India Day 6

                Today is my last day in India. I can’t believe how fast it went. This morning I ran into a group of friends that I had not really seen all week. So there was 7 of us who decided to go to the back waters. I’m not sure what I’m going to say about this so bear with me!

                The seven of us took taxis about an hour and a half away to the back waters. Here we negotiated a price for us to take a two hour tour of the waters. Once we got on the small wooden boat our guide (who spoke no English) took us around a loop of the back waters. It was honestly one of the most relaxing things I have done during this whole trip. The soft sound of the engine hum, the rustling trees, and the rhythmic sounds of people washing and cleaning easily made a sweet lullaby to sleep to. However, I managed to stay awake the whole time.  We got to see a whole different lifestyle here in the backwaters. The people here have generally no water or electricity. They use the back waters as their drinking, washing, cooking, and bathing water. They also use the back waters as their main mode of transportation as well.

                Basically, while traveling through the back waters I got to spend time with my friends talking about our experiences in India and beyond. I also got to get to know them a little better as well. It was a great time to sit, relax, and laugh with a great group of people.

                After the back waters tour we stopped at a local restaurant and got some lunch. This is where I had my favorite dish in India. It was chicken in a black pepper sauce. It was so good! I cannot wait to go home and learn how to make this dish.

                After lunch we came back to the ship. By the time we got back it was 4:30 and we had to be on the ship at 6:00 so it really worked out perfectly.  Overall, I loved India. This was my second favorite country to date! I learned so much here not only about myself, but more importantly about other cultures and religions. This was one of the most enlightening countries I have experienced. This country was our halfway mark just so everyone knows. I am officially getting closer to America now. I cannot say that I am thrilled about that except that I will be happy to see my family! I will be in Singapore on Thursday, for just one day but it will be great!

India Day 5

Today I got to spend the day with my roommate Hannah and a new friend we made Charlie. We all were really tired so we decided to sleep in until 9:30! WOOHOO!!!  The only plan we had was to go with the flow. We started out the day negotiating a price for our motorized rikshaw. This rikshaw driver was crazy. No matter how many times we said no he would try to convince us to do something else we didn’t want to do. Even throughout the day he followed us to try to get us to “rethink” our decision. After the third time he confronted us during the day did he finally leave us alone.

                When we got dropped off, we found a really cool postcard store. So, here I bought the postcards and stamps that I needed in order to send them. It is so strange to buy things in India. You think that you are spending so much money but in reality it is almost nothing. For example I bought all the stamps I needed for 156 rupees, which is really about $3. I mean it is really so inexpensive but because of the value of a rupee it seems like a lot. We then found a nice store that sold some beautiful silks. So again, we did just a little shopping. The owner of this store was funny. He asked if we were from the ship when we said yes he asked why we were coming in so late in our time in India. He knew when we had arrived and when we left. I thought it was funny to see how big of an impact we were having on some of the stores.

                We then just started to wander around the city. We found many historical sites. First we saw what was left of Fort Kochin. I mean it is basically a cement like wall that stood at the water’s edge. This was all that was left after many battles and years of wear and tear. Next, we saw the Chinese Fish Nets.  These nets use manual labor to raise and lower them instead of machines or current technology.  While there we didn’t really see any of them catch anything but I’m going to hop that was just because it was the middle of the day. The three of us decided we were getting hungry and we wanted to eat at this hole in the wall restaurant that was supposed to be very good.

                On the way to finding the restaurant we saw this church. This church became the highlight of my day. We walked through the gate and saw the name St. Francis Church. This name sounded so familiar and I could not figure out why. Once I got inside I was instantly drawn in deeper. This was one of the few working Christian churches in this area. I walk up to the front of the church and see the Nicene Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer. I instantly felt full with the Lord. The last time I had felt this way was in Aworesu, Ghana. It was an awesome feeling. I took a few moments to reflect and to pray…really pray. It was a great feeling to have a conversation with the Lord in his house again. Even now, remembering this moment in the day I have goose bumps all over. It was just a very special moment between my father and I. Then as I am preparing to leave I see a picture of a man I have seen before. Then it hits me, I know why the name sounded so familiar. This church is where the explorer Vassco de Gama was first buried. I had learned about him in Global Studies just a few days earlier. It was just overall a great experience.

