I've been back in the good old US of A for about a month now...and I've discovered something very profound: it takes leaving home to want to come back. And when I say "come back home", I don't just mean back to America...I mean back to the place of my childhood.
After a year of on-and-off travel, I have moved back home. To Oklahoma City!?!?!?
Yes, to Oklahoma City. Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plains. Where Republicans out number Democrats about 1,000 to one. Where churches and bible stores line the streets. Where the terms "vegetarian," "eco-friendly," and "think global, support local" raise an eyebrow or cause parents to ear-muff their children. And, where my family resides.
Had you asked me 9 years ago, as I headed down to Austin, TX to begin my undergraduate schooling at the (beautiful) University of Texas, if I had plans to ever come back to Oklahoma City, I probably would have laughed in your face.
Had you asked me 5 years ago, whether I would want to come back home to LIVE WITH MY PARENTS, I would have told you, "I can't even handle being here a weekend, this place is toxic."
Had you asked me 2 years ago, if I could imagine myself packing up my entire life from (the best city in the world) Austin to move it to (conservative, heart of the bible belt) Oklahoma City, I would have looked at you like you were nuts.
But now you can ask me..."then what are you doing back in Oklahoma City, living with your parents?!?!" Well, I'll tell you this: sometimes it takes leaving home to realize how incredible your family is. How they love you unconditionally. How they support you in times of transition and pain. How they want the best for you, no matter what you've been through individually and together as a family unit. Sometimes it takes traveling the world, to discover that your world began with your family.
And for that, I am grateful.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
What I've Discovered
Hello out there in blog-land...
Since arriving in Thailand, life has been non-stop action and fun (would you expect anything less from me?)...but over the last few days, some things have come up, which have changed the course of my travels: I'm coming home.
The Power of One Volunteer Program that I participated in during the first few weeks of my time in Thailand, rocked my world on multiple levels...most important lessons gained: 1) working together, we can make a difference in this world & 2) there are so many of us out there that hope, dream, act, and change & 3) the most important change comes from within...I think one of the Thai students said it best: "I want to change the world, but I have to start with myself." Plus, I got to spend almost three weeks with some of my South African family on the program...what a beautiful gift to watch their roots blossom with the right amount of encouragement and love. I served as an adult mentor to high school aged students on this program, which was actually the first time I've done a program like this and been on the adult side...so it was a different experince, but life-changing nonetheless. I couldn't be more grateful for my new Power of One family of 66...and all of the memories we will cherish forever.
Over the last year (yea, can you believe that exactly one year ago I was spending my first week at Botshabelo? Sleeping off the jetlag?), I've been a lot of places and seen a lot of things...and discovered lots of things. And I'm sure, as I spend more and more time reflecting over my global travels, different lessons learned will present themselves; certain future experiences will trigger tucked away memories of South Africa, Tanzania, India or Thailand; perspectives and perceptions of my own reality will no doubt shift and change as I continue to integrate this year into my being...and for that growth and opportunity to learn, about myself, about the world, about people and culture, about the past, present, and future...I am forever and eternally grateful.
But for now...as I sit at the airport in Phuket, about to begin about a 26 hour trip to OKC, and I reflect on my journey over the last year the biggest part of myself that I've discovered is my strength.
I am strong. We all are for that matter.
I can travel to a foreign country with a stranger and become part of a village, a family, a community;
I can dress the wound from a 3rd degree burn of a 70 year old man with dementia;
I can sit with a 7 year old and hold space for her as she buries her mother;
I can go against cultural norms and take time to follow my heart and travel;
I can bargain with the best Indian and Thai salesmen/women;
I can take an overnight train, a 17 hour bus ride, navigate through Indian cities alone;
I can make real and dear friendships with people from all over the world;
I can lift a huge bucket of cow poop, papaya, and human pee to help fertilize rice fields;
I can do two two-hour yoga classes a day for a week;
I can learn the names of 180 orphans, and learn ways of communicating in Tswana, Hindi and Thai;
I can survive and function while battling Delhi Belly (for two whole months!!!);
I can teach yoga to an all-age, all-level, group;
I can make a make-shift splint out of a water bottle and cloth diapers when a friend breaks her wrist;
I can learn how to drive a motorcycle (and even go 80 km/hour); and...
I can talk to just about anyone!!
These are just a few of the many ways that I have discovered my own internal strength...now I ask you, what strengths can you discover about yourself? I bet it's easier to list than you think....
For all of your support, encouragement, and love, I am extremely grateful.
This is just another chapter in my life as a global citizen, that I know for sure.
Until next time, sawat dee ka,
Ilene
Since arriving in Thailand, life has been non-stop action and fun (would you expect anything less from me?)...but over the last few days, some things have come up, which have changed the course of my travels: I'm coming home.
