am I settled in?

a lovely and domestic Sunday

The past few days there is a part of me that has just been feeling off and I haven't been able to put my finger on if it's physical or emotional. I've just been tired and sort of in a general haze, not feeling really social or out-going in a lot of ways. After church today, I went out in search of momos for my roommate Alyssa and I. I have to admit I was so suprised at how much I enjoyed walking around the market on my own. I know my way around now, I am oriented to my new neighborhood: Malviya Nagar. 

I have my veg wallas, a sweet younger guy with great english and an older man who is more the strong silent type,  and my fruit wallas, two hilarious brothers who just never quit. It's so encouraging to walk around assuredly, and be greeted personally by people who know me. I have a sneaking suspicion that those two fruit slinging brothers are charging me a slight white tax, but I almost don't care. They greet me and shake my hand even when I don't want to buy anything that day. And they always make me laugh. 

these are momos
they are steamed nepalese potstickers
filled with veggies or chicken
a plate of 6-10 is usually 25-30 rs. (< $1)

None of the momo wallas were out yet, I suppose it was too early. So, I went to my next favorite and slightly less healthy samosa man. I even felt so encouraged when I tried to ask him to heat our samosas several times in english and when I was about to give up I remembered something from my last train ride. Men walking through the cars calling, 'tomato soup, garam-garam! Garam-garam, soup, tomato soup!' And so I asked him 'garam?' and he tossed the samosas on the heat. My spirit silently lifted until I felt like I wasn't standing on the uneven pavement beneath my feet. 

I was so encouraged, in fact, that I felt motivated to cook. I was settling in, afterall, isn't cooking the next step in domesticity? For those of you who know me well, or especially have lived with me, you know I'm a Lean Cuisine kind of gal for monetary reasons, time constraints and just general convenience. I have always told myself that the frozen dinners are the product of a hectic schedule and full course load. But the truth is, I've been out of school for months and I can count the number of completely home made meals on one hand.

Today, I decided to rise to the challenge. Since I arrived at this decision mid-market, I went to the veg stand not really knowing what ingredients I would need. So I just got a few basics - I have been totally craving stuffed roasted tomatoes (alla Bent Tree Country Club), so I got 1/2 kg of tomatoes with that in mind. 

I looked at a few recipes using the ingredients I had and nothing really fit what I had in mind like Roga makes at the club. So I decided to invent. You may ask, with all the recipe sites and pinterest and all the tasty things out there, why would I just try to make something up? That is a good question and one I asked myself several times throughout the preparation. 

The first step is just cleaning the vegetables that you buy at market. And when I say clean them, I mean soak them in poison. Just a smidge.

just one crystal is enough for a lot of veggies

it turns the water purple and then you soak

After you soak the veggies in the poison, you rinse them in a bowl of filtered water. On our project trip to Ongole, our veggies were just rinsed in filtered water, no poison and I think that's probably just fine, too, especially if you are cooking at high heat. I guess the biggest gamble I'm ready to take so far is brushing my teeth with tap water. I'll get there. 

I must say, they look clean

I ended up having to scrub each of the little potatoes by hand to get dirt clots off of them. That was only a slight bummer.

tomatoes halved, seeds removed

cheese grated

I'm not really sure what kind of cheese this is. Cheese is different in India. It's more like velveeta. It tastes sort of like cheese, but different. So after I grated it, it became clear that there would be no 'sprinkling' action... just melting and mushing... so I put it in the freezer for a little while. I wasn't sure if that would help matters at all. Cooking in India is certainly not a science. At least night to a white person.

Just in case the shredded cheese didn't quite melt down into the tomato the way I wanted it to (a total likelihood) I just put some chunks in there for good measure. I also put a tiny dollop of pesto on each tomato half. Christine and I found this deeelicious, but relatively expensive pesto at our favorite pukkah (proper) grocery store, Daily Needs.

I boiled some potatoes to add into the mix...

And then just started adding garlic to things generously - because everything's better with more garlic, right? And who will I be kissing until at least after Christmas, right? Also, I just think that even the garlic is more beautiful in India somehow. 

before going into the oven...

