My Side of the Story :)

Many of you heard Leen's side of our engagement story, but I also wanted to include my side of the story and a few extra details :)

It all started.... in Cape Town. Thanks Rotary, for sending me there! :) I had a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship that sent me to Cape Town in January 2010. Leen was the first friend I made there, actually. We met on the first day of class and were both new to the politics department (with me being new to the country, and him being from an engineering background).

Leen (via sms): "Want to meet on Jammie steps in an hour?"

Me: "What's Jammie?" ... for those of you in CT, that's how clueless I was those first few days. For those of you not in CT, Jammie is the big, pretty building on the center of campus, like the Cistern/Randolph Hall at CofC.

Needless to say, we met there and our friendship began to grow. We were friends for months before we realized that we're actually quite well suited for each other.

He asked me to be his girlfriend on the top of Lion's Head (a mountain in Cape Town) on 1 June 2010 after we finished our first semester of politics and a beautiful climb to the top... the beginning of romantic proposals!

Our relationship grew for months and at the end of 2010, I had to make the decision of what to do because my scholarship year had ended and my visa was also about to expire. I was offered a job at UCT and I stuck around... obviously my relationship being a big motivation!

In June 2011, Leen visited South Carolina and got to meet my family and see where I grew up. It was so nice for me to finally show him the places that I'd talked about so many times and the people who are so important to me. Before we left, he also got to ask my dad for his blessing. That part is very special to me.

We visited his family in Holland in July and then returned to Cape Town.

In October, after I arrived back in Cape Town with Leen's contract at UCT coming to an end and my Master's thesis winding down, we contemplated what our next move would be. As an earlier post (read Being 24) discusses, neither of us had ever taken a real break from studies, work, etc and so we decided this is the best time, so we bought tickets to India!

On 29 November, we set off on an adventure together.

We got to Mumbai on 30 November and went up to Delhi a few days later. We had a few days to just sort of get adjusted to india, the culture, food, etc and then we got to delhi -- our last stop before heading to the village where we were volunteering at the school. We were there with literally no worries in the world, no stress about travel or organizing train tickets or anything (because we sorted all of that out in mumbai).. .it was actually just a perfect day! We walked around the city for hours and found a quaint little rooftop cafe for dinner. We spent over an hour talking about our lives and what we mean to each other and the things we're excited about and afraid about for the future.

After we ate dinner at our rooftop cafe in Delhi (the capital of india), I went to look over the balcony at the market down below while Leen went to pay the bill.... when he returned, he snuck up behind me and scooped me in his arms and told me how much he loves me and how much better his life is with me in it and asked me if I would marry him. Of course i said yes... and a million times I asked him "Really, is this for real"? I just couldn't believe it... I was so happy and just wanted to make sure it was real. I'm so glad that it was.

When he asked me, he didn't give me a ring or anything... and to be honest, I'm really happy about it. My lifestyle isn't suited to a big engagement ring and I'd probably feel pretty guilty about him spending money in that way, at this point in our lives. He said to me when I was in his arms, that I knew him well enough to know that he's not like every other guy and didn't buy me a ring like all the other guys buy all the other girls, but his present to me was our trip to India. Boy does he know me well! :) I think that's what an engagement ring is really meant to be... figuring out what would make your partner the happiest and show a big commitment and doing that for them. For us, it was our drop-everything-else-and-do-this-together-trip to India.

When we got back to our room, we took out some henna that we bought and painted rings on each others ring fingers ... that was our way of giving each other rings. They're temporary of course and we'll replace them with something more permanent later, but that's not the most important thing to us right now.



A few days before Christmas, we were walking around a market in Rishikesh and I tried on a pretty little silver ring and it fit me perfectly. We didn't buy it then, but Leen went back for it later. The photo below is him giving it to me on the banks of the Ganga during our Christmas bike ride.

Here's to the beginning of our journey together.... 

Breakfast in Rishikesh

The best Masala Dosa so far on our trip was at a place in Rishikesh - Madras Hotel.

We're heading out of Rishikesh today on a sleeper bus. A bus to sleep on. Proper beds upstairs and chairs downstairs! Something like this I think?

We're  heading south to Agra (Taj Mahal) for the New Years, then West towards Jaipur hopefully for some WorkAway opportunities! More to come...

