One is of the game with the bricks/dodgeball theme :) I should really find the name...
One is of Mahi - she is super cute and I am staying with her family.
Three-legged race!! ha!
The flowers were so beautiful - I had to post a picture of one :)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Picnic Pictures
One is of the game with the bricks/dodgeball theme :) I should really find the name...
One is of Mahi - she is super cute and I am staying with her family.
Three-legged race!! ha!
The flowers were so beautiful - I had to post a picture of one :)
Picnic and Sickness...
Yesterday was a ton of fun - we drove about an hour to a development by one of the Rotarians - he is making villas. The archetect is the same person who designed the house i'm staying in - and it is beautiful. The villas are gorgeous as well. They set up a lovely picnic area with tables, food (of course), and music. We played soccer (football), flew kites, and played another game...as Scott (teammate) said, "Its like dodgeball with bricks and stuff..." :) I have a video I'll have to get on youtube somehow - it is hilarous! Mary, Carin, and I were in a race balancing a pot on my head (got about half way down and it fell off); Scott was in a race with a lemon in a spoon (he actually took 2nd place!), and Scott & I attempted a 3-legged race (didn't work so well since he's about a foot and a half taller than I am...but I'm sure it was entertaining for those watching!). So, we had fun. But, right at the end I started to feel ill and by the time we got home my stomach and entire abdomen area. So, they called the doctor and 20 minutes later I popped 2 pills. They helped a lot but I still had dry toast for dinner and went to bed early.
The hard part about yesterday was seeing the workers constructing the adjacent villas as we were all having fun. I felt so bad as they looked onto us and our games - the only way I can describe it is I felt the same way I did when I have previously read stories about slavery in the US. Obviously, these people are being paid but I can't imagine what they are thinking. I feel so akward - like I should go help them put bricks up or something. Its strange...I am not explaining how I reall feel well. I don't know if I can fully comprehend the situation to really write about it in the first place.
Today we are off to a bird sanctuary and a club meeting (presentation time!). I guess this sanctuary is a haven for migratory birds from Siberia...hopefully we will see a ton of birds.
The hard part about yesterday was seeing the workers constructing the adjacent villas as we were all having fun. I felt so bad as they looked onto us and our games - the only way I can describe it is I felt the same way I did when I have previously read stories about slavery in the US. Obviously, these people are being paid but I can't imagine what they are thinking. I feel so akward - like I should go help them put bricks up or something. Its strange...I am not explaining how I reall feel well. I don't know if I can fully comprehend the situation to really write about it in the first place.
Today we are off to a bird sanctuary and a club meeting (presentation time!). I guess this sanctuary is a haven for migratory birds from Siberia...hopefully we will see a ton of birds.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Sabbath totally broken and it's only 9:30 :(
Its hard to be a "light which cannot be hidden" when I'm doing things like breaking the Sabbath. I realize that I have a strict schedule and Heavenly Father knows where my heart is and I knew this would be part of the deal, but I would hate to think anyone sees me as insincere. That's weighing on me at the moment.
On a better note, I'm staying at a wonderful home with a sweet family. Rohit started his own precision auto parts business that exports to the US. I saw so many of the same tools we use at the plant - why-why, fishbone, SPC, etc. It was pretty cool. Also their leadership does a basic LSW walk with the employees and has "bottleneck" meetings to discuss what the workers say are issues. Its nice to see so much involvement.
We were "Americanized" last night - we went to TGIF restaurant :) Scott, Mary and i shared a veggie pizza. Then Scott and I went for a quick walk around an adjacent mall to "decompress" for a few minutes. Every once in awhile I get those emails at work that make my blood-pressure rise and I know that I need to simply close them and relax a bit. With everything going on, that seems to be the best analogy of how I feel - except I can't close the email. Don't get me wrong, this is the most amazing experience but I feel like I'm not able to really comprehend the full ramifications of the siutation. There are such extremes - such poverty and wealth...Beauty and horror...similarities and differences...I'm just trying to absorb everything I can. I suppose it will hit me over months to come.
I'm pretty sure I got a new nick name - I think it is Spunky.... :) Made me think of Al and "spitfire". Hopefully I don't drive my teammates crazy...they didn't know what they were getting into :) I'm defiantly trying to be 'me'...no point in really trying to worry about what everyone else thinks....way too stressful. I figure that if I truly try my best to be true to myself then I will represent America and Rotary well. At least I hope...
