This week has flown by........ we only have about one month left in India - madness!
On Monday it was decided that our top-up training would be on Wednesday, the location of our training....... Chennai. Oh yes, it was time to travel back to where it all began. So on Tuesday, Will, Jack, myself and Katy (who had been stranded with us all last week due to being struck down by the wedding food) made the horrifying journey back to the city. I say it was bad only because there are a fair few long bus journeys involved, and Indian buses are bad at the best of times but of late the temperature is soaring...... the heat is literally blistering and the buses are jam packed and sweaty..... not fun. But journey we did, and arrive we did. We were staying with the rest of the Chennai girls in their placement house, which was quite a trek down a dusty road that is constantly being dug up - very bizarre.
So, Wednesday brought the livelihoods training, and along with this my first Indian train ride........ what an experience. As we waited on the platform I instantly knew I was in for a treat. Much like the buses the Indian folk don't seem to understand the concept of there not being any space, and as doors do not exist in India, they take any opportunity and risk there lives on a daily basis. The sight of folk hanging off the outside of buses is one thing, but when its trains..... health and safety anyone? Anyway, board we did (in the female carriage lucky enough) because we were wedged in like sardines, and I was a little too close to the door (sorry where the door should have been) when we started moving until I pushed my way further into the carriage......not a comfortable journey in the slightest.
However, the other trains we caught were far less packed and its actually very refreshing to be able to sit with a breeze from the doorway. We spent the entire day at Asha Niva's (where our training began back in Jan) and I've definitely picked up a few ideas for how the livelihoods programme is going to work. Basically we'll be working with small groups of out of school youth helping them improve their lives, were be running English lessons, and helping them develop their personal skills as well as providing them with the knowledge about employment opportunities and government schemes that are available to them - very excited to get started! The end of the day saw a short trip to a shopping mall - where I found......... a MARS BAR!!! - it was under lock and key but I was so determined for a chocolate fix - it was the best mars bar I've ever tasted!!!
Thursday brought with it a very relaxing day..... it was a public holiday I believe. We took advantage of the fact we were in the city for a few days and decided to head to the cinema.... our movie of choice.... Iron Lady. I never realised how much I missed films but having not watched anything for two months it was great to get lost in the world of a film. Earlier in the week we had decided to spend out weekend in a place called Pondicherry (a place some of the girls visited the previous weekend), but given how much of an epic bus journey it would be back to Vellore and hearing the girls description on the place we decided against this epic adventure. Instead Jack headed back to Vellore and (given that I'd spent most of last week in bed and didn't really feel in any rush to get back), myself and Will headed to ......... Mahaps. The place we visited about a month ago, a beaut little town where many a back - packer travel through. I definitely needed a bit of chill out and this place was perfect. The first place we headed on our arrival...... a restaurant to get some tasty food (as close to western as it gets for India). Then Will went for a cheeky dip in the sea, where he was unfortunately stung by a jelly fish, I was then charged at by a cow.... it was very bizarre set of events, but brilliant none the less. We spent most the time shopping for a few gifts to take back with us and chilling out. We only stayed the one night before heading back on Saturday (another disastrous bus ride), before boarding however we found a few awesome lil sight seeing treats (including a beautiful elephant carved into a rock). I will be uploading all my pic's as soon as I get back to the UK.
Generally a great week. Plus, I am so eager to start the livelihoods programme now...... let the adventure continue.......
On Monday it was decided that our top-up training would be on Wednesday, the location of our training....... Chennai. Oh yes, it was time to travel back to where it all began. So on Tuesday, Will, Jack, myself and Katy (who had been stranded with us all last week due to being struck down by the wedding food) made the horrifying journey back to the city. I say it was bad only because there are a fair few long bus journeys involved, and Indian buses are bad at the best of times but of late the temperature is soaring...... the heat is literally blistering and the buses are jam packed and sweaty..... not fun. But journey we did, and arrive we did. We were staying with the rest of the Chennai girls in their placement house, which was quite a trek down a dusty road that is constantly being dug up - very bizarre.
So, Wednesday brought the livelihoods training, and along with this my first Indian train ride........ what an experience. As we waited on the platform I instantly knew I was in for a treat. Much like the buses the Indian folk don't seem to understand the concept of there not being any space, and as doors do not exist in India, they take any opportunity and risk there lives on a daily basis. The sight of folk hanging off the outside of buses is one thing, but when its trains..... health and safety anyone? Anyway, board we did (in the female carriage lucky enough) because we were wedged in like sardines, and I was a little too close to the door (sorry where the door should have been) when we started moving until I pushed my way further into the carriage......not a comfortable journey in the slightest.
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| This is how packed the trains can get......luckily ours wasn't this bad! |
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| Will, myself and Becca on the less packed train |
Generally a great week. Plus, I am so eager to start the livelihoods programme now...... let the adventure continue.......
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