The Power of One Volunteer Program that I participated in during the first few weeks of my time in Thailand, rocked my world on multiple levels...most important lessons gained: 1) working together, we can make a difference in this world & 2) there are so many of us out there that hope, dream, act, and change & 3) the most important change comes from within...I think one of the Thai students said it best: "I want to change the world, but I have to start with myself." Plus, I got to spend almost three weeks with some of my South African family on the program...what a beautiful gift to watch their roots blossom with the right amount of encouragement and love. I served as an adult mentor to high school aged students on this program, which was actually the first time I've done a program like this and been on the adult side...so it was a different experince, but life-changing nonetheless. I couldn't be more grateful for my new Power of One family of 66...and all of the memories we will cherish forever.
Over the last year (yea, can you believe that exactly one year ago I was spending my first week at Botshabelo? Sleeping off the jetlag?), I've been a lot of places and seen a lot of things...and discovered lots of things. And I'm sure, as I spend more and more time reflecting over my global travels, different lessons learned will present themselves; certain future experiences will trigger tucked away memories of South Africa, Tanzania, India or Thailand; perspectives and perceptions of my own reality will no doubt shift and change as I continue to integrate this year into my being...and for that growth and opportunity to learn, about myself, about the world, about people and culture, about the past, present, and future...I am forever and eternally grateful.
But for now...as I sit at the airport in Phuket, about to begin about a 26 hour trip to OKC, and I reflect on my journey over the last year the biggest part of myself that I've discovered is my strength.
I am strong. We all are for that matter.
I can travel to a foreign country with a stranger and become part of a village, a family, a community;
I can dress the wound from a 3rd degree burn of a 70 year old man with dementia;
I can sit with a 7 year old and hold space for her as she buries her mother;
I can go against cultural norms and take time to follow my heart and travel;
I can bargain with the best Indian and Thai salesmen/women;
I can take an overnight train, a 17 hour bus ride, navigate through Indian cities alone;
I can make real and dear friendships with people from all over the world;
I can lift a huge bucket of cow poop, papaya, and human pee to help fertilize rice fields;
I can do two two-hour yoga classes a day for a week;
I can learn the names of 180 orphans, and learn ways of communicating in Tswana, Hindi and Thai;
I can survive and function while battling Delhi Belly (for two whole months!!!);
I can teach yoga to an all-age, all-level, group;
I can make a make-shift splint out of a water bottle and cloth diapers when a friend breaks her wrist;
I can learn how to drive a motorcycle (and even go 80 km/hour); and...
I can talk to just about anyone!!
These are just a few of the many ways that I have discovered my own internal strength...now I ask you, what strengths can you discover about yourself? I bet it's easier to list than you think....
For all of your support, encouragement, and love, I am extremely grateful.
This is just another chapter in my life as a global citizen, that I know for sure.
Until next time, sawat dee ka,
Ilene
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Farewell India...Hello Thailand!
T-minus 4 days and I'm on my way to Thailand for a two-week volunteer program with a Colorado-based organization, Blue Star of Hope: http://bluestarofhope.org/ Here I'll meet up with some of my favorite South Africa friends (from my internship at Botshabelo) and we'll be volunteering alongside others from all over the world (America, UK, Czech Republic, Canada, and Thailand)...to create a cultural exchange and help improve the lives of elephants and Thai children alike! The first week we'll be stationed at an elephant sanctuary...cleaning, feeding, nuturing elephants...and then we'll spend the second week teaching English to children in a small Thai village. I won't lie, I'm REALLY excited and looking forward to this opportunity...but I'll definitely miss India...
Since my last blog entry, I've traveled the whole of the Indian state of Rajasthan with my very best friend Shannon Robb...we had some CRAZY AMAZING adventures along the way...which I'll be sure to write about.
I'm currently staying with this very sweet and super adorable older couple, who are the parents of Shannon's Mom's friend. They have taken me in as if I was their own grandchild...doing my laundry, feeding me, taking me to art galleries, giving me gifts, feeding me, feeding me, feeding me!! I swear...I now don't know which is worse when it comes to feeding their family: Jewish grandmothers or Indian grandmothers!!! Quite possibly a tie...
For now, I'm going to do my best in catching up with my blogs of India (before I leave for Thailand)...so stay tuned!
Merry Christmas to everyone...and happy new year! May your new years be filled with all things good...and may you end this year with reflection and gratitude!
Much love!!
Since my last blog entry, I've traveled the whole of the Indian state of Rajasthan with my very best friend Shannon Robb...we had some CRAZY AMAZING adventures along the way...which I'll be sure to write about.