Christmas in Rishikesh (by the Ganga)

We attended church today - the only church in the whole town. A Hindi service. People sat on the floor - men one side, women on the other side. The preacher's cell phone rang 3 times during the service, and all he did was look at it, and reject the call. There must have been 100-150 people. We've never seen so many flashing Christmas lights inside a church! A baby Jesus doll was lifted up by the pastor half way through the service, like an offering! No cameras allowed - sorry :(

After breakfast Kristen and I hired a motorbike (a 125cc vespa), and travelled 30km (20 miles) up and down the Ganga.

Beautiful views and lovely to hit the open road (away from hooting!)

Kristen opened up her Christmas present(s) at the side of the Ganga :) Warm fluffy sock-shoes. Wool on the outside, fleece on the inside :) Perfect for her cold feet!

She seems to be happy :)

Vini!

So Vini - this one's for you :)

Note: Vini's full name is Vinayak Bhardwaj.

Road Signs

Road signs are always worth noting :) The ones in Rishikesh have particularly caught our eyes. They're everywhere - and quite entertaining! Enjoy!

"Faster you drive, harder you hit" -- the funny part is that it is knocked over!

pretty clear.... 

lovely rhymes

You can make it home to drink tea, if you drive safely on the roads

These "drink and drive" cocktails can only be ordered after 12 noon.

Try to make everyone around you cheer! 

Doctor Doctor

Okay, so it's no surprise that I've been sick for the past week or two :( BUT -- good news, I'm feeling better.

I have a sister who is studying to be a doctor and have heard lots of debate about medical care and costs and everything, so I thought I'd add my story about medical care in India!

I'm always a little reluctant to visit a doctor in another country... you never know how much it will be, the quality, if the doctor will speak English, etc, etc, but after about 10 days of a sore throat, congestion, a bloody nose, fatigue, and just general blahs, I thought it was time. I also consulted my super smart sister and she advised me to see a doctor, considering all of my symptoms and the length of time I had them.

So....

Leen phoned our friend in Rishikesh (Vishwas) to ask about a doctor. He asked what symptoms I had and then came to pick us up. We went to an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist in a small office in Rishikesh. When we arrived, we had to make an appointment, which cost 150 rupees (about 3 USD or 25 ZAR). I thought that was just the cost to make the appointment, but it ended up being the total cost for the visit. We waited about an hour for them to fit us in.

I walked back into the office, sat with the doctor who spoke clear and simple English and told him my symptoms. He used a really cool gadget to scope my throat, nose, and ears -- the scope actually put the images on the screen for everyone to see -- pretty gross, but also really neat gadget! I've only ever seen things like that in a specialists' office at the Medical University of South Carolina, not a normal doctor's office, and not a small office on a dirt street.

He asked a few questions about body aches, length of symptoms, history, etc and concluded that I had an upper respiratory infection, or acute pharyngitis. He prescribed me a decongestant, multivitamin, 3-day course of antibiotics, and cough syrup (in that order). All of the prescriptions came to a total of 182 rupees, just shy of four US dollars!

The whole thing cost less than seven dollars and I'm feeling loads better now!

I don't know why medical care costs so much everywhere else and the prescription drug companies keep costs so high, but the next time you're sick... consider coming to India. It just might be worth the flight for the cheap and high quality health care!

Bollywood movies can be great.

I watched 3 Idiots before I left SA - highly recommended!

In India we have had the pleasure of watching 2 movies on TV with the family we stayed with - really good. First was... (see below). It can be translated to: You only have one life to live. Really good production quality - and the content was wonderful. A rich, comic love story without having to resort to violence, sex and language! 

Second was Namastey London - Kristen liked this one best!

Well done India :)

------------------------

So Kristen and I went to watch a Bollywood movie yesterday... The Dirty Picture. We were told by friends that the movie was good, and not as dirty as the name implies.

Not recommended! It is simply a movie that reflects the decisions of a film industry to sacrifice the beauty of the Bollywood culture, for cheap thrills and explicit sexuality. The audience of 100 men were ecstatic. Kristen was the only female in the theatre. We were thoroughly disappointed.  Kristen and I stayed for 20 minutes, and then left. It may have had a good ending, but they lost us before we had a chance to find out.

