A Final Goodbye to India

Dear Home,

My last week in India was spent in its crazy Capitol, Delhi. I was fortunate enough to stay in the very comfortable home of a family friend for my last week. Thank you Amita! When I arrived in Delhi I was a little worn out and run down. Throughout the last week I gave myself ample time to rest and relax. During the week I organized all of the things I had accumulated over the past 6 months, and miraculously fit it all into my backpack and suitcase. Along with packing, relaxing, and reflecting, I also visited a few of the famous sights Delhi has to offer. Although the heat and humidity of Delhi was oppressive, I was grateful for the chance to explore a little more of this city.

As I reach a full-circle ending in Delhi, I feel so happy and also overwhelmed by everything I have seen and experienced over the past half a year. I have a feeling that the memories of India will be floating around in my head for quite some time. However, now that it is time to go, I am looking forward to connecting with my family and friends again. We all have a lot of catching up to do!

Love always,
Taylor

The Lotus Temple. A very peaceful place for contemplation.

Watching the monsoon rains from underneath the temple

At Qutub Minar... This is what happens when you travel alone. :P

An Old Minaret that was never completed in Qutub Minar.

A few of the many people making a pilgrimage to Haridwar.

The entrance of the beautiful Red fort.

A few of the famous Jain temples in Old Delhi.

A young boy chilling out on a cycle rickshaw.

An Agri-cultural Adventure

Hello USA!

First I want to apologize for the one-month lull in my blog posts. For a little over a month I have been traveling through a relatively small portion of Northern Indian. I have been living on farms that were located in very rural areas of the country. Therefore, electricity, and Internet, was hard to come by. This was not very conducive for blog writing! Recently, I have settled down in Delhi for the last week of my trip and I am finally ready to share some of the experiences I have had over the past month.

In total I visited three different farms, two were in the state of Uttarakhand, and one was located in the fruit belt of India in Northern UP. The first was an organic farm in Uttarakhand, only a few hours from the border of Nepal, called ROSE. The farmland here was all located in the center of the village, and was shared by the community. The women of the families in town worked in the fields, while the men hung around at home, at shops, or in town. Women in the mountainous regions of India are often known for their hard work and long days, while the men have a reputation for being quite lazy. With the women, we worked on the land of multiple different families as they prepared the fields for rice cultivation. Agriculture is a livelihood for the family we were staying with and many others in the small town of Kanda. Unfortunately, the monsoon was late this year and the temperature continued to rise, which lead to rather slow and sweaty days. The lack of rain could be very damaging to their crops this season, and they were completely dependent on the monsoon because none of the fields in this area were irrigated. After about a week, working in the fields became very limited due to the heat, and my new French friend I had met on the farm, Victoire, and I decided to move on to another farm.

Moving to a new farm was such a great decision. We took a chance and went to another WOOFING farm (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms), called The Himalayan Farm Project. After taking a bus to the site, we knew we would have to hike about an hour to reach the farm. We reached the town in the middle of the afternoon, and began the long and steep hike up the mountain. This was a great challenge for us, and it was a huge relief when we finally reached the farmhouse. There we met other foreign travelers from Germany, France, Finland, Switzerland, and Australia; as well as the Indian family that owned the land. They began this project about a year ago and many travelers had visited to work on the land and contribute to the farm in many different ways. I really enjoyed working on the projects here, which included lots of planting for the monsoon season as well as projects like fixing the roof, feeding the cow, cooking daily meals, harvesting crops, etc. The group was great and we all enjoyed sharing stories and experiences with each other. It was hard to leave this beautiful place in the mountains, but the monsoon finally did arrive and I figured it was time to move to lower ground.

So I hopped on a bus and took another long ride to Uttar Pradesh (UP). Here I got off in the city of Saharanpur and a friend of mine met me at the bus station. Happy to see a familiar face, from here we traveled to his village outside of the city. As we drove through this area we passed field upon field of crops including but not limited to Okra, Sugar Cane, Lychee, Corn, and of course, Mangoes. My friend Umar’s family owns mango orchards, and I was here to experience the predominately Muslim culture in this particular area, and see what mango farming was all about. Here the farming was not organic, and included the use of chemicals like Calcium Carbide to ripen the fruits before they went to the market. Despite the unsustainable farming practices, the mangoes were delicious and the orchards were a beautiful and peaceful retreat.

The village was unlike any I had ever stayed at before. This area has very few foreign visitors, and the culture difference was very difficult. I was able to speak just enough Hindi to get by, but the questions never ceased and the visitors that came to stare at me continued to stream in. Although the constant attention was a bit wearing for me, it was a very rewarding experience to be a part of the daily life of this family. The children that visited me daily became particularly fun and happy highlights during the hot days. We would dance, sing, laugh, and teach each other Hindi and English hand-games. I think the family members and I began to better understand and interpret each other as the days passed, however, after so many weeks living on farms and villages, I was starting to feel burnt out. I was reaching the end of my trip, and feeling like I was ready to go home. After attending a beautiful Muslim wedding, I was ready to say goodbye and take my final bus ride to Delhi.