I'm currently staying with this very sweet and super adorable older couple, who are the parents of Shannon's Mom's friend. They have taken me in as if I was their own grandchild...doing my laundry, feeding me, taking me to art galleries, giving me gifts, feeding me, feeding me, feeding me!! I swear...I now don't know which is worse when it comes to feeding their family: Jewish grandmothers or Indian grandmothers!!! Quite possibly a tie...
For now, I'm going to do my best in catching up with my blogs of India (before I leave for Thailand)...so stay tuned!
Merry Christmas to everyone...and happy new year! May your new years be filled with all things good...and may you end this year with reflection and gratitude!
Much love!!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
My Birthday With The Dalai Lama & Other Spiritual Moments
First things first: a HUGE thank you to everyone for your sweet and thoughtful birthday facebook messages, wall posts, skype sessions, and emails! Hearing from everyone made me feel not so far from home...all the way over in India...so a million thank yous for thinking of me!
And now for the updates: (I swear, one of these days I'm gonna sit down at an internet cafe and write all of my stories out, but for now...bulletpoints will have to do!)
1) after enjoying lots of peace and solitude at Solitude Farm among the papayas, lemons, eggplants, tomatoes, green beans, rice fields, bananas, spinach, rocket, and varagu...I headed back north to my Indian love: the Tibetan communtiy of McLeod Ganj. And although I was merely traveling from the southeast of India to the northwest of the same country...it took me 30 hours! I began with a 3 hour cab ride from Auroville to the capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai & flew from Chennai to Delhi, had an 8-hour layover there, took an overnight train to Pathankot, and then a 3 1/2 hour cab ride up the foothills of the Himalayas to McLeod Ganj. Phew!! Thankful that I made it safe & sound!
2) traveling solo means making new friends: on the train ride I met a super fun Australian couple: Heather and Nik...plus, I had made prior arrangements to meet up with Ariska & Josh (a Dutch/Australian couple that I have traveled with twice already). They introduced me to Kurt (an American) and Mariano (an Argentinian). These fellow travelers became my crew...my family...for the next week in McLeod Ganj. So much so, that Josh & Ariska set me up in their room on the floor in their sleeping bag so I could save some money! Thank you!!!
3) one day in McLeod Ganj our band of foreigners took a nice day hike up to the top of one of the mountains. The hike is called Triund...and we passed through boulder fields and rhododendron forests...it took us about 3 1/2 hours to go up and about 3 to come down...for a total of 18 kilometers. A wonderful way to spend the day; lots of sunshine and cloudless skies...there is something about being in nature that makes me feel so connected, so small, so peaceful, so spiritual...I'm sure somebody, at sometime said that nature was their sanctuary...so instead of taking credit for that idea, I'll just say "amen!"...but I won't lie: our legs were like jello later that night!
4) Kurt and I volunteered one afternoon at a place called "Tibet Hope Center". Here we spent about two hours meeting and talking with Tibetan Buddhist monks to help improve their conversational English. Wow! Talk about a spiritual experience! My group of three and I discussed reincarnation, karma, and monkhood. I mean, I already was a believer in karma & reincarnation...but after that discussion, I'm definitely sold. Later that night, we went to a fundraiser party for the center...chocolate momos and chai along with hula hoops and a dance party. Super fun to mingle with the local Tibetan community members and other foreigners!
5) THE DALAI LAMA FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!! So His Holiness put on a teaching for a group of Russian monks over three days...and it just so happens that the last day of the teaching was over my 27th birhday! How could I not go?!?!? We hitched up our yoga mats, blankets, FM radios (to hear an English translation), and notebooks on Nov 30-Dec 2 for the Dalai Lama's teachings on the Buddhist concept of bodhisattva (basically how to be a compassionate person who helps other people find peace...). Surrounded by men and women from all races, ages, countries of origin, religions, and backgrounds to listen to His Holiness...indescribable. Just the sense of calm and peace...wow...gives me goose bumps just thinking about it!
6) I haven't bought anymore purses since I last blogged...but I did buy two shirts...heh, heh...
7) on the first night of Hanukkah, my new friend Kurt and I headed to the chabad house to celebrate with about a million Israelis! We sang songs, lit the menorah, ate suvganiot, and munched on pita & humus. So nice to be able to celebrate my own religious traditions all the way over in India!
8) my new friends really went above and beyond to make my birthday so special...after the DL's teachings on Thursday, we went for lunch at our favorite roof top garden cafe for a surprise birthday cake, birthday song, and even gifts! Although I felt super homesick on this day (been away from home many times...but never for my birthday), I felt so grateful for the new friends I have made...and for all of their efforts and love!
