In Sri Lanka

Yesterday I left Nepal for Sri Lanka. Since that time a lot has happened.

I caught a cab with Laurel and Noah (her son) and carried on to Pashupati Temple before the airport. This is a unique Hindu temple where they perform cremations at the Bagmati River. I got the cab driver to stay with my luggage and carried on towards I wasn't sure what. I was promptly stopped at the gates because I was about to head into the Hindi-only part of the temple, but was kindly redirected to where the public can go. The ticket to enter was $1000 Nepalese Rupees, so about $12-$13. I also hired a guide (he just kind of followed me and turned into my guide) and accepted donations, so that was nice that he didn't charge a steep price. He escorted me to the place where you can observe cremations on stone platforms on the bank of the Bagmati. Turns out there is quite a process...

The platform gets wood stacked on it and the body goes on it afterwards. The body is first cleansed with holy water and then wrapped in white linen. Next, the family can add flowers or fabric, jewelry, money, rice, etc. for the body to part with as it enters the spiritual world. Common colors are red (holy), orange (peace), and yellow (love). In the case of the death of a parent, the oldest son walks around the body three times and then another three times with fire (on what, I'm not sure) and then lights the body on fire starting at the mouth. My guide says fire is the agent that purifies the best, and we need that to cleanse our mouths of the bad things we say. The family then watches until nothing is left. This can take 3-4 hours. Afterwards, the ashes are swept into the Bagmati as well as bags of the deceased person's clothes. The sons then shave their heads and have to wear white for a year (in the case of a parent dying). If it was a sibling, they do not shave their heads but refrain from eating meat for 7 days, to respect the fact that the deceased may be reincarnated as an animal. Part of the ashes are put into linen and buried in the bottom of the Bagmati.

There are platforms for the poor, rich, politicians, and royalty (although Nepal doesn't have kings or queens anymore). I witnessed people praying to Shiva, the god of destruction and also the god of fertility (I forget the name of that one). You pray to Shiva to not become/have one of three things: jealous, desire, stupid. Those are things that will keep us from inner peace and enlightenment apparently. With the god of fertility, there are usually 11 shrines in a row (1 woman + 1 man = 11 apparently) so this becomes a holy number. People come to these shrines to pray if they are having trouble conceiving. People sit around them with food and offerings. It's fascinating.

The Pashupati grounds also offers meditation and yoga as well as a hospice. It is believed that the closer you are to a temple at death the faster your spirit can move on. The hospice is free.

It was a very fascinating tour, I was super happy to have gone, but was a little uncertain as to what I would see. I kind of imagined a stack of naked bodies in a dark room on fire. But this was done with such care, dignity, and respect that I can't even describe. It was beautiful to watch, even though that may be disturbing.

I then proceeded to the airport and just hung around until my flight at 2:30pm. One thing I love about Asia is that there is a woman's line since everyone gets frisked. So there are female security guards on one side and male on the other. But it's fine with me because it ends up being like an express line.

I watched a Bollywood movie called Ek Tha Tiger on the plane but it was shut off just before it got to finish because we were landing. (Booo!)

I waited in Mumbai for 8 hours. In that time I had KFC, a frappe beverage, bought a souvenir and watched about 3 movies... the last 1/2 of Spirited Away, Bernie, Pitch Perfect, and 1/2 of 21 Jump Street. Bernie is a true story... highly recommended!

I then boarded my flight to Colombo. It was only 2 hours and I slept for a portion of it. I was happy to arrive although it was 5:00am. Again, going through customs was a breeze. No one scanned my bags or anything. Someone was supposed to meet me in the visitors area, but no one was there. I just stood around and walked up and down the row of people holding signs. None for me. Finally a man from the airport came up to me and I guess he knew my coordinator because he showed me a text from him with all my flight details and information. He said I had to take a taxi to Sarvodaya Headquarters. It was about 45mins or more to get there from the airport. Obviously I got left with the bill which was $40. I only had $37 so that's what he got. And that was a sarcastic 'obviously' by the way. I did not expect to pay for a taxi I was never supposed to take because someone was supposed to get me at the airport. That broke me.

I got showed my room at the hostel. There is a big room with 4 rooms off of it, each with two beds inside. I'm alone in this section. It also has two toilets and a shower. I got into my room, fell on the bed and cried myself to sleep.

I woke up to my alarm one hour later and met with my adviser, Bandula. He just wanted to know about me and my interests and this broke me again. He said we could talk later. I had breakfast then went on Skype and talked to my sister and then Max. It was helpful but not the same as having someone with me in person. This whole day I have been off and on crying. This has not been the start I wanted or expected for my practicum. Everyone is saying I'm 'sensitive' but really I am scared, homesick, and exhausted. I want out.

It was then tea time. No one joined me.

