Dharmsala

dharmsala is really nice. i like it alot better then amritsar and delhi. it is very beautiful. everywhere you look there are mountains, trees, and cute houses. the air is alot more fresh here and although there is still pollution ( i am lucky enough to live right next to the place people dump their garbage! ) it seems alot cleaner. The animals are actually fed, most people dont stare at you like you are a mixture between an alien and god, and there are a lot less beggars. it is also alot quieter and peaceful. it radiates a holy, compassionate energy that i love. It is very different then any other place that we have been in india so far..it feels like we arent even in india! the tibetan government has set up refugee here so mostly the town is filled with tibetans. the food is different, culture, everythign. Right now I am sitting in an internet cafe in my host moms traditional tibetan dress because today is Losare (spelling?) the tibetan new year. usually there is alot of dancing and celebration but after all of the tibetan lives lost last year during the olympics tibetans have decided to boycott it as a sign of respect. I am going to meet up shortly with my global lab group and then go to temple with my homestay family. I really like my homestay family. My house is all the way at the edge of town so it is a far walk to anywhere (but at least ill get in shape!) the view is amazing though. I have my own room even thoguh everyone else in the family shares rooms. I have a mom, dad, grandma, 3 sisters, and a brother. My mom is one of the most caring women I have ever met, my father was in the military for 32 years and now works to protect his holiness the dali lamas temple. It is kinda awkward with the sisters beause they are around my age and dont seem that interestign in getting to know me. the younger brother is terribly ill but is still the best. He is full of energy and is very naughty always climbing on things and jumping out at you. the dog is really cute...very fluffy and energetic. she reminds me alot of my dog boo. Her name is Cindu which i think is funny because my stuffed animal that i always sleep with (shut up i know im a loser) is named cinders.

Amritsar

Yesterday we went to the Red Wall which is like a fort/palace and this mosque that I forgot the name of in Old Delhi. They were both built by the same guy that made the Taj Mahal. The mosque was absolutely breath taking. It had huge marble arches and a huge courtyard and water pool that everyone was washing themselves in. We got to go to the very top of a tower in the building and were able to see all of Delhi. It was weird to see such a beautiful building and then look at the slums surrounding it. We also took our first rikshaw ride through the city. It was really fun because we rode through the market and were able to see all the funky shops and bright colors. It was a very relaxing day which we all needed after the jam-packed days we have been having and the intense lack of sleep (the night befor eI only slept for a couple hours as well) Last night we left Delhi and took a night train to Amritsar. The night train wasn't as bad as I thought it would be...the beds were rock solid and stacked on top of one and another and it was kinda loud but I somehow managed to get more sleep there then I did any night in Delhi haha. The most embaressing thing happened to me while I was on a squat toliet on the train (which are basically just holes in the room so you are never supposed to touch the railroad tracks in india..fun fact!) I guess I forgot to fully lock the door and an old woman opened it up and screamed. I am not sure how much of the train saw my butt but we were all joking about whoever did was definetly impressed because it is so pale hahahah. The reason why this is so funny is because India is so conservative towards women. My friend Austim got really sick last night. He ate dinner on the train last night and has been throwing up ever since...the reason why we are able to use the computers is because they have to take him to the doctor. I feel so bad!!! Later today we are going to visit the golden temple and then help wash dishes because everything here is free as long as you help out (plus Peter says it is good Karma!) which I think is really really cool. Then tomorrow we are going to the Pakistan India border for the flag raising ceremony. It is not a dangerous area and it is actually supposed to be alot of fun. They say that there is alot of dancing and fun. My group leader Deb has chilled out a bit since I last wrote to you which is nice. I think she was just suffering from a lack of sleep or something. In a couple of days we are going to go to Dharasmala and do homestays/hindi classes/independent studies.I was thinking about taking Yoga and Jewlary making for my independent study. I haven't been terribly homesick for a while which is good. Of course I still miss you guys but it isnt as bad as it was in the beginning. I think that as long as I can sleep I am happy haha

