My Worst Nightmare

Today I was driving home from a visit to the Taj Mahal. (Note: I will share pictures of this very soon.) A glorious building by the way that truly takes your breathe away. But this post is not about the gleaming, white marble Taj Mahal. NO, it is about the hideous washroom incident I had to deal with while in route back to Delhi.

My friend and I, being both females, had the urge to use the bathroom for a number 1 situation (for those not from the states this means we needed to pee). Thus we stopped at the closest facilities on a very barren road between Agra and Delhi. This particular rest stop happened to have some packaged chips and some soda pops. Our merry crowd proceeded to select their needed beverages and snacks for the rest of the journey while my friend and I asked about directions to the washroom.

Here is the literal description of the facilities we encountered told in my own words...

"I asked the service associate where the facilities were and he ushered me back to a small doorway underneath the stairwell. The room had a tiny ventilation window on the dingy brown door. Upon opening the door I noticed that the room had no light inside it, thus once the door was closed the visitor was sitting in total darkness. This tiny washroom was about 4 feet by 4 feet in size and pretty much looked like it had never been cleaned....ever! I quickly also realized that the toilet was simply a disgusting hole in the floor that did not flush and also happened to have a layer of piss all over it. I really had to pee, so I thought through my options. Go outside and piss while 20 or 30 Indian men stared on at wonder at the white lady (no I don't think so) or use the only available toilet. So, I took a deep breathe of fresh air and headed into the dismal accommodations. As soon as the door was closed I was in total darkness. My sandal clad feet slid on the urine that lined the hole and I righted myself before toes touched water...or whatever was down in that hole. I cringed but pulled my pants down and did my business as quickly as possible hoping and praying I was far enough away from the hole that the back-splash wouldn't get me. The tomb was stifling. No air at all was moving in that tiny space. There was no toilet paper and I was running out of breathe. I quickly pushed the door open with my feet and proceeded to button up my pants outside the door because the smell of feces was permeating everything."

 My friend went in next doing pretty much the same thing and describing it in a similar fashion.

Disgusting. When I close my eyes I still see that hole and feel that oppressive darkness. Like being locked inside the actual hole itself. I thought to myself what must this be like to only have facilities like this to use every day. Never having a clean spot to use the bathroom. Terrifying. My worst nightmare. Truly.

And wouldn't you know...another mile down the road and there were lovely, sparkly, clean public washrooms. Ugh!

Jaipur, India

I had the wonderful opportunity this week to visit a beautiful place in India with some fellow travelers. We stayed in Jaipur, which is in the Indian state of Rajashtan. This glorious city is well known for its amazing colors, delicious foods, and wonderful shopping (jewelry and clothing). It is called by many "The Pink City" because of its many amazing monuments, forts, palaces, and other historical sites that are pink in color. Below are some of my pictures of this visit to Jaipur for you to enjoy. If you are ever in India you must visit this amazing city.

First Impressions

We have had several friends in town this week to see the sites of this country and to watch the India Formula One Race. On day 2 of their visit I asked them to describe what their first impressions of the country were from their US perspectives. Here is what they had to say in the order they stated it....

"India is very dirty and trashy."

"The colors are brighter than I have ever seen anywhere else. Jaipur for instance has the brightest yellows and pinks I have ever seen."

"Compared to the shiny, refined US this country is rough and unpolished."

"The cows look strange!"

"The flavors and smells are very strong here."

"It is very noisy. The horns are really loud. I love it."

"This is some serious organized chaos."

"It is tiring and exhausting."

"They don't understand the concept of personal space."

"I am more grateful for my lifestyle and the access to goods now."

"India is a contradiction at all levels. Modern in many cities like Delhi yet severely undeveloped in other areas. Polished in places like the hotels but very rough in others like local city markets. Free in some aspects but restricted in others."

"The food is amazing."

"Riding in a car is terrifying."

"Visiting India is the experience of a lifetime. Everyone should see it at some point in their lives."

"Historical and beautiful."

I thought several of these ideas when I first moved to India. Many aspects to the Indian way of life I understand more having lived here for a year. Still I am intrigued by what others think of the country I currently call home. My hope is that all people get the chance to see and experience India some time. It is certainly not a country to visit if you just want to lay around, drink, and relax during vacation. It is a place to visit if you wish to grow and change your perspective on life. Opens your eyes and your senses. 

Warm, Sunny, and Comfortable

It has been a lovely day here in India. Just wanted to share a picture of my backyard. That is my dog Bella in the picture sniffing the grass. Warm, sunny, and comfortable. All is well today. I've got nothing else to say. :)

Open to Change

I am back in my hometown in the states this week and next. Soaking up cool autumn air and wide open spaces. I am a lucky lady that I get to head home often from India.

I took a lovely long walk this sunny afternoon to celebrate the changing seasons and my time spent at my home here. While walking I started thinking about how much I have changed whilst living in a foreign country. For instance, I find that I walk more than ever before to not only conserve natural resources but also to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

I spend a lot more time reading books, others blogs, and news journals and significantly less time watching TV. This substantially increases the general feeling of the day's length. You should definetly try life with less TV! I also think that this has genuinely improved my attitude as well. Another good selling point. To put this in perspective, I watch on average about 30 minutes a day compared to the US average of about 5 hours. Consider what other hobbies and loves you could develop with less time wasted on TV.

I am more of a patriot than ever before which I am told most expats go one way or the other on this aspect. Either closer love of home or a deeper resentment of it. I see an American flag and now...I cry. Really!!!

I enjoy my family more. I think living 8,000 miles away definetly gives you perspective on this one. Spending quality time together and tolerating differences better. This week, I had a lovely dinner at my house here in Arkansas with my parents who are in their 70s and discussed all the ways life is different now than when they were children.  It was a fantastic, relaxing evening.

I have also determined a much more unique style to my wardrobe and manner of speaking. I think living life as a foreigner forces you to acknowledge that, well heck you are always going to stand out so you might as well embrace it. This creates a deeper level of confidence than I have ever experienced before.

I have also learned the value in owning less stuff, appreciating what you have more, and generally consuming less. This also allows you to save a lot more money which is another perk of being an expat.

All in all, good changes. Happy that my life has forced these on me and glad I am and continue to be open to them.