Taking part in a village march.
The real Asia- Youth International Asian Invasion 2010
Lunch time at the village school construction site.
The team addresses a village community gathering. (See newspaper article on this below/ahead.)
Jacob receives a welcome tikka, while Dan and our India director, Rishi-ji, look on.
Running a class for village school children
Batik art workshop in Udaipur
So we made it to Agra! We just finished our program with Rishi-ji and Rekha-ji, which involved a 5 day homestay in Jaipur, an overnight train to Udaipur, 7 days spent doing a homestay in a small village called Jhadol, one more day in Udaipur, and another overnight train to Agra, home of the famed Taj Mahal. Most of us are going for the sunrise at the Taj tomorrow, and are taking today to just be vegetables. The sleeper trains in India are pretty different from anything back home and even from the trains in Thailand, and while they’re certainly interesting and lead to meeting the most fascinating people, they do require a certain energy and ability to laugh off absurd situations, like waking up with 3 people sitting on the end of your bed. Agra’s a pretty crazy city, but our hotel is BEAUTIFUL and has a rooftop terrace with a direct view of the Taj Mahal. After a week in Jhadol (which was wonderful, by the way…..my favourite homestay yet), it’s definitely an adjustment being back in a city, but for the most part we’re thrilled to be on the road again, seeing new things and meeting new people. Tomorrow night it’s another sleeper train up north to Amritsar just in time for the festival of Diwali, which I believe lasts several days but starts officially on November 5th. It’s pretty cool that we’ll be in such a holy place as the Golden Temple for the kickoff of ceremonies, but even now, everywhere we go it’s been pretty clear that Diwali is going to be huge. The whole city of Udaipur was decorated with tinsel and in Jhadol, every night the village children went around carolling for corn to prepare for the local festival. I can’t wait to see what the actual holiday is like.
Sarah Blenko
A newspaper article in Hindi about the Youth International team. A rough translation reads:
NSS Camp Followed by a Cultural Evening in Phalasia Village
The National Service Scheme (NSS) unit of J. R. Sharma P. G. College organized a day long youth camp followed by a cultural evening in Phalasia Village. The students from various RBKS (Rajasthan Bal Kalyan Samiti) run schools and colleges participated in this camp. A mass campaign rally was organized to raise awareness about education for all, sanitation, family planning, environment protection and against widespread use of alcohol. In this rally a group of visiting foreign students from Canada, the USA and Mexico also took place. The rally passed through bazaars and lanes of Phalasia Village raising slogans. About 500 students including foreign guests participated in this campaign. A grand cultural program was organized after the camp and students from J. R. Sharma College, Women Teachers Training College, visiting foreign students and various other RBKS run schools gave their colorful music and dance performances which were appreciated by hundreds in the enthusiastic audience. Shants hal Kothari presided over this cultural evening and Kushal Kothari was the chief guest. The Director of RBKS, Mr Girja Shankal Sharma addressed the function and explained about the various educational initiatives by RBKS to make education accessible for local Adivasi communities in the region.
* RBKS is the cahrity organiztion through which we are volunteering: helping with the construction of a school in the village of Jhadol.
The team with Moken community on Ko Lao Island, Thailand
Dear Thailand,
I miss you :( my love for you will never die!! Im reminiscing on the adventures, Pun Pun was fab, i loved the organic farming..
the trek was a physical struggle… as well as a mental one. I made it through even the second day that was straight up hill. (HIGH FIVE!)
Ayutthaya was beautiful, the ruins were eerie, the buddhas were missing heads and arms.. but the beauty was outstanding and the charred red brick was a sight to see!
Next was the Moken Village… sea gypsies… monkeys….cast away from any nation. They are a powerful yet meek people, and yet they’ve captured my heart. I wrote a small poem that I’d like to share……..
Aware of their bravery,
Subjected to their mastery,
I cannot help to see them flawless in their own demise.
The tide rises and retreats and
The village is still strong and weathered as charred brick.
Yet as the sunlight slowly fades and
Darkness is thrust upon their hard faces,
Fear grips their minds…..
Fear as contagious force moving through child, man and dog.
Their shrieks can be heard lamenting through the dark emptiness.
Anxiously awaiting the return of the light.
Not glorious or outstandingly evident,
But enough to ride the daunting fear from the sea washed faces of the Moken.
Now that I’m in India I can really appreciate everything I have at home; my bed, my sitting toilet, putting toilet paper down the same toilet. Hahaha……. but in all honesty I can really appreciate life and im soaking up every minute of this life here. Sorry, I’m out of time. India will have to be in another blurb.
ROSA CORBET