Here are some of my favorite photos of the three farm experiences.

See you all soon!

Taylor

My final glimpses of the city of Dehradun as I travel to another farm.

My favorite baby goat in India, at the ROSE farm. Isn't he precious?!

The young bride preparing for her traditional Kumaoni wedding.

Dancing in the streets with the groom's side of the family on the way to the ceremony!

Mama cat with one of her three little kittens.

The women of the village as we leave the field after a hard day of work in the afternoon sun.

Making mango and mint chutney in the ROSE kitchen!

In the lychee tree getting ready to pick the ripe fruit at the Himalayan Farm.

The fruits of my labor! :P Sofia and I getting ready to make her famous lychee jam.

Preparing the roof of the old farm house for the monsoon!

Bella! The one and only cow on the Himalayan farm. 

Planting turmeric for the monsoon season. :)

My second day in the village... making use of our hot Dupattas!

The infamous bird of Titron, Metoo! He may look innocent, but he bites...

Workers harvesting the mangoes in one of the many orchards.

Climbing the mango trees... one of my favorite past times.

Learning one of the Hindi hand-games from the children in the town.

The beautiful bride at my first Muslim wedding. Her clothes are so heavy she has to be carried out of the building!

Monks and Momos in McLeod Ganj

Guten Tag!

For the past week or so I have been living and learning in McLeod Ganj, the town above Dharmsala, which is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This is where the Tibetan government lives in exile and there is a large community of Tibetan refugees. Many organizations here help raise awareness about Tibet and support the Tibetan people in many different ways. I attended some great events available here including the movies Undercover in Tibet and Kundun, which I highly recommend. I also have been fortunate enough to hear the stories of ex-political prisoners from Tibet and other presentations on the past and present conflict between Tibet and China.

I have been living in the dormitory of Hotel Ladies Venture, which has provided me with the chance to meet many people from around the world who are traveling in India. Together we have had lots of memorable adventures and experiences in this small town. During the SIT semester we did not have many opportunities to interact and meet other people traveling through India, but here I was able to meet people from all walks of life and many different countries. Although unexpected, I thoroughly enjoyed the different environment that McLeod Ganj offered and all of the people I was able to spend time with. I am learning that traveling outside of school and independently opens up many new experiences and rewarding adventures.

During the past weekend the Dalai Lama was offering teachings for students in the Tibetan Children's Village   (TCV), and the event was also open for anyone to listen to the lecture translation through a radio on the TCV campus. So a few of my friends from the dormitory and I woke up very early and walked to the school in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the Dalai Lama as he entered to present his teachings. We were lucky enough to see his Holiness enter the school on the 2nd and 3rd day of the teachings. This moment is something I will never forget, as we stood in the crowd with many Tibetans and watched the welcoming ceremony. As the women sing a beautiful song, everyone in the crowd is brought to tears as the 14th Dalai Lama walks up the steps to the school entrance. It was emotional for me to be in the presence of such a great leader, role model, and so much more. He represents so much to the people of Tibet, and it was also rewarding to listen to his teachings on Buddhism.

Today I will leave McLeod Ganj and make my two day trip into the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. I feel refreshed and relaxed after my experiences here, and I look forward to the next adventure. After a month at a rural organization in Uttarakhand called ROSE, I will make my way back to Delhi and head home on the 17th of July. I know the time I have left in India will move quickly, and I hope to make the best of it. I am also really looking forward to spending the second half of my summer at home.

Thank you to everyone I met and was able to share so many fun moments with in McLeod Ganj.
I will be thinking of all of you as we continue our travels.

All the best,
Taylor

One of the many events held in McLeod Ganj to learn about and support Tibet.

In the main temple of McLeod Ganj people walk around in a clockwise circle spinning the prayer wheels.

My friend Jake during our hike to a waterfall. One of the many spots that are strung with prayer flags.

Preparations for the Dali Lama's entrance to the Tibetan Children's Village in McLeod Ganj.

The crowd anxiously awaits the arrival of the 14th Dalai Lama. 

A beautiful water fall fed from the snow melt of the Himalayas.
Some of my friends dared to take a dip in the ice cold water and we made tea!

The sunset as we hiked back from the waterfall in Dharmkot.

A yummy Japanese dinner on our last night in McLeod Ganj with all of the great people met!

Life After Jaipur... Our Kashmir Adventures

Hello Hello!

