Team Leader Training

I just finished my Team Leader training! I traveled to Chicago and for two days learned all of the ins and outs of organizing and leading a trip. I met some amazing people and got some terrific ideas (I am also finally going to get to try deep dish pizza).

I have to be honest though, lately I have been questioning whether or not leading a trip was a good idea. It is ALOT of work. And I have to be sure I don't go into it with expectations of recreating the experience I had on my last trip. But, having gone through the training and having met some other team leaders and hearing their stories, I am now positive that this is a great idea. Every time I meet people involved in these trips and hear their stories it reinforces the reasons I was interested in Habitat in the first place.  

Right now the only issue I am struggling with is whether or not to invite people I am friends with along on the trip. While I would love to have my best friends by my side and experience this amazing adventure with them, I also don't want to neglect the other team members or give the appearance of favoritism or cliques forming within the group. Because I know my friends and I know how hard it is for me not to be "that Joe" when they are around. Although, I was able to ask some other leaders with more experience than me what they thought and got some great advice. So I think now I will be able to make a more responsible decision about it.

India 2008 here I come!

Here comes the sun... I think

Sunrise through the smog at Delhi airport.

It's acceptable...

We were tooling along the highway one night in our stlyin' van, heading back to Delhi from Bawana. The traffic was particularly rough this night and our driver was doing all that he could to get us home in a decent amount of time. Up ahead, we could see that all traffic had come to a standstill due to an accident or some other possible water buffalo / wild blue ox incident. Without hesitating, our driver calmly swerved across the median and into oncoming traffic. This immediately caused some concern among the Westerners, for whom driving into oncoming traffic is usually frowned upon.

"Um, Amit?" one of us posed to our Indian handler, "We're driving on the wrong side of the road here. I mean, it'd be the right side of the road if we were in America, but really, is this a good idea?"

Without looking up, Amit coolly replied in his perfect Queen's English, "Oh, it's acceptable, perfectly acceptable given the circumstances."

I'd like to say we all breathed a sigh of relief, but the whole "driving on the wrong side of the road into crazy Indian drivers thing" kept us all awake and focused on our driver's exploits until we returned to the relative safety of the proper lane.

From there on in, "It's acceptable" would be the phrase attributed to any Indian custom that would be viewed as dangerous, or even crazy, by our prudish Western standards.

Updating the Blog

Since the internet connection in India was so sketchy, I am still updating the blog. I will post stories as I write them. I have a little over 2000 photos to sort from the whole team as well. I added a slideshow and a video link on the right. Below are the direct links to all of the photos and all of the videos I have uploaded so far. Enjoy.

Click here for Pictures
Click here for Videos

Leaving India Behind

The last two weeks have been a blur. I am writing this while on the plane home and can scarcely believe that my experience in India is over. Saying goodbye to everyone on the team was incredibly difficult. I still have a lot to process and I am pretty emotional about it. It doesn't help that Eric is sitting four seats in front of me and keeps sending the stewardess back with drinks.

After leaving Bawana and saying goodbye to the children and families, we took a long bus trip to Jaipur for some overnight sightseeing. The bus ride was a grueling eight hours long. My team members were not happy about it. The bus was very cramped and uncomfortable and the stress of driving in Indian traffic is something you can only fathom after experiencing it. But the funny thing is, I loved it. I didn't want the bus trip to end. I kept hoping there'd be more traffic and delays to keep us from arriving at our destination. I had the most incredible conversations on that bus and learned so many things about myself and my friends on the team. If I couldn't be in Bawana, entertaining the kids and working hard to help the families there, I just wanted to be alone with my friends.

