Weekend Update: Taj Mahal and Agra Fort

Sunday was a very exciting day because I finally got to go to Agra and see the Taj Mahal. This was the number one item on my India bucket list, so I was so thrilled that it was able to work out. Agra, the city that the Taj is located in, is about four hours from Delhi, and trains must often be booked months in advance and it seemed like my plans for getting their weren't working out. However, Erin, one of the girls from the Baylor team, was as eager to see the Taj as I was, so we decided to make it happen. Kim and Kyle booked a car for us, and two of my new Indian friends, Shallini and Pallavi were kind enough to come with us. Shallini works at the centre as a teacher in the vocational program and her sweet daughter, Pallavi, babysits Charly and Presley. We were so lucky to have them as our tour guides!

We woke up at the crack of dawn to start the journey to Agra. Although I was quite sleepy during our drive, I was way too excited to sleep. I enjoyed the drive and loved seeing the Indian countryside.

We we arrived in Agra, we were greeted by our tour escort, named Sudhir. Erin and were very confused at first because when we arrived, Sudhir jumped in our car and started talking with us--asking where we were from and where we wanted to go first. Just imagine being in a third world country, having no understanding of the language, and all of a sudden a strange man opens the door of the car, jumps in, and starts chatting with us. We had to ask Shallini and Pallavi to explain what was going on, but we quickly learned that Sudhir had been hired to be our tour guide when Kim and Kyle booked our car.

We were quite hungry, so we first had a fabulous lunch and then headed off to the Taj. Although I've said it in almost every post regarding the amazing sites I've seen, words can truly not explain how incredible the Taj was. I felt like princess Jasmine in Aladdin! Although I've seen pictures over and over again of the Taj, it was such an overwhelming experience to be there in person. It was truly the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

It was great to have Sadhir along with us, because he was able to tell us all of the history. He also served as our own personal photographer and had a great sense of humor.

If you're not familiar with the story of the Taj, its construction was initiated in the early 1600s by the emperor Shah Jahan. It was a time of prosperity in the empire and Jahan was grief-stricked when his wife, Guahara Begum, died during childbirth. The initial structure took 16 years to build. Later, Jahan was put under house arrest at the Red Fort (see below) by his son, and eventually buried in a tomb next to his wife in the center of the Taj. In the 19th century, the Taj was defaced by British soldeirs, but was later restored in the early 1900s. It was truly an amazing site, made almost completely of marble, and with the most artistic and perfect detail. It was no question that this is truly one of the wonders of the world.

After leaving the Taj,visiting a few local shops, and cooling off in the car, we headed right over to the Red Fort (Agra Fort). Although it is uncertain when the Agra Fort was first built, it was mentioned for the first time in writings dated 1080 AD (that's freakin old!). The original Red Fort was built in Delhi (still have to see that too!) and later moved to Agra. As mentioned, it is believed that Shah Jahan was deposed by his son here and later died here. It was also the site of battles throughout history during the Indian's rebellion from British rule.

After a very long and hot day in Agra, I was looking a bit like a lobster and feeling super tired, but it was a truly amazing experience.

As for future updates... I have so much more to share and write about. However, since its my last few days in Delhi, I do not want to be spending my time tied to the computer, but rather soaking up every last experience in India. I have so many more pictures and stories to share, so I plan to update during the weekend when I'm home in Chicago!

Weekend Update: Hauz Khaz

Because the days I have left in India are numbered, I've been trying to maximize my time and visit as many places as possible. I'm fortunate enough to have Magdalena to help me navigate and introduce me to all of the must-see sites in Delhi. Also, because Janice, Megan, and Erin had the weekend free, I had some new friends who were just as excited to sight-see as me.

We had a lazy morning on Saturday, which was much needed since I had an awful stomach virus all night long. India has not been agreeing with my tummy! I normally boast about the strength of my immune system, but the combination of new, rich foods, extreme heat, and poor air quality has definitely tested the waters.

On Saturday, we headed off to a really unique area of Delhi, called Hauz Khaz. We first walked through a beautiful park that was full of green, animals, and ancient mosques. If it wasn't 110+ degrees, this would have been the perfect running spot. Its really too bad that my running shoes have not once left my suitcase :(

Hauz Khaz had the most posh and interesting atmosphere. It was obvious that we were in a more affluent area of Delhi, studded with cafes, art galleries, and boutiques. I felt as if I had briefly left India and entered a little European village.

We found a quaint little Italian restaurant that was the perfect spot for lunch. We spent time sharing about our days at Ashish and also talking about our passions and visions for working with children with disabilities. Although we are on the other side of the world, many of the same challenges that exist in the practice of special education in the US have also been present here. We discussed how challenging it may when trying to identify the needs of the professionals we've collaborated with here and how to support their development as an NGO and ministry in a sustainable about way. Although I cannot describe how much I value the relationships with the Indians I've met here, it has also been such a blessing to have a few other westerners here to process our experiences together. Hearing others express their thoughts on being in India has enriched my own ability to process my time here.