                Walking a few minutes more we find the restaurant Upstairs. This is an Italian restaurant in the middle of India. I know what you are thinking Italian in India? Really Courtney? Let me just tell you that all of their ingredients are imported from Italy, and this place is in the guide books as one of the places to go if you are a backpacker. So we decided to give it a shot. It was delicious. It was really inexpensive too! We enjoyed a few moments of quiet time, eating delicious food, while looking out the windows of the restaurant at this wonderful country below.

                Once we finished eating we went across the street to another Christian church that is no longer working. Here it still had the parsonage and a separate building specifically for funerals (at least that is what the sign said). This church was also beautiful. It was crazy to see all of these beautiful buildings that no longer work. As I peered in through the few open stained glad windows I tried to imagine what this church was like when it served as a working church and not a monument of a time from long ago.

                After seeing the church we walked around and just explored. While exploring we found a school (there were no kids it was exam time), a park, and some other stores and restaurants that were in the guide books as places we should try. We were so full from lunch that we just stopped in and looked at all the wonderful pastry’s and dessert’s these places had to offer. We were so excited that we had found this whole little area of Kochin that most people never find.

                One of the cool places we found was a side street market. There were only five or six vendors, but they had a variety of items to sell. Here I bought some really cute skirts and necklaces. Let me tell you my wardrobe is going to be awesome when I get back to the states!  At the end of this market we found the Arabian Sea! I was so excited. Hannah and I climbed down the small rock ledge and onto the warm sand. She and I took turns standing in the bath water sea. How many times in your life can you say that you could put your feet in the Arabian Sea. Well, now I can!

                By this time in the day Hannah and I are exhausted and Charlie had something in the evening. So, we headed back to the ship for a little late dinner and just hung out together. It was really fun to hang out with just Hannah for a night. We talked about our trips in India, and just got talk. She and I also watched Signs. I have not seen that movie in forever. When you are missing home (well kind of) it is never good to watch a movie about Aliens taking over a place like your home town1 lol

                Only one last day in India, and I knew it was going to be great!         

India Day 4

                Yet another early start to the day in India. First let’s back up just a little though. Last night I could not sleep so I didn’t go to bed until almost 1am. Then, to make matters worse, for some reason still unknown to me the front desk called my room at 2:15 and 3:30. I could not understand what was being said, but I could not sleep because as soon as I would almost get into a good sleep the phone would ring. Finally, to put the cherry on top our 4:45 wakeup call came at 4:15. I could not believe it! So I laid in bed until 5 and then rushed to get ready and get on the bus by 5:15. Don’t worry I made it. It just made for a long night which then turned into a long day.

                Once the whole group was on the bus we traveled to the Ganges River again. This time there were much less people.  We quietly stepped onto a wood paneled boat that was steered by just 3 young men who could not be any older than I was. Once on the river I began to see everything the tour guide had told us about. I could see people stripping down to their under garments and bathing, people drinking the water, and people washing certain dishes that had religious purposes all in the Ganges River. For me this was so foreign. None of us could really understand what was happening, except that it was part of a belief that the people in the Hindu religion truly believed in. On the river I also saw a little further down some of the old buildings that are now being turned into hotels for people to stay in. I thought that this was so strange also. I mean, this old palace that used to house just one or two people will soon hold hundreds of people who want to be an observer to the Hindu practices. I soon realized though that we do this in the states all the time. I had just never really thought about it quite the same; now I do. A little further still I noticed a person actually spreading the ashes of a loved one. In the moment it was very somber. I could see the pain on this woman’s face. I could tell that she really loved this person, but yet I could also see a glimpse of hope in her eyes. I can only think that this glimpse of hope was that maybe in this persons next life would be better or easier, or as they would say closer to nirvana.

