School, Money.., people :)

oh.. and today I went to the local school! Look how clean it is! It has also highly secured! They do not let everyone in, and they do not let everyone out :) Children are usually taken to/from the schools by the school buses or such carriers (who bring children till the door-mat). A bog surprise is that.. when looking at this picture one would imagine that all India is so clean and clear.. Actually, NOT! right behind the fence it is all dusty again! crowded! (you'll see in the pictures below how is the traffic there :D) and bumpy, and indian-style :) But there, in the school-area, everyone is  well-dressed (every class has its own uniform which are necessary! and very expensive - that's how they make more money, if I have not mentioned that schools are extreeemely expensive here! One child yearly schooling might sum up till ~12000kr.~6000lt, so there are very high hopes involved! and it is very hard to get in the schools as children have to complete a set of requirements, for this.. many parents consider additional schooling! to prepare children for a particular school-entrance-exam) (I must feel very lucky to finish my education totally for free up till now!), seems to have a system (though, children are children everywhere, so they go around like crazy :) ), well.., 'system' in a diff. sense.. it works, but if I were alone and would like to find something, I think I'd be directed from one point to another until someone would have to guide me through.. Cause there are no lines as such :) everyone is just trying to get through as fast as they can.. one over the other.. by 'system' I mean that the whole fuss is under control :) cause on the other side of the table there are people, who seem to know what they are doing.. and papers go from one to another, systematically.. Of course, been in a shop where guys do not really know what to do, but probably because that was a new worker and I assume everything come here by "learning by doing" ..so he was waiting for supervisors' approval.

While I am on this, I would like to mention that when getting your simple pre-paid sim card, one has to provide photo and show print copy of passport.. and sign papers before one gets the card..! Because! It is believed that all terroristic actions are monitored exactly through those pre-paid cards that are so easy to use and throw! with no track.. So the government want to be able to track end record your in/out-coming calls. More so! In the northern part of India, where it is very close to the Pakistan border, those pre-paid sim cards do not even work, for the same reason!

school.. I was not allowed to take more pictures inside, but if I will - you'll see ;)

Greeen! such green I have not seen elsewhere in the city..

BTW, cars here not only do not follow the rules! but also do not have mirrors! Mostly, in the left side.., but many have folded their right-side mirror, too.. only more recent car owners have maintained and see the point of having the mirrors :)

right by the school, that's where parents come to pick childen.

One more story.. :) I joined my Friend for the walk.. and we decided to go to the beauty saloon for some good stuff ;) And while she was having the procedure, I was waiting outside.. (Too bad I did not take my camra and cannot show the difference of the looks fromt he outside and the looks of the inside.. it is rather surprising how such a holl from the outside can contain cleanliness :) and harmony, in a way.. They trully try to build sense of taste and make it guest-friendly! and cosy..

Once I stepped in, I was approached by the owner of the saloon and she started to market everything.. asking where do I do my facials, etc.. have I made hair-treatment recently.. massages.. puha!! I said.. well.. I do everything myself :) felt so proud of myself.. :) one tried to mention that I probably have not too bad skin type after all.. but later I was heavily laughed at! almost pointed fingers at! Imagine.. I probably needed to tell them that I have not been smelling all this dust for the whole of my life to damage my skin.., and I still got time to plug my eye brows.. and I am not that hairy... and after all.. it would be still hard to trust the cleanliness of the utensils! So I tried to be cool :) Looked to the price list of the massages, I gues this should be durable and nice to experience :) Have not had a good massage for some time now, anyways :) and.. then she started telling about the fitness center (decided to check the facilities).. where they have nothing but the carpet, mirrors, scale :) (the girl, who was showing the aras asked straightly if I wanted to weight myself :D ) and some easy weights -all for aerobics! I got back.. and asked how does it work there.. And the owner told that she's the one to coatch and girls jst come, bare foot, and strech mostly using nothing else but their muscle power.. I said.. ok.. but you have some weights.. you must be using those.. and then she starded arguing that they do not use any maschines (missunderstood me, apparently) that it is not what they strive, etc. ok, I said.. and started asking about the streaching gums (I just love those), why do not they use them cause they will just enrich the programme.. etc.. and then she tried to prove that streching with those will just destroy the muscle.. that it is a mashine.. and tehy do not use those :) and then she was showing how the muscles streach when using just your power.. but I could not reflect it on her hand (it was not too fit, I must say! my hands look probably the same and I was nto doing any excercise for 3 weeks or so..! she claims doing it twice, every working day) and then added that there was an australian women who joined the class when she weighted 130 and lost 13kg in a month..etc.. and how she loved it and will come back just to get this training again..! (first of all, hard to believe she could not find this in Australia!, second of all, of course she lost 13kg. in a month, she weighted so much! and if it was the first time she started using the muscles, it should have affected in this way!, lastly.. I started doubting my shape :D something must have looked familiar to mention this extreem case :D (joking... she must have been trying her best to get a new international client.. so she could brag for other people!).. ok, ok.. for all of you I will reveal - I look aweful now and it is good that I have no one to take pictures of me! I feel ashamed! and also.. when picts. are taken.. I wear loose clothes! :P.. you could see!

