Wrap Up...

       It is almost two weeks since I have been home and I can not fully describe everything that continues to go through my head about my trip to India. I do feel blessed to have been able to go. The trip was so educational, emotional, and fun. I would have to say that my favorite part of the trip was the two days we spent at the National Institute for Mental Health and Neuro Science. I was absolutely blown away by the resources they have for individuals and families.  It was not something I can say I see in the states. I was specifically impressed with their inpatient family program. By having that program, it shows how important family dynamic really is in India.

            I took more then one thing away when we visited the AIDS project of World Vision. The women were so empowered and were not ashamed of who they are. They used eachother and the organization as their support. This is something I brought home and tried to teach my clients in addiction. You should not be ashamed of who you were, but proud of who you have become. That was a very emotional day for me, but also brought so much happiness to me.

      The Taj was amazing, but in all honesty I would not have minded another educational visit instead, I know that sounds crazy. This weekend a teacher told me that as Social Workers we need to go outside our comfort zone and think outside the box. That is exactly what I did with this trip and the reasons I went. It was a life changing experience and I know it has changed me. 

            This trip was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am so thankful to Marywood University, Dr. Lyter, and Dr. Raj for giving me the opportunity to take part in the trip. I feel I changed in some ways by going to India and it will help mold me into a better person. I am already thinking about where I can go next and who I can help when I go. If anyone ever gets the opportunity to take a trip like I did, take it and run with it, and do not look back. Yes, the flights were long, and it was hot, and there were bugs, but there are so much more positives that you will experience. 

I also want to thank all my friends and family that were so supportive while I was planning and while I was gone. I truly have some special people in my life.

xoxo

Ashely

Sunday March 11th

Almost at the end...

Today we got to sleep in until 8 and then flew out for Trichy. This is my teachers home town. When we arrived we had lunch then left for a rural development program/meeting. They talked to us about their HIV/AIDS prevention groups as well as many other self help groups they run. From there we went to a College of Performing Arts and watched a dance program....it was out of this world!!! We also got to meet some of the children that we will be working with tomorrow.

Lori finally can say she fits in while in India. Here you will only find holes in the ground, rarely a toilet. Lori decided to try the hole....her response when she came out to another classmate was...."you went in the hole right?...did you go on your foot?" It was obvious Lori did lol...I will pass on that!

We continue to have many laughs and very little boundaries lol...I am also pretty sure most are ready to come home...if only we didnt have such a long flight ahead. We leave at 2AM Tuesday morning (India time) and get to Jersey by 1:45PM eastern time...

Tomorrow we will visit a non-profit organization for children affected with Cerebral Palsy and also another organization that my teacher helped open, called Hope for the Hopeless which works with orphaned children.

Now that I have the internet, my blog is caught up and hopefully pictures will be on FB. My next post will probably be a summary of the trip since I will be home soon!

xoxo

Saturday March 10th

Taj Mahal, Camels, and Monkeys….oh my!!!

Today was the day…we woke up early, had breakfast and then left for a morning at the Taj. It was a little hectic when we go there since some of us had our computers in our bags. Once again we got sent back to the entrance to get rid of it…this appears to be my theme with traveling. Once in we had a tour guide take us through. I can not even describe how amazing it was!! I must have taken 40 pictures just in the Taj. After our visit we did one more shopping trip. At this point I am not sure who is getting what, and what I am keeping for myself lol. We visited a store that makes all kinds of things out of marble and the stone is specially made. It is just like what is used at the Taj, over course I bought stuff there.

How could I forget….we did not exactly get to ride a camel, but we got a camel carriage ride and before our ride we were able to climb onto the camel. There was nothing attractive about me getting on it lol, but once again when will I ever get to say I got on a camel!

After our visit and lunch we left for a 6 hour bus ride back to Delhi to catch our flight back to Chennai. There were many laughs on the bus ride back, including a discussion with our teacher based on a Kama sutra book…awkward lol. Also, we saw a truck that looked like it was cleaning the drains, however the side of the truck read…Super Sucking Cum Jugging….I am not too sure what it means, but it was so funny and random! I got to see more random monkeys today while we were on our drive. I also had many kids begging while the bus was stopped. This was so sad to see. That is how they make a living for their family. The craziest thing was the slums right outside of the Taj…you would never think they were there.

We made it to the airport late tonight and made it on the plane just as they were making last call. The security was laughing at us as we were running ( it was like a scene aout of Home Alone lol) and also because we are American. Random people have asked to get in our group pictures, which I think is funny. Just like we like to take pictures of them, they like to take pictures of us lol.

Tomorrow afternoon we fly out again. We leave for Trichy which will be our last stop. We will be there for two days and leave directly from there to fly home. This is where we will visit the children that are orphans, it will be another emotional few days. I can not believe I will be home in a few days; this trip has gone by so fast. But I am excited to come home, see family and friends, and my cat. Part of me even misses my clients lol.

xoxo

                             

Friday March 9th

Shopping….

