Look Both Ways Before Crossing a One Way Street

View of street from Vikram's Car 

The title of this post describes much of my experience in India so far. Even when things should be expected or straightforward there tends to be a catch, unspoken rule, or surprise to my expectations. I'm now used to Indians driving on the left side of the road, except that Indians don't always follow this rule, with some also driving on the right side. Hence even in the most basic street crossing I have to check at least 2 directions to make sure a stray rickshaw or scooter won't surprise me.

A lot has happened since my last post. My first adventure, heading to meet a couch surfer in the city on my own, went fantastically. I was unsure about my rickshaw skills and so I was relieved with Anjeli (one of the India sisters who live above) offered to take me along with her to the market in the city with her and two of her friends. We took my first Indian bus trip (an experience all in itself) into the city where I ended up buying several more Indian dresses and two beautiful single sheets (my first indulgence since I didn't really have any good clothes with me). I really enjoyed finally getting into the city. I could stand in one spot for over 30 minutes just observing that goes on, and all the pink sandstone in the old city truly lived up to its name.

Saris in the National Handloom

The Wind Palace in the Pink City

From shopping Anjeli hired me a bike rickshaw to take me to Mall 21 next to the Raj Mindal where I met up with Vikram. My 60 second walk was very illustrative of the more difficult parts of India for me: navigating filthy pools and garbage on the street, having a guy ask me to get onto his motorcycle with me, and a mother and small child come up with me and tapping my arm ask for "pooki" (food). I was extremely relieved when I heard Vikram call my name and I could get off the street. This reminded me of a friend of mine who went to Uganda last summer and was asked by a man there if he liked the country, when he said yes the man said that my friend only liked it because he was able to leave. If someone comes to India only for the beautiful clothes , markets, old castles, and delicious food they can come see those elements and leave, and only encounter mild discomfort. While I hope to engage more than that I still find it difficult to refuse the advances of children who grab at arm wanting pooki as we pass a small slum-like settlement next to my work every morning. Do I only enjoy India because I can choose to live in comfort (plenty of water, food, and safe living arrangements) and not have to experience the suffering of those who live here? And all too soon I will be back into my comfortable college existence, but I want to leave having in some way helped or loved those I meet in a meaningful way.

Meeting a stranger in the middle of a city I was unfamiliar with was definitely a calculated risk but one that I'm glad that I took. Vikram was a complete gentlemen and so hospitable. I almost started giggling when he told me that he planned to take me up into the hills overlooking the city- just the day before I was longingly staring up at those same distant hills- it felt like God answered a prayer of my heart that I didn't even ask for. So after picking up another Chinese girl couch surfer we drove up to the Nahargar Fort and had drinks looking at the stunning vista. Along the way we got in an intense discussion about Hinduism versus Atheism and listened to Bollywood love songs. After being in the house for so long, it was exhilarating to be up in the hills and observe this wildly beautiful city.

Nahargar Fort

Bollywood love songs and beautiful vistas

 After dropping off the other couch surfer Vikram drove me to a mall close to my house in the south of the city where I could get a new cell phone (mine doesn't work with an Indian sim) and then he dropped me back off at the house. The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful, except for playing some more with Nanu and she taught me some of an Indian dance, until the other three interns returned form their Lion Safari. It was amazing to have company again and all four of us are sleeping in a room together (my room undergoing some cleaning).

Monday was my first day of work. I came in so worried about bringing up that I would be taking next week off, asking for Saturdays off (there was an expectation for 6 days a week even though it wasn't in my contract), and feeling awkward about asking my supervisor to fill out a internship expectation sheet from the Summer Internship Grant Program from Northwestern. When my supervisor, Mahitosh, came in, he shook my hand and then headed into his office and didn't speak with us for 4 hours. But when I finally talked with him later in the afternoon none of the above ended up being an issue at all. AIESEC actually told him that I wouldn't be starting until 1 July so he was actually relieved to find out I would be gone next week. He signed the internship grant, agreed to let me take saturdays off, and I found out that I will definitely be doing at least one field visit (so not just solid office work, yay!). The work day actually went by pretty quickly because I work in the same room as Ece and Amanda, and I researched funding for the NGO, and helped to edit some previous written work of one of the girls (I LOVE editing, haha).

After work is where the real fun begins. Ece, Amanda and I took a bus up to the old city where we met up with the other intern Parisa and went shopping for some more pants. I didn't think that I would like bartering but I've totally fallen in love with trying to get the lowest possible price. I'm probably still getting charged too much, but to bring somebody down to almost half the original price is incredibly satifying. So here is my picture of me in Indian clothes that I'm wearing and purchased without paying way too much (reference to previous blog):

Ali Baba Pants!

Amanda (left), Parisa and Me at Dinner

After bargaining the four of us went to an AMAZING restaurant across the street. I was starving for the first time in almost a week, and ate probably the most amazing meal of my life. The whole thing (below) was only $7 for all four of us. It was great to share a communal and just talk about all sorts of things. Amanda, Ece and Parisa are all so interesting, kind, and well traveled- too many hilarious stories to recount. We walked back to the bus stop afterwards and waited for 20 minutes until realizing the buses don't run after 9 and then hired an auto rickshaw (with two drivers sitting in one seat, haha) to get back to the house. We spent a few more hours talking and getting ready for bed before falling asleep.

That brings us (finally!) up today. Here are good things about today: conversation with Adam in the early morning, wearing really comfy pants all day, hanging out the door of a very crowded bus up to work, awesome lunch, and the best part- my first monsoon rain. Things that I take for granted back in the states have become such gifts here: the kind help from a stranger on the bus, a cold glass of water in the summer heat, a hug from Nana, or when a revolving fan blows air onto my face.

As a final note, reading the bible here, in some ways is identical to the states and also very different in others. I notice and appreciate different things than I do back home. As I read through Ezekial and Pslams I am reminded that I need to not forget. Israel forgot God's faithfulness bringing them out of Egypt and hence fell into confusion and away from the protection and love of God. Similarly, I so quickly forget God's faithfulness to me, and fall into fear and loneliness. Instead I must reflect on His incredible kindness in my life and humbly submit to both His gifts and His discipline.