This is something yellow :) and something borrowed :) Usually worn by particular cast rajasthani maried women.

and this is something brown :) and something bought!! For only 80kr! Feels good :) Looks good :)

 Anyways..., my curves are very appreciated here :D...As a matter of a fact.. on the way home from the same saloon I noticed that it is very good not to go out too much in the peak times for me.. as people start driving looking back, not front.. and they turn, and turn..while driving.. So, every time I stay home, I am actually reducing the car accident rate! and saving not only mine.. but others lives!! :) (so proud of myself! :D).

Ok, enough about this.. :)

Some picts now:

Money! Money is a big thing here, the currency is very big and the size of it is really big.. this pile, that you see, is worth approximatelly 50000rupees (5000kr. or 2500lt), it's in 500 cuts and worth a big deal!!!

A lot is done in black money, actually.. even though taxes are not that high, if I am not mistaken, around 4.21% on income.. but then they add everything else on the top.. I bought an ice-cream (in Mc'Donalds, Mc Sunday with a browny!! and chocolate on!! - never met that before) yesterday, which said 55 rupees (5.5kr, 2.7lt.) and had to pay 63 (6.3kr. 3.15lt) instead by the cashier.. so they display prices without taxes..and restaurant business have 9 types of taxes!! So!!! It is actually a good idea to have a trip organized by a tour guide, one migh face quite different total by the check-out.

Actually, I lived here for a good week and do not imagine myself tripping here alone.. - girl alone is just dangerous! :) and the city is crazy! So much to do, so much to see! so much of everything is any flavor! Only the guides can build a good trip for you! Just name it - everything is possible in India! You'll get what you come for.. and it will end up being the bets experience! when going alone, will just cause you so much trouble! the system, etc.. everyone is trying to fool you, sell you bad quality things, overprices! the guides get you only to the best places and they assure the service there! one only needs to know what he/she wants!

(little promotion! but it is so true! The first thing I would offer any foreighner - to get a good guide! he'll take care of everything and in foreign money it will just pay off as you will avoid wasting time searching and trying things out..! and everything will be planed for your good!)

More picts! :

This I took just on the road :) it's a regulat way to go around.. and this puppy was just too cute not to take a pict of :)

Oh, and this is a TWO-WAY street :) with side-walks! and parking area.. (what I mean - all in one!) In this case, a car passing from the other direction would just have to horn its way out :P

Goody ;) This is it for now.. Bare in mind that the pictures were made in diff. times.. withing 2-3 days I guess..
But all is last news!

Greets from here ;) it's around 30 degrees! :)*
Not teasing.. just informing :D
Kiss to All! (share it :) )
Roberta

P.S. Sorry for the long interpretations of the subject.. now you will see how my minds flow :) and what a mess is there in my head :P

A little from my daily routines :)

This is a regular passenger.., passing right by the gates of or neghborhood :)

our vegetable/fruit shop

the same shop from the outside

how we purchase the goods (in a bucket.., no plastic bags, etc.. all to the one bowl and then they weight it by the cashier separately)

Some time ago the plastic bags were banned because people would just throw them from the balcony to the street.. with some food leftovers.. and cows would start eating with the plastic.. - and it is harmful for them..! (probably not because it is damaging the sight or atmosphere!! :D). Now, everything is back to 'normal', though one might notice more paper bags or just bags made from newspapers in the store (e.g. to weigth the rice or sugar) than plastic bags. (goody, goody :) )

and this is a business for cloth/scarfs-dieing (re-coloring) service

Theis day I am felling much more releaved, trying to get over my losses. And starting to se the right colors of India! Life is very very different here!