From the friendly ribbing of each other Mark and I enjoyed, to playing the name game with Jennifer and making her smile, from the deep philosophical theories Grace and I discussed, to the occasional gut-busting joke or story from Frank and Carlos, there simply wasn't enough time on that small, bouncy, mosquito-ridden deathtrap for me to soak it all in. I was pretty surly once we arrived and throughout all of the sightseeing. It wasn't fair to the others and I tried to cheer up, but it was hard, knowing that the end of our time together was fast approaching. The elephant rides, touring of palaces and shopping in exotic marketplaces all seemed like annoyances which kept me from enjoying the precious few moments I had left with this group of strangers I had become so tightly bonded to. All the while I was hoping we'd be piling back onto that bus for another long trip together. We eventually did, and again it came and went too quickly.

In your jeans...

Frank was the first team member I met in India. He's a 68-year-old Indian-American who grew up in the Indian city of Goa before moving the United States in the late sixties. A few of us were waiting for the bus to take us to Bawana one morning after breakfast. I was practicing my Hindi on Nivita, and making her laugh/cry with my mispronunciations. I had been flipping through the medical section of Frank's Hindi dictionary and was having a blast switching the word "dost," which means friend, for the word "dust," which means diarrhea. You can see how much fun that would be. During a break in the hilarity, Frank spoke up and very seriously said, "You know it's funny, but diarrhea is hereditary." We all stopped laughing and were earnestly waiting for Frank to expound on this fascinating idea when he came back with the kicker. Giggling to himself, as he always does when delivering a punch line, he said "Yes, you always find it in your jeans." It took a second before we even realized the joke (jeans/genes), but he had us in tears with that one. It's not so much his material as it is his delivery. He can't help but laugh himself before he gets the joke out. It's so endearing, that any joke he tells, no matter how corny, soon has the whole team cracking up.

Nevertheless...

After delivering my thought of the day, I was very happy knowing that I got the chance to express how I felt about my friends while they were there with me. Amit wasn't able to join us that morning, but when we met him later for dinner he insisted that I read the entire tribute again. And once again the tears flowed. Eric was very sweet and said that since I was the only one who wasn't toasted in the thought that they should go around the table adding one word each to a thought about me. I was very embarrassed as they went around because they were saying such nice things about me. That is, of course, until they got to Cobie, who, just as my toast reached a crescendo of appreciation, cracked everyone up with her classic addition of the word "Nevertheless." I love that woman.

My Thought of the Day

Our group leader, Anne, had us start each work day with a thought or quote from one of the team members. I presented my thought of the day on the last day we worked together as a team in Bawana. I spent a few days working on it and I was very nervous on the day I read it in front of the team. I didn't intend on making anyone emotional, but the tears started flowing right after I began reading the first entry and pretty soon there wasn't a dry eye in the house. This is what I read:

"My thought of the day is not so much a thought, but a quick summary of the things I appreciate most about my team members.

Anne- None of us would be here if it weren't for you, but more importantly, none of us would have enjoyed this experience nearly as much as we did if it weren't for you. Not only did you so expertly pick a team that would work together as smoothly and enjoyably as we have, but you deftly took care of every single emergency that arose. All the while dealing with the same difficulties each of us were experiencing, from the physical challenges to the emotional ones. You have a grace and strength of character that I am in awe of and I hope we will remain good friends.

Eric- With a heart as big yours it'd be hard to write anything but good things about you. From the first bear hug, I knew that you and I would be friends. You have this terrific sense of wonder about things and an excellent moral compass. And your sincerity is something that I will always admire. I know you will accomplish a lot of good in the world.

Kristin- I don't know if I could have made it through some days had it not been for you. I was able to draw strength from you on more than one occasion just by slyly walking along behind you and listening to you softly singing to yourself. The warm tones of your voice and your sweet demeanor helped me keep it together and every time we spoke I left liking you more. I sincerely hope you don't keep your incredible talent to yourself for much longer. Everyone deserves to enjoy it.

Frank- Your humor is infectious and I hope your spirit is as well. Your devotion to your homeland, your willingness to laugh at yourself and your continuing service to those in need are qualities I will always strive toward. Without you and Nivita, my Hindi would never have gotten past "Namasté". I honestly don't want to know a day without one of your jokes and returning to a life devoid of that is going to be incredibly difficult. You embody everything good I hope to become as a man.