 The other thing that' sort of different is that we have a stand-alone oven box that sits on top of our refrigerator. The heat is in degrees C. Very important detail. 

final product

So, in the end, it took me a long time and it was a simple meal - nothing fancy and certainly not of the local flavor. But I shopped, I did dishes all by hand, I was challenged, I made something from scratch and I spent some time quietly seeking the Lord today at church, in the market and in the kitchen. Really, if I could make one thing every day and spend at least one hour in mostly quiet reflection in God's presence, that would be the tops. I'm certain for me that's enough. 

If you are interested in a blog that has the most delicious recipes (real tried-and-true recipes from people who know what they are doing) you should check out my friends The Cochrans' blog! Someday, I'll get there! :)

http://thecochranlife.blogspot.in/

I am super thankful for the blessing of a rejuvenated spirit today and excited to start this week, ready for it's challenges! In the next few days I will be posting about my project trip to Ongole, Andhra Pradesh (the reason I'm here in the first place!)

Huge thanks to everyone for updates, emails, cards, packages - every way in which you are making the distance between here and home shorter. God has shown me in this time away how important my friends and family are to me and how blessed I am that you all love me so well. It's humbling!!

¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, ²⁰ where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.

Hebrews 6:18-20

Rishikesh

the second leg of our journey

If Haridwar was dark, Rishikesh was dazzling. The natural glory of this creation spoke, sang rather, for itself. When we got off of our bus, we were to find accommodations for the evening. A handful of guys swarmed us when we got down, as they always do, touting the best place to stay, the best ride, the best price. But we knew by then, it was usually their own interest these young men had at heart and so we decided do decline and look around for ourselves. 

The city looked typical, at best, and I was starting to question the motives of the emi2 staffers who sent us out on this 'adventure.' What is it we are meant to learn again? We went into a respectable-looking guesthouse and looked in one of the rooms. He was asking 900 rs. a night which is only about 18 USD, but the room was awful, no AC and we would have to book 3 of them: two rooms for the 4 of us girls and one for David. Not a good deal. We chatted for a moment before deciding to take our chances with a guy who had followed us all the way from the bus station to the hotel. 

He took us in his autorickshaw through town, a long way through town and up the side of the mountain that overlooked the river (the Mighty Ganga). My heart was filling with hope and my mood was lightening with each foot we climbed in elevation. This city was not typical, it was magnificent. Though it was still very hot the humidity was much lighter and the natural beauty of the river winding through the foothills of the Himalyas was enough to distract from the heat. 

Unfortunately, our new friend's guesthouse suggestion wasn't quite what we were looking for, but after checking out just two more places we landed at the perfect spot. Let's just look at the view we had from our penthouse room and then I'll tell you how much we paid...

the door on the left is the room 
christine and I shared

Now, bear in mind, we did opt for rooms without AC because they had fans - so that knocked our cost down significantly. The penthouse room was 700 rs., the room Alyssa and Amy slept in one floor down was 500 rs, and David's room on the ground floor was 300 rs. We paid 29 USD for three rooms with incredible views!! It was more like a hostel than anything else - and it was more than perfect for five weary travelers in need of a shower.

our room

While they readied our rooms, we grabbed lunch at the charming restaurant they had set up in the courtyard. We talked about what we had seen so far, tried sweet lime and momos for the first time and read a few encouraging and pertinent verses from David's bible. After eating, we showered, changed and hit the streets into this new town with renewed energy both physical and mental!

sweaty, still a little sick, hungry
and ready for some food!

When we went back down into the town, we had so many people to meet and questions to ask of them! It was so terribly hot. Even though it’s still hot in Delhi, a month has made so much difference. In the beginning of September it was sweltering.

so much congestion on the bridge
with many photos and 'namaste's

just a bunch of white gals on a jhula

One major landmark of Rishikesh is Lakshman (or Laxman) Jhula. We were supposed to find out what a jhula is and who Lakshman was. After using our handy triangulation questioning method, it was still pretty clear that almost no one knew or could agree on the answer. We consulted with a man selling books about Hinduism and specifically Uttarakhand. Finally, we sort of learned that Lakshman was responsible for performing a miracle on the site where the bridge and temple now stand. And so the bridge bears his name. I did a little research post-trip and this is also not the case. Lakshman is a god and though there are many differing stories, I think the most common belief is that he is brother to Rama and shared in his exile. He supposedly crossed the Ganga with only wires at the very spot where the cable bridge stands now. 

lakshman jhula
(locksmon joola)