Shame India :(

Garbage

Among many differences, one that jumps out at anyone walking in the streets is that India is simply dirty. There are no bins, and there is no garbage removal services anywhere! Occasionally (and I have seen only one in Rishikesh), there are feeding troughs for pigs. Not rubbish bins - feeding troughs.

In India, when people are finished eating chips, they chuck the plastic on the floor. Same for paper. Same for bottles. House-holds don't empty their bins in a big one to be collected - they throw the contents over their walls, into public walkways, or into abandoned plots. A space between trees on a hillside becomes a fantastic dump site (like right outside our hotel).

As a result, sewerage and garbage overflow and get washed straight into the Ganga. Instead of being a beautiful river, the Ganga is so dirty by the time it reaches the ocean, it literally resembles a sewer.

Why doesn't the government invest in garbage removal infrastructure? It would create jobs, add to the country's infrastructure, attract investment and tourism, result in a cleaner Ganga, change a quick-to-litter culture, and generally raise the standard of living in India.

Why is it that 84% of urban dwellers in South Africa have access to sanitation facilities, while India can only boast access for 54% of their population?

Maybe it is this... while South Africa suffers from a 24.9% unemployment rate, India only has a 10% unemployment rate? Does unemployment encourage government sponsored public service in developing countries?

Maybe it is that while the industrial growth rate of South Africa is only 4.9%, India experiences a 9.7% growth rate? Does high industrial growth rate shadow the need for government to care about the general public?

Source: CIA World Factbook

Holy Cows

So in India, cows are considered holy.

They are often used for farming and are well fed. Furthermore, their milk as a staple component in the Indian diet. From their milk Indians make curd (yogurt), cheese (called Paneer), butter and ghee (whipped butter!). 

A 40-seater bus will hoot at everything in front of it. It will pretty much plow through other cars, swerve slightly for a tuk-tuk, slow and drive around passengers, and literally stop for a cow.

Supposedly they are treated like Gods. Except when it comes to roaming cows in the cities, where food is not so abundant. Cows literally roam the streets eating the rubbish that collects everywhere.

I have noticed that people will go out of their way not to harm a cow, but won't stop for a minute to feed a cow.

I see this as a literal example of how many people treat their beliefs around the world. Many people, from various beliefs, will avoid committing "sins" as described by their faith, but are rarely seen acting out the "goodness" that their faith encourage.

Just an observation.

Rishikesh

So we're in Rishikesh now - the holy town for the Hindus in India. There are many Ashrams, temples and statues to the various Gods. We watched a religion ceremony aim at the God of the Ganga, Shiva.

Rishikesh is divided by the Ganga, where you can cross either by boat, or by steel cable bridge... photos to come. 

The main side is populated by cars & auto-rickshaws (tuk-tuks). The south-east side is for motorbikes and pedestrians only (and cows). Really nice side to be on - full of food, flavours, smells, colours, ashrams, statues, and culture.

Kristen is down with a viral infection in her throat. We went to the doctor this morning, and she got a short bust of anti-biotics and a few anti-inflamatories for the headache and pain. She'll be back on her feet in 2 days, and she'll add something to this blog too :) I'm looking after her as best I can - she seems to be smiling!

So i'm off for some walking around, yoga and generally good food :) Yum!

Photos

After much waiting - we can now add photos! Here are just a few for all of you who have been patiently waiting (Dan). Lol.

Kristen in a Punjabi (lovely top, baggy pants, and a scarf), a few days a few we arrived in Mumbai!

 

Kristen and I wrapped up in sleeping bags, on the top bunks of a 3 (3 bunks per wall) AC (air-conditioned) train carriage from Mumbai to Delhi.

Kristen at a food festival in Delhi :) Yum. We lived!

Kristen and Leen (me), on the roof top cafe in Delhi... kinda of an important evening for us :)

Land-rover that took us from Dehradun to Satyon on a super windy, breath-takingly frightening pass!

Two grade 4 kids drawing in charcoal (from last night's fire), a landscape - Leen's drawing class!

Satyon. Taken from a mountain peak ( a 2 hour hike from the village). Two grade 3 boys took Leen for a hike!