I then went on a tour with someone from headquarters where we saw some of the work going on, such as sewing, needle-point, typing, and orphanage work. The young girls who do the trades are mostly deaf or mute but I think we had some real bonding time because I learned some sign language and brushed up on my Sinhalese. In the orphanage the kids were initially really scared of me... Like, screaming and crying and running away. Not a good ego booster, which I really needed.

It was lunch. I didn't eat much, but had some nice watermelon and apple. But the food was all super spicy. It was just a little too much for me.

Went out on another tour... This time to see the more technical part of Sarvodaya, like the economics building, legal stuff, but also saw a center for meditation and prayer where they work with prisoners and teenage moms etc.. I loved the atmosphere there and would love to go back... but I was seriously eaten alive by mosquitoes which are the one thing I hate in this world. Well, that and spiders. Anyways, it gives me something to think about now that Bandula is gone and I'm plan-less for the weekend. But there is a nice man who works here who said he'd be my guide for the weekend and help me if I need anything.

It was tea time again. No one was there. I didn't go.

Now I just got back from a shopping adventure. A woman named Jasmina loaned me some money to go buy some basic things or whatever. She is staying at the Mount Lavinia Hotel and said I can go there to visit if I'd like. It's on the ocean.. Might be fun.

I got some cookies and crackers, citronella spray (for those pesky mosquitoes), and shampoo. I was out for about an hour. I got stuff done.

So as of right now I am waiting in my room for dinner which is in 2 hours. I am listening to Burton Cummings' "I'm Scared". While I'm feeling a bit better, I'm still constantly on the verge of tears.

"Said I'm scared, Lord, I'm scared, I'm terrified. Never been much on religion but I sure enough would like to hear the call. I'm scared Lordy, Lord, I'm shakin' I'm petrified. Never been much on religion but I sure enough just fell down on my knees"


Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers... I hope things pick up from here. It can only go up, right?

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

Last night I went to bed late after Skyping with my mom and my sister (and Eli) for about 30 minutes and Max for a short while also. It was great to see my mom and Beth for the first time since leaving. It was nice to talk and hear their voices and show them my room and let them see how I'm doing. I hope to do it again soon!

I went to bed late and woke up at 8:00am, as has been the routine lately. At least I'm in a routine! I'm feeling a lot better today, although my head has been pounding. I think it's because of my sunburn and maybe pushing myself made me sick. I'm definitely not Wonder Woman. I had some toast and later some home made mac and cheese. I just hung out at the house until lunch time when Christie came home. We went out to Cloud Factory for lunch, an organization started by Christie's cousin. I was still full so I just waited and then we carried on to the daycare together.

The walk to the daycare was really nice as we passed fields and nice houses. The view from the daycare was of more fields and the mountains. It was gorgeous. There was about 30-40 kids waiting for us and all greeted us with a "Namaste" and waving. It was adorable! We meandered through all the kids and went into the main room which was about 10x10. It was cramped!

We started out by playing musical chairs (we did 3 rounds as there weren't enough chairs for students) and then began a reading of Jesus and Zacchaeus, who had to climb a tree to see Jesus as he was walking through the crowds. So we talked about what it feels like to be the odd one out or not be able to take part in something special. After, the students colored what they think it would be like to have Jesus in their home as Zacchaeus did.

Next we learned two songs. One was "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and the other was "Sally the Camel". The kids were super adorable and were wearing matching blue uniforms. They didn't really know English so it was good to kind of teach them body parts with the first song. They were all fascinated with us and smiled at me and wanted to touch me and show me their drawings. It was adorable.

Near the end of the day we helped the kids tuck in their shirts and look nice again for their parents upon pick-up. I gave the kids high-fives and they seemed to love it as they each gave me like a bajillion of them. They said "bye bye" and waved to us as they left with their mothers. It was a great day.

I give total credit to Christie for planning this day and her lesson was great. I helped pass out paper to color on but that was it! It was a great time and I had a nice day. I'm glad I could have taken part in it.

I'm still figuring out what tomorrow may bring. Keep you posted!

White Water Rafting!

Yesterday Karen, Christie, and I went white water rafting! I was a bit nervous at first, imagining sharp rocks and intense waterfalls... you may remember The Emperor's New Groove when Cuzco (I think that's his name) goes over the waterfall... Yeah, that was how I was feeling.

To refresh your memory, check out the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhOrxkGlLDM

Turns out it wasn't that intense. We had two other people on the raft with us, one man who was super intense and lots of fun with his girlfriend who was quiet and scared of water. We had a couple big waves and the guy fell out once. It was hilarious! We were all equipped with life jackets and helmets "just in case" and got the run down of how to not drown if we did fall out. That talk got me more scared than the rafting itself! One other thing, our guide's name was Pineapple. Yes. Pineapple.