When our bellies were full, we headed out to see some of the ancient structures. Hauz Khaz was a village built sometime between the 14th and 16th century and has several Islamic tombs, in addition to a mosque and seminary. This site was not overrun with tourists either (perhaps the heat scared them away!), which was wonderful and the sites were beautiful.

Hauz Khaz was definitely a hidden gem of Delhi!

Delhi: Week 3

Week 3 was another incredible week at Ashish and around Delhi. After our weekend in Amritsar, we returned to the centre on Tuesday, when two teams of volunteers from America had arrived to spend some time serving at the centre. The energy that the teams brought was refreshing and reminded me of how short-term service trips had been such an empowering experience to me when I was younger. During high school and college, all of those experiences initiated my passion for international outreach and exposed me to the injustice, poverty, and suffering that takes place both domestically and abroad.

Having the teams here during the last week has also allowed me to see the other side of short-term missions, which is often a great cost to the organization that is, supposedly, being "served." Although the amount of work that the teams accomplished cannot be overstated, I've started to consider more of how it affects the centre and the staff. Now that I've built close relationships with several of the teachers here, I feel heavy hearted thinking about it feels to be on the "receiving" end of short-term missions. How must these teachers who are well-educated and fiercely devoted to their students feel when a group of foreigners come in with the attitude that they can "save the day?" They have been so gracious, receptive, and hospitable and we truly don't deserve it. Sure, we've traveled from far away, worked tirelessly in the heat, and strived to share our knowledge... but we're not the ones who have to show up day after day without being paid for several months, have personal investments in their students and co-workers, and dealt with the difficult financial situation that the centre has been faced with as of late. Their loyalty and generousity is outstanding.

One of the teams from the US came from Baylor University, with several of the team members having expertise in speech pathology, named Megan, Erin, and Janice. We quickly connected and were so able to collaborate on ideas for behavior plans, language development, staff empowerment, and classroom activities. It was so refreshing to be with others who share a similar vision, and to work together with them to determine how to adapt our vision and agenda to the needs of the staff and students at Ashish. I love the experience of collaborating with professionals outside of the field of school psychology (especially speech!).

In addition to spending time at Ashish, I also spent the afternoon visiting new places and meeting new people after work, since my time in Delhi is winding down. Magdalena and I returned to Starbucks, where we met with Kara, a friend of hers who is from Australia. Kara has lived in Delhi for over 10 years and it has been great to hear her experience of being a single woman and long-term missionary in Delhi. We had a great conversation about sustainable development, social progress and government systems, and health care and mental health care. It was a powerful experience for three women from around the world (Germany, Australia and US) to share about hearts for India. Kara truly characterized a selfless woman who took a leap of faith, made an incredible amount of sacrifices, and committed herself to a vocation and lifestyle that she was passionate about. Her story was so admirable.

Updates from my final weekend soon!

Amritsar: Part II

I'm still about a week behind in posting (life with out my mac-y is largely inconvenient!) but I'm  trying to catch up and wanted to share about the second part of our weekend trip to our trip to Amritsar.

After a morning of sleeping in and eating an amazing breakfast, we headed off to Jallianwala Bagh, which is a memorial of the Amritsar massacre that took place in 1919, when thousands of women, children, and disabled individuals were fired at during a public meeting. The massacre was ordered by a British Indian commander (India was still under British rule) because public meetings had been outlawed.

I love hearing the history of places like this and was thankful to have such wonderful and knowledgable hosts--Nitika made a great tour guide! The memorial was set up in a garden and it was beautiful. I've felt so deprived of nature while in Delhi so it was refreshing to finally seeing some green! 

  

After visiting the memorial and doing a little shopping in the area, we headed off to another Sikh temple. Although it wasn't as extravagant as the Golden Temple, this was my favorite spot in Amritsar, mostly because it was so quiet and peaceful. Although India is a wonderful and colorful place, it can be very chaotic, loud, and overwhelming. We took our time walking around and enjoying the peaceful and beautiful environment.

 Of course, on the way home, I had to take a picture of the cows in the street. Just an everyday sight here in India.

We finished off our evening enjoying some "gola" (a cold drink that can be found at shops on the street) and then our last meal with our hosts.

If you ever find yourself passing through India, a visit to Amritsar is so worth it!

Amritsar: Part I

Over the last weekend, I had the opportunity to take a weekend excursion to Amritsar, a northern city near Pakistan. I was invited to the home of Yashika and Nitika, the nieces of my host, Preeta. The two girls live in Delhi with Preeta during the school year and so when they were planning their trip home to Amritsar for their holiday, they extended the invitation to Magdalena and I. A friend of the girls, Anjani, also travelled with us. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to travel to new part of the country, spend some time with some new friends, and to stay with another Indian family.

