So… tomorrow is the big day. FINALLY. Fourteen other WT students, faculty members, and I are flying to New Delhi, India! I’ve never taken a sixteen-hour plane ride — I plan on sleeping a lot. :) After spending the past semester reading about India, it will be amazing to actually experience everything first-hand. We’ll travel around northern India for two weeks, riding elephants, boating down the Ganges, visiting major temples, mosques, and historical sites, interacting with the people, and side-stepping cows. (ha.)
I must admit, I’m a little nervous… okay, I’m scared to death. Even after reading all about India, I still don’t know what to expect — how will people interact with me? will I be safe? what is the food like? and are the monkeys really that dangerous? Nevertheless, I simply can’t wait to get on that plane tomorrow. I love new experiences, and I know this trip will blow me away — besides, the suspense is killing me! If you’d like to keep up with our escapades, see our online journal here. It will be updated daily by all of us students, relating the day’s events and our reactions to our foreign (perhaps bizarre?) surroundings.
I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year; in a couple of weeks, I’ll post again with an overview of the trip (and pictures!). Namaste!
alright, let me do u a favor, as an Indian who knows how things go down here. ill give u a few tips.
1) how will people behave with you?
since ur white some of us will stare at you like you got a big fat tarantula on your face. but ull get used to it.most of them, during day, will be friendly to you.autorickshaw drivers, cab drivers, and sellers will try to swindle you.And might succeed too.
2)will you be safe?
a very important question.i read that ur with 14 other students.that’s a relief cuz a solitary white girl coming to visit india, no matter what people tell you, is an idea as stupid as having a tarantula on your face.Now i’m not saying my fellow country men are a bunch of dangerous turds but some of them do a pretty good impression of them.
never and i mean NEVER go out walking late in the night.NEVER.not if u feel like enjoying the “culture” at night, not if u want to get a breath of fresh indian air, not if Jesus Christ is standing out beckoning you to follow him through the streets of India at night.Stay in!!!
Don’t travel in a cab alone.Make sure u have a huge black guy with rippling muscles beside you.We are afraid of huge black guys.
And don’t act all brave believing the cops in India will rush to your rescue if the need arises.WRONG!! that’s not gonna happen.they are fat, they are lazy, and they are stupid.but that said, it’s good to have their number on your cellphones anyway.maybe their big fat asses will scare away the potential troublemakers.
Try and not get into squabbles with rural Indians or for that matter urban Indians.Some of us are mental.
you might want to read the following two stories for confirmation:
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/local-revelers-in-kochi-molest-swedish-girl/55436-3.html
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/new-year-horror-mob-molests-2-mumbai-girls/55426-3.html
Anyway, now that i’ve given you tips on what to expect and how to go about let me welcome you officially to India.Namaste!
And, yeah, there are lots of great things in India, a lot, but i absolutely hate it when i hear stories about girls getting harmed and to me that kind of negates whatever effect the sight of the taj mahal or the red fort has on your soul.
Once again, DO NOT go walking in the streetes during nights!
DO NOT travel via abandoned/semi-abandoned roads!
and since ur 14 guys i suggest you STICK TOGETHER!!!!
But Seriously im sure ull have fun.Take Care.Don’t get scared by the stuff i said, im just saying, that’s all.
Hey Kelsi,
I know you probably already know this but it would be wise to be slightly paranoid about the drinking water. Avoid tabwater as much as possible. Even for cleaning your thoothbrush have it as a rule that you always boil water or use bottle water. Nothing worse than being sick on a holiday!
Food is yummy, check out the Indian McDonalds just see their vivion on what a burger should be like.
Monkeys? run hard, run fast! Just kidding but don’t give them food they have the tendency to act like animals.
Hope you have a splendid time!
Ah, man!
I really wanted to go to India this year, but what a bummer.
BUT, LOL.
Girl, don’t be so nervous. Just have fun. About the monkey, have some fruits next to you, and don’t have your camera. LOL. they are pretty good in stealing stuff! There’s actually nothing to worry about the food. The food is good, and the people…well, it just takes sometime, but you will get use to it, and I totally agree about the water comment! And make sure that you don’t go alone anywhere. Just get ur buddies, and go together!
Just chillax and have fun!