Spending much time with Omlata (the host-lady) and she has tought me many this already: how to make roti, indian-tea, shopping :) We also went to buy me indian-cloths! Cause I realized that not much could be used from the things I brought (I will not need my 2pairs of jeans!, 3 sweaters :D some short dresses.. and 2 pairs of shorts.., though, I was told it is ok to wear anything I am feeling comfortable in while I am at home.., but many people are visiting every day.. so I think it is better to look decent for other as well.. :) ).. Oh, I think it is interesting for you to know that the top cloth (which, of course, has a very difficult name) was tailored to my curves :) at the spot by a male dresmaker.. they are mostly males here.. for only 40kr. (20lt)! In total! for all!

One other interesting thing - we wnet at one cousin for a visit.. she was so charismatic! so charming, just smile and this laugh! :) pitty I do not speak hindi.. could only introduce myself.. and talk with help of Omlata :)

Apparently, they have a boy, who comes from that women husbands' village. He comes from a poor family so they took him to their house and keep him as their servant.. This way he has a chance to ''see what the life is'' (Truly speaking, I could only see this in movies up til now). As from the observations, that boy has his place in the house.. did not see him sit on the sofas.. or talk directly to the guests - he was just there to serve.

Oh.. also! they have a huge huge dog :) Dogs are kept as pets. (they are also very likely to meet in the streets.. so weak, so desperate for food but not harmful.., some with open wounds.. :S some alone and some in groups, what a pitty..)., but cat is not common, as it is believed that they bring bad luck if they cross the road in front of you.

That's it, that's all :)

Ro ;)

My second day.. 22 09 2011

One would wish the first days in India to be FANTASCITC - new food, new culture, new senses! climate, etc... But me - I felt into a deep depression, already from the morning I did not want to get up from the bed, even though my morning started at 12 o'clock.. Wanted nothing., but HOME! And the thought of another 140 days here was killing me softly...Did not want to be rude to the hosts they have been nothing but nice and generous to me! (e.g. giving me their bedroom with bathroom attached because it has better facilities!).. so got out with big guilt in my face for sleeping in so long!
Everything here takes more time, all the routines: starting from washing oneself till having a quick breakfast.. Due to unfamiliar facilities (shower in a bucket!, wash teeth with mineral water, gass stove, backing bread every day :), cool the room before the night) takes time to get used to it.. And on the top of my mood.. I just had to suck it in..
So I felt like it's time to seek for emotional comfort and contact my closest ones.. Or write them how I felt..It does help!
Then I wanted to get some documents from my hard drive.. and  realized I might have lost it on the way! Disaster! I had enough! and this totally broke me! I am telling you.. so... I will ask you to try to be nice to me when in half a year I will come to you with a favor to ask - write some photos of some parties or documents/notes from the lectures... I would appreciate it SO MUCH!
There might be a slight chance that I left it while my stay in CPH.. that would be a mirracle! but I might have just dropped it somewhere at the airport while taking out and putting in my laptop for the customs..

My host could see the frustration in my head! and took me to the shop.. it is not too safe for me to walk alone.. she does not do that herself..(others might just bullet me with their attention) So.. I went for shopping - it is very cheap! Cannot remember what was the amount, though.., but I think might have reached 100kr (~50LT)... then on our way back we visited one neighbour - every home here is slightly different (just as everywhere else), but what is common: they all have no carpet, one always leaves shoes outside, the floor is made from marmour, as well as the stairs, they have one main lamp (rather big, fixed to the second floors' ceiling and hanging down till the first floor.. also, they light their home with a simple straight lamp-bulbs, that look like a solarium  lights :) same goes for outside ligthning in the streets :) of course, allhomes have a big entrance hall with sink to wash hands.. and a living room aside of it (which is smaller than the hall) with table and sofas (so it is not exactly like I imagined: carpets everywhere and eating while sitting on the floor/pillows). Guests are always offered some water and spicy snacks :)

Ok.., the house I am currently staying looks like this (I am moving out in the very begg. of Oct, expect some more photos from there later on):

my bedroom :)

living room

sink in the hall

kitchen

the house.

this is the house I am going to live in couple of days..