We started upstream of the base camp about 10kms I think. We were out for maybe 30-60mins and once we arrived at base camp we had lunch. It consisted of rice, vegetables, chicken and lentils. It seemed to be a pretty standard Nepali meal. I had a coke in a glass bottle with lunch.

 The camp was beautiful... it over looked the river and offered tents and little cabins to stay in, had a pool and lots of adventure activities. It was called "Royal Beach Camp" and looked like a fun place to stay, although pretty remote. We drove about 3 hours out of Kathmandu to get there.

The second half of the rafting seemed much shorter but we got to jump out of the raft and swim in the calm areas. However, the current was so strong it pulled us along so we didn't really need to kick. That was fun! We went through some rapids again, but it wasn't anything crazy and none of us fell out this time. :P

Afterwards, we drove back to base camp standing in the back of a truck carrying the kayaks, raft, paddles and other equipment. There were about 4 people in the truck and about 4 of us in the box of the truck and two guys just hanging on and standing on the bumper. Nepalis are totally crazy. The ride follows the curves of the mountain and they were going really fast.

Our driver took us home shortly after and was doing about 80km/h on these 'back roads' where there are hairpin turns. It was a little scary sometimes to be cutting off cars and passing them around bends and hills when we couldn't see ahead of us. But that seems to be the way things are done here. You just honk as you're going around a corner and hope the people slow down enough that you don't do a head-on collision. One time it was so close we had to back up and go around them again. People ride on motorbikes without gear or helmets and sit sideways on the bike. It's just stupid.

I put on sun screen in the morning and despite wearing a t-shirt and capris I still got a decent burn. My arms and the back of my hands are burned as well as the back of my neck and my cheeks. It isn't super painful, just hot and annoying.

I woke up last night really sick and have been feeling pretty 'blah' all day so I stayed inside. I'm not sure if it's from the sun burn or maybe I accidentally ingested some of the dirty river water. I slept from 8pm to about 8am and had breakfast. Then I went in my room and Skyped with Max until about 11:30am when I was feeling sick again. My head has been hurting and my stomach was a bit upset but that passed. I then went back to sleep until 4:45pm. I'm just tired of feeling gross.

Depending on how I'm feeling tomorrow I may join Christie at the daycare she volunteers at. Maybe I will have another day re-couping. I have been really run down after such a long week. I have gone from flying Sunday-Wednesday and doing nothing to lots of physically demanding activities like hiking and rafting in hot hot weather. Maybe that makes me weak? I know I'm definitely out of shape but things feel a lot different here. Hiking in Winnipeg is different than hiking in Nepal that's for sure! (Maybe because there are no hills in Winnipeg?)

During my relaxing time this morning Laurel, Christie's cousin and the woman whose house I am staying at, called me up to the third floor where I looked out and saw the Himalayas! I feel so lucky to have (partially) seen them twice this trip because you usually can't see them at all during monsoon season.

I'm heading out for now, I really want to be rested and feel better tomorrow! talk soon!

Happy Birthday, Buddha!

I've been in Nepal for just 3 days now, and it has been a whirlwind! I'm not sure where to start!

The first night, Christie's cousin was having some friends over for a get together and birthday party for their 1 year old daughter. There were many people here and they all seemed very nice. Having been very tired I went to bed at about 7:00pm. (Party pooper!) I woke up 4 times to go to the washroom... it's so hot and humid here you drink all the time!! I also had a coughing fit as my throat was bothering me. Aside from that, it was a great sleep. Laurel (Christie's cousin) gave me my own room on the main level. It just so works out that there is a bathroom right close and with everyone else sleeping on the second or third floor I didn't wake anyone up, and vice versa.

Karen and I got up at 5:30am the next morning to go on an excursion. Christie wasn't able to come. We got a taxi to take us to Kantipath, which I guess is a street or district where a lot of tour buses depart from. Although we had arranged for someone from a tour line to meet us there at 6:00 to give us our tickets, no one showed up. Fortunately there was another bus with spots available that we took. At 6:35 the guy from the first bus came and found us and asked why we weren't on his bus. Well, we were waiting over half an hour, so didn't want to take any chances if he didn't show. Apparently this is how Nepali time works... people are late.

We got on the 8 hour ride to Pokhara which is a beautiful area with Phewa Tal Lake, views of the Himalayas, Tibetan Settlements, the World Peace Pagoda, and many other things. The ride was very scenic and we saw tons of villages and the rural lifestyle of the people here. There were a lot of chickens, goats, cows, and the fields/terraces were filled with corn and rice patties. Many of the homes were made from cinder brick or wood, and the roofs were sheets of tin, or sometimes thatched. We also saw an abundance of fruit trees such as mango and banana.