                As an outsider I was amazed at how people could bath in a place where they knew people’s ashes had been spread. Again, I just had to remember that this was a part of another culture. One thing I should say is that people believe that once you bath or touch in any way the Ganges River then you  have a remission of sins or forgiven of all sins to help escape the cycle of life and death.

                While traveling the other way on the river I got to see the Crematory. This building had some beautiful architecture, with very simple yet elegant carvings. There is a flame that they keep lit 24 hours a day. There is also a never ending pile of wood surrounding the building. While our guide was telling us about the cremation process he stopped and noticed that there was actually a family going through a cremation ceremony right then. I saw a family morning the loss of a beloved member. The body was wrapped traditionally: in white cotton with a colorful silk sheet over them. The body was laying on the steps of the Crematory while the family said what our guide could only assume was the traditional ceremonious script. We were never close enough in the boat to actually hear anything. This ceremony is the family’s last chance to help their loved one reach closer to nirvana. Again, although I did not understand fully this ritual or the reasons behind it I could feel the pain this family was feeling.

                At this point our guide told us that for 13 days after the cremation the family would morn. The first 10 days the family mourned in almost solitude, then the family would spread the ashes on the 11^th day I believe and the last 2 days were in celebration of that person’s life. He also told us that this ritual could be completed in just 3 days in modern society because of time constraints due to work and modern day life.

                During this whole journey on the river I got to watch the sun rise. This was probably my favorite part of the whole time on the river. To slowly watch the sun reflect off the water was breath taking. At first it was almost completely dark when we arrived. Then the sun gently inch by inch began to give life to the dark colored water. Within a half hour the once black river was now a shimmering blue with what looked like little specs of glitter jumping out of the water as a boat passing by would lift an ore bringing along with it sprinkles of water. In the middle of this river watching the Hindu rituals I could not help but think of my own religion. There was a moment when the sun officially rose, and the River was a beautiful blue gently pushing the boats along with the current almost like a dance. I sat in our boat reflecting on everything that I was encountering, how I had gotten to this point in my life, and how my faith had helped bring to this moment too. In this moment I could remember how I personally feel about my own faith and felt as though I could relate to the people here practicing their own faith.   

                After this we got off the river and began to walk back towards the buses, but in a very zigzag way. We walked down an alley that could not fit more than 2 people across and even that was pushing it. We walked up stairs that led to yet another layer of Varanasi that I did not existed. Although I had walked down a similar way I could not see how all of these layers were occurring just a few feet away. While walking down one of the alleys we ran into a cotton store. Here we got to purchase tapestry, clothes, and scarfs all made from hand woven cotton made in India. It was great fun! I did buy some things but part of the fun was just looking at all the different types of patterns there were.

                After we all completed our purchases we went back to the hotel to eat breakfast and then head out for one last stop before we had to catch our plane. We went to the place where Buddha gave his first sermon. Here I saw where Buddha’s Estupa was, which is where part of his ashes were buried after his death. I also saw the temple where he gave his first sermon, the place where he was said to live for 3 months after his enlightenment, and a museum that helped depict his life. I think for me one of the most interesting things to see here was the monks who were here because this sight is one of the 4 main sites in the Buddhist religion. I really enjoyed this aspect of the trip. I think that this part of the trip would not have been the same without seeing the monks who were visiting.

                After this we went to a silk store. In the silk store we got to watch silk being woven. It was really cool to see it made by hand. We got to look around the store and buy a few things. Of course silk is more expensive so I only bought one scarf but still it is pretty cool to say that I bought this handmade scarf in India! We didn’t have very much time here because we had to get ready for our flight.   