I took some picts from the neighborhood, might see me with Himanshi (host-daughter)..:

the regular neighborhood street

here you can iron your cloth for 3rupees (~ 0.3 kr., 15ct.)

shops!

a regular guarded neighbourhood... (I live in such :) )

me and Himanshi

So... this was my second day.. The night did not go well.. got some crazy nightmares! Some of you were involved (hope you are doing fine and it was just a side effect of my malaria pills or stress) :S Happy not to remember them!

Hugs!
Roberta

So .. this is how it started..

After a good! loong weekend with my Bestest Friends (MOnika, DOvile & Egluze) in CPH (sincere THANKS for the hosts!) I was feeling excited and and little worried :) - I have a thing with travels (always thinking of  "what if"). This time it started rather early, were times that I woke up in the midle of the night thinking of my Visa or passport.. (do I still have it in the same place, etc..) on my way to the airport I had an urge to check the paper (which I printed out a month ago) if the time has not changed for my flight :D (you know what they say: ''follow your logic!''. Though, Egluze must be right this time - my logic is untrustful sometimes..)

Anyways, I was acompanied by MOniakyte! And only when she led me to the customs I realized that it is only the signs that I can count on until I reach the place..



So.. I was happy to see that the airport cares about me and wishes a pleasant flight :)

On my way tried to use the sight and shot some good snaps:

These must have been taken gradually on my way from CPH to Helsinki (20 09 2011).

These were captures right before landing:

So.. it was a very early morning in Delhi ;)
One interesting thing I noticed about hours here.. They do not follow the regular for europeans timing, according to the Greenwich time, London (GMT), they have different system. Here they follow the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is measured differently.. They also do not have summer/winter times - never -/+ the hour. Now it is 4.5 hour difference between London and Jaipur (for e.g.).

So.., my journey continued at New Delhis' airport, where I was met by my Friend and new Boss, Nand Singh Rathore :) with a huge smile and kind greetings!
From there we proceeded straight to Jaipur. I did not want to waste time for resting in Delhi.., cause that would have just resulted in prolonged journey to the destination.. We were picked by a driver (how cool is this). I thought around 300km. distance could have been made in 3 hours or so, by european standards, but guess what? It took us around 5hours! Mhm, I was amazed too, but the thing is that they are reconstructing the hightway and we had to cross the cities, etc.. in addition to the crazy crazy trafic! Just recently noticed that many cars do not even have left-hand-side-mirror! (bare in mind that the trafic is on the other direction!- left-handed). There are no rules here! Nothing like road signs, car lights matter! the only significant and neccessary tool is HORN! They use it whenever doing a trick. So basically, it is very VERY noisy on the way! There is one more thing they do: the driver waves hand up and down when he sees that it is dangerous for the car from the back to maneuvre.. I made a conclusion that the driver mind front and what is behind is not his business.. unless he/she is so kind to inform about complicated situation..
And this is what one notices regularily on the back of the trucks:

"Keep distance", " Blow horn", "Dipper at night", "Watch for side", "Slow"...

I will show you some locals that I met on the way:

Oh, and those cars, I think they are called "tuk-tuk" :) they are kinda taxis'... :) and it is very regular way to travel ;)!

This is the end of the picture gallery of the day..

But I reached Jaipur rather tired! Greeted the lady of the house that I am going to be hosted, Omlata. Regular indien woman :) looked very nice! and generous from the face! she served a quick luch for us roti (bread) and fried vegetables (it is hard to name it precisely as all the dishes have different names). oh.. and also jogurt (also made by Omlata). It was spicy :) but manageable, I think she made it in this way specially for me to be able to try it.. and gradually adjust the food :) (very very nice woman).

After a good nap, when the temperature reached friendly warmth (around 20 :) ) we all took to the temples. Cannot remember the names.., but it was a day for "a new start" temple! and it was a good timing for me :) There I saw some more rural surrounding of Jaipur, poorer social-classes..etc.. people were approaching me, begging for some money (I had non that time, I even forgot my camera home).
It was a good experience..locals go to the temples bare foot, get some sweet from the side market (kinda a gift for a godes), which is ment to be blessed for some coins in the temple and then taken home.. Shoes, you have tom leave them by the same markets as well.. at some monetary pay.. Temples are guarded.. usually the scanners do not work, but are there for looks :) and guards stand there and watch for the sight.