Our bus arrived in Pokhara just before 2:00pm. Karen and I had been talking to this man on the bus from Holland named Raymond. He was very nice and recommended a hotel to us that his friend suggested to him. However, when we got off the tourist bus we were quickly surrounded by hotel representatives offering us their 'best price'. It was confusing to have 5 people talking to us all at the same time about different things. They were handing us their business cards, giving deals on taxis, and giving their best sales pitch. When it was clear to one man that we were not going to his hotel he actually had the nerve to take his business card back! Eventually we got to The Little Tibetan Guest House and set our bags down.

Raymond stayed at the same hotel and we all went out to visit a Tibetan Settlement together. At the settlement we got to see many monks... some as young as elementary school years. We got to sit and observe their chanting and praying.. it was mesmerizing. Along the dorm there were blankets hanging off of the rails to dry. Their was a mischievous monkey that was going around and pulling the blankets off... pretty funny! :)

We then went out for dinner at a place called 'Once Upon A Time' right next to our hotel. I had some Daal Bhat which seemed to be rice and vegetable curries. It was good but super filling so I couldn't finish it all. The waitress asked "Not good?" and I made sure to tell her it was very good but that I was full. She seemed satisfied and left. Karen and I each gave her a tip and she seemed very happy. Perhaps this is unusual here.. I should probably find out!

The next day we got up at 5:30 to see the Himalayas. Any later than that and the clouds will descend and block the view. Unfortunately it was raining and very cloudy so we couldn't see anything. Despite the weather, Karen, Raymond and I went down to the lakeside and got someone to row us across the lake to the trail that leads to the World Peace Pagoda. It is situated on top of a mountain and took at least an hour to climb. Although the rain had stopped, it was really muggy and I had a hard time climbing all the way. But eventually we got there and it was amazing! The pagoda itself was huge and spectacular and looked over Phewa Tal Lake and the mountains (just rolling green mountains, not the Himalayas). It was still pretty cloudy but at one point the clouds parted and we saw a glimpse of Annapurna South. It was so high above everything else I couldn't believe how big it was. Unfortunately this was the only glimpse we got of the Himalayas, but it was worth it as the clouds covered it again as we went back down the hill. It was amazing.

On the way back to the mainland, we stopped at an island with a temple on it. It is called Barahi Temple and many people were there to visit it. There was a shrine of the god Ganesh and also a big temple with a man inside putting tilaka powder on people's foreheads. They then spun a prayer wheel and lit incense. The prayer wheels are supposed to spin your sins away and leave you at peace. It's a pretty cool ritual. A lot of the people there were watching us and many actually asked to take pictures with us (I'm guessing because we are white!). They said they were from Bangladesh and gave us their business card and said Canada was their dream land. We all felt like celebrities but it was still weird. People would take pictures of us (not so discreetly) and stare. Not sure what to make of it yet, but I get it a lot!

Once back in Pokhara Karen and I went shopping and got some pretty cool gifts. I don't want to spoil them though! But I will say that we stopped at a store that was empowering women. Everything in the store was loomed by their employees. We actually got to see them at work. Plus, it provides a steady wage for women who may otherwise be unemployed. I bought an over-the-shoulder bag for about $9.00. It was so cheap, why wouldn't I support them?

Karen and I left Pokhara this morning on a 7:30 bus and arrived in Kathmandu by about 1:00 I think. We got off close to an area with public transit and took a bus to Swayambhunath Temple (Monkey Temple) for 18 rupees, or about $0.25. This vehicle was small, had three wheels and would not have been bigger than an SUV. At one point we had 15 passengers inside. It was crazy! I'll try to get a picture of this next time!

The Monkey Temple proved to be very busy today as it is Buddha's birthday! Everyone was happy and wearing make-up... even babies. People were dressed in their best clothes and it was packed to the brim. From what I understand there is a Hindu section and a Buddhist section and we saw them both. There were many people selling things and singing. The temple also has an amazing view over Kathmandu. We only saw a few monkeys but maybe we will see more at other temples!

Tomorrow Karen, Christie and I are going rafting! It should be a blast. I hope to update more soon! Until then, I'm going to sleep!

^^ Paradise in Pokhara... writing postcards! ^^

Namaste

The evening at the hotel I was at was so worth it. Having the opportunity to shower and nap was a blessing. Now I am in Kathmandu and I am doing the same thing.

I left the hotel at 12:45am in a pre-arranged taxi to take me to the airport for 1:00am. My flight (Colombo-Chennai-Mumbai-Kathmandu) was set to leave at 3:05am. Tons of time. I went through security, which turned out to be a giant joke as the officers seemed more interested in where I was from rather than the safety of the airport. Regardless, I made it through quickly and pain free (except for my back, which still hurts). I went to the Jet Airways check in counter and received some bad news. The woman behind the counter asked me for my visa for India. I didn't have one because I wasn't staying in India. She said that if there is more than one domestic flight in India then I need a transit visa. Failure to produce it would prevent me from even leaving Colombo. Tears and a wobbly voice came next.

