Leaving Bhopal
Trip Start
Dec 10, 2011
1
7
10
Trip End
Feb 04, 2012
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
Sunday, December 25, 2011
I'm writing you from a lovely internet cafe in Bhopal. No spell/grammar check or proofreading is going on. I'm typing and going! I got about 10 minutes left on this! PS. We got denied at 15 cafes because we are foreigners. Interesting since I'm a celebrity here. But I can't use the internet. That's a big old story I'll share with you over dud chai (Tea with Milk).
So, what's been going on?
We are leaving Bhopal tomorrow. Our train is at 5pm. We will present the mural at 2pm to the clinic staff and pack our things and go! I think Chicky and Nicky (Akansha and Akash) will take us to the train station. We are heading to Agra for 1 1/2 days and then Delhi for 2! Our flight to Nepal is 10am on the 30th. Jamez will be heading back to chilly Canada - yes he brought his coat.
I forget what I last shared with you readers, so here it is!
The TAP program is officially finished. Our last day was Saturday. We created an art gallery for Sat/Sun/Monday for everyone to enjoy. We printed 300 photos that the participants took (they can take them home Monday) and put up over 50 peices of visual art. Yes, I still have our Justin Beiber dance party on video - but that will be a private collection!! I will be burning all of my interviews onto a DVD and leaving the raw footage at Sambhavna. About 50 participants also made necklaces and bracelets. Beautiful program. Beautiful journey. I have made some real friends and the participants now feel like family.
I wish I had blogged more during the program but the concenration, time, and energy just took the life out of me - plus no internet. Also, every night there was something.... awesome to do. Make tea, go to the market, go to an event etc.
The Yadav family took us to a tribal festival where local tribes showcase their work. I bought some beautiful art and a tiny little elephant.Their were tons of performances...ritual dancing, more dancing, music... Just an amazing night. We went around the vendors, the kids section. I shot a gun...a rifle... it was fake. Guns are bad. Violence is bad. I just have always wanted to hold one.... I hit 4/10 balloons....There were no prizes.... Oh well! We also got to meet the performers. We turned out to be the stars of the evening, according to some folks. WONERFUL night. I kept asking myself...Where is Kaloom? He bought a lovely sweater.
I will miss everyone in Bhopal very much. My clinic staff family. My neighbourhood families. All of the children and families that we worked with. My internet cafe family! SD just said bye.
As the kids said to be on Saturday "Monday you go. Cry and bye. Bye and Cry". Seriously emotional.
Today to is Christmas for some people. Not in Bhopal though... Maybe a dozen people are celebrating.. I think Kaloom wants to make a feast. We need to finish painting the mural!!! Oh decisions.
Today will be a LONG day of painting, laughing, and hanging out. Tomorrow will be sad. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I don't want to think about it at ALL. I don't want to go anywhere....Stay in Bhopal...Forever?
Off to Agra..Delhi and then a journey of a lifetime.
Blog soon.
Sorry for lack of spell check.
Love love love,
Rox
