Orientation:

Nothing special to talk about our grand orientation that was conducted at India Habitat Center (yes the huge building you can see in Rang de Basanti). But if I do not mention the sumptuous meals that we were given it will be an injustice from my quarters. Indeed to be truthful I have never seen such grandeur in my life in terms of food and I must say I love Pasta! With exceptionally boring sessions not just in the mornings but also in the afternoons I could barely keep my eyes opened. But I tried my best to keep my eyes, if not my brain, open to the on goings.

I must say that in spite of being in Hyderabad Central University for past two years I never tried hard to speak to international students as such. Not because I was being a snob but because I never thought any of them can relate to me in any ways. But now at the orientation with half of the hall filled with international students I had to buck up my courage and speak to them. And I found that they were actually not as different as I had thought they would be. And an incident gave me more reasons to try my luck: all of them, along with the national students, seemed to be excited at the news of remuneration for the four days of our orientation. But who wouldn’t be if someone pays you for sitting through their sessions! And so I met my first team mate Zoë!

I introduced myself to Zoë, and actually was a little relieved that she wasn’t too upset to see me as her team mate. But even before we could explore deeply about how good we were to each other our major concern became our team mates. Yes the male community in our team- Mr Jatin and Mr Liam. Now both of us hadn’t seen these two individuals on the first day and were extremely worried about our upcoming project which included both research and video documentation. Answering to our queries the organizers told us that Mr Jatin had dropped out of the internship program and Mr Liam had faced problems with his flight. So we slowly settled with the fact that we were only three in our team now. Liam didn’t come for two days and I and Zoë had to do all the team building exercises. And during one of those exercises both I and Zoë found that both of us are disastrous at sketching. Finally Liam came on the third day. But we were glad that at least he got to do one team building exercise with us. My skepticism of being with two foreigners continued and I hardly stayed out with them (only to know how stupid I was).

On the day we were supposed to leave to our respective posting places, we- the Jaipur team, were almost left alone as the others had already taken off to their destinations. As there was no other go except to be with my team mates I decided to face the reality and experience the much dreaded task of bonding with them. Our Bus was at 5 in the evening so we planned to go to the ISKCON temple and the Bahai temple (there starts my first chapter of learning new things! I was completely ignorant about the Bahai faith.)

First time I saw the copy of the much heard of travel guide- “Lonely Planet” and was quite amazed about the details in it. Zoë should be credited for that because we followed the lonely planet through out our trip. By the time I came back I knew one thing that I do not stand out in my team and that my team mates can actually decipher my ways or rather are nice enough to tolerate my ways! I became much more comfortable with them and believe me it was a relief for me. I really regret the moments I delayed to make friends with my dear team mates.

5 p.m the bus started and also our memorable journey to Jaipur as a team. Remaining part of the narration will have to wait for a few days! And yes I still can’t upload any image on to my blog.

Hmm... It’s been long since I wrote something. I have no one but me to blame for this delay. But I promise that this journey of yours through whatever I have in store for you may not be bad.

Three months of my UNICEF internship at a very new place, with new people, new food, surprising revelations and of course new fun was not just a passing affair for me. Therefore I decide to pen it down on my blog.

This blog will have many parts and if my grey cells help me I might be able to upload some snaps worth having a look (not completely because of its creative beauty but also because of its content). So I begin with due citation of my dear friend Liam’s blog space: http://niffirg-mail.blogspot.com/ . His blog, If not mine, I am sure, will definitely ensure how adventurous the journey was.

And of course before I start I would confess that... I got a culture shock-at times pleasant and at times infuriating when I saw an India that was completely different from my concept. Nevertheless my experience was more romantic than what I had thought it would be and all this only because of my dear friends Zoë and Liam. This part of my life would have never been so interesting without them.


The journey begins

June 11, 2006 early morning I boarded the AP Express. Amal came to drop me and as usual I showed a gloomy face for leaving my favorite place, completely ignorant of the fun that I’ll be having for the coming three months. Amal was patient and gave me a list of ‘things to be careful’ about. Not that he is one of those sorts who will give long list of things to be done but considering the fact that it was me who was traveling it was apt of him to give me instructions. And I stuck to what he had advised me. Sometimes you should listen to people who are more careful than you are. Thanks dear I really care about what you say to me!

After contemplating for long, I decided to read “Ladies’ coupe” given by Raj as my farewell gift when all my favorites: Amal, Ram, Raj, Thulasi and Nasheeda met the previous day. We missed Pradeep, he wasn’t in Hyderabad to join us.

Opposite to me were a Punjabi couple and their kids- a daughter and a son. They seemed pretty amassed by Hyderabad and were traveling in groups. They had come to Hyderabad to get the traditional treatment for asthma. They were a happy go lucky family who passed their time by singing songs. But to be truthful I thought that ‘Uncle’ was a little too absorbed in constantly staring at me and addressing his songs to me which made me quite uncomfortable.

Well after the chivalric venture of mine to excuse myself from the hub I quietly cornered myself with the book.

12th June, yes the next day morning the moment I got down at New Delhi station at 10 a.m, whom do I see? Mr Ram, who constantly surprises me, was there to receive me. And that’s my dear Ram who never fails to give me pleasant surprises. Well you must be wondering how Ram reached Delhi when he was in Hyderabad the day before my departure. Exactly the question I had in my mind! Well he had an official work of his planned well in time for my arrival in Delhi and so he was there by flight before I could reach there by train. I am really fond of all your surprises dear!

Delhi was a new place for me and with a Delhi expert with me I had no hassles to reach the International Youth Hostel, where all the interns were put up. Nice place with lot of Malayalies around a bit too costly with no real visible royalty. Nevertheless comfortable!

And the narration continues in the next post. From next post onwards the characters change dramatically: it is going to be a ‘crazy’ Indian, who never knew she had little knowledge that her country was any different from other countries; an Aussie anthropologist who beats everyone with her ever ready sense of humour and an enthusiastic Canadian who can make people forget Gandhigiri with his thanks giving. (Zoë and Liam, dear I know you are not familiar with the term ‘Gandhigiri’, so this explanation is for you: Gandhigiri is the latest buzz word in India. It is nothing but promoting Gandhi’s value through daily act of yours. A movie called “Lago Raho Munnabhai” promoted it. It has gone for Oscars this time. Have a look at it!)