Relatives... and Plans

Here I am in Surat... it's been a few days since I've posted. Sameer's done a good job describing those couple days.... a lot of packing and networking with various contacts. My bag is pretty much packed with same stuff Sampat's bag is...

It's been good staying at relative's places (my family on the right - cousins, Jijaji, Bhabhi, and nephews). Being received by relatives with such open arms... and open minds... is a really good feeling. I realize that I definitely take it for granted sometimes.

I'm in Surat at my Masi's place. I drove up here with my cousin, Pritibhen, and her family. It was nice to finally get out of Mumbai... after 8 days, I finally got my first breath of fresh air in India. =) Those that know Mumbai... know that a gray haze hangs over the city, 24/7... as Jigar sang, "Ain't no sunshine in Mumbai...." =P

It was actually quite the scenic drive from Mumbai to Surat. I can't wait till we'll actually venture out into rural India! =)

We now have tentative plans for the next month or two. We're headed to Ahemdabad today... Sampat is coming from Mumbai and meeting me there. We're getting picked up by Bharat Uncle. Bharat Uncle is a family friend of one of our family friends back in the Bay Area. He works with this org. called "Aadarsh Ahemdabad" (I believe...). Sampat met him and had a long conversation with him, when he was out there in the US a month or two ago. We plan on staying in Ahmedabad for 3-5 days, leanring about Bharat Uncle and his NGO, touching base with Anand (www.indicorps.org), and touching base with Anarbhen and Jayeshbhai (www.manavsadhna.org). Then, we plan on travelling, covering North/Northwest India. We'll take a train ride to Delhi (a long, long train ride that will be..) around August 19th. We've contaced "Ekal Vidhyalaya" (www.ekalvidya.org) in the Delhi area, and will visit one of their villaged. We'll probably also do some of the more touristy stuff... Agra, Mathura, Brindaban, and possibly meet up with Biggie, Prach, and their families! Then.. our exact route isn't planned out, but we're going to try to hit the following places: Haridwar (www.sriramashram.org), Amritsar, Dharmsala, Srinagar (possibly), Ladakh (possibly), Musoorie / Dehradun (www.ilpnet.org), etc. (time pending).The plan is to get back to A-bad for Navratri (beginning of October). I definitely have multiple purposes for travelling....
1) I want to learn about the development sector in India. I want to see what work is being done out here, what works, what doesn't work, how different NGO's function, etc.
2) I want to connect with people... especially children... and really be able to feel that "The same God is within you that is within me." feeling.
3) I want to see India, and experience India... and all its various ways of life that are each unique, but still similar.
4) Hopefully, travelling will help me figure out where I fit in out here, and helps me decide what I want do out here.
5) I want to feel that spiritual spark... and cultivate it.
6) I want to have fun. =)

Hopefully... along the way.. my Hindi improves.... but for now... it's pretty weak. Sampat has done a pretty good job holding his own in conversations, though, so far.

My disclaimer was that all those plans... are tentative. If some other opportunity pops up, and we decide that it's better, we'd probably jump on it.... so... for now... that's where we are.