my week in Northern India

I'm sorry this has taken so incredibly long to post, but I have been so busy this week that I am not getting around to blogging about last week until it's almost time for this weeks blog post! My bad ya'll. However...

Lucky me my incredible Momma and big sissy Rochelle came out to visit me in India and visit Rising Star, which we all hold so dear in our hearts. But, before coming to see all my kiddies here we decided to take in just a little more than what some refer to as the "arm pit of India" (a phrase I am borrowing from others, I am in love with Chennai, or more specifically sweet little Thottonaval village). I flew to Mumbai to meet my mom and sister and we then flew all together up to Leh. Leh is in the Ladakh region up in Kashmir (don't worry this place is approved to travel to by the US government, I know more places in Kashmir arn't). Leh is up in the Himalayas and has a beautiful and mountainy charm to it. The city is 80% Buddhist and filled with Tibetan  refugees so it was an interesting contrast to what I traditionally think of when I think India. It actually reminded me a little more of Peru, maybe it was just the altitude.

When up in Leh, we visited Buddhist temples, saw some palaces and made our way up to the "highest motorable road in the world" where of course we hiked up as high as we could go, despite being completely out of breath from the insane altitude. It was a fun adventure to go on with two of my favorite people.

 Been waiting for her to get here all summer. So glad to of gotten to enjoy India with my mum.

 Just a little Buddah time at the Shanti Stuppa

 Exploring the streets of Leh and all the Buddhist temples. So fascinating to experience. The only draw back to this place was that it wasn't as cool as the temperatures online claimed to be. But, I loved it here.

 They had these Buddhist prayer flags hanging everywhere. I was obsessed with them. (Hope my roommates are too cause I bought some to hang up in the apartment...)

 Self timer at the top of the world. Killed our lungs to hike up, but quite fun, quite worth it.

oh wow. oh wow.

Well after our adventures in Ladakh, we weren't quite finished. We then hopped down to Jaipur for a quickie visit. We got to see some gorgeous places and forts and take a ride on an elephant.

This is from the Observatory in Jaipur. They had a bunch of sundials (including the largest on in the world, see below). This one was for Scorpio. Woop woop. 

 Wait...we can't read sundials. What time is it?

 Touring all over visiting the beautiful temples, palaces, and forts in Jaipur!

 I love elephants. They are absolutely incredible. Can't believe I can say that I have ridden an elephant twice in my life. I'm considering making it my only means of travel, or at least preferred means.

My mom ridding, and Rochelle giving the elephant a pat. 

So glad that my mom and sister could come out and travel with me. I love them. I miss them already. Can't wait to tell you about my week at Rising Star with them. 

peace. love. and Buddha   

my elephant blessings

You know your week was absolutely incredible when you got blessed by an elephant, and that wasn't even the best part. But, we can get to the best of the best...very last.

So that elephant blessing....

I got my elephant blessing in Pondicherry this weekend and it was pretty awesome. There is just an elephant, a beauty named Lakshmi, hanging out in front of a Hindu temple, you put some rupees or some grass in her trunk, and she gives you a bonk on the head. 

I just think any creature this giant and beautiful is absolutely incredible. Isn't she stunning?

Even though this was awesome, nothing in my week could possible beat hanging out with the kids at the school. I just love them so freaking much. The other volunteers probably actually want to take me down sometimes because all I can possible manage to say when I get back from playing with them/ hanging out with them is, "You guys, I just love them so much!!!" 

Here are some of my sweet darlings...

Above are Sudah and Abiniya. They are both complete goofs and even though their English is still a work in progress we crack each other up. 

To the right is Maryambee, who my family proudly sponsors. She is an absolute joy and I feel blessed to get to spend time with her in person and not just via her sponsor letters.
Over on the left here is Ragavan, one of the newest kids. He was climbing around and motioned for me to take his picture and then let him see. Since he is one of the kindergarten kids his only way to express to me how much he loved the pictures of himself was to say "Yes!" louder and with a bigger smile every time he saw another one. It was insanely precious.

This is Sanjay and Veeran. They are the sweetest! Sanjay is an incredible reader and Veeran is just the happiest little boy you have ever seen. They are both always smiling and cute. Veeran is also particularly fond of taking rides on people shoulders, and once he is up there...good luck getting him off. 

Unfortunately I have no pictures to show of the boys that truly are my sunshine, since they are all in a dance group during play time when I usually take pictures. Every night for what we call "family time," from 7:30 to 8:30, the volunteers are sent to the boys and girls hostels which are divided into families with house mothers running each one. The volunteers in our sessions are assigned a specific house to go to each night, but the long term-ers get to just roam, but I can't help but always go to the same houses. The volunteers are supposed to be helping wind the kids down, reading, helping with homework, etc. As the coordinator in charge of this time each night, you would think that I would be on my best behavior and an excellent example at all times....but that's so hard to do when my boys M. Vignesh and Ismail are chasing me around, and C. Vignesh and I are having a mini water fight, and Joseph and I are having sit-up competitions, and Vimmal is picking me up and singing "Call Me Maybe," and the list just keeps going on. It also doesn't help that as I am trying to make sure that all the volunteers are leaving at 8:30, that by a group effort of the boys, I am often held hostage so that I stay for just a few minutes longer.

Family time is my absolute favorite part of everyday. 

But, the best of the best part of this week that I promised before? I was chatting with Joseph last night and we have officially decided that he is my little brother and I am his big sister. As I was leaving the hostel last night and walking home, he ran out to the balcony and shouted "Dani! Dani! Goodnight big sister!!" 

Maybe the elephant blessing sounds a little cooler to you, but I now have the most incredible little brother in the whole world. I know for a fact, that with a week this incredible, that elephant wasn't the only one blessing me.

peace. love. and blessings.