Greetings from India!
Well, it’s about 5:20 am New Delhi time and I have already been up for two hours. You have to love the jet lag! I was lying in bed thinking about writing this whole experience down and then I had the revelation that I should blog about it! Writing it longhand in a journal just takes sooo long and this way I can share everything with y’all! So here it goes!
My plane rides were both fine, though the first one was more pleasant. I sat next to what looked like a very boring business man, he had a tie on and everything for over a 9 hour red eye flight! I mean, who does that?! (My battery wore out after that last sentence and now it’s Wednesday afternoon) Anyway, he ended up being super nice and we talked off and on for the whole flight. He even watched the first DVD of “Fellowship of the Rings” with me. He was a pleasant guy to sit next to for 9 hours! My second flight kind of sucked, honestly. I sat next to boring people and had a guy behind me that was incredibly rude and thought my chair was his personal punching bag! Anyway, I finally got here and through customs, gathered my bags and met Jyoti and Pradeep!
My first day was rather uneventful, as I was super tired and jet lagged. I took a 7 hour nap and got up at about 4:30 to come downstairs. I really don’t remember what else happened that day as I was so out of it… I had pizza for dinner, and went to bed about 7:30 I think.
Tuesday was a great and very long day. I woke up at all hours of the night because my body was like “Dude, what are you doing in bed?! Get up!” I finally couldn’t lie there anymore so I got up around 3 or 4. I unpacked everything and started making notes on a sticky pad. My wall is now covered in sticky notes just like at home! As I’m writing this I cant believe that was only yesterday morning, it seams like 3 days ago! I eventually got dressed and put a face on after I had done 3 or 4 days of my Bible study. Speaking of which, it is sooo amazing!!! God is truly doing a work in me. I am trying to be open and pay attention to what He has to say and is trying to teach me. I am beginning to seriously consider coming to stay here for way longer than 2 weeks next time. I’m thinking minimum 2-3 months, but possibly longer even than that. I don’t know yet.
A little while later I came downstairs and was talking to one of the Aunties that live with my Indian family. Her name is Esther and she has lucid moments. (Actually she seems pretty with it to me, but then I can't understand what she's saying most of the time;-) She absolutely cracks me up! I was sitting next to her in the living room and she took my hand and was looking at it and told me that I would never suffer from disease. (Little does she know how wrong she was) She said I was like her and then told me that “I am 92, see? Natural teeth.” I love her! Esther and her sister, Kathi, live with Jyoti and Pradeep. I believe they both have PhD’s and taught at Oxford back in the 30’s or so. I'm pretty sure Esther did at least, anyway. They are truly forward thinkers for their time! Now they sit with a few chairs in between them, leaning against the wall, and sleep all day and yell at each other! Sounds like me and my sister someday! They are precious and I’m enjoying spending time with them.
Later I came back upstairs to my flat and started putting some kits together. We are waiting on a few phone calls as to where and when exactly I will teach. We have all the possible places for us to go but because of my health issue Jyoti wanted to wait until I got here to finalize things. Today's possible location wasn't able happen so we are going there tomorrow! I'm really excited and anxious to get started!!! Things go at a different pace over here and it is a little hard for me to get used to. Being from the the States, I am used to a much faster way of things. The fist couple of days in such a different time zone, though, have found me really useless for anything of importance and wiped out!
In the afternoon we had some really tasty Indian food and then Jyoti took me to the tailors and the mall. (It’s the biggest mall in Asia and it’s just a few minutes away!) Jyoti bought me my first sari and it’s so pretty! It’s a beautiful blue with gold accents. We walked around a few corners to the tailors but she couldn’t make my blouse and do something else with the actual sari so we left it with her and took the blouse material to another tailor. He will have it ready in a week or so! After the tailor we caught a ride in a rickshaw to the mall! It was really fun and I wanted to take a picture so bad, but I didn’t want to be the stupid American tourist. (As of today I have ridden in one four times and I still think it’s fun!) At the mall I bought three complete Indian outfits and I love them! They are so pretty and I’m going to wear them at home too! My favorite is a bright green one with pink and gold accents. We took another rickshaw home after shopping and we were both beat! We hung out for a while and Jyoti took me up to the roof so she could hang some laundry. It is so cool up there! We could see the mall we were just at! When we came back downstairs Jyoti went to a shop around the corner and got us some naan and this bean dip something rather for dinner. It was really good and my tummy didn’t even throw a fit! We watched “Who wants to be a Millionaire?” and then I went up to my flat and went to bed.
Today I woke up at he decent hour of 6:00 and decided I could definitely get up. I was really excited about having my quiet time and doing my Soul Sisters work on the roof! It was so nice out and I got up there early enough that is wasn’t super hot. I took my phone with some Brandon Heath playing on it and enjoyed my time in the sun and in the Word.
Two of Pradeeps missionary friends came last night and they stayed in my flat too. They were really nice and we got to chat this morning when we came out of our rooms. Joseph and his family lived in India for 15 years as missionaries and then 4 years ago they moved to Laos. He has 3 kids and his wife is from Cleveland! The other guy is from here and I don’t remember his name. He has 3 kids too. We were all talking in the living room and he asked me what I do. After I told him we ended up giving him a haircut out on the balcony! He said he had only had one haircut in the states and that it was in Jacksonville, Mississippi and it was horrible! I had to do something to give him a better experience from an American hair stylist! After the guys left Jyoti and I bought my plane ticket to I'm not sure where and decided to take a taxi to Jaipur next week. After while we went to the electrons store to get me a converter so I could use my computer! And now here I sit writing to whoever reads this! More to come later!
Well, it’s about 5:20 am New Delhi time and I have already been up for two hours. You have to love the jet lag! I was lying in bed thinking about writing this whole experience down and then I had the revelation that I should blog about it! Writing it longhand in a journal just takes sooo long and this way I can share everything with y’all! So here it goes!
