Holi Festival

Early this week Marcia emailed me asking me if I wanted to check out the Holi Festival.  Without a second thought my response was a "HELL YEAH"!  I then checked it out on line for the simple fact that I would never think this would be that big of a thing here in Utah, especially a good distance from Salt Lake City.
I am happy to be wrong!
One of the meanings behind the Holi Festival is to say good bye to winder and hello to spring with all the colors it brings, it's a spring festival.  There are reports of the festival going back as far as the 7th century!
The plan was to head south early but due to other circumstances we didn't head down till around 1.
After driving around Spanish Fork, due to bad directions, we saw a line of cars and a bus and followed them and there we were. Dressed in clothes that we didn't mind getting dirty, not frilly or cute.... ready for fun.
I was amazed at all the people that were there!  I was not expected that at all!  This was walking up to the Lotus Temple.

We got there just before a major throwing of the colors.  They did this every two hours....give or take.  This girl's blog shows the colors awesomely!  

These pictures I borrowed from MSNBC:  I love the kid in the photo, such fun!

And of course....COLORS!

It never fails to amaze me to be around so many people just having fun!  You can't help but be happy, joyful, and just at peace even amidst the crowds.  You'd be walking around and feel a splat of color on your back, or the side of your cheek. Little kids tossed colors, cuz what kid doesn't like making a mess! This was a chance for everyone to head back to those carefree days. It was a huge canvas of color!  

I'm going to try and make it back every year!

We didn't buy any color while we were there, well... Marcia asked a random girl if we could buy a packet off of her ($2 more than the regular price but that's not bad) so we did throw some and that's the main fun.  But you can stand in the midst of the crowd and just get covered!

The sun is shining, blue skies are above and the mountains are picture perfect with the new snow.  Time to head outside and enjoy the day!

My Bday post...last day in India

I didn't write anything for my last Friday in India, and I totally spaced that it was FRIDAY THE 13TH!  OOOH!!!  Anyhoo, it was a long and emotional day.  I did write a lot on that Saturday...


Friday began in the reception area of the hotel.  We all sat around and talked about our experiences and it ended up being the good, the bad, and in some cases... the ugly.  It was good though.  Mid way through folks started getting a little emotional and I was THE LAST ONE TO TALK.  Totally lost my bearing and after two weeks of a range of emotions I felt I just did an emotional vomit right there in the hotel lobby.  Ugh... not my favorite thing to do.  But anyhoo...
The day at CCH was tiring.  I wasn't much in the "mood", maybe it was the emotional purge first thing in the morning and I was already drained from that and I was also with different people.  Not that these people were bad, but after two weeks you get use to folks and it being the last day I didn't have a lot of energy for new stuff.  When we got to the shelter, the jewelry girls showed their work to Sarah.  After that I filmed while they all gave thanks to the contributors that made that whole shin dig possible.  It was really nice to hear all the girls say thanks and how much the program means to them.
After lunch Deborah and I got to see the rest of the shelter and some of the other girls that don't work in the jewelry program, some are handicapped but seemed happy.  Back in the jewelry room, some of the girls were making jewelry pieces.  I already made a piece so I didn't feel right about making another. I didn't feel right about having them "do" another piece with me.  God knows I'm not a jewelry maker, no point in torturing the girls :P  I did get some more henna done.  At least three different girls contributed to this piece.  Awesome!
Some of the group left early to go to the shelter in the red list district (it was by invite only and I wasn't invited :P )
That night we had a group dinner at a Chinese/Indian place and I got the Thai Chicken Curry and it was SO hot/spicy!  It was good though!  There was some drama of course, how can there not be with that many females but it all worked out in the end and that is all that matters.
Coleen bought me some birthday cakes to share with everyone.  We had a little thing in the lobby with the cake and all.

yep, i love me some chocolate!

Coleen and i stayed up talking till it was officially my birthday! She's so sweet.  For breakfast we had an AWESOME chocolate truffle, which was way better than the cakes.  I got a little teary saying good bye to Coleen.  I flew out by myself so Coleen walked me to a cab and I was off.

