Today.

Well, I wish I had something huge and eventful to report today, but it was just a day that was only magical because I got to live it.  It probably won't sound magical to anyone else but this place has a way of making everything sort of amazing.  I love the kinship that I have started to build with many of the people here.  I'm really glad that people like me and are nice to me.  It's the best.  Today during the day we had a little scavenger hunt with the kids during school and it was really fun.  I was a little bit sad because it was really hard for me to get one of my boys motivated and excited about it but it was fun nonetheless.  And I also got to spend some quality time with one of my favorite little girls named Kaviya.  She's the sweetest.  I take it as a huge compliment that she likes me so much because she seems to be so shy and not really connect with many of the other volunteers but we have a special bond.  I never imagined I could love these kids as much as I do.  I'll never be able to explain it.  I was spending some time with another one of my favorite little girls named Mariambi while she did her homework tonight and I was just watching her and thinking of her life and all that these little girls have been through and go through every day.  They don't live with their parents, if they have parents at all.  They study their little hearts out.  They are so dedicated to everything they do.  And they just seem to have so many stories to tell and wisdom to share whether they know it or not.  One of the house mothers or caretakers of the kids saw me just sort of spaced out thinking about it and she asked me if I was happy.  I said of course I'm happy! I'm happy to be with you!  And I asked her if she was happy.  She explained that she loves being here with the girls but her parents have just arranged for her to be married to her cousin and she is so so sad about it.  She is so sweet and so cheerful and she really loves these girls and it was so hard to see her sad.  But the good news is that there seems to be nothing that could stop this amazing Sarahswati from finding a way to be happy somehow.  I love that attitude that was about her.  I have so much to learn from her.  Then she did henna for me.  :)  These are the pictures I've got of her that I think capture her incredible spirit.  Jai Ho.  

Whaaaaaaat??

Ok well I never knew that it was possible to have these many life changing experiences in one day.. But alas, my friends.  It happened.  Everything happened.  I started this morning with an early morning jog around the track at the school.  So hot and sweaty but really fun at the same time.  I was in the zone.  And then we headed off to a special needs school.  I met so many angels today, you wouldn't believe it.  There were so many angels among the kids.  And I also met Mother Teresa.  Only she was Indian.  And I'll post a picture of her.  There's no way that I'll ever be able to express the amazingness that they were so I'll stop trying... Just know that it was amazing and I'm forever a better person because of today.  So then we went to a little leprosy colony.  There were only 4 patients but it was a good way to get used to how things work when we are in the colonies doing medical work.  The patients were so gracious.  There was one moment when I had inflicted so much pain on this woman cleaning out her ulcers and I just knew it had hurt her but then after I had cleaned her up, she looked at me and with the most sincere eyes, she said, "Thank you.  You are beautiful."  And I don't think she was talking about how I looked on the outside.  I think she was just the most grateful human I have ever come across.  I learned a lot from that sweet little lady.  Anyways, here are some of the photos I took today.  I hope you enjoy.  Jai Ho. 

This is Kim.  She's just another angel with the kids. And just all around.

Indian Mother Teresa.  I told you she was incredible.  Just look at her!

You are welcome.

Such a good day.

So today was hard.  But so fun.  We moved a whole bunch of cinder blocks in one of the colonies to help prepare to build their bathrooms.  I feel like they should already have bathrooms but what do I know?  Anyways, it was the hottest, sweatiest, stickiest thing I've ever done.  But I really loved being in the colonies so that was really great.  Then when we came home and washed up and took a nap, etc., it was play time and these are a few of my favorite moments from our day.  They are so beautiful.  My cup runneth over. 

This is hard.

Well here I am in India again.  It wasn't a dream.  Yesterday the Rising Star people picked us up from the hotel and we were on our way.  We drove for two and a half hours out into the middle of nowhere and our adventure began.  We had the grand tour of our campus, got into our dresses and went and saw the kids.  Within seconds we were covered in children.  All of them love us.  Well I think they just love to play but I'm going to keep telling myself that they love me.  They didn't have school yesterday so we just got to play our little hearts out.  They all have beautiful names but I have no idea how to say them first of all and then they quiz me later and it's just a mess.  And today they'll be really offended when I don't know what their names is. And they're also going to be wearing different clothes today so I'm screwed.  They just don't understand that I met like 130 kids yesterday and there is just no way.  So that is what I'm worried about at the moment.  But the good news is that I really bonded with this little group of girls.  They all scream my name when I walked in and they beg me to come hang out with them.  So I think that's a good sign.  And I DO know their names.  They're the sweetest.  And I love their raspy voices.

In other news, a lady puked in the kid's house.  It was nasty.  The food here is sketchy to begin with and to see it come out of another person's mouth/nose is not fine.  Luckily all of the floors here are tile.. And we mopped it up and then the girls had to sleep on that floor like a half hour later.  But they somehow didn't seem to mind.  I guess they've seen a lot worse things...  They're tough little people.  And I get to love the crap out of them for the next 3 weeks.  Sounds perfect.  Jai Ho.

Abu.

I'm in India.  Like India India.  Where everything smells like body odor.  And people bobble their heads and I'm not always sure what they're saying to me.  This is crazy.  I left my home like 40 hours ago or something? But you can never be too sure with time changes and when you spend 24 hours on planes....  things start to run together and you forget details.  But here are the things I do remember.  Dubai is sort of creepy.  The people there are either some sort of Persian prince or some old weird french guy.  I saw a man with a dred-lock mullet that went down to his calves.  I tried not to breath when he walked by.. But the good news about Dubai is that if you had the money to just go hang out there for a long time, I'm certain that it'd be fantastic.  I'll let you know when I'm rich and famous.  And the tallest building in the world? I saw it.  Even from afar it was overwhelming.  I am not sure that my stomach could take it.. So that was Dubai.  And then I came to India.  Customs people hated me because I was literally THE ONLY white person that was on that plane.  I had to talk to probably 4 people about where I was staying and what I was doing here.  But then when I went out to find my driver that was going to take me to the hotel... I found Abu.  He's the best.  We drove to the hotel.  He liked my glasses... A LOT.  He told me about his kids.  He told me exactly what I need to do to get married.  He told me I was too old to not be married.  And the rest I'm not really sure what he said but I'm pretty sure it was funny because he was laughing a lot.  And then he told me to carry his number in case I ever got lost and he can come pick me up.  So at least I've got him on my side! And in other news... there is a monkey on the roof outside of my window.  That is a fact.  And now I must go catch my ride out to the country side to help some people out.  Jai Ho everybody.  Jai Ho.