Apologies for my delayed and infrequent blog posts...and thanks for continuing to read them! Life has been super crazy busy lately...and time seems to be flying by me at warp-speed!! I can't believe I'm now in my third month of travel already!
But here's the brief on life recently:
1) My career in Bollywood was a smash hit! Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit...but the whole 8 day experince was definitely something I'll remember for a very long time!! Basically our agent, Ramesh, gathered up five girl and five guy foreigners as background extras. We did learn one dance routine...but most of my camios were just walking by in the background or talking with another foreigner in the corner of the shot somewhere. Overall it was super easy work...and pretty entertaining, as all of us foreigners got pretty close by the end. There were foreigners from all over the world: America, Poland, Kenya, Rowanda, Latvia, Serbia, and Russia. I don't know the name of the film yet...they wouldn't tell anybody because they still have a year of shooting to finish...but as soon as I know, I'll pass it along!
2) Got the Delhi belly again while we were filming...the movie company paid for all of our meals (sweet!!! One less thing I had to pay for)...so breakfast and lunch were catered on the filming location while dinner was on our own (with 75 rupees to cover the cost). I'm thinking that one of those oh-so-pleasant-and-super-hygenic catered meals (did I mention that today is opposite day?) must have done me in. After a week of spnding waaaaay too much time on the toilet, I went to see a doc (a Western-style one..ok? Ok? No Dhonden with dirt pills this time) who loaded me up with some strong-ass meds. Thank Krishna I began to feel better quickly and am happy to report I'm diarrhea-free. :)
3) On Thursday night I took my first overnight bus ride from Ooty to Pondicherry. 15 hours on one bus!!!! Things in India are definitely farther than they look! I think I managed about four-five hours of sleep, which I must say, is pretty impressive for a bus ride in India: jerky, bumpy, speed up to slam on your breaks type of bus ride... Thank you melotonin! :) I was most worried about bathroom breaks and not being able to hold it (I think I'm tied with my sister and Ayla for the world's smallest bladder)...but I barely drank anything that day and during the actual ride...and though I was most definitely dehydrated, I completely succeeded at bladder control! I hink we must have stopped for the toilet five times out of the whole 15 hours...must say, it's a proud moment in my life! :)
4) Now I'm in Auroville...a social and environmentally conscious community just north of Pondicherry. Check out their website: auroville.org
Here I'm staying at an organic farm called Solitude Farm. It's run by a British-turned-Indian guy named "Krishna" who started thefarm after marrying his Indian wife, Deepa. They grow tons and tons and TONs of stuff on their six acres of land. In addition to the $7 a day that I pay to stay there, I also work in their garden. This deal lands me a play to stay (in a bambo hut dorm with the other volunteers over the cow's bed) and three meals a day.
5) Did I mention the open-roof shower at Solitude?!?!? Showering outside, with nature all around you, has got to be one of the coolest things I've ever done! I'm FOR SURE putting an outdoor shower in my backyard one day! While you're waiting for the conditioner to set in, you can gaze up at the birds flying by, see shapes in the passing clouds, or count the stars! This makes bathtime sooo much fun!!
6) I've discovered that I have a purse obession. Since I've been in India I have already bought myself three bags...uhhh, whoops! I just can't help it!!! They are all so unique, pretty, and CHEAP! But that's it: I'm cutting myself off...for a little while at least...
7) Great news!!! One of my best friends, Shannon, just booked a flight to India for the beginning of December!!! We're gonna travel together for about two and a half weeks! It's gonna be awesome to see a familiar face and to share this experIence with a good friend!
8) Speaking of early December...you guessed it: ITS ALMOST MY BIRTHDAY and HANUKKAH!!! I know everyone is wracking their brains to figure out what to get me...well, let me help you out with some suggestions: 1) money 2) money or 3) money! If you're in the giving mood this coming December 2nd, please feel free to send cash, check, or money order to me at my Mom's house. She's got access to my bank account, so your generous gift can go directly to my "I'm A Traveler" fund. If you need the address, here it is: Ilene Solomon 1300 NW 20th Street, OKC, OK 73106 Thank you in advance and I love you!!!!
9) Last night for dinner, the Italian chef at Solitude made sauted veggies, salad with papaya, and veggie sushi ALL out of ingredients from the garden!! I've never had such fresh food in my life! It was delicious, nutritious, and a much needed change from all of the dal, curries, and spice. In addition to my open-roof shower, I'm TOTALLY having a garden in my future home (wherever and whenever that will be....)
10) My solo-travel is continuing to go well. I made some really great friends (Fiana and Gloria) when I was at the beach in Varkala...and the three of us did the bollywood shooting together. I was actually really sad to part ways with them on Thursday night, but Fiana might meet up with Shannon and I at some point. It just goes to show that people are more alike than different...and meaningful connections can be made cross-country, cross-culture, and cross-age. Learning from others with different backgrounds, stories, religions, life experinces and perspectives continues to be one of my favorite things about traveling.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Ilene Updates
So, I just spent the last 4 1/2 days at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Neyyar Dam, Kerala...check out the website: http://www.sivananda.org/ndam/ and now I'm back in Varkala, just for the night, because tomorrow I....