I didn't have any issues flying out of Kolkatta. Easy cab ride, easy check in and of course I got there way early! I saw the perfect living example of globalization: an old man wrapped in a sheet, no shirt, bare chested with a cellphone dangling from his neck.
I ended up talking to a professor of economics while waiting for the flight.  We exchanged emails (and we have emailed back and forth a couple of times). A really nice man.  He was extremely cross eyed so it was interesting talking with him just for the eye contact factor.
Landing in Delhi it seemed like we taxied in forever.  Apparently they are building a new airport and I had to get my luggage and take a bus to the new terminal.  A lot more security and military in Delhi or it could have been just the airport.  Taking the bus I saw just a tiny bit of Delhi, there didn't seem to be as much crazy traffic or honking but I saw at least 3 men peeing off the side of the road.
Ooooh India!

at the Delhi airport

the bathrooms-i liked the pictures :P

Oh! the economics professor thought I was Indian :)  He saw the henna but it's usually done for marriage and I didn't have the red dot/red streak (represents that I'm married).  Best compliment ever!  I love it when I blend in:D

Movie and jewelry making

12 Aug Thurs


Once again I mention how HOT the taxi ride is to CCH.  It drains any energy you had in you so once we get to the shelter we really lack some motivation.  But we do what we can...


The items that these girls make can be purchased online at Made By Survivors

Today was the last day for the painting.  We also planted some flowers in the flower boxes in front of the jewelry room.  We then hung out inside playing games an putting puzzles together till I recalled having "Meet The Robinsons" on my iPad.  MOVIE TIME!!!!  One good thing about those type of movies is even if you don't understand all that is being said, you can still following along.  Me... well I fell asleep on the floor.  No, I passed out and I think I even snored a little :P

Lovin' the ocean scene:D

After lunch the girls showed us how they made the jewelry and we got to make a piece.  It's hard and tedious work.  Everything is done by hand with basic tools.  We had to buff our piece of metal and they kept telling us to do it harder and to do it some more.  My fingers were so cramped they didn't want to straighten out.  Then the cutting of the metal, oh my goodness.  I have so much respect for these girls.

scrap pieces 

buffering my heart out

cutting the metal

After the shelter I walked around the local shopping areas for the boom box with Vivian.  Again, no luck.  We stopped at Cafe Coffee Day and then checked out a bookstore where I scored this neat Ganesh picture:D

Compliments go a long way :D

11 Aug-Wed.... This is one of those days that I was tired so my journal consisted of bullet points :P


Finished mural
made soap
Doel likes my laugh
Vivian likes my nose

Viv and I went to the mall.  Met up with others for drinks and food.
Chit chat in room afterwords with Coleen, Sarah, and Sue Ann.

Now let's see if  can expand on this any....

nope.... not mine

mine :)

trying to be artistic

feeling like we are doing good with our painting skills....

not us, but I did draw that palm tree :P

again, trying to be artistic and then....

LOOK AT THIS!  THEY ARE AWESOME!!!!

this is on the back side of the door

we/they even painted their work desk

The girls at CCH helped A LOT with the mural.  We may have started the painting but they really brought it to life.  They are so talented, it is amazing.  Hell, I was just stoked to have done a few trees that one could point out as palm trees :D  I also made a batch of soap with the girls.  I had to improvise a little with the double boiler.  The don't have small pots so I actually put my bowl, with the glycerin, in a big pot with water in it. Before going out to India I figured they would not have pot holders and with me melting and pouring from a metal bowl I made sure to have a couple of handkerchiefs with me.  They came in SO handy, even if I wasn't doing the soap.  Most of the pictures taken at CCH I have a bandanna on.  Mainly it's cuz the taxi ride there and back is the windows down, hot as hell type of drive and one of my major pet peeves is having hair blown in my face.  They came in handy wiping the sweat off my face, swatting bugs away at the botanical gardens, cleaning up spills..... it's a definite must have travel item for me at least!
Oh, you may be wondering what they use to handle hot pots, well they gave me their tool and low and behold it is a set of pliers.  I did try it their way, it was awkward and I went back to the bandanna route.  The girls loved the soap and once it was done they were walking around having everyone smell it.  The housemothers asked what was all in it, and then asked if I could do about 70! HaHaHa.... That would be a no but I did leave all the supplies with them so they are more than welcome to make some after I left.

