Hello from India!!
So turns out our internet isn't all that reliable. Just wrote this entire blog only for the power to go out and all of it was wiped! Oh well, at least we have internet! Anywho, let's start (again) from the beginning! I will try to go through this part quickly even though it was 5 days of my life...
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| "Peace out 'Merica"- shout out to my brother for the quote! |
After goodbyes in California, some happy some sad, I started my journey to India on a flight to JFK. I was pleasantly surprised when I was upgraded to sit right behind first class. There was left over champagne, so the woman sitting next to me and I got to sip on champagne for most of the flight (which helped calmed my nerves a lot hah!). Another volunteer, Matt, and I met up in the JFK airport the next day and had our last American meal: chicken tenders and french fries! We made it through the 14 and a half hour long flight by talking, watching movies, and sleeping (I made Matt a pillow for some of the flight and slept on him - thanks Matt!). Luckily the time went quickly and soon enough we arrived in New Dehli. After going through Immigration and Customs, we switched our bags for the domestic flight after having a minor heart attack when we couldn't find Matt's film equipment on the carousel ( the equipemt was worth my arm in money)... we met a nice man waiting at the gate to the Bangalore flight who told us stories about India. I was stopped at the gate, however, and my mind automatically went to the worst situations imaginable- you know, expulsion from the country, etc. Much to my surprise again, I was upgraded to first class...I was literally the first seat on the plane! What? Does this even happen in real life? Just as they were about to close the cabin door, three security guards came on board and checked the cabin and then a whole entourage of people came onto the plane escorting a man- I mean there were individual people holding his coat, his bag, and yes even his cell phone! And where was his seat? Of course. Next to me. Everyone on the plane was bowing to him, including the flight crew. So what do I do? What any person would do on minimal hours of sleep for the past 3 days- I busted out laughing. Luckily he appreciated it because it broke the tension that had entered the plane when he did. He smiled at me and chuckled a bit then sat down next to me. The only thing he said to me on that three hour flight was that he liked my phone cover. Well thank you sir, whoever you are. We finally got to Bangalore and were warmly welcomed by Fr. Joy, the program director of BREADS (I posted a link to BREADS on the side if you would like to read more on it). He drove us through the city, through the good and the bad parts, to get to the main office. We got to drive through a light celebration, pictured below, which was my favorite part.
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| Driving through a light celebration in Bangalore |
I got to go shopping on Commercial St. the next day with a woman who worked at the office, Jothis, for some Indian clothing. She was so cute and helpful, picking out outfits that would look good on me and telling me what to pair together. Also, I got to meet up with a friend from school that lives in Bangalore, Sahar. This was seriously what I needed. When I saw her, it was like a little piece of home was here with me. She showed us some of her favorite shops, and we just caught up as much as we could before Jothis and I had to leave to catch the night bus that would take us to Deodurga. Okay, now imagine a mix of an earthquake simulator and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland- that is what the 13 hour bus ride was like on unpaved dirt roads to Deodurga. I was on the top level holding on for dear life, hoping that the thin metal vertical railing would keep me from falling off the narrow bed. A fun experience that I only now realize was sort of hysterically awful because not only was it 13 hours, there was no bathroom on the bus. And the old man below me kept getting sick so we had to stop a lot. I gave him my water which seemed to help a little, but lets just say I was very happy to finally get off the bus to see Holly's smiling face waiting for me. She has been at our site for about a week now, learning the ropes. Slowly, I am catching on as well. I was greeted by the kids singing a song called "A Very Hearty Welcome." It is the dearest thing I have ever seen or heard. I am trying to make this place my home. Have decorated some, but mostly it is the children that are helping me make this transition. From here on out I am no longer Veronica Coe, but Vero Miss. I am absolutely in love with my new name.
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| Sahar from Loyola Marymount University! |
This year will definitely be one of growth. It has not entirely sunk in that I will in fact be here for a year, but with this kind of support from Holly, my community of Salesians, and the children, I think I can make it not only the place I live, but a home. Sitting at lunch with the children today, they insisted that I try all of their food. The quote "What we have, we have to share" has never had a truer meaning. They are hilarious. They keep insisting that I sing the American National Anthem...either that or Justin Beiber. I chose the National Anthem lol. I think I have to broaden their musical interests. They love holding hands everywhere and desperately cling to me when I try to leave. I am trying to learn their names as fast as I can (it doesn't help the boys keep tricking me by telling me the wrong names) but it helps that I have a few "helpers" that have dubbed themselves my best friends who tell me who the little tricksters are and are teaching me the "Indian" way of doing things. The Salesian community absolutely love the Sees Candy I brought them, I'm surprised it lasted 2 days! Things in the first two days that I have loved: tea time twice a day, watching the boys get ready for school such as brushing their hair and cleaning their shoes, and one Father telling me that I need to get a belly button piercing to become "more indian". Weird.
Still a little jetlagged, but hey, I have only been here for 3 days. None of the food that I have had too far has been too "pungent" but I think the Fathers are also going easy on me! Temperature isn't too hot so far. Actually quite comfy...but it is also the "cold monsoon" season. Yikes. We will see how much hotter it gets! Sorry for the long post but congratulations for making it this far! The posts won't usually be this long, I just want to document these first couple of days as much as I can because I know it will be a blur a few weeks from now. Please email me at veronicalynncoe@gmail.com or message me on Facebook with any questions you would like to have answered and I will try my best to get to all of them :) I have pretty consistent Internet (except for when it decides to delete everything), but I really would love hearing from everyone. So, please! Make this transition a bit easier with your kind words. Sending love from India.
Vero Miss
