Safe Landing in New Delhi!
Trip Start
Aug 11, 2007
1
23
Trip End
Jul 30, 2008
New Delhi,
India
Monday, August 13, 2007
Thanks to a sweet British Airways staff woman who met me at my gate at Heathrow, I made my connection to the New Delhi flight, which was located in a terminal half-way across London, with only 35 mintues between flights. I'm so glad I made it because I was able to travel with 7 of the other fellows who were also onboard. They all seem like wonderful people and I'm excited to get to know them all better during orientatino over the next few weeks!
When we arrived in New Delhi, Anna, the AJWS Field Officer, met us at the airport. We loaded into 2 vans, piling our luggage on top, and set off for the youth hostal where we're spending the night. As we were pulling out of the airport, we saw a wild green parrot fly out of a tree, while driving we passed a cow standing in the middle of the road, and we were constantly bombarded with children selling things at our car window when we were stoppped in traffic.
New Delhi is enormous, HOT, humid, packed with people and a lot like I've seen in pictures and movies.
Due in part to the jet lag and to my inability to speak or understand Hindi, I am feeling a bit disoriented, but I hope that with time I'll become more comfortable.
I definitely packed WAY too much, so I'm trying to figure out what I can leave behind in Delhi before going to Orientation at a Hill Station in Musoorie (in Utarranchal Province). All the fellows will be together at Orientation for 1 full week, then will be back in New Delhi for 4 days, and then the group will split up into 2 groups for language training. I'm in the group for North India and am going to learn Hindi...I can't wait to be able to communicate even a little!
I can't write much now because I'm sharing the internet time with 2 of the other fellows, but I'll write more when I'm back in Delhi in 2 weeks on a break from our Orientation Retreat.
Hope all of you are doing well and keeping cool!
Comments
Hooray, Rachel!
Congratulations, Rachel -- I'm thrilled for you and excited to read more. Drink lots of water. :-)
Lindsey
Glad you arrived!
Hey Rachel,
This is so cool-- I know, I'm a dork and have just caught up with modern technology but I'm siked I can read your blog while you are in India!
Talk to you soon.
-Julie
And you made it!
Bravo Rachel, what an adventure! Can't wait for your next posting.
Take care,
Chip
Congrats on your typically eventful arrival!
Glad you made it, Rachel. YOu do seem to have a talent for drawing key assistance when truly needed--even from an organization such as BA, which is not widely regarded as a wonderfully service-oriented organization (except in comparison to certain U.S. airlines!). India is wonderful and terrible and fantastic, and we are sure you will bring much and gain much from your experiences there. Do drink lots of water, but do be careful about its source. I was in Vancouver last week, where many of the taxi drivers are from India (mostly Sikhs), and my informant was quite firm in saying that he always boiled his own water, not trusting the bottlers to be using purified water. Any way, bust of luck, stay healthy, we will look forward to your further blogs,
Love,
Steph and Marc
Hola Mi Amor
i miss u mucho ... i am so thrilled for u and the amazing odyssey u are experiencing.....grab it with both hands, hang on, have a great
ride.....xxxxxxxxxxxmom
miss you rachel:)
what a flight!! i'm soo glad to hear that you landed safely in india:) i'm sure the first few weeks fill be tought to get used to things but hand in there, girl!! i wish you the best and keep posting your adventures when you have a chance!! miss you:)