Delhi Day 2

I was so excited about breakfast which is odd for me because I am not a breakfast person.

Taj Mahal here we come. We were going to go to the Taj Mahal for the sunrise but it had rained and was cloudy.

 When we arrived I was in shock, I couldn't believe where I was. As you entered into the grounds of the Taj Mahal everywhere you looked was exquisite.

The Taj Mahal was built by  Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage. The construction began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen.

I cant find the words to explain this incredible experience so I am just going to post a lot of pictures. It rained here and it made the experience even more memorable.

                                                                 This guy asked us to take a picture with him and his baby! 

                                                                They make you feel like a celebrity.

 

Playing in the rain in India is so much fun. I took so many pictures and I will treasure them forever.

We left the Taj Mahal sopping wet and went to the Red Fort. Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort. It is rumored that Shah Jahan died in Musamman Burj,  a tower with a marble balcony with a view of the Taj Mahal.

                                                                                 This staircase was hard to see and we tried to go up it but the guards said we couldn't.

 

After the Red Fort we went to lunch at another fantastic restaurant.

I loved the doorman's outfit at the restaurant we went to, I just had to get a picture with him.

After lunch we went to a rug store and watch them make rugs by hand. I will never look at hand made rugs the same way again. It takes months for one person to make a little rug and years for the larger ones...

Delhi Day 1

I woke up at 2 a.m. to get ready to leave for Delhi. We left Rising Star around 3 a.m. and arrived at the airport around 5:00 a.m. and had two hours before our plane left. A few of us decided we were hungry and went to find food. Derek and I decided to share a chicken sandwich... Long story short we survived we didn't get sick but I certainly wouldn't recommend it.

After our plane ride we got on a tour bus and road around Delhi. We stopped and got on rickshaws and road them around old Delhi into the spice market. Just when I thought driving in a car was dangerous a rickshaw added into that traffic was interesting. It was raining so I left my camera on the bus. Leaving my camera proved to be a bad decision. There was beauty all around that I wanted to capture it on camera, luckily others in our group brought theirs. The spice market had so many different smells and colors. I bought some spices, now I just need to learn how to cook with them. 

                    Old Delhi is a photographers dream so many unique and beautiful places to take pictures.

We stopped off at a temple that was in the middle of an ally filled with shops. I am always surprised at where things are located, they seem so random and out of place sometimes. The doorway and inside of the temple was beautiful. I guess that's why we have the saying don't judge a book by its cover.

We went back to the tour bus and headed to lunch. We went to a marvelous  restaurant that served Indian food. I was so happy to taste the spices of India and not just have it be hot . Again on the outside this restaurant looked like it belonged in India but on the inside it felt like you were in the USA other than the staff was a lot kinder.

                                                                       The restaurant we ate at

Outside the restaurant there was a snake charmer. I still hate snakes but after this trip they hopefully wont freak me out as bad...

                                          This snake is a Cobra but it didn't move around very much

 We then drove six hours to Agra. We stayed in a magnificent hotel. We all couldn't wait to take a real shower and use a toilet that wasn't a squatter.

Scavenger Hunts

In education today for reading the kids did a  scavenger hunt. It was so much fun watching them run to find the next clue and it was great to see them excited to read. I think that was a great idea for Derek to come up with to make reading fun for the kids. I still found some of the kids are good readers they just get bored. With the ones that struggled I would help them sound out the words but they still had a hard time and just wanted to guess or skip the word.

In math I had a boy that normally really struggles and doesn't want to do his math sheets. I heard he will scribble out the problems so he didn't have to do them. I told him for every three lines he did we would play tick tack toe. He worked so hard and didn't complete the three lines before class was over. I played a couple games really fast with him after the bell.

Play time was great again today the boys call me over for soccer as soon as I get to the play ground. Before I left for play time I went and got a couple of the girls that haven't been coming to play time and asked them to come. They came late but they did come but shortly after they left again. For my personality this is truly frustrating because I am certain there parents paid for them to came and are expecting them to be participating not sleeping or playing on the computer. We have plenty of free time that I feel every opportunity we have to spend time with the children/people of India we should.

Today was talent day so at family time I took over water colors, markers and colored pencils. The kids were ripping everything out of my arms before I ever made it to the hostel.

                                        Even Kala, Danny and the older boys were enjoying painting

                                                The boys love watching the videos on my camcorder.

Came back from playtime to my roommates dancing around. lol

Halfway mark

Today is Wednesday August 3rd and its medical day. Today Kim had really high blood pressure so she had to stay behind. On our way to the colony we had to drive one of the boys to the hospital because he got hurt last night playing soccer. They are afraid his leg might be fractured.

Medical was a little different today because we had a cobbler come and measure some of the people for shoes. Someone donated enough money to get all the people in the colonies shoes. Most of these people do not have shoes and cant afford shoes. Shoes are essential for these people because of the leprosy and them not being able to feel sores. There is also sanitary reasons that shoes are a good thing. This is something that seems so simple that I take for granted everyday, when I pick a pair of shoes out of the many I own.

There where a couple kids at the colony that were probably age 3 and they were so adorable. They came and danced for us and wanted to give us attention. One of the first men that came to get shoes also was so happy and was dancing for us as well.

He is just so happy and he kept randomly dancing.

                                      

Its like going back in time. I am so glad I don't have to do chores this way.

                                                      
                                                         Hand washing laundry

                                                        

                                                              Washing the dishes outside

                                            

                                       

                                          Pumping water to drink to bath in to do laundry

Random Pictures from today!

I cant put these pictures into words....

We played soccer again today at play time the boys seem to really enjoy it and so do I. I feel bad because a couple of the girls don't come over to playtime which just mind boggles me. The saddest part is one the kids ask why they didn't come.

Everyday I have taken paper over to family time because the boys just really enjoy making the wallets. They each probably have twenty by now. My house mom said they had been making a mess with them. I decided just to bring my journal and camcorder tonight. I let the boys watch the videos I have taken here and from back home. The amazement in there is was great to watch.

Vanakkam

Vanakkam(hello) family & friends. I am getting used to how things work here in India which is good. Monday was education day and we tutored reading and comprehension. Watching and helping these kids is so enjoyable. I still cant help but wish they had all the resources at there finger tips my children have. We didn't get to tutor math today because the kids had testing so we got to help the little kids write there sponsor letters. They were so cute talking about there sponsors but it was hard to keep them focused. Later that night one of the boys asked me to read his sponsor letter and the pride he had in it just radiated from him.

During play time we played soccer. Of course we play with no real goals no socks, no shin guards, no shoes and a partially flat ball. It was still one of the funnest things I have done. The kids were broken up evenly on teams until Danny came to play and then the boys ditched us and went and played on his team. Needles to say we lost but we still had a great time.

                                                 

At Family time Kala put Henna on my foot and hand. She did a great job. I am not sure if the designs have meaning or if they are just for fun.

                                              This was taken while the henna was drying

                                                   This was after it had dried and I piled it off        

After Family time some of us got together and played Ninjas this game was a blast.

Tuesday

Today was construction. I love construction day. Danny came with us again which was great. We finished putting the cement rings into the last two septic tanks

 

We went to the art school which was a phenomenal experience. To watch these people paint some of which don't have any fingers made we just watch in awe. 

After construction we went over to the snake charmer. I was not looking forward to this in the least. They said he had a cobra and two rat snakes.  Everyone was holding the rat snakes so I just had to get my picture with one for my kids. I almost broke out in tears.