                We hurried back to the hotel to eat lunch and then back to the airport to go back to Kochin. The flight was good, I was so tired but of course (you all know me) I talked and had really good conversation with all the people who sat around me. Back on the ship though I hugged my roommate for what seemed like forever because I missed her so much and then crashed!  I needed to catch up on some sleep because I still had 2 awesome days planned in Kochin.         

me at sunrise on the Ganges

the Temple to the left is where Buddha gave his first sermon

India Day 3

Today we got to sleep in a little, well actually a lot. We did have to be up and ready to go until 8am. I felt so rested compared to the morning before. I packed up my belongings from my room and checked out of the hotel.

                After breakfast our tour guides took us on another small tour of Delhi. This time we got to see New and Old Delhi. There were a few very distinct differences. First, Old Delhi is much more densely populated. There were literally people everywhere, whereas in New Delhi there was much more room to wander and walk in. The types of people were also very different. In Old Delhi it was more of the common man, a merchant or small business owner along with people on their way to work in factories. In New Delhi it was mostly higher business men and government employees. Second, the architecture was different; New Delhi had British inspired buildings. While Old Delhi had many temples and places of worship, and boxy forgettable style store fronts. Old Delhi did have a few unique buildings though.

                In Old Delhi the Red Fort is there. This is still a working fort for the India military. This giant fort is in the center of Old Delhi and can be seen for miles. It is made of Red Sandstone like the forts I saw yesterday in Agra. It had a beautifully manicured lawn and guards at every entrance. We just drove past this because we were tight on time. However, we did stop and get out at the monument dedicated to Gandhi. There is a whole park dedicated to major leaders of India. The strange ( well strange to us) part was that the park is only created after they pass away, and is at the place of their cremation. So, when Gandhi passed away his body was brought to this empty area of Old Delhi that had been saved for his memorial park, his body was cremated, his ashes were taken to the Ganges River, and a memorial was built in his honor. The memorial was unique. There was a walkway built almost like a ramp so that people could walk up and overlook where his body had been cremated. In the middle of this manicured lawn was a marble platform with flowers on it and a cast iron lantern hung next to it. This is where Gandhi’s body was cremated. There were also four patches of gravel on either side of the monument. I asked the guide what these stood for and he told me they signified where the river had once been. Delhi has gotten so large that actually rerouted the river to expand the area. I thought that was very interesting. It was really cool but strange to get to see where Gandhi had been cremated. It was clear to see that everyone loved him.

                After this we went to another monument right inside New Delhi. This monument was built in honor of those who fought in wars. It was actually built by the British to thank the Indian population who fought with them. This monument has now become a place where people come and gather after dinner at dusk to play cricket, listen to music, and just hang out with friends. It has become a very neutral place to come together as family friends and country.  Around the monument there are beautiful flowers. Again, it was so interesting to see flowers that we grow in America. It still something I just didn’t even think about when traveling abroad. After about a half hour or so walking around this huge monument my group left to go get lunch and head to the airport.

                We had lunch at a very nice restaurant. I really enjoyed trying all the new foods that India had to offer. I have never been such an adventurous eater. However, this trip has helped me to learn to just try it you may like it. We got back on an airplane and traveled south to Varanasi.

                Once we got to Varanasi we met another bus who took us around the city and told us so many facts that it was impossible to remember them all. By this time in the day it is almost 6pm. Our group was going to the Ganges River to see the sunset and watch an offering ceremony.  While approaching the area near the river I immediately realized that this was the India I expected to see when you picture it in your head. There were cows, dogs, chickens all walking down the street. There were thousands of people and hundreds of store fronts selling everything from fabrics to spices. I thought, this will be an interesting ride to the river. Then our tour guide tells us that because it is so crowded we cannot take the bus all the way to the river. Instead they had arranged bicycle rikshaws to take us. So me and my friend Mike hopped on a rikshaw and traveled the few miles down the road to the river. This was one of the scariest and coolest things I have done. I think that rikshaws should be everywhere. I mean our driver was swerving around cows and people and cars I just couldn’t understand how we didn’t crash. It was really fun though!   