Nivita- From your first post on the team blog, I knew we were lucky to have you on the team. Sure, we may have gotten by ok without your help, but having you with us added so many layers of enjoyment to the experience. Your knowledge of your homeland's language, history and customs more than anything else made me feel like I really learned something deep about the country I was visiting. Your intelligence, thoughtfulness and strength of will are in indirect proportion to the size of your bladder. Shukria sundur lurkee.

Carlos- A man of a few words, but of much heart. I never saw you complain, no matter how frustrating our work became, you just flashed that ear-to-ear grin of yours and did what was asked of you. The benefit of someone who is a Habitat veteran. Every pitfall we encountered was just a chance for you to tell another funny story. Your homespun wisdom and humor has served you and your children well and it was impossible to be discouraged by anything, water buffalo and wild blue ox included, with you around.

Cobie- Not since college has anyone challenged me to think and act at a higher level than you. I feel more intelligent and in touch with myself after every conversation we have, no matter the subject or seriousness. If you knew my mother and asked her what I've most wanted my whole life she'd quickly tell you "A big sister". Thanks for letting me enjoy that wish for these two weeks. Your father's legacy is incredible and something you should be proud of and it's second only to the legacy you yourself will leave.

Grace- I never minded waiting for you. Because I knew soon after you'd arrive it wouldn't be long before I'd get to hear you laugh. And you have such a beautiful laugh. So honest, sincere and straight from your heart. Much like I believe you live your life. Honestly, I am not a very funny person, I just try harder when you are around so that I can hear you laugh. You are the first woman I've ever met who can match me on any act of bravado. You're at once tough, sweet, caring, brave and intrepid.

Jennifer- If I made a list of all the things that exemplified the coolest woman in the world, you'd hit all the marks. Adventurous? Check. Love the outdoors? Check. Love animals? Check. Independent? Check. I could go on all day. Meeting you was like seeing the Loch Ness monster or encountering Bigfoot. I'd always wanted to believe that the myth was true and now I have proof. The coolest woman in the world does exist, she lives in Winter Park, Colorado.

Mark- My eating and drinking buddy. No situation phases you, you simply drive on with a devil-may-care attitude and a thirst for new experiences. The fact that you chose to do good while on this adventure makes you that much more of an inspiration. Your heart is as hardy and as bottomless as your stomach. I didn't know your father, but I am sure he would be proud of you. Just as I am proud to call you a friend.

Sam- As a doctor and volunteer, you do so much good on a daily basis, you must have Kharma to spare. But, here you are doing even more, working so far from your husband and children. You are the epitome of someone who is defined by the incredible amount of positivity they put back into the world. And you do it all with a concern for others, a warm nature and impressive style. You're as selfless as you are stylish. A diva of goodwill.

Adam- You are a man of many talents, the least of which being your talent for making friends. You came late to the team, but quickly endeared yourself to us. I enjoyed every conversation we had and look forward to many more, because I definitely plan on maintaining our friendship, Guv'nor.

Amit- Your diligence, dedication to your job and intelligence have humbled me. No matter the situation, I know everyone always felt better once Amit arrived, knowing he would take care of whatever problem had arisen with his typical tact and thoroughness. And when you weren't there your influence remained. "What would Amit do?" always worked when we needed guidance. You are a model man, a model Indian and a model Christian. Dhanyawaad.

Ram, Gaur, Martin, Lal Singh, Dillip and Aokokla- Coming to a country as strange and foreign to me as India was difficult. But, meeting all of you each morning and seeing your smiling faces made it as easy as it could possibly be. I worked hard to impress you and made every effort to show you how much you were appreciated, mainly because that's what you did for me. The caring and compassion you showed us has most definitely made a lasting impression on me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your patience and understanding. Bahut bahut dhanyawaad.

Thank you, I am a better man having met you all."

