Delhi: Week 4

Week 4 of my time in Delhi was bittersweet and brought mixed emotions. I was beginning to feel anxious to return to the comfort of home, while also trying to savor every last second in India and trying to ensure that I missed out on nothing. It was exhausting in the best way.

Monday and Tuesday were the last two days of school at Ashish before the students left for summer holiday. To celebrate the end of the term, the staff hosted a "summer camp" which was packed with fun activities for the students (and I think the staff enjoyed themselves too!). It was such a wonderful time and the school was filled with so much joy. Even though Ashish has been going through a rough time and staff are faced with many challenging decisions regarding the future of Ashish, the smiles and laughter of the staff and students nourished my spirit during these last two days.

Monday night was quite the adventure, and Magdalena and I visited an area of Delhi that we were unfamiliar with. Magdalena needed to purchase a train ticket and I was happy to tag along. On our way to the train station we found ourselves in a situation that exposed me to the reality of how unsafe Delhi can be. We had been told in advance that the area was a popular tourist area, but was also filled with lots of cheaters and liars, and also a known area for drug trafficking (and likely sex trafficking, as well). We had been warned to avoid speaking to anyone who was offering "help." The entirety of the story can really only be fully explained in person, but fortunately Magdalena and I were able to use our best judgment and remain safe. It still gives me chills to think of the "what ifs?" and saddens me to think how untrustworthy others can be. 

Anyway, when we found our way to the office for international travelers, we met a guy and girl from Germany named Jonas and Isabel. They were very kind and friendly, and Magdalena was so excited to have someone to talk to in German (and she did a good job translating for me too so I'd still be part of the conversation :). Our conversation was cut short however, due to some more crazy circumstances (imagine that. chaos in India!), and we were so disappointed that we weren't able to get their contact information. After our crazy adventures of getting the train ticket, we treated ourselves to a fresh coconut (my very first one!), and documented my experience.

 First Sip!

Contemplating...

Liking!

After school on Tuesday, Magdalena and I headed off to a great market, located in New Delhi near we had been the night before for the train ticket. There was tons of great shops for shopping (I started to get the hang of bargaining...which usually just stressed me out) and I really wanted to get henna done.

While Magdalena and I were sitting in the shop getting my henna done, Magdalena was watching the people in the market walk by and all of a sudden she said, "I think Jonas (the German guy from the train station) just walked by!" The moment went too quickly though, and we weren't able to catch his attention. We were, again, bummed that we didn't get a chance to trade contact information. However, when we left the shop a little while later and were walking down the street, Isabel ran up to us, seeming to have come out of nowhere and gave us a hug! Because India is a very huge and populated country, it was so serendipitous to run into them, and I think it was truly meant to be. We ended finding a little cafe and enjoyed spending time chatting and sharing travel stories over coffee.

Wednesday was my last day at Ashish. Although it was sad to be saying goodbye, it was a natural sense of closure since it was also the end of the school year. The day was concluded with a staff party, where they celebrated the end of the term, Kyle's birthday, and also going-away of myself and a few others. Indians have an interesting way of throwing birthday parties and celebrations, during which the guest of honor is expected to sing or dance in front of the group. Because I usually will do almost anything to avoid bringing attention to myself, I was seriously hoping that this tradition would not apply to me! The staff was so kind in sharing their memories of my time at Ashish and giving me a few gifts made by the students at the center. This time made me feel so loved and it reminded me that the relationships formed at Ashish were most meaningful part of this experience.

On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to spend the evening babysitting my two favorite girlies. The evening was spent playing play-doh and princesses, dancing, and taking silly-face photo-shoots. It has been the biggest blessing to have the Amos family here to host me.