                Once we got to the river I didn’t even know what to think or feel. There were hundreds of people surrounding a platform with 7 men on it. These 7 seven men were offering the 5 gifts to Ganga the Goddess of the river. The men would perform the ritual to the river, then turn around and perform it to the audience. The ritual consisted of a small dance that went along with each of the 5 gifts. There was also a song that was sung by not only the men but also the audience members who knew it.  It was definitely an experience to witness this ritual. There were hundreds of people in the river also in boats. Our group stayed on the land because we knew we would be in a boat tomorrow morning at sunrise. One thing that Mike and I did was make a wish. One ritual is to send all of your wishes into the River. To do this we bought these small tea light candles with fresh flowers all in a cardboard coffee filter like bowl. You make a wish and place the small bowl in the water. When the bowl disintegrates then the wish will come true. I really enjoyed getting to be a part of the ritual.

Once the ceremony was over we all got back into our rikshaws and headed back to the bus where we drove to a local hotel. By the time we got to the hotel it was almost 9pm! We ate dinner and then went to bed. We had yet another early start the next day to watch the sunrise.    

the monument for the soldiers

my candle to go in the Ganges River

India Day 2-sorry its so long

On the second day in India I had a very early start. With a 4:30am wakeup call I felt like a mom dragging her feet after a long sleepover with 10 ten year olds. The only difference between me and that brave woman (who God love her was usually my Mom) I knew that my day would be one for the record books.

                I started out on a two hour train ride south to Agra. As I walked up to the train station I could not believe what I saw. There were close to 100 people who were sleeping on the hard chilled cement floor outside the station. Our guide quietly told us that most of them were generally homeless and the  half full tattered bag  they used as a pillow was all the belongings they had. They laid there sleeping, just sleeping like we do in our beds every night. They used their bag as a pillow and various forms of blankets from just a shirt over their head to a thin cotton blanket. Just so everyone knows India can get cold in the morning. I was chilly when I first arrived. I could not believe that the people were just sleeping there. It reminded me of this time last year when I slept outside for hunger and homelessness awareness week. I remember how cold and alone I felt even for just one night; I could not, in this moment, even begin to imagine what the people were feeling.  

                I quickly got on the train trying not to look at the people sleeping inside the station. This was a moment I wish I could take back. I wish I would have soaked in all the experiences both good and bad, but I was intimidated and sad. Even though I knew I couldn’t do anything I still wanted to and that made it very hard to look at this entire station full of struggle. The train ride was something that I also don’t have much to say about because I slept. I did get to see some farm land right before I fell asleep and right after I woke up. It was so strange; when I woke up I had to do a double take because it felt as if I woke up in the car on the way to my home in small town Greenville. Once I was a little more conscious I remembered where I was and quickly gathered my things to get off the train in Agra.

                Once we got to Agra we went to a local hotel to eat a quick breakfast. It was only 8 in the morning, but we were already on the second meal of the day. We had a continental breakfast of cereal at the hotel in Delhi and now a hot breakfast. After breakfast we went to Fatehpur Sikri. This is where Emperor Akbar had palaces built for his three wives. He had a Muslim, Hindu, and Christian wife.  Each wife had her own home, place of worship, and kitchen. This was all made out of red sandstone which is indigenous to India.  Another interesting fact that I found out was that all of the buildings were made by hand. Although no Emperor wants to say that they participated in slavery it is believed that many of the people were in fact slaves or indentured servants. I thought that while this is something we know existed it is still a hard pill to swallow when you see something that beautiful. You wonder how can something so majestic be created in such a negative way. We were also told that when the people had a problem they would come to this area and have a town meeting once a week. Now this area is a beautiful garden, but before it was just dirt and stones with canopies over it to protect the people from the blazing sun. Finally, I learned that during the rule of the Emperor when someone was sentenced to death they were put in front of an elephant and stomped to death. This was probably the most shocking.  Just a random fact about India; today their death sentence is to be hanged.

                Next, we went back to the hotel for lunch. I really enjoyed trying all of the local cuisine. One thing that I want to learn how to make when I get home is Nan. Nan is a soft bread that you use as almost anything in India. It is used as something you dip in soup or used as silver ware with meat and vegetables in sauces. It is delicious! After lunch we went and visited the Agra Fort.

