinic, or just hanging out during free times. I do enjoy being with my aunt and cousin. My niece makes me feel so pure and tension free. Playing with her makes life smile. I love my family. I will miss them and all the friends I made here. We'll all be going our own ways sometime soon. Hopefully, God will allow us all to spend my time together. Manav Sadhna just has a way of bringing people together from all over the globe. The people I have met are all so diverse and unique from different corners of the world, but we all connect through service and love. It is a big family here.

Oh and there was a 72 hr rikshaw strike. No rikshaws because CNG prices rose. They are back in action now though, just a little more expensive fares here and there.

Time to get ready for dinner with friends! try some home cooked Portuguese food- hopefully, I will be able to handle it with this sickness. I haven't ate a meal all day, so I need to eat anyway. I need to take meds with food.

I used to be obsessed with TED talks and inspirational quotes. I feel like I am living them now. I don't know how to explain how good it feels to be here. I truly belong here, but I want to further my education so I can be more skilled and qualified to do more for the communities here and elsewhere. I wish I knew how to diagnose, treat, prescribe etc. I feel so helpless when community members look to me for answers and prescriptions if needed. I can assess, educate, screen, etc. but there is his big gap. Hopefully I can have more advanced skills soon, so I can do more for the people I've come in contact with here.

On a lighter note, India has the best Indochinese food!! I just love it here! Chinese bhel-mix of rice, noodles, and Manchurian =heavenly taste

"We need not only a trained intelligence, but also a warm heart. Then a sense of community and a sense of responsibility will arise naturally" -Dalai Lama

Welcome 2013

Dear 2013, you have been wonderful so far! Thank you God for another blissful year! I have been having the time of my life here! Let me start with New Years eve-It was one hectic day. Well at first I went to the community center and played with the kids which I always love doing. Then, I met up with friends and went to Kankaria carnival. In Ahemdabad, every year there is a carnival for few days.
     New Years eve was last night of the carnival at the Kankaria lake. We made our way there through the uncontrollable traffic. After getting there, we had a very interesting night, and that is an understatement. Anyway, the attractions of the night-the boat ride. Apparently, the boat rides were closed for the public, but the guard let us go by the bleachers at the pond side. The police then came trying to kick us out because they thought the rest of the crowd would follow us down. Then the guard was like no no let them stay-we gave them permission! I was just like I want my boat ride! We all eagerly waited and finally jumped onto that boat, but for the first time in my life, I was slightly hit by the police dando (stick). Police in India-they are not where they need to be at the  time they are needed, but bother after petty issues without listening to the whole story. Anyway, as a resident of this nation, I think there needs to be many improvements. Incidents such as that in Delhi with the young girl should not have happened. Some people can be completely inhumane and bogus. I feel so infuriated when I think of that, and I saw similar things, to a lesser degree, at the carnival. It just made me want to take that police no dando (stick) and beat up those jerks. People tell girls to be aware and not wear this and that, but when will people start teaching boys values. It is ridiculous.      
     Anyway, after the carnival, we came home and joined the new years eve party at our backyard with the neighbors. The neighbors are so sweet and caring. They invited us over, and we danced the night away! We did garba and it was just so beautiful welcoming the new year with such sweet neighbors. Then we called it a night, and next day was full of activities. I started my health classes with the adolescent girls. Those have been going really well, and I love spending time with these girls. A new group each time, but all so welcoming and full of life! We had another event-it was one of the founder's of the NGOs birthday, so we had bhajans and dinner at a ESI (Environmental sanitation institute . It is a beautiful place on a farm that is so peaceful and perfect for outings. I felt totally mesmerized by the bhajans (religious songs). The musicians were enigmatic in they tone and style. The night was great. Too good! One of the beauties of India-nights like these that make me thank God a million times for giving me the opportunity to be in my homeland of India and sit under the starts and get lost in the music that touches my soul with a group of wonderful people.
    Last night, we went to another party-a belated new years party. It was not the typical USA college party. I never went to those and would never attend those in a million years. The type of party I like is one without alcohol. In India, that means family gathering. This particular party was really a gathering for the NGO's family of volunteers, staff, and friends. The night was good, but the highlight has to be my friend getting urinated on by a turtle there! My stomach hurt from laughing so hard and I had tears in my eyes. We all got a good ab workout in! :) Moments like those I will cherish!
   Today, we went to craft roots mela/fair in Ahemdabad. It was nice. I was mostly just greeting people and getting them to register, but in between I learned how to make earrings and saw someone make pottery. The exhibition was really nice and unique. I just did not buy any merchandise, but I did buy food! I had pani puri and ice cream! My favs! Well the pani puri was so spicy, so I had to get ice cream! One of the things I love is how I get to meet so many people and go to so many different places through this NGO. Last Sunday morning, I went on the Heritage Walk through Old city of Ahemdabad.....the historical parts of it. It was invigorating to walk in the morning through those alleys and experience original architecture and this strangely radiant ambiance. I got some sugarcane and varirari (mint like snack plant) on the walk. I think most of our tour group did! We went to this beautiful mosque..it was so large and elaborate. I just simply adorned its architecture. Then, we stopped by at a cafe, and I finally got my Mango lassi that I love so much!! I had been looking for it everywhere, and somehow, this place ended up having it. It was a taste of Heaven!!
    Then after coming home, I went with my friend and other housemates to my friend's hometown. It was an interesting bump car ride...the typical Indian ride. I love those though! Why feel like a tourist when I can live the life here! I had a  nice time there. We visited the temple that my grandfather once used to go to! It was very special for me to be at the same place. I felt connected to him somehow since my grandfather is no more. He had passed away when I was 3 yrs old.
  So I decided to extend my stay with Manav Sadhna for all of January, but who knows, I might end up extending it even more. I just don't want to leave any projects incomplete that I am a part of here. I have so much fun, and I truly feel like a public health nurse here. There are a lot of needs, and I enjoy finding creative ways to fulfill those incorporating the communities. I have formed so many dear bonds here that I will be so sad to say goodbye. That is why I extended my trip in India. My dream was always to move back to India and work with NGOs here, and I am doing just that. God answered my prayers in the most beautiful of ways. I just want to do my share and give back. I <3 India. I am still going to try to enroll in a yoga teacher training course during my time in India though. I really want to be professionally trained in yoga and other alternative therapies. That is why I am contemplating staying in India until May. I can travel and get trained in various things that are unique to India. Also, my heart is just deeply ingrained with the soil of India.
    I love how the neighbors here are like my family. We are not related, yet the grandma front door feels just like my own grandma. The kids like my brothers and sisters. They call me didi (older sister). The love seen here is very unique and guests are treated as God. Yesterday, after the session with the girls at an anganwai (preschool), the anganwadi teacher was like lets walk back together since her home was on the way to my home. Then as we approached her home, she insisted I come over. I could not resist after her insisting so much, so went. She made tea for me, and the love I felt from her and her family was incomparable. They made my day. I thank God for people like that. Atiti Deva Bhava meaning respect your guest as God. The people here actually live that Sanskrit saying. It feels like a truly divine relationship with many people here.

the community center at the slum-one of my most favorite place in India, and may be even the world, now. I just love coming here and hanging out with everyone or even reading. This was from the Christmas celebration rehearsal on Christmas eve. There is a big star in the making on the right. It turned out beautiful, but I must say, the children were the stars-brighter than the ones in the sky radiating more light and energy! :) God bless them!