Category: India

Hi everyone!

Today was my first day out in the bazaar.. roaming around hopelessly trying to figure out which “dookan” (store) I should adventure into. I was quite confident roaming around today. Noone was really staring at me… even though i was wearing my Prada shades! I was in a pink Salwar kameez.. with flip flops… and a small teeny tiny bhindi on my forehead. My hair was pulled back in a clip.. barely leaving a few strands around my face. I knew i had everyone fooled when the rickshaw guy asked me if i was a NRI (non-resident indian) or a local…. yes!!! :)

Something as simple as this task is very important to me. It’s not very common to have a single indian girl traveling around india… alone. So the quicker I seem like a local the less I look like an opportunity… and that means in any form.

So I have been out and about since 10 am… it is now 6pm… gonna get dark soon.. gotta head home. By the way, if you guys could hear me… I am slowly picking up the Indian accent on my English here… last time it took me a few months… but now it just feels natural. The head nodding has not kicked in yet.. haha. And this is not to be sneaky or anything…. it actually helps many of the locals understand what the heck you are saying in english if it has the twist that they are use to… thats all. Of course.. my sisters would call me a FOB just about right now. :)

missing everyone at home… I am hoping to find out about South India within a day or two… might be heading to Chennai sooner then I thought. Slowly I am getting the feeling that staying till May will still not be enough. Play the cards you are dealt…they say..right?

lots of love to everyone

Karuna

Hi everyone,

I am in Navsari Gujurat. Things have been pretty crazy, as it is wedding season right now. My family has been running around attending weddings, sometimes 2 in one day. I am here trying to sort out my next destination. My Uncle is very hesitant for me to go to south india. He is apprehensive due to the spread of diseases he hears about on the news. I have just read up on mark and yoo mi’s status, and will be in contact with them soon. Locally in gujurat, I have met many people who have shipped large boxes of clothes to south india. It is giving my heart content.

I am taking things a bit slower then usual this time in my trip. I feel that there is an overwhelming number of volunteers rushing to help south india. Although this is great, my opinions are in line with Marks in that sometimes management of volunteers can hinder an organizations efforts to provide relief. I am a great believer that an organization should spend the least amount of energy and money to manage a volunteer. If I am going to help, then I should not take that which can be given to others. So, I am assessing. Perhaps I am meant to go to Calcutta first, then to south india when the influx has lessened and there is a greater need for me. We will soon see.

love karuna :)