                The Agra Fort has a long history. For me, I think the most interesting was that it was rebuilt with red sandstone by Emperor Akbar. He lived here for many years. This fort was the site of many battles and had many rulers before Akbar. Akbar not only lived here, but used much of the fort as a place to let his concubines live. He could have up to 400 of them at any one time. A difference I feel I should mention is that Akbar took very good care of his concubines. They each had their own room and were given plenty of food and water. This was not in any way a form of torture. Another interesting fact about Agra Fort is that Akbar’s grandson Shah Jahn tore down much of the inside structures after Akbar’s death and had the buildings rebuilt in white marble. Jahn was also a victim in this fort. When Jahn was older he had many children. One of his sons thought ill of his father and was actually imprisoned in his own fort and later died in the fort in the tour where he was imprisoned with a view of his greatest work in the near distance. This fort was beautiful. I could get lost there. There were so many twists, turns, and secret passage ways that I could have spent a whole day just exploring the fort. However, I only had about an hour because our next and last stop would be to a place that Shah Jahn built himself, the place he last laid eyes on before dying….the Taj Mahal.

                When we pulled up to the Taj Mahal I could hardly contain my excitement. I mean this was the one place I had really been the most excited about at the beginning of this trip, and now here I was. It was nearing 5pm and the group was so excited to see the Taj at sunset. On the way up to get in line to go through security I passed carts pulled by camels. I was so close to a camel I could have touched it. They had these gorgeous brightly colored skirt (or fabric like you would use under the saddle of a horse). These skirts were covered in unique and elaborate beading and designs. They also had other various horse like pieces such as muzzles and horse blinders to help keep them calm, focused, and less dangerous for passersby’s. Once we reached the gate to go through security I noticed something very peculiar; there were 3 lines to choose from. The first one was for Indian woman, the second for “high class woman”, and the third for men. I thought this was very interesting because the woman were separated right from the beginning, but the men were not separated into Indian men and “high class men” until they were almost completely through security. I just found this so strange, yet I knew that it was a part of their culture. Once I made it through security I began the short walk through the archway into the garden in front of the Taj Mahal. Walking through this archway I couldn’t help but hold my breath; I was about to see with my own eyes one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

                When I did finally see it I let out a big breath with a small sigh. I could not believe that I was actually standing in front of the Taj. The whole group reacted in very similar ways as I did. I was completely speechless. I just started taking pictures. I felt as though no matter how many I took I would never have enough to prove I was actually there. One thing that was really cool about this trip was some of the people I was with. I was actually with 3 other people who are from Cleveland, Ohio! So the 4 of us took an O-H-I-O picture at the Taj! It is one of my favorite pictures of the whole trip.

                After taking probably 100 pictures I started the walk up the garden to actually get right in front of the Taj and go in. The garden is beautiful. This might sound silly but there were tons of flowers that I recognized from back in the states. I guess in all the things that you think you will see flowers are not one of them. Anyway, there is a beautiful water centerpiece that travels down the whole garden. I think it took me almost 45 minutes to just walk down the garden. I was trying to absorb every sound, smell, sight, and touch I could experience. While walking down this garden I also started thinking about why this magnificent building was built. Shah Jahn built this building for his wife and now they are both buried inside the Taj. What a gift to give your wife.

                Many people who see the Taj in pictures think that the whole building is made of plain white marble. However, there is actually hand carved patterns in the archways and inside of the Taj that were then filled with precious and semi-precious stones mainly from Africa, Pakistan, and India. This was beautiful. I feel as though this word cannot even begin to describe what I saw. The building is simply more majestic than words. I was able to go inside and see the caskets of Jahn and his wife. These caskets were covered in the carvings with stones. While inside there were no lights (obviously) and we could not take pictures to help preserve the color of the marble and stones. This was a great moment for me to really realize where I was. I was INSIDE THE TAJ MAHAL! This was the first moment that I could really begin to grasp where I was. Once I stepped outside the Taj I could really look at it; the architecture, stones, a different view of the garden, just everything. I’m still trying to process what I really experienced.