Leen, Kristen and Jitender (the cook) at a local wedding in Satyon. Arrange marriage. Quite a shock to see the bride and groom. Sadly, we were the center of attention for the day!

Enjoy!

"Insert Cheesy Title Here"

So here's the story you've all been waiting patiently for... it all began in a classroom.

12 months ago, Kristen and I broke into a free classroom in the Engineering building, found a piece of chalk, and drew a rough map of the world on the board. "So where do we want to go" Leen asked. "Dunno", she responded.

2 months ago, we walked into a travel agent and asked for a pricing on a "round the world trip". Somewhere in the region of "more than we had" came up, and so we asked the travel agent to price for us only the first leg. Cape Town to India. At a pretty decent price too... and it happened to be with Emirates, which made Kristen smile so big it touched her ears. So we went online, and found that going around a travel agent is actually cheaper. 2 days later, we sat eating dinner with 2 return tickets booked to India, in our hands - a 9 month trip. 

Then the serious planning began...

(If you haven't yet, now would be a good time to read the other blogs)

After Mumbai, we traveled to Delhi for a night, on the way to the primary school in Satyon (North India), aka North Pole! We spent the day walking around market stalls which, despite being new to us, looked identical to every other Indian market stall. We fought our way through, and took random turns down the most interesting street at that time. Left. Right. Straight. For hours we bought nuts, fruit, tea, henna, and all sorts wonderful smelling goodies : ) 

We eventually found a 5th story roof-top restaurant hear our hotel. Having worked up an appetite we pretty much ordered a standard paneer butter masala, some rotis and some naan bread. After a decently long conversation about our trip, what we've left behind and what we had in store for ourselves over the next few months, we decided to order Chai (tea). Presented with a selection of 12 types, we ordered a tasty selection of 4 teas (at R3.00 / $0.40 a cup we thought it forgivable to splurge!) While waiting for the tea to come, Kristen had wandered over to the balcony to look out over the clearing market stall. I crept up behind her, and wrapped my arms around her, holding her close to me. I didn't have a plan.

"Kristen my love, you know I love you."

She looked up at me and smiled that huge warm smile that I adore about her. 

"I want you to know that you make me happy! My life is better with you by my side and I am a better person with you holding my hand. You know me well enough to know that I'm not going to buy you a ring, the way all the other boys propose to all the other girls... but how about a trip to India? As we begin this adventure together, I want you to know how much you mean to me, and that I want you to be by my side the whole way. Would you make me the happiest man in the whole world and marry me?"

I think she said yes.

It sometime takes a crazy plan like a trip to India, to realize that the person standing next to you is the perfect one :)

Village Life

So Kristen and I have only been in Satyon for a few days now, but I find that first impressions are always worth noting.

I came down with a tummy bug for the first 48 hours, and now I'm back up and walking around. Having nursed me back to health, Kristen has now caught a cold and is in bed with a hot water bottle, honey and ginger medicine, and Chai.

Satyon is a farming community. They grow wheat, peas and cabbage, and keep cows and goats for milk and meat respectively. The population of the area is sparse, and the village thins out over the rolling mountains, and eventually merges with the neighbouring villages, so a population count is difficult to say. Somewhere in the region of 5,000 - 10,000 would be my guess.

In the winter, it is so cold here it snows. From November to February, the sun just peers its head out from behind the mountain, and warms the earth enough give you something to dream about at night. Given the altitude, the sun is a dangerous heat despite it's infrequent appearance - it has already kissed my nose.

Here is a picture that I pulled from another person's blog. We'll put pictures up once we reach a computer that can read our memory card.

The government school system here has primary school running from Grade 1 - 9, and secondary school running from 10 - 12. The national certification board  examines the students at grade 10, and again at grade 12, which means that student leaving primary school leave without a national certification. As a result the primary school education in this region leaves much to be desired. Students are pushed through primary school as quick as possible, and it is not uncommon to see 14 year old students starting grade 10 (the international normal being 16). As one can expect, the literacy is very poor. Grade 4 students in government schools struggle to even read and write in Hindi, let alone English.

This is where the "Town-School" comes in. It is a simple, but growing idea, bringing quality education to students that otherwise don't receive it. It too has far to grow, but the kids here are at least learning to write, read and speak in English.