Today we got up early and left for Delhi. It was a day of shopping and sight seeing.  We took a bus from Delhi to Agra. It was about a 4 hour bus ride. On the way I saw villages that I was not sure what they were. I saw another temple, which some thought was a casino lol (grandmom I thought of you lol). Some of the sights I saw were very sad and some were very nice. That’s how it is here. You could have a slum on one stretch and three roads down is a beautiful building.

When we got to Agra, it was apparent the place we were staying at was not what my teacher had thought it was. He felt very deceived from the website and felt horrible for the students. Luckily, he was able to locate another hotel to take us on such short notice. This one did not have roaches under the pillow of families of spiders in the shower!

Random side note…currently I am up to around 40 bug bites…most happen during the night while I am asleep, despite spraying myself and my bed with mass amounts of off lol.

Tomorrow we will go to see the Taj Mahal and then head back to Chennai. The next few days will be very hectic since we have so much to do and only a few days!

xoxo to all!

Thursday March 8th

A day full of emotion….

Unfortunately the internet has not been working so I was unable to talk with family this morning.

Today we went to World Vision which is a corporation for those suffering from poverty. It is a Christian corporation which my teacher used to work for. We had lunch with them and then they took us to one of their projects. They run a support group/drop in center for women and children affected by HIV or AIDS.  At first we visited the drop in center then since it was National Woman’s Day they took us to a park where a meeting was being held with. There was a huge crowd of woman, some with their children. Some parents have HIV and some children as well. Some told their stories and how the support group has empowered them. One lady spoke about how her family has shunned her and makes her eat off a separate plate and places her plate on the floor. This brought tears to my eyes. Another lady spoke about how she was in an accident and contracted HIV through a blood transfusion…currently she only has one eye that she can see from due to this. They invited us to cut a cake with the women and just hearing their stories and interacting with them and their children was so moving. I can not even describe all the emotions I was feeling and still am feeling.

After that we were taken to a local cathedral, which was nice. We were able to tour a small museum that was there as well. From there we took a stop at the beach, yes the beach. I can now say I had my feet in the Indian Ocean! I also got to see my first monkey, so excited! He jumped, climbed, and did various tricks…super cute!

Tomorrow we fly off to Delhi early in the morning and shop and walk around all day. Looking forward to a somewhat relaxing day.

This trip is going by so fast, but at the same time I am ready to come home and see family and my Oliver!

Hope to be able to get online and post some pictures up!

xoxo

Wednesday March 7th

Sari….

As always my day started out with a nice talk with the family. Our day started off with a trip to meet the commissioner of Chennai. It was a very interesting meeting. We came back to our guest house and then headed off to the Madras School of Social Work. It was there where the students dressed us in full Sari attire! (that was the surprise). They reviewed their program and we met in small groups and talked about both schools. The entire trip was nice and the students were very nice and open with us. I even managed to find a cute Indian boy J

After that we went the MSSW we went shopping! We went to a store and to the markets. Shopping was fun and I got some nice things for myself and others. Leave it to Lori to drop a lamp in the store. She also lost her baggage tag at the airport yesterday right before boarding. This was also something I did a few days ago…leave it to the two of us lol.

Tomorrow we are visiting Worlds AIDs vision…very excited about this

xoxo

ash

a cow walking in traffic

You got horned....

You got horned….

Lets start out with a dream I had that John rolled my dads truck in front of our house and I woke up this morning just as it was happening so im not sure what the outcome was lol. Maybe I had this dream due to the traffic here lol

I really don’t have words for today. My day started with waking up to not so good stomach issues. I am convinced it was no the Indian food that made me sick but the McDonalds lol. A very bright side to my morning was my chat with some aunts, my grandmother, my uncle, my mom and dad and even my brother. It was so great to talk to all of them and answer some of their questions.

Today we were waiting to leave for the institute when we saw another cow. Lori (my roommate) decided it would be a smart idea to walk up to it and get on its level…not so good of an idea. The cow charged at her and she got a horn to the stomach. If you notice in my picture that there is rope on the cows legs, that’s why. It is to help prevent it from attacking…did not work in this case. We laughed for hours!

Once again I was fascinated with the Institute and the services they offer. Today they touched on the neuro surgery and we were able to tour the hospital. They all spoke about addictions and how alcohol is their main problem, of course I was in my glory listening as that is my main interest. They also spoke about a 3 month international program they offer if we were interested. I am interested but could never do it!

We get many looks by those that live here, however they always smile when we take their pictures.

We flew back to Chennai today. My plane ride was funny and a lot of it you had to be there but there were so many laughs. You would never know some of us never knew each other until this trip.

On the way back somehow a conversation on contraception developed in our van. We had a pretty detailed conversation, even though the director of our program at a Catholic College was sitting in the front.

Tomorrow will be a meeting with a government official and then off to the school of social work. 