I talked to a man who looked in charge and told him that my original flight (Colombo-Mumbai-Kathmandu) had been changed recently by the airline and I was not told to get a transit visa nor would I have had the time to apply for one and receive it prior to leaving Winnipeg. He told me to sit and relax and he would figure out what to do. I waited over 30 minutes. He walked down the hall and never came back.

I then proceeded to talk to the manager who told me he would fix it. He successfully switched me to a flight leaving Colombo to Mumbai and then to Kathmandu for 6:10am. Do-able for sure. I was able to check in and get a spot on the flight without any problems. One employee, who knew my situation, escorted me to the counter and checked me in ahead of the scheduled check-in time. It was now about 3:40am and I could relax.

I went through another security gate that had a guard sitting and drinking out of what looked like a hybrid between a wine bottle and a Bailey's bottle. Not at all sketchy. ;) There was a lovely selection of  shops and coffee bars to peruse but at a cost. The stores have washers and dryers, PS3, watches, sunglasses, other electronics, it's just weird. I'm not going to buy a bar-fridge on my way out-of-country. It helped to pass the time at least. I boarded at 5:30. The boarding is a bit odd because you have to take a bus to the plane all the way around the airport. This was the same in Mumbai and Kathmandu. Maybe it's a Asian thing?

Karen and Christie met me at the airport and we took a taxi back to Christie's cousin's place. The taxi was held together with packing tape and had no seat belts. I got to shower, we went out for a snack, and meet some friends who came over for dinner. From what I've seen, Kathmandu is crazy. Or as Christie and Karen suggest, a calmer India. There are people, motor bikes, and dogs all in the streets. There are no street signs or street lights and there is a lot of honking. It is very dirty here with trash everywhere, especially in empty lots and on the side of the road. The pollution is bad too. Many people wear masks to protect from the dust. I even saw a chicken and a few cows just eating and observing the hustle and bustle. This is a different place for sure. 

Karen and I will be going traveling tomorrow on a 8 hour bus ride (though only 200 kms away) to Pokhara and spending one or two nights there. We will be hiking, looking at the lake and the Himalayas and whatever else there is! Apparently there are museums, caves, waterfalls, Tibetan villages and adventure-related activities like jungle treks and paragliding! Depending on what we get done, we will determine the number of days. Since we will be doing some hiking and be outdoors I will NOT bring my laptop. Updates will follow once I'm back!

Love!

I Made It!

After 10.5 hours on the plane from London, I have finally made it! The plane was kind of funny... there were TV channels with movies and Hindi shows but if you selected them, you joined in where ever it was playing. I jumped in at the end of Silver Linings Playbook. But they also had video games on the plane and the remote you used to choose channels (you heard me, remote) became a controller. So I played Galaktor (like Space Invaders) and made it to level 52. Like a boss! I also played checkers, reversi, and pac man. I played a lot of spider solitaire on my iPod. A lot. I couldn't really sleep I was so excited. One thing that was pretty cool was that everything on the plane is free! Alcohol, snacks, sandwiches, meals, etc. Awesome! The food (even plane food) was delicious and the variety of fruit is outstanding. I had pieces of orange, grape, cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple and mango in my breakfast! That came with a mixed vegetable string hopper which was spicy but oh so good!! It was like angel hair pasta (but made of rice flour) shopped into tiny pieces with bits of carrot and peppers in it. For dinner I had a marinated lemon fish with lyonaisse glazed potatoes. The salad was mini raw shrimps with two melon balls of honeydew and cantaloupe sprinkled with dill. It was an interesting combination but not bad. We also got 'refresher towels' to wipe our hands and face. The stewardesses were beautiful in matching aqua sarees with peacock feathers on them. They always had a smile on their face.

My first view of Sri Lanka was ocean and palm trees. It is beautiful here... palm trees every where. It's 31 with a light breeze. There is hustle and bustle everywhere.. kind of a sensory overload right now. Maybe i'm in shock, I'm not sure. All of a sudden I'm exhausted. I got a taxi to my hotel and just had a shower. Now i'm lying down and going to try to nap, I was so excited I guess it prevented me from sleeping. I have the same driver arranged to come and pick me up at 12:45am to take me back to the airport. I am SO glad I booked this room. I was so smelly and greasy... this is a really good thing!  I can hear birds chirping (lots of honking too!). I am excited to get back here and dive into the culture and learn more. For example, a giant statue of buddha greeted me in the airport... I'm excited to see more! The people here are very nice (and brown... I stick out BIG TIME). I'm loving how people seem easy going and like "yeah! help yourself! take what you want!" yet busy with life. I'm actually kind of sad to leave without even exploring. But nepal should be great! I'm excited to experience my first week away with some amazing friends. That should really make things easier.

