Is it strange...

That I don't burn in Delhi?

I guess it is not when you think about the layer of pollution that is hovering overhead. I never use sunscreen except on my face. Since I have formed this bad habit, when I travel outside of delhi I forget to apply and fry.

Lesson learned...? Hopefully.

Friends in the City

Sarah and Travis came to Delhi to explore the city for two days as a reprieve from the rainy Goan beaches and and getting accustomed back to Civilization after spending two months in the beautiful little village of Jarang where I was a couple months ago working on the school. Travis was the architect and designer while Sarah patiently photographed and showed each woman, man and child each picture after the click.

I absolutely love showing people around Delhi. I know that these two would have no problem finding their way through the city after being in Jarang, Gorka and Kathmandu, but India can be a harsh place for foreigners and I find it my duty to make sure that each person who comes though what I now consider to be "my city" has a positive and enjoyable experience. It is such a fascinating place and people want to see as much as possible but all of the haggling and begging can wear down even the hardest of minds including those who live here and see it every day.

So I arrange a car, one of my two trusty drivers who I can count on to be friendly, knowledgeable and reliable who also have seat belts, AC and window to keep out the grabbing hands of the street children.

The normal sites that cannot be missed:

• Qutab Minar
• (drink at Magique in the garden of 5 senses or Olive bar & kitchen if the time)
• Lotus Temple
• Dilli Haat Bazaar
• (touristy and overpriced, but great stuff and fun place to haggle without the hassle of hundreds of people)
• Humayan's Tomb
• Drive through Connaught Place (CP) for a view of the colonial impact and financial district
• (if here around lunch go into the
• Presidents House, Parliament and India Gate (drive-by are fine)
• Red Fort
• Bike Rickshaw Ride through the allies of Old Delhi
• Jama Masjid - largest mosque in Asia
• (climb the minaret. It is worth every second of it, unless you are scared of heights or are claustrophobic. The climb is up a tight spiral staircase)
• Sufi Singers in Nizamuddin
• (Only on Thursdays and really intense so be ready for it. Down a small alley, just ask the auto driver to go to the Nizamuddin Karim's Restaurant).
• A ride in an Auto Rickshaw

If you have the time:

• Akshardham
• (across the Yumana - and go early before the school children take over)
• Ghandi Smirti
• Safdarjung's Tomb
• Jantar Mantar
• Lodi Gardens
• (Relax with a drink at the Lodi Restaurant)
• Ruins of Hauz Khas
• (While here eat a Dosa at Navidium or Karelan food at Gun Powder - if you can find it)
• Tapas and Wine at the Aman Hotel
• (usually jazz music in the background on Fridays)
• Sarojini Nagar Market
• (Packed! Best place for clothes - usually you can haggle a dress down to 150 Rs. and a shirt to 50-100 Rs.)

There is so much to see in this great city and this list just scratches the surface. Come prepared with tons of water, a shirt that doesn't show sweat, comfortable shoes and a attitude ready for adventure and you will love it here!

Writers Block

I would love to say that writing my posts comes easily to me, but it really takes a lot of effort, imagination, and the right splash of inspiration. That is why there are so many bursts and lulls. I have so many interesting thoughts that run through my head on a daily basis that I would love to share, but most of the time I find that my inspirations comes while laying in bed late at night trying to fall asleep and too lazy to reach for my computer or while I am swerving traffic in a rickshaw wondering if I am ever going to make it to my desired destination.

Sometimes it is just a quick reflection: On the way to all you can eat sushi and dinner with friends my rickshaw driver got so lost that I was on the road for an extra 30 minutes. I ate enough exhaust, dust, pollution and sweat to fill me up for the night. There goes my appetite.

As the Rains Come Crashing Down

The soothing rain has finally hit Delhi and is here to feed the dry land and cool the air. I am sitting at my desk with my balcony door open listening to the rain crash down on the hundreds of houses below. It is incredibly humid but only 92 degrees; one of the first days that I have not used my AC.

We are lucky that the rain is not destructive as in other areas. I am hoping to see it in full force later this month in Bombay where the monsoons really come crashing down, flooding the streets, sending the rats to higher ground and the people to whatever shelter they can find.

It is refreshing, calming, relaxing, and good for all of the farms that have not had a proper monsoon in three years.

Busy Living

There is so much to post about and in due time I will. During the past two months I was moving around a lot and I was busy living life instead of writing about it, but with the recent turn of events, things have slowed down and I now have nothing but time.

Look forward to the recaps on some of the greatest months of my life.

In the meantime I am going to put on my trusty headlamp head to the bathroom and brush my teeth in the dark due to the power cuts.

Home is Relative

In the last month and a half I have been traveling a lot. I love it, but it makes things a little confusing especially when you are crossing the boarders of not only country lines; but lines of culture, socio-ecomic status, and expected roles. Last month I went to Nepal, to India, to the US, back to India, to China – Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong and now back to India once again. I have been a pseudo daughter, a volunteer, an independent businesswoman, a great friend, an organizer, and a protective mother. I have sat on both the floor and at fancy tall tables for dinner. I have done manual labor and been the recipient of someone else’s. I have ridden in cars, buses, planes, boats, rickshaws (auto and cycle) and have crossed streets effortlessly looking both directions.

I thought that China was going to be a culture shock for me, but despite communication, I found it to be clean and organized. Nothing fazed me except the contrasting beauty of the Hong Kong Skyscrapers rising out of the lush green mountains; but that is beside the point. The real point is that I should be experiencing some type of culture shock when traveling but I have not yet. I wake up each morning and before opening my eyes ask myself, “Where am I?” The answer then tells my what my next move should be and what role I should be playing.

For those of you who don’t know yet, my office is closed and where I previously found myself debating whether to extend my stay or not, I have found myself with no choice; having the decision made for me. You are going home. Home…I thought that I was home. I look around my room and I see all of my stuff; my bed, my music, my pictures and the books that I have surrounded myself with. My phone is ringing with friends wondering when I am going to come home. Home…home is where the heart is. When I was home for a wedding I was surrounded by all of my best friends, my family, my boyfriend, my comfort. Home…isn’t that where I grew up and with those that I love. Then why did I feel like my other home was calling me?

Over the past week I have been traveling with a mix of American and Indian students. I was straddling a line of cultures. Two that I know very well but even then I found myself learning about both of them as if they were new. I will continually learn about the Indian culture, just as I now analyze the American culture through a new lense. “Don’t forget that you are American too.” I was told on tour when giving feedback about wardrobe selection.

What does this all mean for me? I find myself questioning this more frequently as my deadline approaches. Is Delhi my home? Or is it just a place that I stayed for a year. When I settle in with my friends and family in Boston will the memories and yearning for the people, the crowds and the intense heat fade? I sure do hope so, because right now I find myself scared of a world without India and I hope that home becomes wherever I find myself next.