Today we are off to a picnic - like I said Sabbath broken. Then, I'm not sure but I hope that we will spend some time with our families. I love the girls - Avni and Mahi - they are so sweet and fun to be around. Avni is about to turn 15, and Mahi is around 6...(not sure). The picnic should be fun - we have activities like kite flying, a 3-legged race, and tug-o-war. Pictures should be fun later! Luckily I got a bit of time to myself this morning and was able to listen to wholesome music and do a bit of scripture study. Its been *interesting* seeing all of the religions over here. That would be a whole blog entry by itself....
Breakfast time!!
PS. Thanks to everyone who is reading this - I've been getting some emails and it is awesome to see some friendly notes from home. I'll respond, I promise, I just need to find some time!! Love you and miss you all :)
On a better note, I'm staying at a wonderful home with a sweet family. Rohit started his own precision auto parts business that exports to the US. I saw so many of the same tools we use at the plant - why-why, fishbone, SPC, etc. It was pretty cool. Also their leadership does a basic LSW walk with the employees and has "bottleneck" meetings to discuss what the workers say are issues. Its nice to see so much involvement.
We were "Americanized" last night - we went to TGIF restaurant :) Scott, Mary and i shared a veggie pizza. Then Scott and I went for a quick walk around an adjacent mall to "decompress" for a few minutes. Every once in awhile I get those emails at work that make my blood-pressure rise and I know that I need to simply close them and relax a bit. With everything going on, that seems to be the best analogy of how I feel - except I can't close the email. Don't get me wrong, this is the most amazing experience but I feel like I'm not able to really comprehend the full ramifications of the siutation. There are such extremes - such poverty and wealth...Beauty and horror...similarities and differences...I'm just trying to absorb everything I can. I suppose it will hit me over months to come.
I'm pretty sure I got a new nick name - I think it is Spunky.... :) Made me think of Al and "spitfire". Hopefully I don't drive my teammates crazy...they didn't know what they were getting into :) I'm defiantly trying to be 'me'...no point in really trying to worry about what everyone else thinks....way too stressful. I figure that if I truly try my best to be true to myself then I will represent America and Rotary well. At least I hope...
Today we are off to a picnic - like I said Sabbath broken. Then, I'm not sure but I hope that we will spend some time with our families. I love the girls - Avni and Mahi - they are so sweet and fun to be around. Avni is about to turn 15, and Mahi is around 6...(not sure). The picnic should be fun - we have activities like kite flying, a 3-legged race, and tug-o-war. Pictures should be fun later! Luckily I got a bit of time to myself this morning and was able to listen to wholesome music and do a bit of scripture study. Its been *interesting* seeing all of the religions over here. That would be a whole blog entry by itself....
Breakfast time!!
PS. Thanks to everyone who is reading this - I've been getting some emails and it is awesome to see some friendly notes from home. I'll respond, I promise, I just need to find some time!! Love you and miss you all :)
Friday, January 29, 2010
Pictures from the car.
This is my disclaimer becuase they aren't very high quality. Still - you have to see a few of these...
Vocational Day - January 28th
Here are the pictures of the temple, McDonalds, and Britannia. Check out the menu for McDonalds - my favorite is the veggie surprise :)
The crazy thing is I don't really eat it in the states, and I had it in India! Here, they give you seasoning and a bag to shake your fries. I kept one of the seasoning packets to bring home - they tasted very good!
Hauz-Khas Village
This is the man made lake and monument that is over 800 years old. The little shops that were nearby reminded me of uptown in Minneapolis - 'posh'. The lake was beautiful but very polluted. I loved how you could really climb anywhere - no safety ropes!
January 28th pictures
Here are the pictures from the orphanage - the child Carin is holding is one of the chidren of the 16 year old girl I mentioned in my previous post. She was very cute and we were all surprised that she came to Carin!
The second is their method of making concrete - this was on the roof of the hospital and they would mix the water and mix with a crude shovel sort of thing. Then, it was placed on the round plate and carried on a man's head down all of the stairs to where they were working.
The third is a picture of the hospital in progres...
The last is the sign for the boy's house in the orphanage.
The website for this home is www.humancareint.org if anyone is interested. I really feel like we can do something to help as things are so cheap here but they truly need funds and support.
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