9) also on my birthday, Kurt, Nik, Heather & I took the craziest, bumpiest, most ridiculous overnight bus ride I've taken in India...and probably in Indian history! 13 hours later we made it safely to Rishikesh (the self-titled "yoga capital of the world")...amazing energy here! Kurt and I are staying at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram (for $7 a day we get room, three meals, two yoga classes, and lecture...soooo good!!!).
10) tonight I head to Delhi on an overnight bus to meet Shannon!!! And our action-packed adventure begins tomorrow!!!
Until next time...namaste!
And now for the updates: (I swear, one of these days I'm gonna sit down at an internet cafe and write all of my stories out, but for now...bulletpoints will have to do!)
1) after enjoying lots of peace and solitude at Solitude Farm among the papayas, lemons, eggplants, tomatoes, green beans, rice fields, bananas, spinach, rocket, and varagu...I headed back north to my Indian love: the Tibetan communtiy of McLeod Ganj. And although I was merely traveling from the southeast of India to the northwest of the same country...it took me 30 hours! I began with a 3 hour cab ride from Auroville to the capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai & flew from Chennai to Delhi, had an 8-hour layover there, took an overnight train to Pathankot, and then a 3 1/2 hour cab ride up the foothills of the Himalayas to McLeod Ganj. Phew!! Thankful that I made it safe & sound!
2) traveling solo means making new friends: on the train ride I met a super fun Australian couple: Heather and Nik...plus, I had made prior arrangements to meet up with Ariska & Josh (a Dutch/Australian couple that I have traveled with twice already). They introduced me to Kurt (an American) and Mariano (an Argentinian). These fellow travelers became my crew...my family...for the next week in McLeod Ganj. So much so, that Josh & Ariska set me up in their room on the floor in their sleeping bag so I could save some money! Thank you!!!
3) one day in McLeod Ganj our band of foreigners took a nice day hike up to the top of one of the mountains. The hike is called Triund...and we passed through boulder fields and rhododendron forests...it took us about 3 1/2 hours to go up and about 3 to come down...for a total of 18 kilometers. A wonderful way to spend the day; lots of sunshine and cloudless skies...there is something about being in nature that makes me feel so connected, so small, so peaceful, so spiritual...I'm sure somebody, at sometime said that nature was their sanctuary...so instead of taking credit for that idea, I'll just say "amen!"...but I won't lie: our legs were like jello later that night!
4) Kurt and I volunteered one afternoon at a place called "Tibet Hope Center". Here we spent about two hours meeting and talking with Tibetan Buddhist monks to help improve their conversational English. Wow! Talk about a spiritual experience! My group of three and I discussed reincarnation, karma, and monkhood. I mean, I already was a believer in karma & reincarnation...but after that discussion, I'm definitely sold. Later that night, we went to a fundraiser party for the center...chocolate momos and chai along with hula hoops and a dance party. Super fun to mingle with the local Tibetan community members and other foreigners!
5) THE DALAI LAMA FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!! So His Holiness put on a teaching for a group of Russian monks over three days...and it just so happens that the last day of the teaching was over my 27th birhday! How could I not go?!?!? We hitched up our yoga mats, blankets, FM radios (to hear an English translation), and notebooks on Nov 30-Dec 2 for the Dalai Lama's teachings on the Buddhist concept of bodhisattva (basically how to be a compassionate person who helps other people find peace...). Surrounded by men and women from all races, ages, countries of origin, religions, and backgrounds to listen to His Holiness...indescribable. Just the sense of calm and peace...wow...gives me goose bumps just thinking about it!
6) I haven't bought anymore purses since I last blogged...but I did buy two shirts...heh, heh...
7) on the first night of Hanukkah, my new friend Kurt and I headed to the chabad house to celebrate with about a million Israelis! We sang songs, lit the menorah, ate suvganiot, and munched on pita & humus. So nice to be able to celebrate my own religious traditions all the way over in India!
8) my new friends really went above and beyond to make my birthday so special...after the DL's teachings on Thursday, we went for lunch at our favorite roof top garden cafe for a surprise birthday cake, birthday song, and even gifts! Although I felt super homesick on this day (been away from home many times...but never for my birthday), I felt so grateful for the new friends I have made...and for all of their efforts and love!
9) also on my birthday, Kurt, Nik, Heather & I took the craziest, bumpiest, most ridiculous overnight bus ride I've taken in India...and probably in Indian history! 13 hours later we made it safely to Rishikesh (the self-titled "yoga capital of the world")...amazing energy here! Kurt and I are staying at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram (for $7 a day we get room, three meals, two yoga classes, and lecture...soooo good!!!).
10) tonight I head to Delhi on an overnight bus to meet Shannon!!! And our action-packed adventure begins tomorrow!!!
Until next time...namaste!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Life Recently
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.
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.
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!
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