Later we went to get some pizza :) Imagine that :) taht was very tasty: cheesy! with some chicken.. I think hosts did not want me to feel draged into a new cousine very fast, so they just wanted to give me a slow start..

And.. not that I have not had enough for the first first day.. we went to visit a very good coleague of Nand Singh Rathore! at his home :) he greeted me with smile! offered some snacks (which were spicy and I was afraid to try all sorts of new things at the first day, so avoided much), we got some whiskey :)..
My role there was rather poor, I cannot speack hindi and all conevrsations are in hindi..My ambition so far is to learn at least a word per day :) we'll see how far I will reach :)..

Yeah.. by the time we reached home it was very late.. late in my terms as I did not get proper sleep throughout the day and was tired of new things.. new home, new people, new conditions, etc!!!
So.. as a result, I felt very VERY much home-sick. so.. was rather difficult to get asleep.. everything was different I felt little confused in my head.. after all - I was really tired.. and missing my Family and Friends (AT THE FIRST DAY OF THE ARRIVAL).. with this in mind and a thought of staying here for another 5 mnths was just driving me crazy!

So much for the first day :)
Greets!
Ro.

Little intro ;)

Hey there! I am writing this blog just for the ones, who are interesting how are the things here for me.. it will definitelly include good and bad things.. I guess it's all about self-development.

I will also take a letters'-approach to this blog, as if I were writing to a Friend, who is missing me (so if one feels like I share too much or smile too much, or cry too much - just stop reading :P or skip the part, the descriptives of nature, people and life-style will definitelly follow one or the other time ;)

I will also not oblige myself to write it regulary, please do not expect too much :) It is my first blog and everything might just fail in a short while.. (let's cross fingers for it not to happen ;) )

With Love!
Roberta

Indiski juokeliai ;)

Gal bent mano pasakojami juokeliai is Indijos skambes siek tiek juokingiau, nei kad Lietuvoje :)

Nand (bosas) renge vakar klases susitikima. Susirinko apie 30 zmoniu (tik klasiokai) tam, kad susitartu kada gali susirinkti dauguma su seimom. Jie kele si susirinkima pas kazka dideliame name: kele juokus, siek tiek gere :) Ir vienas klasiokas atsisake ateiti kadangi jo zmona neleido jam eiti ten, kur geriama, kad jam nebutu pagundos.. O klasiokai ji vis kviete, kviete.., sako: "atvyk ir nebutina tau gert!, pasitarsim, paplepesim, pabusim klasiokai kart, visgi keliolika metu praejo nuo pask. susitikimo", tas sako..:" as su mielu noru.., taciau negaliu".. Chebryte buvo lyg ir suplanave pusryciaut atskirai (turejo Nand'as grizt namo su keliais draugais ir juos apnakvindint, nes Indija juk didele salis.., tai is visu krastu cia privaziavo), bet uzsitese ju baliukas! labai gerai leido laika.. ir nakti sumaste atkersyti to klasioko zmonelei, kuri neledo jam kartu su jais paselt :) Sako..:" tafaj, einam pas ji i svecius pusryciu!" :D Tai ta vargsele turejo priimti apie 30 zmoniu savo namuose is pat ryto! O ji to net nesitikejo, bo jie sita visa sumaste nakti, besvesdami! Tai Nand'as sako: "vargsiuke, reikejo isleist vyra pabaliavot :) " Bo ten kas kur.. ant zoles, namuose issidrebe! visi isseke, apie 8ta val susirinke, nekokios stadijos :) bo tik apie 5:30 nuejo miegot.. irgi, manau, salygos ne patogiausios! :)
Va tai tau baismele! :)

Ir dar juokesi :) Sako.. susirinkom visi tvarkingai, graziai.. pradejom snekuciuotis po truputi.. ragauti gerymuku.., kol galiausiai pavirtom i tikra miska :D Bo visi turi po kazkokia pravarde, kuri siejasi su gyvunais ar kariais :) tai susitikimas virto i misko perversma :)