At lunch Doel pointed out that she loves my laugh.  This totally took me off guard as to I've never had that compliment before, and I don't give a lot of thought to my laugh.  It was random and it was awesome.  Viv then pointed out that she likes my nose.  She is good looking but like all us females we have our insecurities.  I pointed out that I use to get picked on about the shape of my nose in school and she was surprised.  Again, something about me I don't give a lot of thought to and yet again.... awesome:D

Viv was on a shopping mission to find the girls at Nijoloy a new boom box.  Um... yeah, apparently NO ONE sells these things anymore :(  We went to the mall and looked around, I bought a shirt I wasn't planning on, checked out a bookstore and had a good time.  We ended up at a restaurant and filled up on pupus and drinks!  Once I made it home Coleen, Sarah, and Sue Ann were in the room talking and having some tea.  Very nice way to end the day :D

Better Day at CCH but left frustrated

10 Aug-Tuesday


Today is a new day.  I will be happy and helpful!
Sarah, the driving force behind TEN, got in last night and we get to meet her today.  Most of the group either knows her or knows more about her than I do, but I'm looking forward to being around her.  I believe that she will be going to the other shelter today but we are going to have a group dinner tonight.

The drive to CCH is exhausting!  We take taxi's, and it's an hour drive in the heat and smells of India.  As interesting as it is, and I can't help but looking out the window like a eager school kid it's a struggle because my energy is slowly draining from my whole being.
BUT I will be a positive force today!


Today was a good day.  We did loose two of our group to them not feeling well:(  but we were productive.  We did some more painting (I played some tunes on my iPad), had lunch, colored, and I read Curious George (from iPad) with Doel translating :D  We also made butterflies to stick on the walls.
It was also a frustrating day.  In talking with the girls (most are preteen and up) they did not see the importance of a school education.  Many of the girls choose not to attend school.  Most of these girls are in the jewlry program so they are learning a skill that they can use later.  Other girls do the cooking, and I'm talking about cooking for over 50 people!  We asked them about what they wanted for their future, and they couldn't answer marriage and there was no response from them.  They feel as though everything is up to fate...as to what their future holds for them.  The one girl that is a great cook figures she can get a job working as a cook in a hospital.  I pointed out that with an education she could be her own boss, own her own restaurant even!  To this I got the typical head nod but I don't think she believed it or even gave much though to it.
At this point I realized that these girls that are making the sari's that we bought and the jewlry are not receiving an education :(  It's hard for me to feel good about buying these objectes when they are not further themselves even though they are in a position to go to school.  They choose not to and no once forces them.
Coleen and I talked about this frustration of mine more than one night.  I have a better understanding of the situation but I am still saddened by it.  In India, it's hard for an educated woman to get married (men don't want a woman that is more educated than he is... in most cases).  Marriage is SO important in India!  Woman can not do anything without a man, they cannot rent a place on their own etc.  Also, depending on their status or place a woman may be educated but she will never have the opportunity or be allowed to use it.  SO to these girls, the best way for a good life is to learn a trade that they can continue on their own, so they can contribute to the family's finances.  As crappy as this is to a American independent girl I understand the rational.  I also saw that things are slowly changing for women in India.  Doel, is a college educated woman, not married and is more western in her independence.  Soma, a more traditional woman, married with kids, does EVERYTHING for her family and still works a full time job has gathered the women of her village to contribute money every month and with this they have sent a girl to school.  Going to school cost money in India and if you have a girl and a boy, well the boy gets the education and the girl is taught just the basics.  Change is happening but it's a slow process, the ways of thinking needs to change, government needs to change.... it's just not one thing and all will be well.  