I know there are so many other things that I am forgetting, so much is happening!

xoxo

Educational Day

Today we had our first of two visits at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience. To say that it was amazing would be an understatement. It is a residential and outpatient facility for all ages and for all needs from MR, ADHD, Schizophrenia, and Autism just to name a few. We were able to tour some inpatient buildings; unfortunately we were not aloud to take pictures. India really does have a good grasp of services for individuals and families. They even have family therapy where the family comes to stay for weeks at a time together. One program that was also interesting was there Rehabilitation program where individuals work in specific areas, whether it is baking, computers, molding, sculpting and other various areas. It is like a giant life skills class for the mentally ill. We spent the day there from 9-4.

After our visit we stopped at the mall quick so some people could eat “American” food and some could shop quick, then it was off to the temple. I was unable to take pictures of the temple as they were not aloud. I did have to walk barefoot through it and got many stares from people that live here. The temple was amazing!!

Tomorrow will be spent at the institute again and then we fly back to our main city…no more comfy bed after tonight lol.

We have yet to see any monkeys wondering around, but I am told that in a few days when we travel again we will see this!

Everyday continues to bring new adventures, new laughs, and new stories!

xoxo

Ash

A day of adventure

I was able to get about 4 hours of sleep before getting up around 8AM. The shower was…well an experience! I was able to talk with mom for a little on FB before she went to bed and I started my day, which was nice. We had lunch with faculty and students from the MSW program here and then went to downtown Chennai to shop for something for later in the week. I can not disclose this as it is a surprise for everyone at home. Chennai is a lower poverty. You would often see people approach you for money and a lady actually held her infant sons hand out to beg for money, it was sad and makes you appreciate what you have.  After that we went to the airport to fly out to Bangalore.

The plane ride to Bangalore was about an hour and we all slept. The car ride from Bangalore was about 2 hours. It was interesting to see the different areas and Bangalore does not appear as much of a low poverty area, although im sure parts are. When we arrived around 930PM we were served dinner and then were able to come settle in our AMAZING room!

Tomorrow we will go to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Science. We will be in Bangalore for two days and then return to Chennai…

Some random things about today:

A mouse ran across the common area in the guest house where we stayed lastnight…yes these things happen at home...but this one was HUGE

We gave Paul Raj (he helped coordinate our trip) his first Pringle chip…

Traffic is interesting here….it is 100x worse then NYC and I am pretty sure I thought I was going to die a few times

You see random animals walking around, dogs, cats, even cows

First scare of the trip, my baggage tag fell off in the airport and I had to run back get a new one, this was after I could not understand a word that the guards were saying to me…thankful I did not go alone…always travel with a buddy… 

hugs and kisses to everyone at home

ash

Random Pictures

yes i have a toilet lol

some of the gang about 2AM

part of our room

the side of our van....ha!

surprise from mom

newark airport

sunrise in brussels

Arrived in India…

We arrived in India around 12:15AM.  It still did not hit me that it was real even walking off the plane. Speaking off the plane ride…leave it to one of my classmates to get hit on by a male worker, he like her “spectacles” haha! The ride from the airport to the hotel was interesting. I noticed a lot of construction going on at 2AM and a lot of horns beeping. My roommate and I started to unpack and pack since tomorrow night we leave to stay in a different city for two nights, lots of traveling going on.

The plane ride was overall not bad. Hard to get adjusted but I manages to sleep a few hours each ride. The food overall was edible and I was able to watch a few good movies.

It is currently 330AM here and I am thinking I should get some sleep…hope to have this internet thing fixed tomorrow too..

Xoxo

ash

Arrived in Brussels….

After an okay flight, we arrived in Brussels at 745AM their time, 245AM US time. I had a failed attempt to text home as I did not have service and my phone was dead. They charge and arm and a leg to connect to the internet, so this blog was done and posted later.

Something strange happened when I was going through security at Newark. The guy took my laptop out of the bag and a book fell out. I thought nothing of it and assumed that the person who let me borrow it left it in there. When I got to Brussels, it fell out again but with a card. I looked and thought wow, did Paul leave me a note?!?! Then I realized it was my moms writing. Mom had managed to sneak a card and a book to journal in into my bag. What a pleasant surprise.

I did manage to get some sleep on the plane, however the wine was not favorable…but it did the job J Had my first experience with semi Indian food, it was not bad. I watched Friends and then took about a 3 hour nap.

This all still does not seem real, not sure when it will set it….

Miss everyone already

xoxoxo

Ash

Last night home...

So I woke up this morning at 3AM and thought wow, how do I have a hangover from two glasses of wine? Then it hit me, my nerves are setting in! I honestly did not think I would get this nervous, but here I am wide away at 9 (those of you who know me, know 9 is late for me lol) because my mind is going a mile a minute. I have to be at the school tomorrow by 1245, we should arrive at the airport by 3, and then fly out at 630. Lets hope my nerves calm down by then, if not well then there is medication :) 

This probably will be my last blog until I arrive, but I will hopefully write when I get there!

Thank you all for the well wishes for safe travels, all your thoughts, and prayers! 

ASh