Off to Jaipur

We had to say goodbye to the kids yesterday. It was really tough. When our bus left, it was swarmed with kids, it was very emotional. It was like we were the Beatles or something. A lot of the kids were crying and so were a few of us. Beforehand, I was able to take a few of the boys who I became close with aside and explain to them in Hindi that my work was done and that I would be back next year. They understood. I gave each one of them one of the magic tricks I had been doing for them. The Habitat leaders here are very excited that I want to lead a group back next year and it looks like that will definitely happen.

Today we go to Jaipur for sightseeing and stay over the night and then head back tomorrow.

I will post more pictures and videos soon.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday Larry!

Almost over...

Tomorrow is our last work day and I am pretty sad about it. Today, I fed all the stray dogs I saw with beef jerky. It made me feel a little better. All of the kids know me by name now and come out to say hello and see if I have any new magic tricks. It is going to be hard to say goodbye to them. I am pretty sure that I am going to lead a Habitat group back to Bawana this time next year.

Lal Singh, my supervisor, is so proud of my Hindi that he introduces me to every adult he knows and has me talk with them. I can pretty much have a real basic conversation and can understand directions at the work site.

We're all going to Pizza Hut in a little while and we are VERY excited about it. We're just a little sick of Indian food today.

I uploaded some more pics and here's a new video.

New Pictures, they are at the bottom of the gallery.

Yawn... cough

We've been sightseeing for the last two days. BOOOORRRRRRIIIINNNNNGGGGGGGG. The Taj Mahal trip was fun though because I met a bunch of school kids on a day trip and spent a half an hour entertaining them. Indian kids just love me. I will post some boring touristy pictures tomorrow. I was pretty surly the whole time because I wanted to be back in Bawana actually DOING something instead of walking around looking at old buildings.

To make matters worse, we only worked a half day today because pretty much the whole team has gotten sick. The bus sounds like a thyphoid ward for all the coughing. The only thing that made my day worth anything was the chance I got to cuddle a baby that has been sitting at my work site. He's been sick and cries alot and when his grandma wasn't looking I snatched him up and was able to stop his crying. Then I got his grandma to give him some water and she took him in out of the sun. Unfortunately, I couldn't do the same for a puppy that was walking around on his own today and that is really bothering me now. The "girls" took me shopping with them to cheer me up and it worked, that along with a Majahara Mac from McDonalds.

I will try to post more tomorrow. Chow for now.

New posts and video

I had chance to catch up on my posts, Sorry for the delays. Check out the new video and pics below. The new pics are at the end of the India album I created.

Pictures

Video

Water Buffalo!

Our van hit a water buffalo last night. Actually, it may not have been a water buffalo, but it was huge and it pretty much demolished the front of our van and then took off into the woods seemingly unfazed. We were all exhausted and were heading back to the hotel after work when it happened. We spent the next three hours on the side of the road out in the middle of nowhere waiting for another van to come pick us up. Luckily, somehow, nobody was hurt. The toughest thing was escorting the girls across the road when nature called. The trucks and buses out on these rural roads are ruthless. Sitting there for three hours we saw two more close calls when more "water buffalos" tried to cross the street as well. When we finally made it home, a few of the more hardy souls still managed to make it out for dinner and drinks. After that experience, we really needed it.

Goat in a Coat

If you are ever out for dinner in India, make sure you find out if the mutton on the menu is sheep or goat. It can mean both and it depends on the restaurant. It's not that I mind the taste of goat so much, but I pass a cute goat in a coat every day and wouldn't be able to look him in the eye if I had chowed down on his cousin the night before. I finally settled on the Tandoori Chicken, but after I ordered, the waiter became a little agitated and explained to Nivita, one of our Hindi speakers, that I had ordered the whole chicken and not the half. He was afraid that it would be too much chicken for me. Too much chicken for me? "What a ridiculous thing to say," I thought. I was a little insulted, but I went with his recommendation and got the half chicken. When our food came, I realized that the full chicken would have been a walk in the park. I felt like I let my team, my country for that matter, down. But, after we all sampled each other's meals I was able to present the waiter with more than a full chicken's worth of remains on my plate at the end of the meal. USA! USA! USA!