That evening we went to a restaurant "Fire and Ice"  It was an Italian place and when we walked it Elvis was playing and the walls were pictured with Sophia Loren, James Dean along with Indian stars in black and white.  It was a very nice dinner, but the days events still weighed heavily on me.

Child Care Home

9 Aug

Today was a totally different experienced than at Nijoloy.  Not a lot of interaction with the kids :(  In fact, we showed up went to an area where there were couches and sat there for bit and then we were shown the jewelry room where we spent a majority of time.  We got a lot of painting done, so that's good.

We are definitely getting short tempered with each other :(  It didn't help that our expectations of what would be taking place today was far from what happened.

Child Care Home is a different shelter.  There are more rules for the girl's safety.  The shelter is in the midst of city business.  The traffickers know that they are there and try to entice the girls to run away with promises of marriage and security.  You also have to keep in mind these are adolescent girls and even with some of their backgrounds, they are still teenage girls and can be persuaded by cuteness and promises of love.  There is a bus stop that was recently built near the shelter.  This also increases their risk, one for the easy and quick assess to the buses and also bus drivers are known to work with traffickers.  The bus drivers will call the traffickers and inform them of girls who are traveling alone and they will get picked up.
It is sad to know that even where they are suppose to be safe and secure they are not.

courtyard

sewing room with foot powered sewing machines

bedrooms

to keep the bad people out :(

Crazy traffic, temple, bored security, and botanical garden

8 Aug Sunday


We slept in till they called asking if we wanted breakfast.  We ordered the usual: toast with butter and jam, hard boiled egg and two things of coffee :D  Coleen and I then started talking about our families, men, life, anything and everything and we lost track of time.  So we figured even if we shower once we step out of A/C room we get hot, sweaty, and sticky anyway so we brushed teeth and took off.
Our driver today, Raja, was AWESOME!  He was retired army, maybe that was why we felt so safe with him.

Raja is on the right

We first went to the Dakshineswar Kali Temple, again no pictures inside :(  We had to take our shoes off, which wasn't surprising but once we went inside the temple it was all open.  Needless to say we had some hot feet walking around.  I was perturbed a little to see locals taking pictures inside, but I respected the rules and didn't take any pictures.  We walked around the temple and many were bathing in the river.  There was a big banyan tree where people were taking in the shade and some coolness.  Of course there were vendors and a couple of the group bought some stuff with the assistance of Raja.

Raja assisting with a flute buy

After the temple we were at a loss of where to next and Raja recommended the botanical gardens and we thought it sounded nice, a good chance to get away from the city noise and craziness.
On the way to the gardens we had to cross over this awesome bridge.  There were two cars today and the other car had some issues with guard on the bridge.  He stopped them and tried to confiscate the camera, which Becky was not about to give up.  In between the driver arguing with the guard Becky slickly slid out her sim card and the guard by then agreed to just have her delete pictures.  She showed that there were no pictures in her camera ;) and they were off.  Raja saw that they were pulled over and told us to put the cameras away.  The rest of the day and drive we always asked first before taking pictures.  The was a strong military presence on the other side of the bridge and I never found out way, there was an army post... but it still felt differently.  Maybe it was the camera thing I dunno.

The gardens were interesting.  The silence, decent air, and abundance of green was nice and relaxing.  Unlike the botanical gardens in the U.S., this area was just like a big park that has allowed nature to do it's thing.  It was relaxing all the same.

these are lotus flowers

paddle boats 

that is ONE tree!

Getting back to our room we HAD to do some laundry. The hotel had some laundry service but we weren't too sure about it, and we figured to do some laundry ourselves...at least our "delicates".  We had a bucket and laundry soap so we were good to go!  I saw how they did it at the shelters on Saturday so I felt we were o.k.  Everything turned out just fine :D  It was a work out though! At one point Coleen said (she did more laundry than I did) "who cares about torture, abuse.... doing laundry by hand SUCKS!  How do they do this all the time?!"
All things are definitely relative :P