We travelled overnight by sleeper train. It was my first time travelling long distance by train and I quickly decided this was NOT my favorite means of traveling. It was uncomfortable, bright, and noisy, and I spent the whole next day feeling like I was in constant motion. However, I was VERY excited to arrive in Amristar around 6:00 AM, were greeted by our hosts, and then took a nap. We had been hoping that it would be a bit cooler in Amritsar than in Delhi, that that certainly wasn't the case. During the last few days, the temperature has ranged from a balmy 110 to 115 degrees! Once we were feeling a bit more rested, we enjoyed a very large Indian breakfast before heading out to some western-style malls and then a local temple.

The temple was incredible and was replicated from a larger temple that is in the mountains. In some ways, it seemed like an amusement part since the builders had essentially recreated the experience of being in the mountains. We had to travel up "hills," walk through streams, and crawl through tunnells.It was very exciting!

After our visit to the temple, we enjoyed some more local foods, which were called Indian "hotdogs." It was no Chicago-style dog (it was vegetarian, in fact) but it was quite delicious! Magdalena and I assumed this was our dinner, and our hosts found it hilarious a few hours later when they saw the surprise on our faces when they served actual dinner. We were later informed that the hotdogs were just "snacks" and they had prepared another large meal for us. We certainly were not underfed during our time in Amritsar.

For dinner brain curd was served--the brain of a lamb! I was thankful to have Magdalena as my vegetarian companion, so I didn't feel quite as rude passing on the brain and sticking with the vegan dishes! We had some major food babies after eating so much delicious food!

After dinner was the most exciting part of the weekend when we travelled to the Golden Temple, a Sikh temple built in the 1500s made completely out of gold. It was among the most beautiful sites I had ever seen. The pictures don't do it much justice, but it was truly breathtaking.

Amritsar: Part II coming soon!

First Words

They say that when you've met one child with autism...you've met one child with autism (though I wanted to let my Hillcroft friends know that a child's love for "spaghetti arms" is universal :).

I had the privilege of being taught at a very young age that every individual has significant worth in this world and deserves, regardless of abilities or disabilities, to be listed to. Among the defining diagnostic criteria of autism are impairments in communication and social interaction. A combination of being around children with limited verbal skills and just the experience of being exposed to the poverty of India has been a constant reminder of how easily it has been for me in life to get what I want--a privilege that many of these individuals do not experience. One of the most salient questions in my mind since my first day at Ashish has been, "Why me?"...and "Why them?" Why have I been born into a family with parents who have so graciously made sure that, in life, I've lacked nothing. I certainly didn't do anything to deserve it. And further, why have these children been burdened with so much poverty and so suffering? They definitely don't deserve that either.

Although these questions have overwhelmed my heart I have felt such peace in recognizing that God is so present in this place. This love is evident in the infectious giggles that resound from the classroms, and the warm embrace between children and students, and in the sweet voices of students seeing during their daily morning assembly. These children have been loved in the most beautiful way.

I've been dying to introduce you to one my favorite little cuties here at the centre. We'll call her "B."

I don't know much about her background, besides that she is about 8 years old, lives in the slum community in which the centre is located, and she has autism. She is nonverbal and I've been told that she currently has no words or signs to communicate. She LOVES music (her favorite is the Wheels on the Bus) and will hum along, doing all the actions while others sing to her. I was first approached by her teacher, who expressed concern that she is having noncompliant behaviors at school. Not surprising--many kinds who have no means of communicating engage in high rates of problem behaviors. As I got to know B, I watched from the sidelines at first, noting how her teacher was so invested in B and had identified some of B's interests. When I finally got the chance to sit and work with her, it was obvious within minutes that this mischevious and squirrely little kiddo was a very smart little lady. I quickly learned that she likes being tickled, singing, and to be out of her seat and on the go. However, I discovered the ticket to teaching B to communicate when I brought her into the courtyard, picked her up, and began spinning her around...her beautiful smile and adorable giggle made it known that she wanted more. When I put her down, she grabbed my arms and wrapped them around herself, indicating that she wanted me to spin her again. But before doing so, I took her little fingers in my hands and showed her how to sign "spin." Over and over again we did this, starting and stopping and prompting her to sign "spin." After less than 5 minutes, something clicked for her and she hesitantly held up her right index finger to begin to sign "spin." I truly felt a parental sense of pride at this moment and felt such joy as I watched B "speak" her very first word. I can't imagine the freedom of getting to express what you want after a life of being unheard. In the next few days, she proved to be quite the smarty pants, and by day 2, she  was signing "sing" "spin" "drink" "up" and "go." Her teachers squealed and cheered when they watched B use her very first words. The sense of excitement from this seemingly small milestone has, alone, made this experience so worth it.



Catching Up: Around Delhi

Since I've been away from my computer for a week, I thought I'd catch up by showing some pictures from my second week. Here's just a few things that I've experienced in Delhi...

Enjoyed some delicious South Indian Food

Shopping and finding one of the only Starbucks in India! I savored every drop of my soy latte!

Slumber parties and spaghetti nights at the Amos's home!

  

      

Photo credit: Charly :)



And, of course, lots of time spent with the adorable kiddos at Ashish!