We spent the rest of that day chatting with people, learning the meanings of lots of words, rituals, beliefs, etc. and still had time to come home and rest a while. By the time we were supposed to eat dinner, everyone had fallen asleep - hard. But we got up and went to the outdoor 'nicer' restaurant anyway. Our jet lag had finally caught up with us and we hardly spoke over our meal. The next morning we were supposed to get up to see the sunrise over the Ganga. I got up in time to see the sun already up but it was beautiful all the same. I got to sit on the roof in the cool morning air and write and reflect. It was one of my favorite mornings so far in my time in India. By the way, I got up about 6:30 am and the sun was already up... how early does a girl have to rise to beat that sun? Clearly, it's not something I've accomplished for some time...

what a morning

always lots happening on the bridge

There were many things to be observed in this little gem of a town, the birthplace of yoga. It was the site at which The Beatles studied and achieved the 'enlightenment' that would change their career in 1963. 

'if you love India, don't trash it...'

unfortunately, by those standards
I did not see a lot of love in Rishikesh

There were so many foreigners in Rishikesh, it shocked me how many people still wanted to take photos with us - far, far more than in Haridwar. And everywhere we went in Rishikesh, people were handing Christine their babies... whether they had pants on or not...

wait... where are the pants.. and under pants...

our tall, tall david

Rishikesh was certainly different. The people were colorful and friendly and open. After returning home (to Delhi) I thought about it for a long time. Why were these two cities, so close in proximity, so very different from one another? I don't have a finite answer. Haridwar is a place of Hindu pilgrimage for Indians while Rishikesh is a place of pilgrimage for enlightenment, for yoga, for searching, both for Indians and foreigners. Those in Haridwar are worshipping gods with their time, travel, money, gifts. Those in Rishikesh know that they are missing something, they are seeking something more, something deeper. I think the difference is that those in Haridwar are seeking what they think they've found. They don't know that they're lost and in need. Those in Rishikesh know they are lost and they want so badly to be filled that they will travel great distances.

Our last stop was to find a choti walla, basically a fast food joint before heading to the bus station. We found it successfully. By this point, I think we had all given up on looking presentable - I know I personally stopped wearing makeup about day 2 in India. Alyssa, it seems, decided that one sock was better than one blistered foot. It took us a while to even notice. But I think it's the perfect thing to top off our time in Haridwar and Rishikesh: The Legend of Ole One-Sock Alyssa.

It didn't go unnoticed by the locals. Being white and half of us blonde, we attract enough attention that we can't get away with too much. People were so curious. Is this one-socked look a new American trend. Maybe even if we go back to Rishikesh, we may see a few Indians wearing one lone tube sock...

 

The staff told us that probably lots would go wrong on our trip and that the mishaps would bond us and make the trip. Our trip had been pretty smooth-sailing and we had all gotten along so well. So, of course, something went wrong in the very end. Our bus was meant to leave at 2 pm so we went to the bus station (which seemed more like a gas station to me...) at about 12:15. We were not going to miss our bus! So, it was 1:30 and the bus wasn't there.. then it was 2 and the bus wasn't there... Prince, the guy we were in contact with kept telling us 'another 15 minutes, another 15 minutes.' The bus showed up at 3:30. It was a super bumpy 8-hour ride home. But that was the worst thing that happened to us the whole time.. and that was just fine by me!

toes in The Mighty Ganga

intern adventure

a kick-off mystery challenge

We have returned safely from our project trip in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh. What a jam-packed and wonderful 12 days that was! This morning we had our internal design review and there is still much work to be done before our proposal is complete enough for Sarah's Covenant Homes to begin using our design to specifically raise funds! I can't wait to tell you all about it!! But first...

Friday is a big day for me as it is my 24th birthday and also marks one full month of the fall 2012 intern term - I cannot believe it. I also cannot believe that I still haven't written about our very first trip... 

A few days into orientation at the eMi2 office in New Delhi, Dannah told us that we would be taking a trip together to begin to understand how to get around in India on our own. This is learning sans-training wheels. The staff had purchased for us a one-way train ticket to Haridwar and created a daily to-do list to guide us loosely in our travels. 

Dannah and Ryan filled our bellies with delicious Italian dinner and then called a cab for us to the Old Delhi Railway Station. I have to include at this point, that we were all still so jet-lagged that David and I both fell asleep while Dannah was finishing up dinner.