Tough Crowd

I am starting to understand now why it's been so hard to get the kids to laugh at some of my tricks. They are just not used to an adult trying to entertain them. My friend Frank, who was born in India, explained that to me and said they are all just trying to figure out what the hell I am doing throwing bricks up in the air and shooting water out of my mouth like an elephant. Now though, they see me and know it won't be long until I do something silly and it's great to be greeted by the same kids everyday. I actually don't want to go on the sightseeing tour they have set up for us this weekend because I am afraid the kids will be looking for me at work. But, I've been pretty sick since the day I left New York and I think I need a day or two without digging to get my strength back.

Paagal Joe

I saw two little girls riding an old bike by our base the other day. They had to stop every few feet because the chain on the bike was loose and kept falling off. Luckily, I had my Leatherman on me and was able to convince them in Hindi to let me have a look. Pretty soon I was surrounded by kids trying to figure out what Paagal Joe, as I am now known, was doing. It was an easy fix and you'd have thought I turned water into wine by the kids' reaction. That was the best part of my day.

My Day Rate

The next day was a regular build day and I moved to a new site where my expertise digging septic tanks was specifically requested. This made me very proud because like I said before, it's tough getting compliments out of these guys. Every day I ask my construction supervisor how many rupees I was worth that day. The standard rate for a laborer is 100 rupees a day. It took me three days to get up to 50 rupees! But now, as I become more skilled at using that crazy Indian shovel, I am fast approaching 100.

With the help of my friends Frank and Nivita, my Hindi is really improving. I can greet someone, ask how they are doing and tell them that I have to go to work now. I also have a few more phrases that are useful around the worksite and are good for getting laughs like " I am thirsty", "I am exhausted" and "I am very strong". Though the kids get the biggest laughs from my pronunciation. I am still working on the head and hand gestures though. I almost have them down.

Babies in a Basket

Our visit to the Children's Home was heartbreaking. Most of the kids were on a field trip the day we arrived so the only ones we had a chance to visit with were the babies and the ones with developmental problems. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the facility, but it was very impressive. The place was spotless and staffed with some very attentive and caring men and women. There was one courtyard where all the babies and toddlers were taken out to during the day. They were all crawling and scooting around on walkers. Most of them had developmental problems or chronic health issues, but they were all smiling and happy to see us. A good number of these little ones were left in a basket at the door of the home by parents who couldn't, or didn't want to, care for them. The good news is that there is a long line of Indian people and foreigners who are waiting to adopt them.

The second half of the day we poured concrete and set the roof of a house further along in construction. Until now we had only been working in teams of three or four, so it was fun to have all eleven of us working together on one site. It was pretty crazy though. We were all spread out up this shaky two story scaffolding made of bamboo and lashed together with twine. We had to work very fast to pass the heavy pans of concrete from the mixer up to the roof so it could be spread by the mason before it hardened. It was nuts, but we got it done in record time and not a single one of us fell off the scaffold.

Muhje peeth dard hai! (I have a backache)

Hello everyone.

We are visiting a Children's Home today, so I have some extra time. I am going to upload 30 of the 200 pictures I have taken so far. Thanks for all of the emails and comments. It's nice to know you guys are interested in what I am doing.

My day starts around 6:45am. I get up and meet the team for breakfast. Then we make the hour drive to Bawana, where we are working. We have a little briefing and then head out to the worksite.

The children are fascinated by us and follow us everywhere. At the work site we attract a huge crowd. Kids through the day and then adults when they get home from work. My Hindi is just bad enough to make them laugh but still have them understand me. My juggling is getting better, but it's hard to come up with new material everyday. It cracks the kids up when I stop working and hand the shovel to them and say "Aapke pari" which means "Your turn." Or when I refer to my co-worker as "Paagal hati gaykhan" which means "Crazy elephant ears." She responds by calling me "Paagal naag" which means "Crazy cobra."