In South Africa, I remember hearing of organizations protesting for high level learning tools, for example each government school to have a library. By comparison, the "Town-school", which is 100 times better than the government schools, only occasionally has power (so the kids sit near the windows for light) has no heating (so the teachers freeze, and the kids wear beanies and have to play outside to keep warm), have no computers, no library, and barely a decent set of school books for the teachers to establish a curriculum from.

Furthermore, volunteers are here to support the teachers that are single-handedly juggling 2 classrooms... which is an improvement from the government school, where teachers often don't turn up until an hour or more after class begins.

Kristen and I took a 3 hour walk up into the mountains to meet the children's families. Its was really humbling to see the families take such good care of us. FYI - it is rude not to accept Chai from a host family, so Kristen and I had cups and cookies pretty much every 20 minutes! It was humbling to meet the families, and to watch them offer us parting gifts of fresh vegetables and nuts. While most people collect for themselves, in Satyon, families that live off the land will sacrifice large portions of their yield to visitors!

Its midday here, and the sun is at it's peak (just up over the mountains). I'm leaving Kristen in bed, and after some lunch, I'm going to head up into the mountains to a small peak. From there I am told I can see the whole village, and even the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas beyond them.

Despite it's problems, this village is a beautiful place. Having travelled to over 20 countries, I can honestly attest that to live here can only be described as a dream - from the view, to the clean air, to the natural silence, to the people, to the smiles, to the language, to the peace, to the food, to the Chai, to the smells. I wake up every morning to a dream! Now that is worth selling everything I owned for.

First day of school

So as you heard, I've been sick with a "travel bug", "climate shock", or known in the rest of the world as "Delhi Belly"... no worries though - "Doctor" Maneesh is treating me with some pretty effective teas and herb drinks. Tastes really bad, and I've applied for permanent residence in the loo, but I have faith that in the Himalayas, trust the locals.

First day at school today for Kristen and I. The school is situated in the village, taking place in various tea-rooms, old shops, and little rooms. One class even takes place on the porch of someone's house. Pooja and Maneesh are looking for funding to build a new school next year, so that they can spend what they currently are on rent, on the kids.

The school currently has 6 grades: pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1-4. Every year they will add a grade, and so the school will expand. Pooja has plans to build a large school complex with a playground, and even living quarters for the volunteers. There are currently 6 teachers employed, and Pauline (a retired teacher from England) is the other volunteer at the moment. Volunteers are expected to help with the classes, but are also involved in teaching kids, playing games, substituting for teachers, and helping out with larger activities, such as morning "hokey-pokey" and field-games.

The school model is not quite perfected, but in their defense, the school has only been open for 2 years now, and having started with only a handful of kids, now has expanded to 85 kids (average 15 per grade).

Kristen took to the kids straight away, and was teaching them sing-along-songs today, and even teaching the 2 grade 4s English and Drawing. She's brilliant with them. As I mentioned, I'm on leave for the next few days, until my stomach decides to stop sulking and join in the party :)

Dehradun to Satyon

We arrived in Dehradun yesterday and in Satyon today. Satyon is a small village where the school that we are volunteering in is located. It's so small that it doesn't even show up on GoogleMaps! :) It's only 50 kilometers away from Dehradun (about 30 miles), but the journey took us nearly 3 hours because of the winding mountain roads. More on that soon.

We'll start teaching/helping out tomorrow so wish us well.

Also, send well wishes to Leen -- he's feeling a bit sick in his tummy. Looks like Delhi Belly has its first victim....

Delhi Belly...

Well if we're ever going to get it, it's probably going to be today. We arrived in Delhi this morning, went to our hotel, had a nap and showers and then went to a local festival in the centre of town at the suggestion of a friend. The festival was really neat and had food and crafts from all over India.

We ate chai paneer, butter naan, a dosa, chai tea from clay pots, and some sweet syrupy fried things that were super yummy. All in all it was a fun time and I think the food was some of the best we've had so far... Leen's down with a headache from four days of market stall shopping, smog, and car hooting, but no signs of any more tummy pains for either of us.... yet!

