(I wrote this in the middle of January but didn't post it. I'm starting to see a pattern here...)
Three weeks ago Liz and I embarked on a very long journey to Kerala, a southern state of India. We had a two week vacation from teaching to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, so we decided to head south. Prior to the trip I was dreading the 42(!) hour train ride, but it actually wasn’t too bad. There were some students from the school traveling in the same car as us, so they kept us company and managed to stave the crazies away from Liz and I. Once we reached Kerala, I was entranced by the passing scenery. Kerala is absolutely gorgeous – full of banana trees, coconut groves, rice paddies, etc. Everything in Dhamtari is brown now, but Kerala is rich in greenery. It is the most developed state in India and was the first to reach universal literacy. Some of the towns are light years beyond Dhamtari, even though they are of a comparable size. There’s a larger emphasis on education and more business opportunities. Further, virtually every family in Kerala has a relation living abroad.
Liz and I visited our friend Leenus for Christmas in Kollam. Her mom spoiled us with delicious and super spicy south Indian food. The food in the south is much different than in Dhamtari – the rice is fatter, the vegetables are cooked in coconut oil, and fish is served at nearly every meal. Oh, and we ate beef! It’s illegal to eat beef in Dhamtari because it’s predominantly Hindu, but Christianity is the dominant religion in Kerala. It felt a little forbidden to eat it in India.
The other highlights of the trip included a hike in a tiger preserve where I got to pull our bamboo raft across a lake (another of those “only in India” experiences), a tour of tea plant covered hills, and a boat ride on the backwater canals. It was a phenomenal trip. However, it was really strange to see so many western tourists in India. Liz and I are the only foreigners in Dhamtari (and nearly all of Chhattisgarh), so it was a bit disconcerting at first to hear so much American English.
Now I’m back in Dhamtari. The situation at the school is still quite sticky. I really can’t go into details, but it’s been a very challenging past couple of months. However, my parents are flying into Delhi this weekend and I will meet them there. We are going to spend a week visiting Delhi and will see the Taj Mahal. I’m beyond excited to see them and show them India. Until next time.
Mary