Where to even begin! I arrived in Jodhpur safe and sound yesterday afternoon after spending nine long hours in the Delhi airport. The flight into Jodhpur was breathtaking as we flew over the famous fort, palace, and clocktower, three landmarks that exceeded any expectation that I had after seeing picture after picture in the pile of India travel books I have accumulated over the past few months. I was met at the airport by the three women that make up the FSD office here, Sukie, Samita, and Madhu. The reality that I was actually in the city I had been imaging sunk in when I stepped outside and was met by the ridiculous heat-- a temperature that Samita tells me is nothing compared to late April and May.. yikes. Over lunch I learned a few things; 1. There are only two interns in Jodhpur for this session (I wSave Nowas expecting 8). 2.The other girl is having visa trouble and won't be here until the end of the week. 3. None of the people at GVSS (the NGO where I'll be working) speak English. Well then..basically I will be on my own. I was not expecting to have to exercise my go-with- the- flow skills half an hour into my Jodhpur experience, but I was also not surprised. We spent the rest of the day and night wandering around the Old City, a maze of tiny streets lined with blue buildings, fabrics, cows, chai and fruit stands, children, flower garlands, rickshaws, and an absence of any sort of traffic laws. We are staying at a hostel in the middle of the Old City that is right at the base of the massive Fort that at night, is lit from underneath setting the entire hill aglow. I was in such a daze the entire day!
Today Sukie and Samita took me shopping for the traditional shirts (kurtas) that many of the young women wear with white or black leggings.The shop keeper sat me down at the counter and proceeded to take out kurta after kurta as I made 'yes' and 'no' piles... a process I was promised wasn't as annoying as I felt I was being. After picking the top 10, I tried each of them on and modeled them for what had grown to be quite an audience- and a picky one at that! It was the most overwhelming and colorful shopping experience I've ever had! I walked out with four new kurtas and two pairs of leggings that I am to start wearing tomorrow! Despite the heat, we walked throughout more of the Old City, an experience I don't think I will ever grow tired of. The most memorable sight of the day was an 'accident' that involved a horse drawn cart and a motorcycle-- a a perfect representation of the coexisting worlds of modernity and tradition that fill everyday life here. No one was hurt and after the horse stumbled over the motorcycle that somehow ended up on its side in the middle of the road, everyone went on their way as if nothing had happened. Everywhere I look, I see something that is more breathtaking than the last. I just got back from my first real Bollywood movie! It was called 'Manu Weds Tanu' and supplied me with three hours of great music, dancing, and mellow drama... aka just my kind of romantic comedy!
Whether driving through the crazy streets, exploring Old City, or sitting at a chai stand in the middle of a bustling market, I cease to be amazed by the city's way of bursting at the seams with color, smells, sounds, tastes, and HEAT! And yes, it has only been two days. I am so ready to start working with GVSS and to move in with my host family at the end of the week! To be here is to be open minded, ready for anything, and to have every sense utter exhausted at the end of the day.. that, and to not get hit by the rickshaws. On to my next round of chana masala, chapati, and dahl!
Today Sukie and Samita took me shopping for the traditional shirts (kurtas) that many of the young women wear with white or black leggings.The shop keeper sat me down at the counter and proceeded to take out kurta after kurta as I made 'yes' and 'no' piles... a process I was promised wasn't as annoying as I felt I was being. After picking the top 10, I tried each of them on and modeled them for what had grown to be quite an audience- and a picky one at that! It was the most overwhelming and colorful shopping experience I've ever had! I walked out with four new kurtas and two pairs of leggings that I am to start wearing tomorrow! Despite the heat, we walked throughout more of the Old City, an experience I don't think I will ever grow tired of. The most memorable sight of the day was an 'accident' that involved a horse drawn cart and a motorcycle-- a a perfect representation of the coexisting worlds of modernity and tradition that fill everyday life here. No one was hurt and after the horse stumbled over the motorcycle that somehow ended up on its side in the middle of the road, everyone went on their way as if nothing had happened. Everywhere I look, I see something that is more breathtaking than the last. I just got back from my first real Bollywood movie! It was called 'Manu Weds Tanu' and supplied me with three hours of great music, dancing, and mellow drama... aka just my kind of romantic comedy!
Whether driving through the crazy streets, exploring Old City, or sitting at a chai stand in the middle of a bustling market, I cease to be amazed by the city's way of bursting at the seams with color, smells, sounds, tastes, and HEAT! And yes, it has only been two days. I am so ready to start working with GVSS and to move in with my host family at the end of the week! To be here is to be open minded, ready for anything, and to have every sense utter exhausted at the end of the day.. that, and to not get hit by the rickshaws. On to my next round of chana masala, chapati, and dahl!
