A little over two months

Let me explain as to why I am so far behind on my blog entries. I have been creating a blog for Sangam World Centre. It usually is easy, but the challenge is that we have multiple audiences. With that being said, every time I think it's done something else has to change. Tomorrow my line manager and I are going over it again to tweak it before we send it to the powers at be. Let me also just tell you that my public is about 10 million people worldwide. When I am not working on the blog, finding new items for the shop, covering reception, and making participants happy (just to name a few), I also keep the WAGGGS World Bureau updated with the information that they request from me. I do not have the luxury of being expressive with superlatives when I am stressed. What I have found here in India is that there is a massive world of double standards, and it drives me absolutely crazy. That's why I am so very grateful for my friends back in the States that allow me to express myself.

I will say that I am absolutely overwhelmed. I don't know what I was thinking about when I signed up for two summer classes online. The one class is quite informative, but the other class is going to be the death of me. My professor decided to bump everything up at the last minute. I don't have time to breathe let alone get all of his stuff completed. A friend here in India tells me that online classes are easy and shouldn't be a big deal. Well, I wish I could quote a line from the first or second episode of season 1 of Ugly Betty. (Yeah, don't judge me :) Betty is carping on Daniel, and Daniel tells her that not to belittle what he is going through just because she feels like it's easy for her. What is easy for me may not be easy for you and vice versa. So, I try very hard not to mention the stresses of school. Really, it should be not big deal. I just HAVE to pass these two classes. I go back to the States and school in the middle of my last semester. I don't have a place to stay nor a job for that matter. We won't even get started on how stressed I am about finding a real job after I graduate, because really it's a piece of cake. Esta Bien.

I miss the South desperately, and I have been saying “bless your heart” a whole lot more often than I usually due since I have been censored.

On a positive note, I am enjoying what I am doing here. I went to a place called Maher last event. It is a home for children and mentally challenged women. Some of the children were taken off the streets as beggars and given a home. Yes, it is a “children's home” but they now have a roof over there head, clothes on their back, and food in their belly. The women and children touched my heart.  Here is a picture of one of the children that just hung on me. (I absolutely loved every minute there)

I read in the local newspaper about an orphanage where children were beaten and starved to death. This makes me even more grateful that there are good places like Maher as shelters for children to go to. I wanted to cry after reading that story. I do not know how someone can be so cruel. The world is full of beautiful, wonderful sights that remind you that there is a higher existence.

I love you my dear friends. I love my family with every fiber of my being. I might be half way across the world at the moment, but I am always here. I'm grateful that God has not given up on me just yet. Remember “Everything you are learning now is preparing you for something else.”- Marjorie Pay Hinkley.

Fourth of July

Fourth of July

I hope that my parents don't read this post because I am about to write something that they may not like. Over the past three years, I am going to have to admit that Cache Valley has totally grown on me. I thought that I would never be saying that, but today I find myself completely missing my summer routine of lovely Cache Valley. I miss the fireworks from across the valley. I am missing the Car Show!! What I miss the most is spending time with my friends as we enjoy the freedoms that our predecessors fought for and what our military men and women are currently fighting to ensure that our freedoms are not taken away.

India is the most populous democracy. Yet, I don't feel what I feel when I am at home in America. Words cannot adequately describe the peace that I feel after landing back in the States after an overseas trip. I am PROUD to be an American and I wouldn't want it any other way. I hope that everyone enjoys this 4^th of July!

India update is that I am feeling much better. The ladies that work in the kitchen were quite worried at my loss of appetite. They are so sweet. They made plain food especially for me so I could eat a little bit. Some of the ladies know more English than they let one know, and others know very little, but there was an unspoken understanding this past week as I was sick. They could read my face and they figured everything out. I am very blessed to be working with such wonderful individuals. Yesterday during chai time, I sat with the ladies and had chai in the kitchen. I was trying to understand what all they were saying and we discussed my family. A couple of the ladies were having birthdays in their families yesterday and today. They love to hear me tell them how many people are in my family! I tell them that I have my mom, dad, three brothers, one sister, and a dog named Q-tip! Adding my dog at the end cracks them up. I have no idea why they think it's so funny, but they do. I am just happy that I have all of their names etched in my memory. More than half have names that start with the letter “s” and their names are so similar that I literally have to stop and make sure that I say the right name.