Lots and Lots of love
miss youuu - Jess

indiaaaaaa

ही Guys! Today was the first day that I have had internet...I am at a local internet cafe. I survived the 14 hour plane ride it suprisingly went by very quickly. I slept for most of it which I never do and then I watched a bollywood film which was like grease but twenty times more ridiculous and over the top. I am terribly home sick...meh. I am having fun during the days...but the nights are kinda lonely. The driving here is absolutely insane. Everyone just kinda of follows their own rules...it is amazing they manage to turn a 2 lane road into a 4 lane road and people even drive over the yellow lines. It is absolutely terrifying and I feel like I am going to die the entire time but it is so much fun! The program driver Amit drives us around in this amazing car. It is named "the gyspsy" and it kinda looks like a mix between a pick up truck and a jeep. It has no windows which is so nice because it creates an amazing breeze and lets us take pictures/look at the sites. Riding in the gyspsy has been the best part of the trip so far it is absolutely amazing. The food here is actually pretty good and I havent gotten sick yet! wooo hhooo! The weather is amazing. The perfect temperature, not to hot not too cold! We went to the India arch which is a memorial dedicated to all the soliders and there were alot of little kids there. They all swarmed me and my asian friend Christina and took pictures and everyone was tryign to shake our hands...it was one of the weirdest/funniest experiences of my life haha. Today we visted two schools one was a indian high school. The guys there were so funny they all asked if i had a boyfriend and they all told me to go clubbing with them this weekend. then we went to a school for the blind. it was a really good experience. it is amazing how they teach the blind children. it is all through touching...i wish i could explain it..but it is one of those things that you just have to see for yourselgf. We were able to interact with them and learn about what they were doing and how they were learning and they even played drums for us! haha it was really cool. I have been weirdly desensitized from all of the poverty...i haven't become too bothered by it yet...what bothers me is all the stray dogs all over the place...its messed up.. COWS ARE EVERYWHERE ITS AWESOME! even thought they are really gross and dirty. we also got to feed monkeys yesturday. Sleeping here sucks though. It is so loud people blasting horns, dogs howling, and men yelling. Last night I only slept for 30 min... Tomorrow is our last day in Dehli we are taking an overnight train to the golden temple then going to our homestays ahhh! I am very very nervous for my homestay. I love love love the kids in my group. Everyone is very friendly, funny. quirky, and genuine. The indian program director Peter is also very nice. I dont like my main program directer deb though. She is very passive aggressive and doesn't really seem to want to interact with us...it has made me quite upset but hopefulyl it will get better. I am sorry that this post is not very detailed/exciting but it is late and i must sleep for another packed day tomorrow...i hope you all are well...miss you!

Leaving...

First off let me say that I recognize that I am officially the biggest tool in the universe for making this blog and I hope that in time you all will forgive me hahah...also I have never written a blog or even a journal so I am not really sure how this thing will turn out...oh and try not to judge me for my awful grammar!

So in two days I will leave for my three month trip to India (ah!). I am not really in the mood to explain everything that I will be doing because it will go on forever (and most of you already know). If you are interested in exactly what I will be up take a look at these links:

Trip Itinerary: http://global-lab.org/mt/BBSpring09/2009/01/daily_itinerary.html

Background Info: http://global-lab.org/mt/BBSpring09/2009/01/post.html#more

It really didn't hit me that I was leaving until last night when I was with a good friend. I was having a really good time and then all of a sudden I realized that it would be one of the last times that I would see him in months. For a while I felt like I had all the time in the world, and then all of a sudden I realized that I have absolutely no time at all. I will miss my family, LIFE school, my bed, my friends, grilled cheeses and chocolate shakes, and my dog boo.

Like everything else in my life, I am extremely ambivalent about my trip to India. I am excited because it is something completely different then anything I have ever done before, but I am also scared shitless and sad to leave. I can't imagine leaving everyone I love for such a long period of time, and I can't imagine having to live and adapt to a completely different world. I am scared because everyone keeps telling me horrible stories about India. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard "HAHA your going to die!" and "You are going to get aids" over the past couple of months. I know that for the most part people are just messing with me, but it still freaks me out! I am also scared about sticking out. I am tall, blonde, pale, and a girl...so I will not blend in anywhere.  I know that I have to be prepared to be bluntly stared at (by everyone...not just guys). This may sound like a dumb fear but for some reason the idea makes me feel extremely vulnerable. Another thing that I am very anxious for is the beggars. Anyone who has seen Slumdog Millionaire knows what I am talking about. I don't really know what to expect, because people have told me so many different stories about it, but all of them sound pretty awful, and I am sure that I will be horrified by what I see...it will most likely be the most difficult part of the trip for me. I am not scared for my homestays but I am a little anxious because they just seem like they would be really really really awkward (even though I know they will be a great)

Besides all of that, I am very excited about my trip. I cannot even begin to tell you how lucky I feel. I get to go to INDIA...what an opportunity! I think that I have grown and matured significantly over the past two years, and this trip is kind of a test to see how strong I actually am. I am going to be completely out of my comfort zone (can any of you even picture me on a 10 day trek in the mountains?!?) but I am really excited for the challenge. Global Lab is an amazing program and I feel like I will learn a lot about India, the world, and most importantly myself while I am on this trip. 

My main goal is to learn how to live in the moment. I know that sounds very cheesy, cliche, and weird, but it is actually really significant goal to me. I am constantly buzzing with thought...I am either analyzing the past. freaking out over the future, or thinking about something completely unrelated to the situation that I am in. I think that I will be extremely happier if I am able to find a way to "live in the moment" without losing my self reflection. I am not going to work at this goal everyday by analyzing why I over think or by even thinking about it at all. Instead, I am going to make the effort each and everyday to just be. I just want to soak in everything and learn everything I can while I am there. I will worry about what I have experienced, and how it has affected me after I get home. 

Tomorrow is my last full day in NY before I leave. I hope that I have enough time to get packed and say goodbye.  I know that I won't get the chance to say goodbye to everyone who is important to me, which sucks. I love you all!

p.s. HI LEE...you're so lame