India: One Week In.....

I've now been in India for one week and two days. The adventure began in New Delhi, in the district of Paharganj. I met the rest of the group in San Francisco and we flew to Hong Kong for a seven-hour layover, before flying into New Delhi. Once there, after two days of non-stop travel, I fell asleep in dingy hotel and slept away the jet lag. I spent the next four days forming relationships with the people I'll be travelling with, familiarizing myself with the city of New Delhi and reintroducing myself to Isabel--the world traveller. We had our orientation, which included some team building activities, general information and a scavenger hunt around the city. I have met some genuinely nice people, learned some phrases in Hindi and Nepali, have successfully avoided people that approach me on the street, bought my first salwaar kamiz and shaved my head. It's been an eventful first week here in India. However, I've also seen some real poverty and experienced a little boy banging on the window of a car begging me for money. These things are real, and unforgettable. India is beautiful in a strange almost inexplicable way. It has some of the most amazing temples and beautiful people, yet on the streets of Delhi I've seen some of the worst atrocities. India smells of spice and incense, while it also smells of burning human waste.

Right now I'm in Sikkim, specifically Gangtok. We've been staying in the house of Sherap and Choden Lepcha for three days; they have been more than accommodating. There is internet access, hot showers, comfortable beds, great food and good conversation. It is very different here compared to Delhi; In the morning I walk outside and my room opens out onto a balcony. The view is of the green mountains and all the little villages/houses are nestled safely in the hills. In New Delhi, you couldn't leave the hotel without being honked at by a passing taxi or rickshaw or be approached by a salesman/interested local. During the day we've been volunteering at a local school, working with the kids there. We play games, teach them songs and dances, teach them english, tell them about our lives in the United States etc. They treat us like celebrities, and I won't deny that I like the attention. But I also just love interacting with them. I hate to say that after only one week into this trip I've found my favorite part, but I've connected with Sikkim on such a deep level that part of me knows I need to come back here. I hope to return to Sikkim to stay with Sherap and Choden, to work with the children at the school. I have been feeling pretty homesick lately, but Sikkim has helped me to forget all of that. Everytime I enter the school and see all of the kids' shining faces, I can't help but be overwhelmed with pure joy. Just a couple of days ago all I could think about was this trip ending. Now I'm trying to think of ways that I can stay here longer.
The next part of the trip will be the seven-day trek in the himalayas. I will be tested physically and mentally, and while I'm scared, I feel that this part of the trip will be key to my growth process over the next three months. I don't want to expect to get too much out of this experience, but I almost feel as if I can't walk away from this trek without feeling changed in some way. I'm not naturally a very active person, and I tend to tell myself that I can't do things most of the time. In this case however, I'll have to rely on my body strength and what little confidence I do have. I figure that I'm ready as I'll ever be, so bring it on! I'll make sure to find a way to update this blog when I return to civilization. Wish me luck, I'll need it!