1) head to Ooty to be in a bollywood movie!!!! Gloria (my friend from Poland who I met a few weeks ago in Ft. Cochin) knows a bollywood recruiter. We had a discussion about needing to make some money...well, pretty much the only way a Westerner can make some fast cash in India is by working in a bollywood film...so she called up her recruiter friend to see if he (by chance) had any work for us. Turns out he did!! So we head up tomorrow and start work on the 10th. They pay us PLUS cover our accommodation and food! And besides all of that good stuff, it'll DEFINITELY be quite an experience!!! I'll keep you posted!
2) The Sivananda Yoga Ashram was super intense, but helpful in discovering new parts of and deepening my own spiritual practice. Reflecting upon my time there, I definitely will incorporate a few bits and pieces...and leave the rest. You know...make it your own. I'll write more about it at a later time, but I'm grateful for the opportunity.
3) Kerala is for sure my favorite state in India. I've been in Kerala for a month now...and it just might be one of the most beautiful places on earth. It's got this tropical goodness going on amongst a humble mountain range. Right now it's turning "winter" (and by winter I mean going to 90 degrees from 100)...so the leaves on the palm trees are turning this yellowish-golden-orangey color. Brings a smile to my face every time I look out the window of the bus or train.
4) I think my abs will be sore for the next few days...at the ashram we did two, two-hour yoga classes at day! Phew!! It was awesome though, and I learned some great pointers to share with my future students!
5) Traveling alone now for a few weeks...and so far so good! I met some really awesome Dutch girls in Ft. Cochin that I traveled with for a few days...then came down to Varkala to meet a Polish girl (Gloria) and we stayed together at a hostel (Sky Lark) for a little over a week. At Sky Lark I met some really great people and became close with another American girl, Fiana. Gloria, Fiana & I spent a lot of time together at the beach, drinking chai, and chatting with the locals. The three of us will continue our adventure together with the bollywood filming! And at the ashram (I left Fiana & Gloria in Varkala for a few days and went alone)...I also made some meaningful connections with people from all over the world. Thank Shiva for facebook!
But that isn't to say that I haven't felt lonely or homesick or stressed about my future or money or this or that...because I have at times...but it's all a part of the process, right? Overall, however, I feel an overwhelming amount of gratitude for this time...so grateful that I cried. Is that normal? Hahaha...normal for me, I guess. I cry at Oprah....
And now it's time for some food. Ah! I'm gonna eat something non-Indian because after 4 days of ashram food...I'm ready for the good stuff!
1) head to Ooty to be in a bollywood movie!!!! Gloria (my friend from Poland who I met a few weeks ago in Ft. Cochin) knows a bollywood recruiter. We had a discussion about needing to make some money...well, pretty much the only way a Westerner can make some fast cash in India is by working in a bollywood film...so she called up her recruiter friend to see if he (by chance) had any work for us. Turns out he did!! So we head up tomorrow and start work on the 10th. They pay us PLUS cover our accommodation and food! And besides all of that good stuff, it'll DEFINITELY be quite an experience!!! I'll keep you posted!
2) The Sivananda Yoga Ashram was super intense, but helpful in discovering new parts of and deepening my own spiritual practice. Reflecting upon my time there, I definitely will incorporate a few bits and pieces...and leave the rest. You know...make it your own. I'll write more about it at a later time, but I'm grateful for the opportunity.
3) Kerala is for sure my favorite state in India. I've been in Kerala for a month now...and it just might be one of the most beautiful places on earth. It's got this tropical goodness going on amongst a humble mountain range. Right now it's turning "winter" (and by winter I mean going to 90 degrees from 100)...so the leaves on the palm trees are turning this yellowish-golden-orangey color. Brings a smile to my face every time I look out the window of the bus or train.
4) I think my abs will be sore for the next few days...at the ashram we did two, two-hour yoga classes at day! Phew!! It was awesome though, and I learned some great pointers to share with my future students!
5) Traveling alone now for a few weeks...and so far so good! I met some really awesome Dutch girls in Ft. Cochin that I traveled with for a few days...then came down to Varkala to meet a Polish girl (Gloria) and we stayed together at a hostel (Sky Lark) for a little over a week. At Sky Lark I met some really great people and became close with another American girl, Fiana. Gloria, Fiana & I spent a lot of time together at the beach, drinking chai, and chatting with the locals. The three of us will continue our adventure together with the bollywood filming! And at the ashram (I left Fiana & Gloria in Varkala for a few days and went alone)...I also made some meaningful connections with people from all over the world. Thank Shiva for facebook!
But that isn't to say that I haven't felt lonely or homesick or stressed about my future or money or this or that...because I have at times...but it's all a part of the process, right? Overall, however, I feel an overwhelming amount of gratitude for this time...so grateful that I cried. Is that normal? Hahaha...normal for me, I guess. I cry at Oprah....
And now it's time for some food. Ah! I'm gonna eat something non-Indian because after 4 days of ashram food...I'm ready for the good stuff!
Monday, November 1, 2010
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