Our first three instructions were:

Day 1:

• Commit your day to the Lord in prayer.
• Take a taxi to NDRS.
• Find your train and board your car, sleep. 

And so we did. 

the crew (minus amy) waiting for our train in the evening heat

a warm welcome from the delhi division!
(this is the package that your sheets and face towel come in)

christine and I getting settled

all tucked in and ready for a short snooze

me up in my bunk - excited and ready

When our train arrived in Haridwar, we didn't quite know what to expect. What I did know was that I was unreasonably grumpy, it was 5:50 am and I just wanted to brush my teeth... 

Project 8211

Sarah's Covenant Homes

Ongole, Andhra Pradesh

Our CEO John Dallman arrived last night and our team Graham, John, David, Christine and myself will be getting on a train at 5 pm today to head to Hyderabad, a 24 hour trip. Once there, we will meet our project volunteers, get them from the airport and take another train to Ongole where we will meet with the people of Sarah's Covenant Homes! I am so excited to finally start our project for them and to meet the children who will one day live in the facility Sarah envisions which we will help make a reality! I would so appreciate your thoughts and prayers for our team: that our volunteers would get over their jet lack quickly, that we would all unite as one team with one purpose, and that our work would help the ministry of Sarah's Covenant Homes continue to serve these children whom they love so well in a greater capacity. 

I'm not sure how much internet access we will have but stay tuned I'm sure there will be lots of stories!

swimming in delhi

a procession

This week I have been stuck in a strange state of limbo. Delhi is not quite home, but I don't feel like I'm on vacation. I also have found a feeling of disconnectedness from my friends and family at home. Just when I started to get really fed up with this funk, God dropped an opportunity in my lap that brought me home! 

huberth and the frank kiddos at siri fort

My project leader and his wife Carrie have four kids and they live two flats over from us! When we met them right after we got to Delhi, they were immediately hugging us, trying to remember our names and making us laugh. These are four of the coolest, warmest, funniest kids. 

I was so excited when Dannah told me that Carrie had been trying to get everyone to a good swimming level before the pool closed for the winter. I didn't want to seem too eager to help - but I couldn't help it. I was dying to offer my time to her and thankfully she accepted! 

I went with them once last week just to check it out for fun. I wasn't sure what to expect, but like so many things in India, the experience both confused me and gave me reason to consider the way we swim in our own culture - positive and negatively. 

this is the entrance to the complex (from a google search)

First of all, swimming pools in Delhi are few and far between and often times very costly. If you think about swimming in a land-locked city of clean water shortages full to the brim with over 16.7 million residents... well I have just tried not to think about it too much. Anyhow, Carrie has to wait in line early in the morning for hours in order to secure a 3-month membership to the Siri Fort Sports Complex. (Did I mention that she drives herself and the kids around Delhi like a pro?) Then, even with a membership, you must pay 40 rs for each swim. Guests pay 120 rs. 

The next hoop to jump through is that swimming times are limited to one-hour chunks - or 'single dips.' You can swim for 2 hours (yes, they call that the 'double-dip') but you have to pay double and you still have to get out of the pool for 15 minutes in between each dip. 

Once you get to the pool, men and women split and go into their separate locker rooms. There are lockers provided but no locks (still pretty safe). You leave your towel, shoes, clothes, bag, etc in the changing room and exit into the swimming area. As soon as you open the door of the changing room there is a bucket of potassium permanganate (the purple poison we 'clean' fruit and veggies in) for you to step in and disinfect your feet. The streets of Delhi are dirty, after all! This step makes me wonder about the overall maintenance of pool chemicals and why they don't just trust the chlorine to do its job - but I am so excited to see a pool I don't even care. 

Next, you must shower off before entering the pool with water that I'm assuming is not as clean as the pool, so what's the point? Women must wear swim caps. Dannah was also telling me the other day that many Indians believe that germs stick to swim suits that are more cottony, like board shorts. If someone is wearing board shorts, it causes a fuss. Most Indian men wear speedos or jammers. Women's swimming attire varies from one pieces with sleeves to one pieces with shorts to swimming dresses to bikinis. Anything goes, I suppose. 

william, carrie, everett, hudson, and priya

Okay, so that's much ado about nothing important. The really exciting part was teaching the kids! William has just turned one-year-old and so is not quite ready for lessons. But he loves the water and is so comfortable. Carrie or Graham will just hold him floating on his back and he is totally content. 