                After stepping away from the Taj I decided to take a look at the temples on either side of it. Well these were beautiful also. For me though the most memorable part of the temples were not the temples themselves. I was taking a picture of the temple and a few wild monkeys came into the picture frame. I thought perfect time to get a quick picture of some monkeys so I snapped the shot anyway (without a flash and my friends took a picture too ). I get the picture so me and my few friends I was with turned to walk away. The next thing I know the monkeys are making these hissing and screeching noises so of course we turn around to see what all the commotion is about. Well apparently it was me! The monkeys start running at me and attacked me! The monkeys came and tried climbing up my legs, pulled on my shoe strings, and tried to jump up to grab onto or sit on my purse. I just stood there scared not really sure what to do. This very nice man who I think worked at the Taj Mahal stomped a very big stick and made a very low growling sound that scared them off of me long enough for me and my friends to leave. At the time it was very scary, but now I think it is hilarious. No one worry, I am fine. I had no scratches or anything. It just made for a memorable moment.

                I walked back to the middle of the garden to sit on this marble platform to watch the sunset behind the Taj Mahal. It was so intensely beautiful. The reds and oranges reflecting off the white marble almost made it hard to look at. However, even through the squints I could take this time to reflect. I was literally sitting less than a football field away from the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. WOW! How many times in my life can I say that I was that close to anything that breath taking? I sat there with close to 100 people in almost complete silence. I just enjoyed the view. For one of the first times on this entire journey I just sat there. I put my camera away for a while and I simply watched the sun set. I sat there in silence and reflected on the glorious site I was peering at. I could now say that I had seen the Taj Mahal in person. What a day, what a life. I am truly so blessed.

                After sunset the group walked back to the bus, got dinner, and headed to the train station. Here I was once again confronted by sadness, only this time in the form of children. If anyone reading this has not seen “Slum Dog Millionaire” you need to watch it and then you will understand what I am talking about. I was standing with a group of people waiting for the late train, which was typical in India, when a group of about 3 or 4 kids walked up to us. They were asking us for money. It is so hard to tell them no, especially as an education major but I knew if I gave them anything I would just give them another reason not to go to school. These kids were not like some of the other kids we had encountered during the day. Usually if you say no enough or just completely ignore them they eventually go away. Not these kids, in fact it seemed as if the more we said no and ignored them the stronger they came on, and before any of us knew it there 5 or 6 kids hanging around us. While talking to the kids, by this time we had given up of getting rid of them so we thought we would try to talk to them, some of us began to realize a few men hanging around a little too close for comfort for a little too long. At first I just pushed it aside as though it was nothing. I mean I am in a foreign country so anything could be considered normal and I would have no clue. However, the longer the kids were there the more I noticed these 2 men. Then I saw the most heart breaking thing in my whole life. I saw this little boy who had just told me he was 8 years old shift his eyes over to one of the men and the man did some sort of sign that the boy knew. All of a sudden all the children ran away and the man was gone. The man had signaled the boy that the police was coming so they needed to run away. Then it hit me, that man was all of those kids owner. A few moments later we turned around and saw the children congregated around the man. The kids were all nodding their heads to whatever the man was saying. I felt sick.

                When you watch movies like “Slum Dog Millionaire” you know that things like this really happen, but to actually witness it is something completely different. The whole group had just witnessed one of the most horrific forms of human trafficking and there was nothing we could do about it. As a group we tried to discuss quietly what we had just witnessed, but everyone was so distraught that no one could really form words to express their feelings. All I know is that I said an extra-long and thought out prayer that night.             

                I hate to end on such a sour note, but there is nothing else to tell. I took the train back to Delhi, and went to bed…broken hearted. It was an emotional roller coaster; the high of the sites, but the low of seeing how life in India and around the world can really be. All I could hope was that tomorrow would be an even better day.