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India fourteen

lack of words. impossibility of legitimate explanation. these are just two reasons why the india portion of my blog has been picture heavy and word light. i have so much to say about this country and examples of how it can change your views on everything, giving you a vision through a window that you cannot believe exists... but how do you explain a day where you meet a mind reader that describes in perfect detail the house in which you grew up and then tells you things that no one in the world knows except for you. such a frightening, mind blowing, amazing experience. then hours later in a crowded bus station you feel a light touching on your back which when you turn is a sadhu holy man with a basket full of cobras. he stared into my eyes in a way that convinced me a curse had been placed on my soul. all this in one day... the yin and the yang. if you are scared of all encompassing intensity please do not come to this country. i have been in an ashram of sorts for the last five days. a place where they take your possessions, all your writing materials, reading materials, deny you all forms of communication and make you face yourself in absolute silence. i am not sure how any of you can stand me. i drive myself crazy. i think too much about everything when i am surrounded with distraction. without distraction, a whole new level of this self induced insanity is encountered. ups and downs. i cannot yet say if i recommend this experience. my pictures are completely out of order, just like eight out of ten gas pumps in india.

India thirteen

India twelve

the volunteer work is over and my time living with other americans in a super pampered setting is also over. the kids i will miss dearly, looking into their eyes and seeing that innocence is something that is truly majic. even if there mouths arent smiling, their eyes always are. eating amazing food and taking showers under an actual shower head instead of using a bucket i will miss as well. as far as living under the same roof as a bunch of americans, not so much. i loved palampur and the volunteer work but the experience that really affected me the most was a village called lohna. i met this guy and a few weeks ago he invited me to have tea at his house. this type of thing is very common in india, being approached randomly and then being led by them to their chosen destination. you really have to go with the flow here. so we headed across the rice paddies and over several bridges, then up a hill into this little community of 65 people. all the same family, all living together in this little community. i was instantly intrigued and during my stay spent many afternoons just hanging out in the village. they were just as intrigued by the weird caucasion. on my last visit i brought the kids a soccer ball and after taking many many family photos of them got the pictures developed for them. they have no pictures of themselves because they have no camera so this gift was amazing for them. it so so incredible to see them all looking at themselves with such joy. i am so glad that i could give them this gift. i hope that one day i can live in a place like lohna. above are some of the family photos.