MY summer in INDIA

 

all documented....the proof is in the pictures. I tried to make up for lost time, so don't be overwhelmed by the amount of photographs! Better late than never!!!

 

 

 

TB=tuberculosis
don't be mistaken. spitting is a HUGE!!! problem in India.

 

The trains are very over crowded.

 

A common sight while Steph and I waited for the train in the morning.

India

 

This is a perfect example of the extreme differences in India. The shacks and slums right next to the million dollar building. The Grand Hyatt hotel is right around the corner from all the slums. Sitting inside, walking in the lobby, and sitting down in the cool air conditioned padded lounge chairs, you would never know there is immense poverty just yards away. But sight from the slums on the street is quite clear their is affluence steps away. It's quite heart breaking. There is so much poverty-it's overwhelming.

Our SuperWoman

 

We would be nowhere without this woman! She does it all!

Our Beautiful Sunita

 

 

2 very happy muslim boys on an Indian holiday!

 

Washing clothes. Fortunately we had a washing machine a few blocks away at a friends apartment so we didn't have to wash by hand too often. But we hung clothes to dry. Our whole living room would be filled with hanging clothes after we did laundry. We couldn't hang them outside cause the rains would come.

 

Sadly, I've seen people carry things twice as large as this on their head. I don't know how they do it. Trying to manuver through a crowded train station??? And their poor necks...and I think my back aches...

 

 

These little guys were darlings! Wish you could've seen their giggles!

 

 

 

He kept the mice away. I was always happy when I saw a cat near our house cause I knew he'd add to the dead count I had. 20 total for the summer. 10 on average a month. Not bad. I didn't enjoy seeing them. But squooshed or dead was better than the 5 I saw alive.

 

 

All these pictures were taken one evening on a photoshoot with Sunita. We were driving around in a taxi and were stopped waiting on the side of the road. A woman standing there struck me and I asked if I could take her picture. She sort of smiled and posed. She was so beautiful. (The one below in green.)

We got out of the taxi and in a matter of moments were surrounded by children circling and smiling...wanting their picture taken. Sunita and I realized we were holding up the taxi, as the meter was running up so we decided to pay him and send him on. Neither of us had the right amount of money. I looked in my pocket and all I had was a large bill.
(100 rupees = $2.50) The ride was 10 rupees = $0.25 We didn't know what to do.

Then this dear man came over, a father of some of the children, took out his wallet and paid the taxi. I was incredibly humbled. We were on one of the poorest roads in Bombay. Truly the slums. I couldn't believe this man was willing to pay for us, especially because I knew he didn't have much money...and as a Westerner....it was just an amazing experience to have him giving to us.

We must have stayed on the road for at least a half hour. There were just shacks lined up next to each other made of aluminum siding, covered with tarps...on a busy highway. All the children came out while the women sat around talking out front. After a while even the women were willing to jump in a picture. They were quite entertaining. ;)

A few days later I got a some of the photos printed and brought them back to the families. They seemed very pleased--accepting them with huge smiles. I let them know I'd share the photos so people in America would know how beautiful the people of India were. Looking at these pictures you would never know they are some of the poorest in Bombay.