Bawana

No idea where to start with sharing my first experience in Bawana.Words fail me.Photos probably even fail to capture it.
We cleared 2 houses today which means tearing down approx 6 ft by 8ft huts in the slums.We used knives,a pick ax, and indian shovels.Even now I don't know where to continue with describing and am left with a feeling in the pit of my stomach that what we're doing here is in no way enough.There is no leader in this slum, and the people in the village live in mush and their own filth.3 yr olds are carrying around 1 year olds and taking care of them.Dishes and clothes are washed in the mud and sewage.Amazing to see all of the habitat houses built by previous teams.This raises the quality of life for these families immensely .
Goats,cows, roosters and dogs run rampant.Many families have their own goats for milk.The magical voices of these children who literally crowd and consume us with 'hello how are you' is what makes the 95 degree heat bearable.
Early day again in the morning.Tomorrow we begin digging and after tonight's thunderstorm the mud may be even thicker.
xoJB

Prep for Day 1

Gotta go to bed soon- 630am meet up for breakfast then off to Bawana (work site) for day 1 of our build.So excited to meet the families and children and slap on my hard hat.
Brief notes from today- Group orientation,awesome lunch with paneer, nan, peas and mushroom curry.Saw teeny tiny frogs all around the hotel.Roji recalled hunting his own frogs in southern india with a machete and cooking up frog legs.Peed in a hole in the ground for the first time.Yep I did.Hung out with the team over a long dinner that involved Kingfisher and entertainment from Ray(team leader from Kent).
Though I could write lots and forcing myself into sleep.
xoJB

Thunderstorm.

1030 am.Lying in my bed listening to the most incredible thunderstorm i've heard since Alabama.The power went out for a bit and I heard the hotel workers downstairs yelling to eachother in hindi to fix it.
Everyone i've encountered here so far is amazingly friendly and warm.Speaking of warm holy heat!! My roomie Abby (from north carolina) and I went for a walk last night with Rijo (local habitat india team member) down the street to a Sikh Temple. How can I even begin to explain this? Never seen so much life going on at 130am.People (mostly men) all over.Babies and children awake and on motor bikes.Women awake baking the most beautiful smelling dessert-Rijo explained it's a special pudding/custard made as an offering and brought to the temple.We felt safe with him though we stuck out like the biggest sore thumb and drew incredible stares. It was so beautiful watching the Sihk children, in their headedresses, pray to tomb of a religious leader.It had candles and fresh flowers draped all over.
Never have I seen so many homeless.You can't even imagine if you try. Everywhere, lined up in rows like corpses.So emaciated, bodies twisted in sleep.
Stray dogs and cows wander the streets.We even saw a miniature white donkey that looked like something right out of the Labyrinth. No david bowie though. I saw a sign that read 'Lane driving is sane driving'.This is a suggestion to use the lanes since no one does.Reminiscent of a NYC taxi ride on speed.Seriously.Ok will try to rest more.We all went to bed at 3am after travels. xoJB

7477.

That's how many miles it is to delhi. In case you were counting.
I am having first class envy. They are hooked up!!!
I've got my own tv, I've got my books, got my blanket got my pillow and no one next to me.I got life I got love!!(Hair reference-sing it with me now!)
Lots of love & namaskar,
JB

Gate K19. Chicago.

Indians.Indians everywhere.Lil' Indian baby next to me is making Ewok noises. I want to mush her.Must find plug to charge my phone. Thank you sam adams for your octoberfest. This airport rocks by the way.
More later.where's that plug?

xox

Gate 43.

LAX.American Airlines. Gate 43. Sinatra playing overhead confuses me into feeling it's christmas and I'm flying south.
Adorable blonde babies running around eating chocolate crossaints next to me. Please don't be sitting next to me on the plane.
Take malarone.check.
Who knew you could swipe your passport to scan it into a self check in kiosk? Very cool.
Slept well last night actually. Watched Stardust to lull me to sleep.Really good story book fantasy film.Bob Deniro as a gay pirate....
Cute but probably gay guy next to me is already asleep on his pillow. Who eats border grill for bfast? That place is hoppin!! Boarding in 20.....yaaaaaaay!!!!!!!

afternoon coffee.

I'm aware of the possibility of earth moving, ground shaking, existential eye openers that I'll experience once I'm traveling. That's the point of traveling, of visiting vastly different places from your own sense of reality. This is how you challenge yourself. This is how you open yourself up to all that is around you and outside of your own comfort level. And in the course of this specific journey, this is how you are allowed to help others. To experience real human connection. To be of service.That is really being alive.

Now is the time for me to be selfish. My career and my family/friends are most important to me. I have the freedom right now in my life to have nearly every waking hour be consumed with my my acting career. I thrive on that.I also have the freedom right now to go build with Habitat. I'm so happy in my life right now, and so grateful for the friends I know today.

JB

No malaria here.

Took my first Malarone pill this morning. I have a busy day so I'm trying to keep any of the negative things I've heard about the side effects from this pill OUT OF MY HEAD.
"Start 2 days before entering malaria area" then a pill a day for every day I am there, followed by 7 days of pills. Think that should cover me.

So my brother in law's(Chuck) brother in law (Andy)= (bro in law squared) sent me the sweetest email. And apparently due to a series of technical glitches I do not in fact get to borrow his tool belt.
This is a shame because I know for a fact his tool belt wanted to see New Delhi.

Comfort Level?

When I arrive on Saturday, the "comfort level" is 108 degrees. Anyone else find this description misleading?

http://www.timeanddate.com/weather/india/new-delhi

Ritz Carlton

This is where I'll lay my head at night:

http://www.newdelhiymca.org/tourist-hotel.htm

Let's take a moment to say a prayer that I get a room with AC.

Seriously though, they have a gym, computers, and a pool. Way swankier than the hostel I stayed in when I was in Chelsea, London.

Google Earthing it.

The top of this Google Earth pic shows The Bawana Community, where we'll be building.
The very top of the picture, specifically, is where we'll be working. This small area houses 40,000 people.

This time next week I'll be on the other side of the world. Literally!

The India experience.Ya can't fit in my luggage, but it's like you're right here with me.

The count down continues. It's been oh so far in the distance and now it's a mere 5 1/2 days away that I depart for New Delhi, India.
Flight: LAX-CHICAGO-INDIA.
22 hours.Books are heavy.Fact.Must narrow my selection down.

Today: I packed and ran out to Osh for work gloves. Any excuse to go to Orchard Supply Hardware makes my heart flutter. Ran to radio shack for a new memory card for my camera, but why were all of the cards hidden behind the counter and without prices? If this store is hit this hard by memory card seeking criminals maybe I should reconsider my patronage.



Thanks to Kind for their donation of their yummy all natural bars to my team.Five percent of their profits go to PeaceWorks, a great organization which fosters co-existence in the world.

Besides a brief anxiety ridden moment which was quelled by a phone call to my mom (thanks mama) all in all I'm ready.Let's do this.

3 major meetings this week with representation plus one audition =lots to focus on before I head to the airport.

Namaskar xo,
Jennifer