Since leaving Jaipur, Lauren and I have been traveling in the north and ended up in the beautiful state of Kashmir for just over a week. We found Kashmir to be a really beautiful and welcoming place. After a day of bus and jeep rides we settled down in the city of Shrinagar in the famous houseboats on Dal Lake for 3 days all together. During that time we were able to explore the area with a contact I had been given by my friend Omar ji. Karam, who was our spunky tour guide in the beginning of the trip, turned out to be a real friend by the end.  We were so lucky to have Karam to show us the best of Shrinagar and share so many laughs and memories. We also got the chance to introduce him to trekking in the Himalayas of his own state, which he had never experienced before.

We all set out on a 5 day trekking trip starting in the mountain town of Naranag with a lot of determination and little knowledge of the challenges we would face along the way. The first night we camped along a beautiful river that was fed directly from the snowy mountains, which were just above us. The valley was almost completely enveloped by the mountains, and the night sky was filled with the most beautiful starry constellations I have ever seen. The next day we headed up the mountain and camped on a pasture with an outrageous view of the snow capped mountains. The panoramic view provided us with a heads up of oncoming rain and snow storms.. which were a common occurrence over our next 2 days on top of the mountain. The next big day hike was to a lake surrounded by the snowy peaks. To get there we walked many ours on another pass running along the sides of the mountains. What I did not expect was the snowy mounds we would have to cross along the way. This created a battle within myself for the rest of the day as I fought my paralysing fear of falling down the snowy slopes of the mountain. I was so lucky to have Lauren and Karam motivate and support me during this inner conflict, as well as the experienced and laid back attitude of our fantastic guide. We ended up having a really challenging and rewarding hike that day, over mountains and snow, but did not make it to our final destination. We turned back early for the long trek home, and got caught in a snow storm along the way! Our guide kept us going even through the wild weather, and we returned back to the camp by night fall.

After that day you might imagine that we were all a little worn-out. We spent a final night at the camp, desperate for warmth in the wet and cold storm, before heading back down to the river the next day. There we spent a relaxing final night and day along the river. After spending a little more time in Shrinagar, we said our farewells and took another long bus trip to McLeod Ganj, where we are currently staying. I will say that although neither of us expected to end up in Kashmir, we are so thankful for the experience. It was very interesting to compare the culture there to that of Jaipur, which had been our home for so long. It was also great to see the current state of Kashmir since many people, including ourselves, have an inaccurate perception of the state because of its controversial conflicts in the past.

With that I will cut myself off and post some of the pictures that help tell our story of Kashmir.

Wishing you all the best,
Tay

A view of the mountains when we reached the pasture to set up our base camp.

Lauren with the wonderful horses that are used to carry up the camping necessities

Lauren as we cross over a snowy mountain top!

Our calm and collected guide, Zepher, leading the way.

Sunrise on our last day at Dal Lake in Shrinagar.

Sunset when we first arrived at Dal Lake.

The small boats that transport goods and people on Dal Lake and a view of the houseboats in the distance.

The 3 Musketeers visiting the Mughal gardens.

Surprise, I'm Staying!

Hi Everyone,

For the past week all the students in the group returned to Jaipur work on our independent study papers. We spent a few rough days finishing them up and making presentations. Finally, we all presented our studies for the school and each other, and then we celebrated. :) The past few days have been very bitter sweet because I am excited for the next adventure, but so sad to leave these people and memories behind. I have to say that in such a short period of time I did not expect to make such close bonds with some of the students on the trip. Looking back on my initial perception, I don't know what I was thinking. If anything is going to bond a group of students, 3 months in India will definitely do it. Tomorrow I am leaving with my friend Lauren for Delhi, and many of the students have already left to catch their flights back home.

As I pack and reminisce, I know I must take time to reflect on the past 3 months. I will be spending time writing down stories and moments that I do not want to ever forget. In the past month of ISP all of the students have faced some immense challenges. From working with translators, traveling to unknown places, and conducting independent research for the first time. I am so proud and impressed with how much everyone accomplished and how much we have all been able to learn from each others experiences. During ISP I also had to make some decisions about the rest of my summer. After a lot of deep thought and conversations with friends and family, I decided to follow my instincts and stay in India longer then I had originally planned. I am traveling with friends for one month in the north, and then I will be staying with families and volunteering at different farms until July 17th, when I will fly home to my family for the rest of the summer. I have been so happy during my time in India, and since I had the option to stay, I didn't feel like I could give it up. There is so much more that I can learn in India, and I would like to keeping growing in this country, culture, and environment for as long as I can.

Tonight there are so many thoughts and emotions running through my head as this chapter of India comes to a close, and another begins. Therefore, I would like to keep it short and share some of my favorite memories over the past few weeks with you all through pictures.