We've been digging alot for the septic tank and the foundation. The only tool available to me for this is an Indian shovel. I sent a picture of it. It is killing me. I almost got the technique down though. After two days of breaking my back I finally got a compliment from the local worker, Ishjihad. He said, "He is a hard worker, you tell him to dig and he does not stop." That made my day.

As hard as it is for me to deal with the incredible poverty these kids live in, I mean the little ones don't even have diapers, they just go around pantsless, it's really hard for me to deal with the stray animals. Little puppies and dogs and cats and kittens are everywhere. Two things that have been fucking me lately are passing the same dead dog everyday on the way to my worksite and finding a baby mouse while I was digging that I thought was dead and seeing it reach out to me after I picked it up. It's been pretty tough.

But, I can make the kids laugh very easily and even some of the adults, so I can push the feelings down for a bit and get through the day. The people are very appreciative of us being here, so that helps.

The Indian people in general are very warm and welcoming. They'll just chat you up as you walk down the street. Either to practice their English or just to find out about you.

I have to go now. Like I said before, the internet is spotty, so I will post again when I can. More pictures to follow. Keep the emails and comments coming, they really help.

Namasté


Link to some pictures

Cute movie

You can't even imagine...

Hi everyone. I have to make this quick because I am late for the bus as it is. The internet here is very sketchy, so I can't post as much as I'd like right now. Worked all day yesterday digging septic tanks. You can't even imagine the things I have seen, just on the first day. The image of a baby playing in trash has been with me all night. These people literally live in a landfill and the children are everywhere. They are beautiful and I spent more time juggling and trying to make them laugh than I did digging, much to the dismay of my supervisor. But I still dug the deepest pit AND won a pushup contest afterwards. I will post more and send pictures later.

Special holiday deal for you sir!

Ok, solved the computer issue. Pictures will be coming soon. The first pictures will be of the family of stray cats that have managed to find me. A mother and four kittens. I am surprised it took me this long to attract them, it must be the time difference.

The stray animal situation here is heart-breaking, they are everywhere. But, there are even more stray people. I didn't walk 100 yards from the hostel before I was mobbed with beggars. And not your typical beggars either. These were mainly young mothers thrusting their babies into my arms asking for money. I quickly ducked into a mini-cab and was taken on whirlwind tour of the local shopping emporiums where everyone had a special deal for me because of the holiday. It took a lot of self-control, but I resisted their wares.

I have orientation in about 15 minutes, so I have to run. I will try to get the pictures up as soon as I can.

The Eagle has landed

Hi all. Got in late last night / early this morning. Still a bit out of it. The internet situation is a little sketchy right now, so I can't upload any pictures just yet, but I will figure it out soon.

Everything is pretty surreal for me right now. The flight wasn't great, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The food was terrific though. Heathrow was an absolute nightmare. It was a non-stop flight, but we had to de-plane and then go through London security and get back on the plane. The plane was late coming in so we barely had enough time to do it all. Me and about fifty other passengers from New York had to sprint through the airport and out on to the tarmac to make our flight. All I saw of London was the security line and the runway. Not a Fish or Chip in sight.

I met a girl named Gaya on the flight. She actually works in advertising too, for Gray. She gave me plenty of tips on the culture, for instance, you should never eat food with your left hand, it's bad manners. Gaya also helped me out with some foods to try while here and Delhi and some night spots to hit. Oh, I am hooked on Bollywood movies now as well. So cool.

New Delhi itself is pretty intense. After de-planing I was hit with an hours-long line to get through customs. The whole time there's this hint of a sulfur-like smell in the air. I just figured it was jetfuel or something. Once I left the airport and met with Amit, my contact here, I found out that the smell, the acrid burning smell, is always present. There is a haze that envelops everything, real heavy pollution.

