Orientation Day

My inability to sleep more than 3 hours in a row has traveled with me to India; which means I met the sun this morning. I took an early morning walk around the neighborhood, listened to the birds chirp, motorbikes beep and leaves rustle in the slight wind. 

The weather is very hot, with 98 percent humidity. I basically have never sweat this much in my entire life, however, I am oddly accepting it. Even though each room is not cool from AC, there are fans, and as long as I plant myself under one, the heat becomes a bit more bearable. NOTE: This mentality is only for India, I will still keep a very cold office, make Derek and the kids wear sweaters indoors during the summer and always have a fan blowing on me. 

But here, I seem to be making the most of it. Good thing, because the program is just beginning. Our entire team has arrived; four amazing ladies, and today was orientation day. As we sat at our communal table, sharing stories and weaving the fabric of new friendships, India unfolded at our door. A man playing a wooden horn instrument asking for money, a gentleman on a bike selling fresh mangos in the street - calling out, hoping for interest (it is mango season). Hour after hour, someone new and another memory made. 

Here the doors are nearly always open, to let the heat escape and any air to move freely. Neighborhood cats come to see if it is time for a treat, the friendly crow sits at the window sill. It truly is unlike anything I have ever seen. I keep saying it seems like a movie set. It is all too vibrant, too pungent, too busy, too colorful to be true. But it is; it is India. Just as I had hoped it to be. 

Throughout the day, our team spent several hours learning about the work opportunities here in Chennai for the volunteers, along with visualizing and specifying our team goals. It was truly amazing how similar our minds were in what outcomes we had hoped for the trip. We are team 156 and I hope we will be life-long friends. 

Following lunch we took a short walk around the winding, narrow streets of the neighborhood. It is Sunday, so the streets were very quiet. Sure it could have been the sweltering heat and crippling humidity, but regardless, it was quiet. Even on a short walk there is beauty everywhere, even among debris in the road, you can look up and see something that makes you stop and stare. 

In the evening we went to SEAMS Children's Home to visit the boys who live there. The boys are so full of life, with bright eyes and wide smiles. They welcome us, strangers, with open arms and a big heart. I need to take lesson. 

Dinner was a delight, the food here is so amazingly good. Roni, our cook is truly talented and everything is fresh, purchased and made immediately. But don't get me wrong, I would sell my right arm for a bagel. 

After dinner I washed dishes with another team member, Jenna. She soaped and I used tongs to dip the plates into boiling hot water to sanitize. At home I hate loading the dishwasher - perspective setting for sure. 

Tomorrow begins our service work. I will be working, along with two of my other team mates, at St. Thomas Children's Hospital with mothers of children with special needs. We will be helping in any way possible to teach proper care, and offer support for them and their young child. I can hardly wait to begin. 

Quote of the day: Our host, Stephen, told us this today and I laugh every time I think of it. 

"If you have patience you will lose it in India. If you don't have patience, you will get it in India." 

It's Been a Long Time Coming

It is truly surreal to me that I am sitting in a mosquito-net covered bed, fan running and listening to birds chirp from Chennai, India. It has always been my dream, from as far as I can remember to visit this continent and the fact that I am finally here is so fulfilling. 

Being an obsessive-compulsive, anxiety-filled, type-A personality, I was really worried about my surroundings and if I would be able to "handle it". Well, it is different, to say the least, but the people have been so kind and the culture is so beautiful, I have no room to complain. I did have one diva moment when the power went out and for 30 minutes - I thought I was in a lava pit, I asked our host for reassurance "this doesn't happen a lot, right? And if it does it is only for a few minutes?" Please God let him say what I want, NEED to hear. "Sometimes it goes out for the full day." he replied. Um, what? I am going to pretend I didn't hear that. 

The neighborhood we are staying in is upper-middle class, but in American that certainly wouldn't be the case. there is a true sense of community in this area, something you don't typically see in the US. 



Day one the most striking things I saw where a small man with a wheeling cart, topped with a sewing machine. The neighborhood brings him clothes that are in need of repairs and he fixes them; right there, in the blazing heat on the sidewalk. There are little street food places every corner, small store fronts fixing computers, selling motorbike insurance and sharing conversation. I am in awe of the contractors who walk around barefoot, climbing the house they are working on, and laying cement in between brick with their own hands, no tools. 

For the first time in my life I am truly the minority and I am loving that feeling. 

Sure, I'd sell a kidney for an ice cube, but that is neither here nor there.

In a week

In exactly one week I will be departing Phoenix for Austin to London and then to India. As I prepare for my trip I have learned a few things about myself. 

1. I have no clue how to read time that looks like this 13:04. It is annoying, confusing and frankly bothers me. I know, it is universal, blah blah, but AM and PM works just fine for me. Thanks. 

2. You can't have too many lists. I have several packing spreadsheets, electronic folders for travel documents, lists for things to do when bored, lists of books to read, podcasts to download and listen to, and reminder lists to walk me off the ledge when I realize I am dirty, hot and may or may not be freaking out. 

3. Anyone who knows me knows my vices. A trip without alcohol has made me think about getting tattoos depicting my new straight-edge ways. I don't think I have ever gone on vacation, without a celebratory drink (or more). Thank god for airline vodka bottles. 

4. I take a lot of meds. Piggie-backing off of number 3, I like medicine. Walgreens basically knows my car by how many times I pull into the drive-thru. So getting my restless leg meds, anxiety meds, migraine meds, sleeping meds and malaria meds all together, I am basically like a walking pharmacy. 

5. I need to binge eat all the food I will be without. I dislike India food. Sorry, but I do. So I suspect I will need to live off of naan and Kind bars which I have stock-piled like a doomsday prepper. 

6. I am always looking at glass half-empty. I know it will be amazing, the people will be kind, I will make it, people have done way harder things than this - so knowing that...just let me think negatively until I get there. Thanks. 

7. You can never have too many packing cubes. A disorganized suitcase is the sign of the devil. 

8. I have an acerbic tongue and hope I can keep it in check. I want to be very kind and not come off as a bitchy American (even though I clearly am one). 

9. I hate all my clothes and basically don't own anything that I think I will be comfortable in. 

10. I have more of a fear of dirt than I ever thought. Would it be weird to cover my Tumi in a garbage bag to prevent dust? Yes? Dang. 

The biggest thing I have learned is really something I knew all along. My mind is that of a Type A, OCD, hyper-negative nut. I overthink everything and in the end, my lack of control and knowing what to expect is what causes all anxiety. 

I am getting excited. I can't wait to meet the people, smell the air and get my hands "dirty" in volunteering. Not really dirty though, I have no interest in building, shoveling or painting. See #8.