Will keep you posted :)

On the road again

We're off to Delhi by overnight train tonight... it's meant to be the nicest/fastest train in the country -- the Rajdhani Express. We're scheduled to leave at 1630 today and arrive at 830 tomorrow morning.

Comment with what time you think we'll actually arrive.... first postcard sent to the person who guesses the closest!

We'll only stay in Delhi one night, then we'll take a train to Dehradun in the north on Tuesday morning to meet Pooja around midday and head to the school where we'll be volunteering for the next few weeks! :)

Making Money in Mumbai

Yes, you read that right... only a few days in the country and we're already making money!

There we were, minding our own business and walking toward Colaba (the touristy part of town with the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Hotel) when we were approached by "Johnny" in a taxi who offered us a free lift. Of course we were suspicious, but I've heard of taxi drivers giving tourists a free lift if they stop at a handicraft market because the owners will give commission to the taxi drivers... we politely declined until he told us that he gets 500 rupees (about 10 USD or 75 ZAR) for every tourist he takes to the shop. Leen piped in about that time and says, "well if you get 500, give us 100 and we'll go with you". Johnny agreed and away we went.

Johnny took us to 4 tourist shops... with beautifully hand knit carpets, sarees, pashmina scarves, carved marble handicrafts etc etc... everything well above our budget and definitely inflated prices. We patiently looked at everything they had to offer and made several excuses about why we couldn't buy today and went on to the next shop. At the end of our little journey, Johnny handed us 400 rupees! When is the last time you were paid and driven around for over an hour for free?

We enjoyed it so much that we did it again yesterday and made another 300!

At this rate, we may be able to stay a little longer....

Mumbai

First day in Mumbai. What a day.

First impression - what a lot of people! South Africa is dense - especially in the center of Cape Town during lunch time - but that is what is like everywhere in Mumbai, all day!

Life starts early, and only dies down around midnight. Where in SA dusk usually signals the end of the working day, people in Mumbai seems to be oblivious to the sun's activities.

What struck me today is that the food in India is soooo amazing, that Indian restaurants in Cape Town (which were my favourites) simply will never live up to this. Kristen and I have enjoyed purely vegetarian food today, and we have come the world's biggest fan of paneer. (For those who are not familiar, Paneer is a cheese, made by boiling milk, adding vinegar to curdle to milk, then drying and compacting the curdle and cooling it.) Paneer Palak, Paneer Masala Dosa, naan bread, cipatas, sweet lassies, thumbs up (aka Coke)... the list goes on. Kristen, you're going to have to come live with me in India - permanently.

We spent the evening patrolling the "long street" of Mumbai, the tourist hot spot. A street of market stalls and food, clubs and bars. We even bumped into Leopold's cafe (from Shantaram)... pssst - its not really what my mind conjured up so no need to flock to Mumbai for that experience!

The smells of the air is hot and humid with a hint of India. Following the smell will lead you to the markets... where the spices reveal themselves - spice's, fruits, vegetables... most of which I've never seen or even smelt of. Now I understand the Dutch!

Couchsurfing is wonderful. A lovely family - Anu (mum), Raja (dad), and Yanik (11) - who travel whenever they can. They just got back from a 6 month trip of 6+ countries in South America, just 2 months ago. They've gone on to host 4 couples since! They are movie producers, and are really hospitable. "Thumbs up" for couch-surfing! Kristen and I are staying in a fold-out couch bed (so the name does apply), in a separate room. Well its the living room that becomes separated with slide-out doors (Japanese style)... pretty cool. 2 dogs, and lovely cool stone floors.

Lastly, the driving really struck me. How the cars and cabs don't strike each other. Joseph told me that as South African's are shocked by Kenyan driving, Kenyan's are equally shocked in India. Its true! While there are no hop-on-hop-off "mini buses" driving set routes, pay as you go "metered" taxis rule the roads. Hooting makes South Africa sound quiet. While in SA taxis hoot for fares, taxis here only hoot when they drive. A hoot simply means: "I know this 2-lane road shouldn't be holding 5 cars side-by-side, but here I am, coming up fast, behind you, and I will try be the 6th!"

So that's all for now, pictures to follow (not many were taken, but if you link into my mind telepathically, I'll give you a 5 minute slide show for R10). Miss you all terribly, and although I don't wish to be back, we wish you were all with us!