Rickshaws

I know I didn't spell that right but anyhow today I took my first sollow trip. It is something new from a taxi and it is different in such a city as this. If you get the wrong driver there can be many different senarious. One, they may decided whether or not to actually take you where you want to go. If they think it is to close they will not want to take you cause they want a further destination, or if it is to "remote" they will think they cannot get a passenger to go back with. Two they may take you but want to charge more then it is worth. They have a meter in the vehical that they choose to put on or not. So it is best that you make sure they switch it on before you go. You may get there and they still want to charge you extra just for the "inconvenience" of it. Third: if they think you don't know what you are about they could take you for a ride. Take you the long way around to cause it to cost more.
So on my first time out alone the first driver I asked did not want to go (no real explenation, though they don't need to explain). The second guy I asked took me with out question. thats it no big storie this time.
In the end it is so much fun to ride around the city. Both in the rickshaws and on the bikes (motorbike/skooter). There will be fotos of the roads in my foto page to give you a bit of an idea.

Loven it

My sister just posted some picuters of her sweet youngest daughter. I highly recommend checking it out.

Better every day

I am amazed at how easily it seems I am settling in here. The fact that we have poor plumbing in the house where I live is already becoming normal to me. The fact that my bucket showers are cold and bucket for that matter are no big deal it seems. I know this is not on my own that things become so every day after three days. It is my Father in heaven entirely.
Today I am going out with my Canadian friend to go shopping and have an orientation. (i.e. news on what I can expect from the culture and the guys here). I am hoping to get a few Indian outfits as well. The clothes are so beautiful.
The noise on the other hand, not so much. If you dislike the sound of a car horn do not enter into India. Even when you are told the noise is incessant you do not understand till you come. They signal their turns with honking and not just one it is many. As well as their passing. And lanes? There is no following the rules of the road. Well not our kind of following. It is a whole different set of rules. The first time I got into a vehicle I tried to put on the non existent seat belt. That's right no mode of transportation has a seat belt. And the scooter/motorbikes? Well it is normal to see a family of four on one. Kids in car seats, they would think we were insane.
I would say that if you have never been to India then I would recommend it. It is the type of thing you can not comprehend till you have felt, smelt, seen, and heard for yourself.

the beggers

The question every one wants the answer to when they get to India. What do you do when the beggers come? it is one of those things where you cannot avoid them. It is kind of like a telamarketer but there is no phone between you. You walk away and they follow you.
Now heres the thing I would give but when you give to one they continue to glom on you never leaving you alone. It has been said that you can give to the children but then you find out that the kids are being used by a mafia. So in the end the children do not get any of the money themselves. next you might want to give to the young mother with the sick child. The child that is rented and then druged by a young woman while the childs real parents are working and get a part of the begging profits. It's tough in the end to have these things go on. It feels terrible.
In India the cast system is so strong you can spot it from a mile away. The lower in the cast one is the smaller they are. There are men here that are shorter and smaller then I am (at five four and 110 pounds). And they are born this way. A baby that you may look at and think to be 3 weeks old can actually be five months. It is not even so much that they are born unhealthy it is just the genes being passed down over so many generations.
It is so far from the North American countries. It is so far from home. I contiue to pray that God will continue to show me His grace and love for these people. And that He would teach me my place here these six months.

Two days and 22 hours to go

Even as I sit here my mind wanders about my room trying to figure out what the heck I need to take with me yet. I am fully distracted and cannot decide where to start this whole packing ordeal and where it will end. I literally go round in circles at times trying to make sense of it all.
All these things are happening at once. Two weeks before I am to leave on a six month trip I meet this really great guy. And now? Well as the title shows I am soon to fly from here.
I got my visa back and found it was about 7 days short of when my return flight was scheduled. I had thought I could get an extention on it while over in India but my friend said that was one of the hardest things for her to do. She never did get the extention. So I have contacted my travel agent in hopes that she can do something about changing the flight now.
Well I guess one of the most fighting songs for me at this time would be the Jetplane song.
You know. All my bags are packed I'm ready to go I'm standing here outside your door. And on it goes. Only thing is I still don't have the bags packed and there's no door to stand outside of with my love behind to say good bye to so I guess that one doesn't fight so well after all. I just really like that song for some reason. I especially like Bjorks version of it. Maybe that's all, I just let it play in my head and imagine her singing it cause I like it.
okay then. I have made enough of a blabbing here now to satisfy the masses. I will now head up to my room once more to walk around in circles wondering what the heck to do next. Good day to you all

New times to begin

Odd how this life turns and curves in and out of new and old situations. As I head towards this new stage in my life old things try to haunt me and new ones try the same. To say that I have grown would be an understatement. I am, for instance, in the midst of a well explored, typical standing. I find myself, once again, attracted to a single of the male sex. We met a short while ago and I enjoyed the time spent in his presence. But that is where it may very well end and that is fine. Of course the dreamer in me, the prisoner of hope that I am will automatically want more to come of it. Yet if that is to be the case I will not know nor will I try to find out. I am leaving it entirely up to God. I have decided that if it is to progress then it will be Gods doing not mine. I refuse to follow the same path I have taken many times. The one where I try to know the future and then make it happen. Besides, What the heck am I thinking. I'm about to head out on a journey to the other side of the world for a good half year. What makes me think that anything could happen before I go. I have been a part of a few long distance "relationships" and I can say they are most difficult to read or understand.
So yes there is a part of me that really wants to hope that this thing could grow into a real friendship to become a deeper relationship to become the fulfillment of my dreams. But the rest of me is certain that this is not at all possible. I admit I am skeptical. What would make this one at all different. Since I was 15 I have wanted marriage only to be fooled, duped into situations that go no where near such a thing. Why should this be any different. I'll need a lot to convince me.
In this case I will go to India and forget this dream even if for a short while. I will allow myself to be free from dwelling on it and longing for it. I will take a break from speculating about the future and leave it where it belongs, with God.

Suddenly struck

Just this moment I was struck with sheer supprise as to how soon it is now that I enter the next phase of my life. It seems to have snuck up on me really quick. and already both weekends leading up to that time are booked. On top of it this weekend is coming up in a few days.
My visa application came back to me unfinished for it seems that I sent it to the wrong place for where I am from. Ottawa doesn't want anything to do with us Albertans so they have sent me to Vancouver. I am hoping that it comes back to me finished and on time.
It seems that this new found peace I have been feeling that last few days now wishes to evad me. It seems to fly from me in a most unexpected manner.
I have just this morning finished the reading of "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys seeing the human nature struggle against the things of higher society when born in the lower. Struggaling against pride and fear of what others may say of them. The false actions taken against the ones that truelly love them till finally the pains of the false life break through them and leave them searching for truth once more.
Now it is on to read another book (which one it shall be I am not yet sure). I am reminded again of how I enjoy a books grip on my mind and heart. I enjoy the hold that it seems to have over me. It will not release till it has been satisfied, till it has been fully experienced to its dear endings.
For now that is all, today I leave you with that. And as it is well seen it may be long enough till my next entry for it to be arriving from India.