Everett is 3 and so energetic. He is a regular at swimming rockets, back floating and even has started working some arm circles. A couple in the little pool were so impressed watching him kick around they asked how old he was and couldn't believe it. 

Priya is 4 years old and is profoundly deaf. Most of the time she wears cochlear implants and never misses a beat. Her story is incredible and she is so full of life. In the pool, she can't wear the implants which presents a challenge but she is so good at reading lips and she is so bright, she still picks things up so quickly. Yesterday she started swimming with strong kicks and arms circles and it made my heart jump! So proud of her for picking up arm strokes in just the last two lessons (less than an hour total!!!!)! 

Hudson is the oldest at 6 and he is hilarious. He is total Bent Tree Bullets material: skill and attitude. His freestyle is looking awesome, especially his side breathing, and he has some of the fastest backstroke kicking I've seen! 

The last week has been such a huge blessing. Just when I was starting to feel like I was out of place, God put me right into my element for three fun-filled afternoons. As a special bonus, Christine and I babysat after swimming last night which was a blast. I am so thankful to have the Franks and their sweet, welcoming kids right down the street and in my life this season. 

there goes everett!

how we spent our sunday afternoon

sorry, mom

Sunday morning the crew tried a new church! It's called FUSION and is a little further from our neighborhood than the church we visited last week. It was so different, but reminded me a little bit of a very, very small Austin Stone with a half-Indian congregation. Worship was lively and exciting and the Koenigers (eMi2 staffers) and the Klackalacs (upstairs neighbors) are members there so it was nice to see some familiar faces! 

After church, I dragged everyone to a spot that completely reminded me of home: The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. It tasted just as good as it does in Austin - I was so strangely comforted. With a little caffeine in our systems, we found a respectable-looking jeweler and went inside to get our noses pierced! 

I thought he was just marking the spot! photo credit: david

The man who owned the shop was hilarious and kept saying, 'No pain. Don't worry, no pain.' I was still worried. But luckily he didn't tell me when he was going for it and before I knew what had happened I had a stud in my nose and tears in my eyes. 

rajesh just getting after it. photo credit: david

He asked me all sorts of questions like what I had for breakfast, what time, did I have any chocolate to eat? (Thanks again Amy + David for running out for Mars bars!!) Ironically, when I started asking him questions, he shushed me and told me to wait. When he finished with Christine's nose, he told us how to care for them: diluted aftershave. 

not so bad!

After we finished, we sat on Rajesh's bench and talked with him for a long time. He shared with us his life outlook: he likes to help others. Technically Hindu, he told us that he rarely goes to temple and couldn't give us much detail about any of the Hindu gods. So many people go to the temples, he said, and then they do nothing else to support their prayer. He brought himself up from nothing, from a very poor childhood and with the help of a friend, purchased his jewelry shop. He so appreciated the kindness in his time of need and has since paid back his loan and adopted a sort of pay-it-forward philosophy. He shared that he doesn't understand those who don't extend their help to others, especially those in need. 

Interestingly enough, in India, many people believe that someone born into poverty is being punished for wrongdoings in a past life. This impoverished status or sickness is their duty or dharma which, if carried out well, will lead to a better position in the next life. Many Hindus believe that if they don't allow these people to fulfill this dharma (maybe by giving help), they will not receive a better next life. Likewise, if someone in a lower caste works hard to pull themselves up from their position and become something greater, this is adharma or the disregard for one's duty, and though it may bring better circumstances in this life, this will lead to a worse position in the next life. 

Rajesh did not believe in this. He has asked and received help for himself and his children and, in turn, has given help to family and friends and classmates of his children who could not afford school books. Such a huge heart, such a warm disposition towards mankind. We listened to his stories and asked him questions for a long time before parting ways. Rajesh believes that good people come from all lands and all religions. It caused us to think about how confusing and impacting it is sometimes to meet someone who doesn't know Christ's love yet is so good, so selfless and so devoted to helping. 

I am so thankful for this encounter and the thoughts and questions it has placed on my own heart. I'm praying that God reveals himself and does great things in Rajesh's life.