“Namaste & Dhanyavaad” India

Our chapter in India has come to an end and we couldn’t have been more grateful to have experienced this country and the beauty that it offers. Naturally, the time spent in Rajasthan with the children from the Havala and Badgaon villages will be kept in a special corner of our hearts and memories. When we first arrived in Udaipur, Samvit had guaranteed that we would will feel happiness, encouragement and frustration. This was completely true. While we struggled to take off our western spectacles and understand the cultural nuances, we eventually gave in to the ebb and flow of the people and fell into the sweet patterns of daily life in Udaipur. The charms and the hospitality of the villages are unmatched. There were several times when we were welcomed into homes and offered chai tea and other instances where we were offered simple, but delicious meals in the humblest of homes. The children themselves were always a treat to see and we are sure they have impacted our lives more than we have impacted theirs. Probably my best memory of the kids would be when we arrived at or departed from the centers, because they would run towards us and in a chorus of sing-song voices saying, ‘Namaste Teacher’ or ‘Namaste Sir’. These traditional greetings are what I missed once we moved on to “big city” Delhi. I can’t continue on without mentioning the hospitality of the Audichya family. Mama and Papa were so endearing and wonderful to talk to. They would eagerly (and patiently) teach us simple hindi and answer any questions we had about the culture. Our friend, Samvit was inspiringly hard-working and his drive and dedication to the children was more than enough motivation for us. Udaipur provided ample opportunity to jump into overloaded tuk tuks, ride 3 to a bike, eat at various street vendors, deal with the interruption of goats and dogs running through the class and appreciate the solemn, respectful gesture from the students who would touch their heads and then our feet when saying ‘goodbye’. Udaipur was a city that captured our hearts and had given us the strongest image of India.

Delhi in all its modernity had pulled us back into the 21st century with a vengance. We enjoyed the commute of the super-efficient Metro, the comforts of A/C, western toilets and showers, fancy restaurants, civlized movie theatres and broadway/bollywood shows. We were shown the historical sites and architectural feats that the city and surrounding areas had to offer and all due to the hospitality of the Edwards family. We probably wouldn’t have explored (or shopped) nearly as thoroughly if it weren’t for Auntie Pam, Sanam and Nick. For our Agra trip, I enjoyed pulling from every Indian-ism I learned in the villages, so that I could fulfill my role as Neha.

Our trip to the Himalayas was one of the most scenic and white-knuckling experiences we have made, and gave us a bit of adventure in making last minute plans, boarding government buses and enjoying the amazing vistas. Manali gave us our first delicious taste of cool weather, while Shimla provided us with a comfortable and interesting city to explore. And of course, there was Rishikesh and its relaxing hang outs and opportunity for yoga made for the perfect epilogue to our Indian travels.

While we are sad to leave, we are looking forward to the new adventure ahead that is Europe – next stop, London.