One interesting thing was that one man noticed me eating fast and hunched over, and that I kind of stand that way too.  He said it's not bad posture but that my head is heavy with lots of thoughts and worries and that's why my head comes forward and down. Interesting. Definitely a different take on it.

I also noticed the infamous Indian head waggle! Just youtube it! It's funny, but everything I say gets a head waggle, which apparently means 'yes I understand' or 'ok'. I've got to practice my head waggle!

From what I have experienced so far... I think I'm going to love it here!

What a Whirlwind!

The past week and a bit has been absolutely crazy. I have no idea where the time has gone but I hope it continues to pass quickly... I'm in London Heathrow Airport for 10 hours. So now I will take this time to catch up on all that has happened!

On Thursday (May 16 I believe) Max and I met up with my Uncle Jim and Carole at Andaaz Fashions in St. Vital to pick up my saree. I had been so excited to get it... waiting 10 days was so hard! It seems there is always someone in that store, but I was helped right away by Sukmeet. We went to the change room and she gave me the blouse to try on. It is gorgeous, but wow it is different than anything I've ever worn! It is basically like a crop-top with hooks in the front (like a button up) and a beautiful tie and tassel going over the back. It was unbelievably tight (perhaps due to the Starbucks I had been indulging in) so I asked Sukmeet if she could 'let it out' because I saw some extra fabric sewn in. She said that it is supposed to be tight and that if I have it any looser that the shoulders would fall off and it wouldn't look right. I definitely don't want to look 'wrong' so I kept it. Speaking of shoulders, there are even buttons on the inside of the blouse to attach your bra straps to so they don't show. They've got this down to an art! Anyways, Sukmeet helped me assemble it and kind of taught me how to make the pleats, but unfortunately I still haven't really got the hang of it. I'm sure my host family will help me to learn. Everyone seemed really pleased with how it looks, especially me! I am so happy with it, I had even worn it around the house a couple times. I think I might convert to sarees.... ;) Below are some pictures courtesy of Carole of the final product!

Later in the week (I guess that would be Friday) I received a package in the mail from Abby all the way from Latrobe, PA. It was so exciting to receive a package (I'm happy to get anything other than bills!) and it was loaded with goodies. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture to add here, but I can list off everything... A journal with two cute pens, a book about world travels (I have yet to dive in...), a kit of travel sized bottles, ankle socks, sticky notes, and perhaps something else... I feel like I'm missing something, but perhaps not. I definitely have those goodies packed with me. It was super nice to receive a gift like that, thank you so much, Abby!

Basically I started packing on Friday and just loaded my suitcase with stuff. What do you pack for 3 months?! That's what I really struggled with, but I settled on:
-3 skirts (plus my saree)
-3 capris/harem pants
-5+ shirts
-about a week's worth of undergarments
-the basic toiletries to get me by until I arrive and can buy some (like shampoo and lotion etc), toilet paper and more.
-a hat
-sunscreen, bug repellant, a first aid kit, general pills such as Tylenol
-lots of hair scrunchies and bobby pins as well as hair bands!!
-the gifts I had bought
-other such things

My carry on includes what feels like all the heavy stuff. I have a change of clothes, my laptop, iPod, phone, camera, snacks, travel toiletries. I also have a memory foam travel pillow that Max bought me as a parting gift. Unfortunately I was a little ambitious and over-filled some of the containers. Lotion leaked out and my perfume did too. Luckily it was only a little perfume because it is so strong. It drenched only my wallet (as far as I can tell) but have since rinsed out my travel kit and put the perfume in a separate plastic bag. I am getting a headache from it, so I hope the smell is contained!

Saturday night I went out with Max and his family for his birthday dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant called Viva (at Sargent and Young). It was really nice to see his (big) family one last time and talk about my trip. His siblings seemed genuinely interested and I was happy to share what I know, which I am realizing isn't really much at all. Max's mother gave me a lovely gift for my belated birthday and graduation. It included a journal, mug, sock monkey key chain (on my luggage!), a leather rabbit head coin purse, and a fan. It was such a kind gesture, and being treated to dinner was super touching as well. One of Max's brothers also got me a red velvet cupcake (which I ate for breakfast the next day). It was so sweet to have everyone there and wish me well. I hugged pretty much everyone I think. I am going to miss those big gatherings... but I'll be back in time for the ones that matter, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. :)

Max came over on Sunday before he had to work to say goodbye. It was really hard and I was just a blubbering mess... In fact, my eyes are still red and puffy! I think it was best to do it in private at my house because I was just a disaster. I got my composure and then watched the Bruins/Rangers game with my family, said goodbye to my sister who was leaving for work, and then left for the airport. The next thing that happened was wild.