Life is good. I cannot complain. I am blessed with a wonderful family (and a dog :)! My friends are extremely supportive, and no I don't judge you when we can't talk all the time like we use to. This time difference is a heiffer! I attend a university that I am proud to be attending. Most importantly, I am from the land of free and home of the brave. What more could I ask for?!

Update

I know that I haven't blogged lately. Lo siento mi amigos. Here is an update:

I have been in India for a little over 1 ½ months now, and yet it only seems like yesterday that I arrived. I am quite settled into living at Sangam. It's challenging because I don't work a normal set of hours usually. Most of the staff works about 12 hour days. Yes, there is that much to do here. I have been the last month finishing training and fine tuning my work plan. People keep asking me what exactly it is that I do here besides have fun. Well, I the first Marketing & Communications Intern for a UN affiliate. There is a lot of ground work to be done. I manage the website, handle the social media aspect of everything. I am responsible for new items for Yahdei (their shop) and I communicate between us and the World Bureau. It doesn't sound like much, but trust me it's a whole heck of a lot when you put everything down on paper.

This week is the first event of the Monsoon season. We have participants from Canada, USA, and Japan. It has been a very fun and interesting week. I did have a girl tell me that she was expecting the spaghetti to taste like it does in the States. I very flippantly told her “Welcome to India!” If you want American food, you are going to have to go the McDonald's and their menu is not the same like it is in the States.

I think the fun part is that I try to talk to the local staff in Hindi and they speak to me in their broken English. It is absolutely hilarious. Oh, I almost forgot I am famous in India. They had the Palki festival last week. It is where they walk Palki (he's a god) down the streets to the different temples. Aruna took us to the temple next door to Sangam, and we had the privilege of being in the temple with many others celebrating! I will have to upload the pictures of the thousands of people that lined the street. It was unreal! So, we sit down in the temple and no sooner than we do we are invited up front to where the band is. The band is sitting on the floor and women are playing small cymbals while dancing. They put the cymbals around my neck and showed me their dance. Everyone was very welcoming and happy that we were there as their guests. So, Starz TV was there and interviewed us for the new report on the festival. Not only am I on a billboard in Taiwan, but now I am on the TV in India. I am one lucky girl!!

So the internet is down again. It happens quite often, and the generator has been on the majority of the afternoon.

Today is a new day. I have been sick for the past couple of days. I will say that being sick while the power is out and the generator not on is rather unpleasant. My complaint for the day is that I seriously wonder what people think about coming to India prior to actually coming over here. All I have to say is yes India is generally a 2^nd world country. If you were to see across the street that I live on, you would see the 3^rd world aspect in full swing. I desperately wanted to tell a couple of people from 1^st world countries this morning to get over it. They were complaining that the pool wasn't open, and I totally understand their frustration, but I also see the flip side of the coin. This is what I desperately wanted to say:

“Honey child, if you want to swim in the green pool go for it! I really don't care. Yes, I do understand that that having the local staff clean it every morning will not solve the greeness, but you have to understand that if they don't do it, the HPM will chew them out and that is not worth it! I'm sorry that you're disappointed that we aren't the Ritz or the Hilton, but I believe that we told you this from the get go. On a bright note, you have about 48 hours left here. You'll be strong because frankly you don't have an option. Welcome to India!”

I can't believe that we are already in July! Man how time flies! Well, I desperately need to get back to work! Know that I love you all and miss you more than I do Blue Bell Ice Cream!!