The ride from the airport was an experience in itself. Traffic lights and road lines are apparently just suggestions here. I felt like I stepped into a scene from Blade Runner at one point. There are these HUGE vehicles that look exactly like cargo containers on wheels which just barrel down the road and everyone else just does what they can to get out of the way. Because of the Diwali festival, they are covered in tinsel and lights. They make a very interesting sight. The headlights cut long white sabers into the haze as they fly along the road their horns blaring nonstop.

The YMCA is pretty bare bones. It is clean though. I will upload pictures when I can. The rest of today is for orientation and then some sightseeing later on. Hopefully, I will find some wireless internet access somewhere soon.

Thanks for all your emails and comments. Please keep them coming. Talk to you soon.

Namaste.

Still here...

Stuck on the runway with my new friend Gaya. She said she is going to teach me Hindi.

Signing off

Ok. On the plane and signing off for now. Next stop London. Namaste!

Pitstop

Too much Guinness.

One for the road

Beers with teammate Warme.

Our fearless (blurry) leader

Met up with Anne, our group leader.

Bored

I am REALLY early.

Make a Duty...

Through security and 'making a stop at the duty free shop'. Tequila anyone?

No line?

The nice people at the Air India desk got me checked real quick. No line at all. Maybe my flight will be empty.

I'm off!

On the way to the airport. Lots of traffic, but I got plenty of time. We had to stop twice though to secure the front passenger door. It has a habit of opening on its own apparently.

Almost gone

Chino checks my bags while I wait for the car service.

Beard-B-Gone

At approximately 4am this morning, the pro-beard forces lost their valiant fight against the clean-shaven alliance. A deal was struck, hence the new goatee. (Sorry Christine, I held out as long as I could.) Maybe this will only "age" me half as much...

Pretty slick for a blind cat

Chino tries to trick me into packing him too.

To beard or not to beard

Thinking about losing the beard. I read somewhere that it would command respect in India, but it's starting to bug me. Plus a friend of mine recently said that it "ages" me. She's usually a jerk like that, but still that stung a little. I think it may have to go. Now the only question is Handlebar or Mutton Chops?

Shopaholic

Ok, I went a little crazy at Target. Most of you know my compulsion with always being prepared. But, the upside is I am set for Beef Jerky for a few years now. I still have to pack, but I have everything organized and I have the rest of the week to take care of the last remaining errands. Here's a pic after my shopping binge:

New Gadgets and Old Friends

So, everyone knows that I don't need much of an excuse to buy another gadget. But, I think this one will definitely come in handy. It's an Ultra-Violet Handheld Water Purifier. I can't resist those damn Amazon.com specials. I read up on it and it's gotten some great reviews. Plus, I can use it when I go hiking and camping. I am always fighting the urge to drink from the Delaware River on our annual rafting trip and now I can! So with any luck, this new little toy should help keep me from experiencing any "discomfort" while I'm in India.

And now I have one more reason to stay healthy while on my trip. I just found out that my good friend Jeff Puls will be touring India the same time I will be there. Jeff and I worked and roomed together when I worked as a firefighter at the Grand Canyon. Jeff became a paramedic recently and since the season is over he's taking a month to bum around India, starting in Bangalore ("bum" is the key word there). Hopefully, we'll be able to meet up in Delhi and raise some hell. I can't wait.

About the Water Purifier
Great picture of Jeff

No More $#@&%* Shots!

I am all done with my vaccinations! I'm inoculated against so many diseases right now I could probably drink a glass of "water" from the East River with no ill effects. I'm not that brave though.

Next on the agenda is to prepare my shopping/packing list. Powerbars, beef jerky and hand sanitizer have all been heartily recommended by friends who've been to India already. I will probably stick some of my beloved Chunky bars in there and some Peanut Butter as well. And I may pick up some MREs too, just in case I want to take a break from the local cuisine. The "Spaghetti with Meat Sauce" was always a favorite of mine, I guess I didn't get enough of them when I was in the Army. One of the best things I learned in the service was how to make "Ranger Pudding" from the MRE Hot Cocoa packets, that and how to thrust a bayonet in between someone's second and third ribs without getting it stuck in the bone. You know, practical stuff that I can use at my desk job.