On the way to the airport my family stopped in at Dollarama so that I could buy some gum and trail mix. We were all a bit anxious I think so we left a few minutes earlier than planned. We arrived at the airport with tons of time together and planned on having dinner together while waiting to go through security. When I got to the Air Canada kiosk and began a self-check in a woman rushed up to me and confirmed my identity. She told me my flight to Toronto was late and I'd miss my connection. I made it just before the cut off for a flight to Toronto that was getting ready to board as I arrived in the airport. My mom and dad and I really rushed and didn't really get to say a decent 'goodbye' which was sad. We all were teary and said "This isn't how I imagined this going, I thought we'd have more time." Luckily I only shed a few tears and made my way through security just fine. I ran to the opposite end for the gate I was departing out of because I thought I heard my name called on the intercom. I ran all the way and handed by boarding pass to the lady at the gate desk. She told me they hadn't even started boarding yet and I could relax. Thank goodness! I was hungry and teary and just a mess. I went to Tim's and then the bathroom (probably could have done the opposite) and spilled my iced cap on the counter because I was in a rush. Luckily it wasn't a lot. That was the last thing I needed... my comfort food getting ruined!

I was in the middle seat on the 2.5 hour flight to Toronto. The man to my right seemed interesting.. I said I was in the seat next to him (so he'd let me in) and he said "Ok, I don't dispute that". And the woman beside me was overweight and was half sitting on my leg for a part of the flight. Oh well. In Toronto I made it to my gate with plenty of time to spare. It was the same gate I took to London on the Holy Land Tour last year. Kind of cool. (Tons of changes to that area of the terminal by the way!) I watched "An Idiot Abroad" starring Karl Pilkington. If I were a man, I'd be him. He is a hoot and gets sent on these wild adventures. You'll have to see it. But then I started realizing, "Oh my goodness, that's going to be me... Carrying on conversations in English with people who have no idea what I'm saying, eating strange things... but also having experiences of a lifetime." I then boarded for London.

The flight to London was not packed, maybe 2/3 full. It was about a 7 hour flight and I barely slept. I watched "The Campaign" with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifinakis and it was decent. Not my favourite, but it passes the time (and frees up space on my computer because now I can delete it!). We had a chicken and veggies meal with some amazing chocolate mousse for dessert (though not as amazing as Max's!). For breakfast we had a carrot muffin and orange juice. It was a little dry, but it was good. The orange juice stung my throat... I think I'm getting sick (grrrreeeeeaaaattttt) because my throat feels weird and my voice barely comes out. I really hope it passes because I don't need this! Well, I can deal with losing my voice, but a head cold NO! So I pray this turns out to be nothing.

Now I wait until 8:20ish to board my flight to Colombo. It's 1:30pm here. 7 hours. I'm going to wander around, eat, and come back on the computer once I find a power source... Pictures to come very soon!

Until.... later today?

Departure Day

Well, the day has finally come... I leave for the airport in about 4.5 hours and take off in about 6.5 hours. The last few days have seriously been a whirlwind and I don't even know how to re-cap it all. I was hoping to save this big re-cap entry thing for my layover in London, which is 10 hours. That way I can have something to do. So please keep watching for it.

Please send a prayer up for me as I embark on this really crazy adventure. At times I feel like "What have I done?!" but I am confident it will be an amazing experience.

Flight Map

I finally got around to it. What, you might ask? I made a ghetto map of my flight so people can actually picture where the heck I'm stopping along the way to, from, and during my trip. So, here it is below... Shoddily labeled and with super lame lines and unequal arrows. Don't even judge. I'm proud. ;)

My stops are as follows..

Winnipeg, Canada-Toronto, Canada
Toronto, Canada-London, England
London, England-Colombo, Sri Lanka

-Rest One Night-

Colombo, Sri Lanka-Chennai, India
Chennai, India-Mumbai, India
Mumbai, India-Kathmandu, Nepal

-Spend 8 Days in Kathmandu, Nepal-

Kathmandu, Nepal-Mumbai, India
Mumbai, India-Colombo, Sri Lanka

-Do My Practicum (12 Weeks)-

Colombo, Sri Lanka-London, England
London, England-Montreal, Canada
Montreal, Canada-Winnipeg, Canada.

Hope this helps! Also, what kind of things would you like to see me post about here while on my trip? Specifics? General?

ONE WEEK.

Gifts From Friends, Gifts to my Future Friends.

Well, it's just over two weeks until I leave on this adventure. And I've got to be honest, I'm getting pretty nervous! Lately I have gotten lots of stuff done that is pretty important in regards to my trip.

I bussed downtown earlier this week and went to Manitoba Health to get my Out of Country Medical Card. I am not really sure what this is for, but all I know is that if you're out of the province for more than 90 days you need to have one to ensure you're covered in case of a health emergency. I waited at least 30mins in the waiting room (supervised by an RCMP member... or something close) but the whole process took about 3mins and I was out! Plus, the card was free, so that's a relief.