Thank you all for continuing to read about my experiences here. I miss you all and would not have been able to make this decisions without the support I have received from all of you. As I journey back into the mountains I do not know how often I will be able to blog or have access to the internet. The posts will probably be a little less frequent, but I will try to write updates when I find internet cafe's.

Sending my love to you all,
TayTay

Two little girls that I met on a morning walk in Chamoli. 

A group of kids with a lot of personality who I met at a dam protest in Chamoli. 

The cake for my going-away party at my advisor's office in Dehradun.
Thank you so much JP and Channel Mountain Communications!
I miss you all so much.

Time to dig in! So tasty!

Back in Jaipur...  A beautiful view in the pink city.

Got Chai?

Hellooo lovelies,

As I write this post I am nearing the end of my 1 month independent study. In the last week I will mostly be writing my paper and completing a few last minute interviews. Since I have not written a blog post in a little while, I wanted to start by describing a typical day in Dehradun, which is where I live when I am not in the mountains. :)

I have been living in the guesthouse of a local NGO here called RLEK. Everyday I wake up in a room I share with 1 or 2 other students from my trip, depending on there schedules. Then we each take turns getting ready for the day and discussing our plans. We go downstairs for breakfast, which is served at the NGO, and then I leave to take my daily journey to my advisors office. My advisor, JP Panwar, is the head of a local media organization called Channel Mountain Communications, and his office is across the city and about an hour ride from the guesthouse. 

I walk to the main road and get on my first shared taxi of the day, which are called Vikrams. I take this to another place where I catch a different shared taxi the rest of the way to the office. In the beginning I would often pick the wrong taxi and end up in a different part of the city. This is one example of how dependent we can be on the kindness of strangers in India. Luckily, people always respond to this need, especially in Dehradun, which I have found to be particularly welcoming and friendly. Once I am guided to the correct Vikram, by a driver or passenger, all is well. Now I have gotten the hang of this morning journey and can relax and enjoy whatever new experiences come my way. I often talk to women who get on the taxi and want to know where I am from and what I am doing in here. Some ask me why I am in India, their children all want to go to America! ;) I laugh and tell them I love India and I am learning so much here. Most mornings are a great opportunity to practice hindi, and for the other passengers to practice their english. It is a good trade-off. 

I look forward to the daily adventure to and from the office, most of all for the opportunity to observe and interact with the local people here. Everyday I pass by fresh fruit and vegetable stands, metal making shops, wood carving, tailors, children in uniforms going to school, people going to work, and so much more. It is a great way to familiarize myself with the city. Near my office there are even fields of fruit trees, wheat, and vegetables that people are harvesting everyday. And of course, from anywhere in Dehradun, you can see the foothills of the himalayas in the distance. 

Speaking of the mountains, I have made a few more trips up to Tehri and other areas to collect data for my study on the Tehri dam. I recently went with a friend of JP's for a few days and collected many interviews and observations of the areas all around the Tehri dam and reservoir site. This was a very successful and eye-opening visit, and it was very hard to tear myself away from the mountain communities and return to Dehradun. I am lucky that Thapliyal ji was so well connected to the communities there, because his family is from the Tehri district, and he able to set up so many valuable interviews for me. During our drives through the mountains he also shared a lot of local knowledge and stories with me that he had learned from growing up in the mountains. We also shared jokes along the way as we formed a friendship, many of which revolved around Chai. Since many people offer you chai when you meet with them, we probably drank close to ten cups a day. Thapliyal ji cannot get enough chai, and always welcomes another cup. Meanwhile, I was beginning to reach my limits, and he made this into a joke by always asking me if we should stop for some more chai. :)

As this journey in Uttarakhand continues for one more week, I am feeling tired but determined to finish out the semester strong. After meeting so many people and seeing so many places that are still affected by this dam project, I feel a strong emotional investment to create a good study for all the people I have met along the way. 

I will write again once I return to Jaipur!

Sending my best thoughts and wishes back to all of you,

Taylor

A typical day of film editing in my advisors office. Everyone loveees to pose for pictures.

Then they turned the camera on me... working hard, or hardly working? 

On my first day back to Tehri my translator and I visited the community I had met on my first trip here.
I was so fortunate to have the chance to see them again and interview some of the women.

This dog has the right idea. A great place to relax and enjoy the view.

A view of the Tehri dam from the other side as we made our first trip around the reservoir.

A new view of the deepest and widest part of the reservoir.
Here you can see the top of the tallest building in what used to be Old Tehri Town.
One of many haunting images we saw that day.

Our driver enjoying a drink from one of the fresh mountain springs.

My wonderful translator who now feels like yet another one of the many Indian fathers I have acquired.
Thapliyal ji was born and raised in the mountains of Tehri Gahrwal.

We were lucky enough to see one of the native nomadic communities of Uttarakhand,
 migrating into the mountains for  the summer.