All about MREs
Ranger Pudding Recipe

Shutterbugging You

My waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof camera just arrived! I am very excited and cannot wait to start taking pictures with it. Soon I will be boring you with meaningless images in addition to meaningless text.

P.S. I can't believe I'm going to India.

Camera Description

Yoga and Yellow Fever

The school where I study mixed martial arts just started offering Yoga classes. I thought taking one every week would be another great way to start familiarizing myself with the Indian culture. I had my first one this morning and it was quite an experience.

Picture four burly guys of questionable character shaking and straining to hold the Upward Facing Dog while the four-foot-nothing Yoga instructor folds herself into a pretzel with ease. It was tough and humbling. The Pigeon elicited the most grunts of pain. If everyone in India is as flexible as this instructor seemed, I will be seriously impressed.

I made the final appointment for my vaccinations and afterwards I think my wallet will be smarting as much as my arms will. Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis and Rabies are not covered under my medical insurance and the combined total for the shots will be over $500. But, of course the alternative could be spending some time in an Indian hospital with Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis or Rabies. Not much of an option here.

Related Yoga Story

The Amazing Human Pin Cushion

Just a sampling of the shots I got today for my upcoming trip:

• Typhoid
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Polio

And not all of them were in my arm mind you! I still have to get vaccinated for Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies, Tetanus and the Flu. There better be some appreciative damn Indians greeting me when I land over there.

Like Juice?

"Hello, I'd like to make a reservation for dinner tonight."

"You what you want?" (heavy Indian accent)

"I'd like to come there for dinner tonight, do I need a reservation?"

"You need reservation for dinner."

"Ok, great can I get a reservation for tonight at 8:15?"

"You need name for reservation."

"Ok, my name is Joe."

"George?"

"No, Joe. J-O-E."

"Like juice?"

"Um... yes, I do like juice."

"Like juice, like juice. J-U..."

"No, no, no. JOE. J-O-E."

"Ok, ok, Joe, Joe. What you number?"

"347..."

"Area code, what you area code?"

"That is the area code. 347"

"Ok, ok what you number?"

"With the area code or just the number?"

"Ok, ok come at 8 we see you at 8."

"8:15"

"Yes, yes, 8 ok" (click)

India on the Big Screen

Coincidentally, there are two movies out right now that feature trips through India. Outsourced, about programmer from Seattle who has to travel to India to train his replacement, and The Darjeeling Limited, a Wes Anderson film about three American brothers who have not spoken to each other in a year who set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other. Nobody from the team can make it, so I am going to check them out on my own before I leave.

Ugh...

Ok, after many, many hours and two miserable sweaty trips to the Indian Consulate, I finally have my Visa. They gave me an Entry Visa as opposed to a Tourist Visa because I'll be working for an aid agency I guess, but it'll work just fine. Once I get my shots I will be 100% good to go. I am sure that will be a fun experience as well.

Hurry Up And Wait!

I've been told to be prepared to deal with the Indian perception of time, which is most different than Western perception. Apparently, things don't move along so smoothly in chronological order in India. It's more like layers of things happening concurrently. I got a little taste of that this morning while I waited three hours to get my visa processed. It wasn't too bad, and nobody there seemed perturbed by the delay, so I just went along with it. It just sucks that I had to miss my karate class. And I still have to go back at 4:30 to pick it up! This is going to be interesting.

I'm in!

I had my final interview today and I was officially invited to join the team for the trip to India. As soon as I got to work I bought my plane ticket. It was the most expensive ticket I ever bought, so that stung a little, but I am sure it will be worth it. Now all I have to do is get a visa, get some vaccinations and pack!

India

I've signed on with Habitat for Humanity and Global Village to travel to New Delhi, India for two weeks to help build homes for some poor families. We will be helping families in Bawana, an urban slum on the fringe of the city. I've never been to India. My only real international trip was to Italy in February of this year. I am going to use this blog to chronicle the experience.