My plane rides were both fine, though the first one was more pleasant. I sat next to what looked like a very boring business man, he had a tie on and everything for over a 9 hour red eye flight! I mean, who does that?! (My battery wore out after that last sentence and now it’s Wednesday afternoon) Anyway, he ended up being super nice and we talked off and on for the whole flight. He even watched the first DVD of “Fellowship of the Rings” with me. He was a pleasant guy to sit next to for 9 hours! My second flight kind of sucked, honestly. I sat next to boring people and had a guy behind me that was incredibly rude and thought my chair was his personal punching bag! Anyway, I finally got here and through customs, gathered my bags and met Jyoti and Pradeep!
My first day was rather uneventful, as I was super tired and jet lagged. I took a 7 hour nap and got up at about 4:30 to come downstairs. I really don’t remember what else happened that day as I was so out of it… I had pizza for dinner, and went to bed about 7:30 I think.
Tuesday was a great and very long day. I woke up at all hours of the night because my body was like “Dude, what are you doing in bed?! Get up!” I finally couldn’t lie there anymore so I got up around 3 or 4. I unpacked everything and started making notes on a sticky pad. My wall is now covered in sticky notes just like at home! As I’m writing this I cant believe that was only yesterday morning, it seams like 3 days ago! I eventually got dressed and put a face on after I had done 3 or 4 days of my Bible study. Speaking of which, it is sooo amazing!!! God is truly doing a work in me. I am trying to be open and pay attention to what He has to say and is trying to teach me. I am beginning to seriously consider coming to stay here for way longer than 2 weeks next time. I’m thinking minimum 2-3 months, but possibly longer even than that. I don’t know yet.
A little while later I came downstairs and was talking to one of the Aunties that live with my Indian family. Her name is Esther and she has lucid moments. (Actually she seems pretty with it to me, but then I can't understand what she's saying most of the time;-) She absolutely cracks me up! I was sitting next to her in the living room and she took my hand and was looking at it and told me that I would never suffer from disease. (Little does she know how wrong she was) She said I was like her and then told me that “I am 92, see? Natural teeth.” I love her! Esther and her sister, Kathi, live with Jyoti and Pradeep. I believe they both have PhD’s and taught at Oxford back in the 30’s or so. I'm pretty sure Esther did at least, anyway. They are truly forward thinkers for their time! Now they sit with a few chairs in between them, leaning against the wall, and sleep all day and yell at each other! Sounds like me and my sister someday! They are precious and I’m enjoying spending time with them.
Later I came back upstairs to my flat and started putting some kits together. We are waiting on a few phone calls as to where and when exactly I will teach. We have all the possible places for us to go but because of my health issue Jyoti wanted to wait until I got here to finalize things. Today's possible location wasn't able happen so we are going there tomorrow! I'm really excited and anxious to get started!!! Things go at a different pace over here and it is a little hard for me to get used to. Being from the the States, I am used to a much faster way of things. The fist couple of days in such a different time zone, though, have found me really useless for anything of importance and wiped out!
In the afternoon we had some really tasty Indian food and then Jyoti took me to the tailors and the mall. (It’s the biggest mall in Asia and it’s just a few minutes away!) Jyoti bought me my first sari and it’s so pretty! It’s a beautiful blue with gold accents. We walked around a few corners to the tailors but she couldn’t make my blouse and do something else with the actual sari so we left it with her and took the blouse material to another tailor. He will have it ready in a week or so! After the tailor we caught a ride in a rickshaw to the mall! It was really fun and I wanted to take a picture so bad, but I didn’t want to be the stupid American tourist. (As of today I have ridden in one four times and I still think it’s fun!) At the mall I bought three complete Indian outfits and I love them! They are so pretty and I’m going to wear them at home too! My favorite is a bright green one with pink and gold accents. We took another rickshaw home after shopping and we were both beat! We hung out for a while and Jyoti took me up to the roof so she could hang some laundry. It is so cool up there! We could see the mall we were just at! When we came back downstairs Jyoti went to a shop around the corner and got us some naan and this bean dip something rather for dinner. It was really good and my tummy didn’t even throw a fit! We watched “Who wants to be a Millionaire?” and then I went up to my flat and went to bed.
Today I woke up at he decent hour of 6:00 and decided I could definitely get up. I was really excited about having my quiet time and doing my Soul Sisters work on the roof! It was so nice out and I got up there early enough that is wasn’t super hot. I took my phone with some Brandon Heath playing on it and enjoyed my time in the sun and in the Word.
Two of Pradeeps missionary friends came last night and they stayed in my flat too. They were really nice and we got to chat this morning when we came out of our rooms. Joseph and his family lived in India for 15 years as missionaries and then 4 years ago they moved to Laos. He has 3 kids and his wife is from Cleveland! The other guy is from here and I don’t remember his name. He has 3 kids too. We were all talking in the living room and he asked me what I do. After I told him we ended up giving him a haircut out on the balcony! He said he had only had one haircut in the states and that it was in Jacksonville, Mississippi and it was horrible! I had to do something to give him a better experience from an American hair stylist! After the guys left Jyoti and I bought my plane ticket to I'm not sure where and decided to take a taxi to Jaipur next week. After while we went to the electrons store to get me a converter so I could use my computer! And now here I sit writing to whoever reads this! More to come later!
Bekah you are amazing! I love that I can just hear your voice saying all of this. :) You are such a light! And you are doing your SS soul work... in India... take a few pictures of that! :) Can't wait to hear how God will use you in the next few days. Enjoy every moment!
ReplyDeleteWow Booie,sounds like you are having an amazing time! I can't wait to see you in your new sari!!!
ReplyDelete