Yesterday I printed out all the documents I could even dream of printing. I also made photocopies for my parents to have. So both myself and my family have...
-Copies of my itineraries for Winnipeg-Colombo and Colombo-Kathmandu
-Copies of my travel health insurance policies
-Copies of my travel health insurance cards, SIN card, driver's license, Manitoba Health card, Out of Country Medical Card
-Booking information at the hotel in Sri Lanka where I am spending one night.
-Copies of my passport.

I also have a little duo-tang (remember those things?!) with all the contact information for Sarvodaya, the High Commission of Canada in Sri Lanka, the hotel I am staying at, as well as some other handy places in case of an emergency. This also includes my confirmation number for my travel visa in Sri Lanka. Dang, I'm good.

While printing off my itinerary I realized my flight actually leaves at 6:35pm instead of 10:30pm, which is what I thought it was before. Thank goodness I looked!!!

The other day my friend Beth K. came over to drop off a travel kit for me. This was so nice and so unexpected, but she is just the bomb! As a medic, she knows what is helpful to take with you when traveling. In this bag was dry shampoo, deodorant wipes, moist face wipes, wipes for your body, foaming soap, hand sanitizer, and a mini pack of kleenex.

Also, I got a whole bunch of moist towelettes from a family friend who is a nurse and from my dad who attended a Workplace Health and Safety. I know these will come in real handy for times I am out in rural areas or just needing to clean my hands before eating. I'm not sure I can have enough of these!

The other day I spent the afternoon with my Aunty Nean at Tim's and going to Goodwill, Dollarama, and Dollar Plus. We had a Tuscan Chicken Panini, donut, and french vanilla (my aunt had tea) and talked for a while. I don't even know how long it was, but it was nice to catch up about a variety of things. At the dollar stores I got some stickers, coloring books, Canada pencils, mint tea and my aunt gave me some postcards of what we are calling 'Canadian scenes' to take with me. Sri Lanka is one of the largest exporters of tea (if not THE largest). The country actually used to be called Ceylon, which is what the ceylon tea is named after. So I thought it might be fun to bring some funky mint tea in case they don't have that kind... apparently they export the good stuff and keep the rejects and murky teas for themselves... Could be a treat. And a special "thank you" to my cat, Emma, who photo bombed this picture.

I know that this whole trip is really weighing on me. Perhaps this is too much information, but I get sick when I am stressed and I have been sick several times recently. Usually it is a very sporadic thing for me with exams or some huge family thing, but this is just massive for me. I haven't been eating quite the same, sleeping the same, or been in a cheerful mood lately. I guess it's because I'm petrified. Excited. Nervous. Ready to go. Never wanting to leave.

Counting down the days..

Saree Shopping!

Today was a totally awesome day! I went out with my Uncle Jim and his girlfriend, Carole to have brunch and go saree shopping!

We began our day at 12:00 at Smitty's on Meadowood (in St. Vital) with a nice brunch. I had a Sunrise Skillet (mushrooms, green onions, bacon, cheese, hash browns, and eggs with toast) while my Uncle had a Western Skillet and Carole had a Smitty's Omelette. It was very filling and an awesome way to start our day... brunch is totally underrated.

Then we walked over to Andaaz Fashions, which is conveniently in the same shopping strip. An appointment was made for me at 2:00 to be fit for a saree, but we arrived a bit early to take a peek at some of the styles and colors... and there were many! After perusing some of the stock, the man in charge (Tejinder) asked me what colors I might be interested in, to which I obviously replied 'purple'. We saw about 7 different sarees... some with paisleys and others with flowers. Sequins, beads, beautiful embroidery... they were all stunning. I think that Uncle Jim, Carole, and myself all had our eye on one that is a maroonish/purple/dark pink (depending on the light!) with some swirls and flowers, also done in a beautiful green and gold stitching. Sukmeet, the woman in charge, helped to put it on me, and although it looked a little weird with my Adidas pink high-tops, yoga pants, and American Eagle shirt, I could definitely look past it and imagine myself with the proper blouse and petticoat. We had another contender that was a more bright pink color with lots of flash and sequins, but it wasn't quite 'me'. So, a unanimous decision was made and the first saree it was! Next, I got measured for the blouse and petticoat, which will be sewn to fit me in just the right way. Sukmeet is even making it a little more modest for me by lengthening the blouse! Even the back of the blouse will have the beautiful pattern throughout it... I cannot wait for it to be made so I can wear it in the full-on 100% Indian way!

So for now, I wait. It should be made in about 10 days, but maybe even sooner! As soon as I go back and try it on again, I will take pictures to post! I am so excited!!!!!!

Thank you Uncle Jim and Carole for a wonderful day, and your generosity in helping me choose the most beautiful saree! <3 :)

Here is a sneak peek....